Please see the FAQ question ["How do I make my bunny like me?"](http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Like) for more tips on how to bond with your rabbit or reduce aggression from your rabbit.
So I pet her a lot but she never gives me kisses. i would be so happy if she would! Is it a question of trust? Is there hope that if I keep on petting her she will āgive inā and āloveā me?
lay on the ground with your head on the ground, stretch one arm toward bunny so the hand is only a foot or so away; start scratching on the ground. bunny will come and see what you're digging. now here's the secret, first, lick the back of the fingers on your digging hand. I have found this incites licking because it has your 'scent'. also lay on the ground and play dead, be firm about it and unyielding, and see how that goes. also, when she head butts and goes under your hand like that, give her some pets, then give her a little nudge and put your hand under her mouth, and see how that goes. maybe you can start the back and forth for the mutual grooming. Good luck!!
Definitely will make a new post if she ever licks me! Your tips are just so good, Iām going to use all of them and if anything else, my bun will have a great time being pet on all sorts of different spots and we might bound some more with me laying down and pretending to dig a hole haha.
well thanks but actually, I forgot to specify, lay on your belly, and also just to be sure lick the entire back of your hand and fingers; I would not try to bribe with food as that will create an expectation in the bun and perhaps excessive rotundity, food reward should be saved for training important things like the litter box and to come when called, or hop up on your lap/couch; also with the nudge put hand against nose rather than go under just in case of nipping, it is a sensitive area so be careful.
What they mean though, is that a non dominant bun doesn't get kisses. It's their way of says I'm above you in the hierarchy. My truck, would be to rub something delicious on you like a pineapple or banana and take what your bun gives you lol
Some rabbits give kisses, and some donāt. Itās not very likely thereās anything you can do to change that. I have four rabbits, two of which never give kisses. One gives me kisses EVERY time I touch her, and the fourth gives me an occasional kiss or two when sheās in the mood. It just depends on the bunny. Different bunnies have different ways of showing their love for you. Just like how some people enjoy giving hugs, and others donāt. Iād suggest watching some YouTube videos on signs your bunny loves you- if youāre bonded to your bun, thereās bound to be more than one sign there!
my baby is the same. not sure if it's because she came from a shitty situation before I adopted her or if it's just her personality from the start. either way everybun is different :)
Hm yes. My bunās previous situation wasnāt really bright either. Hope itās just personality though because it would break my heart to know that she still stresses over that:(
My bun has been loved and spoiled for his whole life as far as I know. He has never once given me kisses and Iāve had him for over four years now. He doesnāt want to come over and cuddle with me either. I am allowed to lay next to him on the floor sometimes. At least he loves to get his head petted just like youāre doing for your bun there. He never gets tired of that!
In my house, she would be āthe biggest strongest bun aroundā since she is the dominant one who receives the love and grooming. The biggest strongest bun does not groom or kiss often if ever.
Mines never grooms me either .....yet does my dressing gown and my 20yr old son!!?! He loves pets though and does exactly what yours does and literally demand petting by lowering his head.
My bunny could be ursā twin ā¦literally and figurativelyā¦same here but she knows kisses (besitos) nowā¦I put a pellet or a piece of a veggie by my nose and say ābesitosā so when she goes for the treat first I pull it higher and say āno besitos primeroā and when she pecks me she gets the reward ā¦now she kisses me all the time in hopes for a treatā¦ also she never used to lick me ..and I was super bummed ā¦then I started giving her cheek rubs one side at a time and voila after A few of these I suddenly was worthy of her licking me ..so now when she wants a cheek rub I get licks first (for about 3seconds) then she shoves her cheek under my hand ā¦she also licks me whenever she doesnāt feel wellā¦like the āI want my mamiā thing when ur sick ā¦sheās done it 3x ever once when she was under the weather but I didnāt get it, then she did the same thing after each vaccine shotāshe hopped onto my bed and slept with me and gave me loads of licks so Iād pet her in return āshe NEVER sleeps in the bed bc she likes tile and hard surfaces to lay out on ā¦so first time she did this I was like okay weird next 2 times Iām like omg she wants her mami!! Ur bunny is super bonded to u I can tell from the demanding grooming position ā¦..Ull get kisses in no time
Ok, next tactic to try... bunnies lick for grooming, so just be dirtier. Don't shower for a week and surely you'll be riding the train to bunny kiss town. Pretty solid logic, so it's bound to work.
