How to Bond with your Rabbit
Summer break is finally here (has been for a while now lol) and now you have more time to spend with your rabbit. Bonding with your rabbit is a process. It takes time to gain your rabbit's trust and to learn their quirks. There are many resources out there that provide great rabbit tips to bond with your rabbit. Below you'll find some great rabbit tips to bond with your rabbit.
The video above shows Lennon sharing a banana with her human. There are many foods that humans and rabbits can share. A banana or apple or even part of your salad can be shared with your rabbit. A great rabbit tip to bond with your rabbit is to share a food you know they can't resist. Bonding with Ollie has been really hard because he dose not appreciate the human touch. Although Ollie doesn't like to be pet, he can't resist cilantro. He'll ignore bananas, apples, and blueberries but he will beg for cilantro.
Rabbits love to be well groomed. They will spend the entire day grooming themselves. You should also keep in mind rabbits shed their coat every season. Though every rabbit's coat is different, you might find yourself covered in fur every day or not. A great way to keep your rabbit's digestive tract healthy and fur from invading your home, try combing their coat once a week. Your rabbit may hate combing days in the beginning, but they will eventually associate the action with affection. Only you know your rabbit best so if combing day is a hassle, try another activity you can do with them.
As a college student, I loved laying on the ground with my rabbits while doing homework. Not all rabbits enjoy being handled so it is important for you to read your rabbit's body language when you carry them. Ollie tries to wiggle his way out of my arms while Wilmington would hop right into them and sit very still. Either way, a great way to get to know your rabbit is getting down on their level. They are curious by nature and will eventually walk up to you or even flop right next to you. Always remember to respect your rabbit's wishes. The more you force them, the less they will trust you.
We often expect our pets to always want to be around us, but just like humans, rabbits need their space. Respecting your rabbit's boundaries and learning their body language can really help build your bond with them. If your rabbit lunges at you, thumps their foot or grunts at you, take caution - your rabbit does not want to be bothered and will likely attack in some way. Rabbits may appear to be harmless but Wilmington has bitten me many times while Ollie and Nightshade have left me with deep scratches.
Bonding with your rabbit is a lot of trial and error - you never know what they will like or dislike until you try it out. You might come to find your rabbit hates bananas and all you've been sharing with them is your banana. No matter your rabbit's personality, be as patient as you can be. If you find yourself frustrated with your rabbit, give yourself space. From the videos above, Wilmington trusted me a lot. It took a lot of time to get to that point in our relationship. It takes time to figure that out and it takes even more time to learn everything about them.
Sharing Food
The video above shows Lennon sharing a banana with her human. There are many foods that humans and rabbits can share. A banana or apple or even part of your salad can be shared with your rabbit. A great rabbit tip to bond with your rabbit is to share a food you know they can't resist. Bonding with Ollie has been really hard because he dose not appreciate the human touch. Although Ollie doesn't like to be pet, he can't resist cilantro. He'll ignore bananas, apples, and blueberries but he will beg for cilantro.
Combing Their Coat
Rabbits love to be well groomed. They will spend the entire day grooming themselves. You should also keep in mind rabbits shed their coat every season. Though every rabbit's coat is different, you might find yourself covered in fur every day or not. A great way to keep your rabbit's digestive tract healthy and fur from invading your home, try combing their coat once a week. Your rabbit may hate combing days in the beginning, but they will eventually associate the action with affection. Only you know your rabbit best so if combing day is a hassle, try another activity you can do with them.
Lay on the Ground
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| Brandon and baby Nightshade sharing some snuggles. |
As a college student, I loved laying on the ground with my rabbits while doing homework. Not all rabbits enjoy being handled so it is important for you to read your rabbit's body language when you carry them. Ollie tries to wiggle his way out of my arms while Wilmington would hop right into them and sit very still. Either way, a great way to get to know your rabbit is getting down on their level. They are curious by nature and will eventually walk up to you or even flop right next to you. Always remember to respect your rabbit's wishes. The more you force them, the less they will trust you.
Give Your Rabbit Space
 |
| When Ollie gets flustered or scared he hides under the bed. |
We often expect our pets to always want to be around us, but just like humans, rabbits need their space. Respecting your rabbit's boundaries and learning their body language can really help build your bond with them. If your rabbit lunges at you, thumps their foot or grunts at you, take caution - your rabbit does not want to be bothered and will likely attack in some way. Rabbits may appear to be harmless but Wilmington has bitten me many times while Ollie and Nightshade have left me with deep scratches.
Most Importantly, Give Your Rabbit Time
Bonding with your rabbit is a lot of trial and error - you never know what they will like or dislike until you try it out. You might come to find your rabbit hates bananas and all you've been sharing with them is your banana. No matter your rabbit's personality, be as patient as you can be. If you find yourself frustrated with your rabbit, give yourself space. From the videos above, Wilmington trusted me a lot. It took a lot of time to get to that point in our relationship. It takes time to figure that out and it takes even more time to learn everything about them.
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