Rabbit owners especially those new to it tend to feel overly excited and are always eager to make friends with their pets. However, many people find it difficult to move close to their bunnies as doing this makes the bunnies run away from them, and repeating this may scare them off. If rabbit owners cannot move close to their pets, there is no way the rabbits will cuddle them, and it will also be difficult for them to cuddle their rabbits.
In this article, you will learn if rabbits like to be cuddled, why your rabbits are not cuddly if age affects the ability of your rabbits to get cuddly if you can train your bunny to be cuddly, and guidelines to follow in ensuring your rabbits cuddle you.
Do Rabbits Like To Be Cuddled?
Initially, when bunnies meet people for the first time, they are scared to be touched by them. The reason for this is that they are usually careful of a potential predator, which is one of their means of survival. So, when they meet people for the first time, they perceive them as predators, become very sensitive, and get scared more especially when they are touched by them. If as a person you want to cuddle a rabbit, you have to be patient and follow the right approach. If this is done, they start to bond with you and gradually start trusting you. They will eventually love it when you cuddle them, and even give signs for you to cuddle them.
Why Is My Rabbit Not Cuddling?
It is possible for your rabbit does not like to be cuddled. Rabbits being cuddly is based on personality and experiences. For instance, an adult rabbit that hasn’t had any interaction with human rights from birth will find it a lot more difficult to be cuddly than those that were with humans from birth. If you move closer to cuddle them, your good intentions might be misinterpreted. You will need to give them time to bond and have trust in you until they come to the understanding that you do not have any bad intentions toward them.
Do Rabbits Get Cuddlier With Age?
As rabbits grow up, they become less active and more friendly and affectionate. They start getting used to you being around them and feel the need to bond with you. Therefore, the more they age, the more cuddly they become.
Can You Train Your Rabbits To Cuddle With You?
Yes, it is possible to train your rabbits to cuddle with you. Some rabbits won’t cuddle with you even if you give them enough time. In such an instance, you can opt for training them. When you want to train your bunnies, there are some things to avoid. Here are some of them:
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Don’t Drag Your Rabbit With Force
When trying to make your rabbits associate and cuddle with you, a very big mistake you can make is dragging them with force. When you do that, you will scare them away, and they may never give you a chance to hold talk less of cuddling them again.
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Avoid Picking Them At The Wrong Places
There are some parts of your bunny’s body you must avoid when you want to pick them up for cuddling. You must avoid picking them up by their ears, neck, stomach, tail, and limbs. The reason for this is that they have a weak trunk that will not be able to withstand the weight of the rest of the body when held at those parts. This might cause them to be injured particularly in the spine. If as a person, you are trying to make your bunny bond and cuddle with you, and you injure them in the process due to careless handling, it may be traumatic for them and they won’t want you to touch them again.
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Don’t Rough-Handle Them
When you want to cuddle your bunnies, you must not be rough with them. One way you can achieve that is to avoid hugging them too tight. However, you must ensure that you hold them firmly so that they won’t fall from your hand. Falls are traumatic for them, when they fall from your hand, it will be challenging to trust you again. Again, when you cuddle them and they run away, do not force them and just let them be, you can try again another time until they get used to it. it can take up to 2-5 weeks before you achieve this.
Guidelines To Follow In Ensuring That Your Rabbits Cuddle With You
If you have been trying to reach out to your bunnies to cuddle with you and you have been experiencing set back, it just might be that you are approaching it the wrong way. Below are guidelines to follow in ensuring that your rabbit cuddle with you.
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Take Note Of Their Active Periods
The first step in training a rabbit to cuddle with you is to take note of its active periods. When you try to train them when they are feeling sleepy or when they are sleeping, you are most likely not going to achieve anything substantial. Disrupting their sleep can irritate them and make them run away from you. Rabbits are most active during dawn and dusk. So, use this period well if you want to train them. You can choose any of the times that are comfortable for you.
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Ensure They Are Comfortable In Their Space
Another step I n making your rabbits cuddle with you is ensuring they are comfortable in their space. Ensure that their space is free of noise and safe from commotion. Make sure the room is well-ventilated and at room temperature, not too hot and not too cold. When they feel comfortable in their space, they know they rest assured that they are safe and that they won’t be hurt.
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Don’t Be Too Eager To Pick Them up
You must give your rabbits time to process having you around before you attempt to cuddle them. When you are too eager and you hold them, you can frighten and injure them. You need to wait for them to come close to you. They feel safer when you allow them to come close to you themselves rather than randomly picking them up. Find a time during the day, stay with them from a distance and stare at them. If they are in a cage at this time, you can leave the door open. When you practice this daily, a time will come when they will become curious and try to come close to you.
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Cuddle Them In The Right Areas
When your rabbits come close to you, it is important to avoid touching and picking them in the wrong areas just as the neck, stomach, limbs, etc. instead gently rub the forehead, nose, cheeks, behind their ears, and on their backs. Moreover, when you rub them in the right areas, they feel happy and secure. This will make them keep coming to you.
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Speak To Them In A Calm Voice
As you rub their body, under no circumstance must you shout at them. When you raise your voice at them, they get frightened and run away from you. Instead of shouting at them, speak to them in a calm and soothing voice. Make sure you keep speaking with them and let them get familiar with the sound of your voice. When you keep doing this, you keep creating a secure environment for your bunnies.
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Give Them Treats
When they are already with you, you can give them treats to eat. Giving them treats can make them more interested in staying and playing with you. You must, however, be careful of what you feed them because what you feed them is critical to their digestive system. Avoid giving them foods like bread, cereals, grain, sugar, chocolate, etc. This is because sugary food can harm them and cause organ problems. You should strictly stick to hay-based treats.
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Avoid Distractions
While you are bonding with your rabbit, it is very important to avoid distractions like sudden noise, sudden movement, another pet, great lighting, and all other forms of distractions. Try to spend time alone with your rabbit with no disturbance of any form. When they are distracted, they won’t be able to concentrate on you, you won’t be able to bond and it will be difficult to cuddle with them.
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Slowly Cuddle Them
The best position you can be when cuddling your rabbits is on the floor. Lye next to them, and slowly hug them. As you gently hug them, you can continue to gently pet them behind their ears through their back. As you keep doing this, they start to feel safe around you and excited to be with you.
Conclusion
As earlier said, it could take up to 2-5 weeks before they can fully gain your trust. If you succeed in cuddling them for the first time and they run away, leave them alone and don’t force time. They will come back again. The key point is to be patient, give them time, and become familiar with them. Remember, IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME.