[twoifbysea]

I'm curious -- how long did it take for your bunnies to "bond" with you, and when did you realize it?

I've read it can take up to six months before a rabbit is actually comfortable with you. With Linus, sometimes I feel like I'm making real progress, and other times it feels like we've started all over again.

 

[Dragonrain]

I think a lot of it can depend on the rabbit.

I got one rabbit when he was 8 months old, but he came from a neglect situation. He was very shy and timid around people. It took literally over a year before he was comfortable enough with me just to take a treat from my hand. The same rabbit is almost 5 years old now, and comes running up to me when he sees me to beg for attention. He's still shy around people he doesn't know.

I had another rabbit who was snuggling up to me on the ride home from picking him up. He was friendly and bonded to us pretty much from day 1.

I have one rabbit who I've had for a bit over 2 years, and there are still times when he gets upset with me and I have to wait awhile to build up his trust again. He's very moody and things that don't upset the other bunnies too much can really set him off sometimes. He's my living proof that bunnies do hold grudges!

So yeah, I think it has a lot to do with the personality of the rabbit and sometimes with the situation the rabbit was in before coming to you as well as with how you treat the rabbit, etc. Rabbits like to do things on their own terms - sometimes that means you may have to wait a long time before they truly trust you. I've never heard a set time for how long that takes - it's an individual thing.

 

[Jovie]

Honestly, I've had my ups and downs with this too, it just depends on how the rabbit is feeling on any particular day, I got speckle when she was about 7-8 weeks old, she was tiny and as she got older she got a lot brattier, but I think she's fond of me and so is Simon, but it depends on the day, sometimes, they don't wanna be touched or kissed or petted, they're like people, they have mood swings, but I don't think it means they hate you lol.

 

[Purple-Hops]

I got Acacia when she was already 4 months old. She lived in a bad overcrowded cage with people who obviously mauled her or something bc she's nearly 5 yrs old now and hates being held and picked at. It took me about a year after she was spayed to get in the NIC pen and for her to come up (the magic word was raisin!!!) and now she comes comfortably up on my lap for a treat. She doesn't stay there however but I've learned to appreciate it for what it is

She takes raisins from our mouths now so I know she is not afraid, she just likes to be on her own. she's one picky brat though!!
I think rabbits like Acacia are the reason so many are dumped off on shelters. I've been askd why I even kept her People are so ignorant.

 

[twoifbysea]

Honestly, I know I'm pretty lucky. I've only had Linus for about a month and he almost always tolerates me petting him, takes food from my hand without any problem, plays "chase" with me, and today I even got him to come up on my lap to eat, but I guess it's just a bunny thing -- one day they love you, and the next, well, they love you, but they don't feel the need to tell you.