Do Rabbits Fully Bond With Humans, Like Dogs or Cats??

[Miles]

I have had rabbits for at least six years now, and not one of them has
bonded with me, despite love, affection and attention. Is this a
personality trait of rabbits, or is it just mine?

Love,
Miles-Sydney, AU.
milesc...@optusnet.com.au

[cottontail]

Hi Miles-Sydney,
Probably not like dogs or cats. Although every rabbit has different
temperament and personality. I've had rabbits who were more aloof in
the past, but I also had ones followed me around to every room.

Our current buns are pretty friendly - we had them since they were 8
weeks old. They're 4 siblings from a shelter (used to be 5 of them,
recently lost one), and it took them a long time to get used to us
because they always had each other for comfort. Now they also come to
us, and they respond to their names. They're more or less food
motivated tho :P They live in a large 3-storied rabbit condo during
sleepy time and when we're not home, but pretty much have the run of
the house.

My friend in San Francisco has a lap bunny - I mean her rescued female
bun sits on her lap sometimes. And her male bunny is very much bonded
with her female cat. But her bunnies refuse to bond to each other.
They're both free in her apartment separated by baby gate.

What kind of rabbits do you have? Are they bonded to each other? How
are their setting?

Best,
T.

> milescheif...@optusnet.com.au

[RosL]

Hi Miles,

I'd say it's going to vary from rabbit to rabbit. Of the 4 I've been
owned by and the one I fostered long-term....

Mr H d'Bun regarded me as his slave and would follow me everywhere. I
**think** he bonded with me, was certainly never aloof, loved cuddles,
would jump onto my lap so we could watch TV together, for hours on
end, would sleep beside me, snuggled up against my body - yes, I think
that was a bond, but no kisses or anything of the sort....but then
again he never kissed his wives either. We were together for over 6
years from the time when I rescued him.

Mrs Rosie d'Bun bonded with me and would give kisses, would mutter to
me very quietly when I held her and was very friendly but a bit
standoffish because of the treatment she'd had before coming to me.
She was very nervous but I know that she very quickly came to trust
me. She would hang back when her husbun was around, which he
generally was, and he made sure he got most of the attention and
cuddles, and she only seldom would jump onto my lap but when she did,
she would stay till he chased her away.

Mrs Cinnamon Varmint (formerly the second Mrs d'Bun) has been here
since 13 weeks and is affectionate in the extreme. She readily gives
kisses and will lie for hours being stroked and snuggled but doesn't
like jumping up (or worse being picked up) onto my lap. She was
particularly affectionate after Mr H's death when she was a single
bun.

Mr Nutmeg Varmint has been here now for 2 years and has only begun to
let me stroke him in the past couple of months. I don't believe he's
scared, but really dislikes me. If the mood suits him, he'll let me
stroke him and will even toothpurr, but he considers me as the giver
of food and nothing more. Grooming, nail clipping and general care
which necessitates examining his bum twice daily don't help the
relationship at all - just makes him hate me more. He's njevery
bitten but grumbles, scratches, stamps and is expert at giving the
Royal Bunny Butt. He will do all he can to avoid letting me touch him
unless he's in the mood.

Lord Roger de Lodgerley (long term foster) arrived here under
difficult circumstances and was totally wild. I gained many, many
scratches and it took him some days to realise that I wasn't aiming to
hurt him. From then on it was all positive (though I still got some
scratches!) and he became a really loving snugglebun, full of kisses,
toothpurrs, etc. He would even spray me (YUK!) I homed him with a
good friend around a year ago, and he still remembers me and always
comes to me when I visit to get his cuddles. If I'd had the space,
I'd love to have kept Roger.

So don't feel downhearted, Miles. Some bunnies love people, some
don't. When you get from your bunnies what seems to you like a snub,
remember that their way of showing affection can be so different from
ours. In their own way, they probably do love you.

Ros

> milescheif...@optusnet.com.au

[Sailorbunny]

hi miles!
it definately depends on the bunnies personality..i have 2 bunnies,
dinky and thumper..i have had dinks for almost 5 years and he is just
so friendly and loving..when i sit on the sofa, he will jump up and
sit beside me, at night he sleeps on the bottom of my bed and in the
morning he wakes me with kisses!..we have a very good human/bunny bond
i think..he loves his snuggles and hugs and i love giving them to him!
thumper i have had since july this year, and she is the opposite of
dinks..she never gives kisses or wants to sit next to me on the
sofa..in fact, she only notices me when there is food, lol! ..but we
have snuggles and hugs too!

so its definately the personality of the bun..it could also be a bit
difficult (but not inpossible) to bond with a bun who has had a tough
start to life with maybe a mean previous owner.

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