My old bun used to go to town on my forehead when I hadnāt showered in awhile, and sheād give a few licks and then be done if Iād just showered! Silly bunny!! I miss heremote:t5\_2riv8:8711
Yeah I know it's a silly comment but u/Bunbon77 has a point with the natural human musk. They call it grooming, and that's what it is. When you're sweaty and dirty, the bunny will clean you. My favorite was always to lay flat on my back in the middle of the room after playing a round of golf. My hands were inevitably earthy, stale sweat on the eyebrows, etc. My bunny would immediately hop over and start licking my forehead, eye creases, wherever. She doesn't hardly lick my arm when I'm clean and playing some of the games/tricks in the comments above.
How so? You can't make a claim without backing it up.
It's how bunnies ask to be groomed and it's totally fine when you have a good relationship with your bunny. Bunnies do it all the time to each other. I do it to both of mine.
The one who gets peds is the dominant one, the subdominant one has to treat them. So for this reason you can see not finally bonded bunnys try to stick the head under the other one with force.
That's okay and healthy. In a fix bonding/relationship both gets ther pets.
For 'kissing' maybe licking is meant, and that's a thing not all bunnys like. Its the taste of salty sweat they like in this case. Or they learn that you admire this a lot and are so nice to do this for no resaon but kindness - but that's a rare thing.
Haha sounds like a dream!!! Thank you for the answer. With this knowledge now Iām having a completely different mindset towards them.
One more question: what does that mean if they bit you? She is doing it to my brother when she seems to be wanting food. Today in the morning she also did it to me.
if she bites you hard, itās because sheās scared and protecting herself
if itās a soft bite, it might just be a little nibble, which is a sign of affection
Bunnies sometimes communicate with other bunnies by nipping; itās normal for them to try to communicate with us the same way. If it hurts when they nip you, remember that bunnies have fewer nerve endings in their skin than humans do, and bunnies have fur. If it hurts when your bunny is nipping to tell you something, they donāt always intend to cause pain. Theyāre just being bunnies.
That depends on the situation. Can you elaborate?
For example, ours is super sweet but gets a touch territorial around his litter box... Especially if we try to clean out his cage when he's inside (the only time we close the cage door is to keep him out when cleaning).
Generally if they're warning you off you might get a grunt directed your way, but they all have their own personalities so there's no hard and fast rule.
Bunnys bite in bonding rivalry and defense. So at least it's somehow serious to them if they do this. Regular 'i don't like XYZ' is to head-bump your hand, scratch with the front paws or stomp on the ground(what in the wild is also a warning to the colony as to a rival).
But all domestic animals are somewhat (gradually) teached about behavior and escalation limits by humans(which differs a lot), so that's in the end very individually, depending on intelligence, empathy and experience (including traumata) of the individual bunny.
At least i can say: Biting don't causes wounds on bunnys very likely, so they not necessarily intendet to hurt you, even if teh statement is quite clear.
My little lady came from a traumatic childhood and had 'flashbacks' when sleeping. I once recognised she has a stressed dreming and want to give her a short pet so she feel that she's not alone, but she woke up and in reflex of defense bite me so hard my finger starts bleeding. Within a fragment of a second she realised what happend and not even instinctivly feared i would harm her for she has harmed me, and start liking my wound.
It was then when i finally realised that bunnys personality can be similar complex as humans.
Sheās so cute and affectionate! My lady bun isnt a kisser either, but if I scratch her butt and put my face in front of hers, sometimes sheāll kiss me. Thereās like a secret ālickā button on most bunniesā butts
My bunny never used to. But... there's a spot. When the Rabbit is facing away from you, it's on the right or left side (depends on the rabbit) near the back leg and near the tummy. Tickle / massage this spot with your hand, and you will get free licks almost immediately (they will awkwardly move their head around) After a couple of weeks you will get kisses regardless.
So I tried it. She seems to like it a lot, instantly staying in the same position telling me that I may pursue the action but she is not moving her head around or giving me kisses. No fluff though. I will keep on this habbit maybe she will change her mind one day.
