They may not seem like it at first, but rabbits are extremely social creatures and are affectionate, loving pets. If you feel like that’s not quite the case with your pet rabbit, don’t fret! Try these tips to bond with your bun and get ready for some bunny love - there’s nothing quite like it!
Get Down On The Floor - Because rabbits are prey animals, most of them do not like to be constrained by being held. One of the best ways you can make yourself available to bonding with your bun is by coming down to his ‘territory’ - on the floor. Lay or sit near him on the floor and talk to him. Keep some healthy treats on hand (a favorite vegetable perhaps) that will reward him for hanging out near you.
Spend 10-20 minutes on the floor with him, offering him his treat every few minutes while talking softly to him. He may come over to check you out and chin or even lick you! If this happens, you’re free to try to give him some pets!
If he still seems standoffish after a few minutes, that’s okay! Try again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day…after time, you will see improvement and develop an understanding and bond with your bun that you didn’t have before. Or maybe you didn’t even think it was possible!
Note: I definitely recommend keeping your bun’s ‘headquarters’ in a space that’s near the family so that he is around people more than 20 minutes a day and has the option to interact with people on an hourly basis if possible. The purpose of 20 minutes on the floor with your bun is for the sake of deeper bonding and one-on-one time. Try to spend at least 10 minutes a day on the floor, making him more and more comfortable with your time together. :)
Play - Rabbits LOVE to play. You can play with your pet bun during bonding time! If your rabbit is comfortable enough, you can try a game of ‘hide and seek’ by making sure she sees you run into another room and then peek around the corner (crouched close to the floor) at her. She will likely come running to ‘find’ you! Once she finds you, she may run off to hide herself, then you will need to go ‘find’ her. Rabbits play this game with each other, so it will come naturally for your pet bun to play this game with you!
Another option is to lay on the floor hiding your face in your arms and every now and then calling her softly, your rabbit may come over and hop all over and nudge you to try to ‘find’ you. You may even find that while laying on the floor, your bun will loaf out right next to you! That’s when you know the bonding is working!
Rabbits also love to pick things up or ‘bunstruct’ them. I like to stack up old plastic caps from laundry detergent bottles, which my mini satin, Delilah loves to knock over every time. I also will hand her plastic keys to her (asking her if she would like to drive), and she grabs them from me and tosses them away. LOL
Just Hang Out - If you’re just sitting watching TV, working on the computer, reading a book or some other activity that has you being in the same spot for a while, consider having your bun join you on the couch or in the room during this time. Even if you’re busy, it’s good for your bun to be around you! I like to take a break every few minutes to give my bun gentle head pets and sometimes kisses on the face (Delilah loves this, Oliver - not so much). Something else you can do is offer your bun his dinner (a bowl of veggies, perhaps) while you both hang out. He can munch while you do your thing - the point is, you’re doing life together!
If your rabbit seems shy or skittish and unwilling to bond with you at first, consider the following:
Bonding with your rabbit may take some time depending on your bun’s temperament and history with humans. Be patient and consistent in the pursuit of your rabbit’s affection by spending time each day devoted to the bonding process (even 10-15 minutes will make a difference!).
Does your bun have another rabbit to bond with? Because rabbits are social creatures, they are happier with a friend if they cannot be with their human family all day long. I outline how to bond your rabbit with another rabbit on this site. A lot of the time, having a rabbit friend helps them to ‘come out of their shell’.
If your rabbit is the product of a past traumatic experience or was not properly socialized early on in his life, he may never be 100%; BUT if you follow these steps, you will have the best possible bond with your bun! :)
Let me know how the bonding goes in the comments!
Kristin