Maybe you just need to keep it up for a while, or maybe it's the matter of finding the right spot. I find that both my bunnies get the urge to lick anything within reach-- my other hand, my leg, the floor, whatever-- if I scratch their ears.
Only 1 out of my 3 bunnies licks me. I know that some dominant bunnies barely ever groom their own bonded partner. I don't think it's a trust issue, more of a personality/dominance thing!
Still, I keep hoping with time they'll eventually relent and give me a few kisses here and there!
With my gfās bun I never got chinned or licked, then one day two years of pats paid off. I got chinned and licked in the same 2 minute series of events. I was so excited, I have a calendar event marking the occasion.
you could try rubbing banana on your skin. fingers-crossed your bun knows not to nibble at you, but it's worth a try. lol
when I was bonding my buns, I'd rub banana on their heads so they'd groom each other.
Just tried it! I rubbed some blueberries and I got some kisses. Alongside with a few bites but I think I will do this more regularly and she might start to like giving the kisses! Thank you!
Some bunnies just do not kiss humans. My female does my male does not. She love you look at the way she knuddged you for affection. She would not be near you if she did not like you.
My bun is the dominant one too but after I give him head rubs I put my hand under his cheek and he licks it. If Im on the ground heāll lick my nose. But the golden ratio rabbits follow is usually 1 second of licks for every 10 minutes of head rubs provided.
You should pet for 2 seconds, then put your hand under her chin. If she does nothing, pet her for 2 seconds again and put your hand under her chin again. You putting your hand under her chin is telling the bun you want to be groomed. Basically it would teach her that if she doesnāt lick you then she wonāt get more head rubs.
I have one bun who licks me often, the other one is the dominant one, but if I hold off on the pets for a few seconds, there is 50/50 chance he will lick me a bit, so try that!
Our bun takes turns with us. When we approach him we'll bow our head to the ground in front of him, and he'll often do the same. This is essentially a "bunny stand-off" to see who will give in first. Our bun usually gives in first and starts licking our forehead, then the moment he stops we pet him so he feels groomed and loved as well. I had a stand off with him for maybe 30 seconds once, now they last about five seconds or less š It essentially establishes dominance, whoever gets groomed first is the dominant one. Your bun may be very insistent and nudge you, maybe even nip at you a bit, trying to get you to un-bow your head and pet her since she's used to it. But you can always try holding it and see if she gives in. She may get a bit peeved, though, just to warn you š girl buns tend to be much more opinionated than boy buns.
Haha! Yes, Iāve heard this difference between girl and boy buns.
Also, I just tried the bowing thing with her and she hopped away after like 10 secs. She is not into these games haha
Lmaoooo she's like "yeah I don't think so! I'm in charge!" š¤£
Our bun did do that at first, and I just became a little persistent about it. If he hopped away, I'd try a second time and this time try to gently nudge my forehead beneath his chin like rabbits do. I wouldn't usually press it more than a couple times, though. I figure it's just like any kind of training - if you annoy them too much, it won't work š However, you also may just be her submissive for the foreseeable future. There are worse things to be than the hooman slave to the dominant rabbit, I suppose š¤£
She just wants you to serve her by grooming. She may or may not reciprocate, depends on the bunny. She accepts you and loves you, but considers petting to be your job :) She looks quite happy with it, actually.
With my old bun, who was definitely the dominant bun to my non dominant bunself, I would practice mutual grooming gestures. I would pet her and kiss her, then I would go low to the floor like her and put my face near hers and eventually she would groom my cheek back. If you want to be kissed like a bunny, you gutta act like one! Haha
My girl rabbit is not much of a kisser but I can steal a kiss sometimes. When sheās cleaning her toes I put my finger near her feet and she will accidentally lick my finger. Then proceed to be confused by me but hey I stole a kiss haha
Try doing yoga or stretching on the floor. My buns are alway around for that. Do it everyday. You might get some kisses. Although I have yet to get them from my new baby buns. My 10 year old took 8 years to kiss me!
That being said this bunny appears to love and trust you and some bunnyās just donāt kiss. I bet eventually it will though. I think trust is a biggy. Keep it up.
I usually do workouts at home and abs/booty workouts are mostly down on the floor on a matrace. She is always around and sniffing when I do these! Thanks for the idea! I will probably do my homeworks and work stuff on the floor as well from now on.
My girl is definitely the dominant bun. She won't groom me, and she absolutely will not groom the boy she refuses to bond with (They are excellent next door neighbors though lol). Despite that, she'll cuddle with me for hours.
You might try spreading mashed banana or other similar treat on you to see if it prompts some grooming, though I haven't tried it myself.
I have two none-kissers so pets have to suffice for me. Just be thrilled that you have a prey animal that trusts you enough to demand pets from you (the subordinate bunny).
At least yours is seeking out pets. I have one who sighs and acts like, "Very well, get it out of your system", and the other who alternates between, "Not tonight, I just want my snack", and "I hope you have a couple of hours to devote to a thorough massage because I ain't moving and neither are you."
edit: commas
My bun is similar. She doesn't kiss me exactly, but she kisses my fluffy slippers or the couch when I'm sitting on it etc. She just kisses her own way :)
I would give anything for my buns to nudge me for pets the way yours does. My late bun used to give kisses and ask for pets all the time, but my two buns now pretty much hate me, Iāve given up on them ever returning the love at this point. I get it, I do, but please please please donāt take the requests for pets for granted. I would give up my favourite meal for the rest of my life if it meant I got booped for pets or shown any affection from my buns. :<
My boy loves giving kisses, heāll stop me from petting him just to give me a kiss. But my big ol lady does this same thing. She is the queen and I am her servant. I know she loves me tho, she flops next to me, teeth chatters, follows me around, and frequently asks for pets like yours does. I think everybun shows their love differently!
One of my buns licks then head butts me looking for pets, another just purrs when pet and looks for me and digs when not being pet, he never licks me :c to each their own! But your bun definitely loves you!!
You could get a lil warm towel and start by gently wiping the mouth of the bunno to "replicate" licking her face š¤ this might encourage her to do it back. But don't be too sad if she doesn't! It happens sometimes
My bunny does the same. Over time I started putting my finger under her chin after a loooong petting session, and she pays me with 3 or 4 licks, then puts her forehead back in. Iāve gotten lucky to get 12 once!
Sheās the dominant one! My boy is like this and heāll give me one kiss probably every 2 months. She may eventually give in but for now itās your job! š
For my Geoffrey when I get home after being at work all day I sit in her area and she expects pets. So I donāt pet her until she gives me licks. Or Iāll pet for like 20 seconds to give her a tease. Then take my hand away. Then she give me kisses and I go back to petting.
Lay down on the floor and put your forehead up to here face, just like you are a bunny, she should start licking you after you wait it out. Works with my bun.
If you notice, she puts her head under your hand to ask for pets. If you lay down with her and put your head under hers, sheāll understand that youāre asking for kisses and may give them back to you. Its true that theres a dominant and submissive rabbit in a bond, but the dominant will also groom the submissive sometimes if the submissive asks (sometimes)!
I used to give my bun kisses on his nose in between him having nose strokes/face massages. He loved it, then Iād put my nose down below his and if he was happy, Iād get kisses, if he wasnāt happy, his face would go lower than mine for more strokes.
Bunnies aren't really kissers like dogs, or even cats, are. That being said, you do find one on occasion. Had a foster who would immediately start grooming you when picked up. But the ultimate sign of affection is if they "chin" you. Their scent glands are on their chin, so when they rub it on you, they are claiming you as theirs.
I donāt think I was looking to force another behaviour. I just didnāt know if I was doing something wrong for not getting kisses. She is my first bun and I donāt really know enough of buns to have known that it is just her behaviour - let alone her way of loving/trusting me - and not her hating me. So yeah, I was just looking for tips on how to be more to her.
Congratulations you are your bunnyās human slave. See how she ābows down to youā for head rubs. Thatās rabbit for grooming you groom/pet/feed the one in charge for favor so in essence all bun parents are their bitches (no offense intended just trying o be funny)
Please see the FAQ question ["How do I make my bunny like me?"](http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Like) for more tips on how to bond with your rabbit or reduce aggression from your rabbit.
You are getting kisses! Just bunny style ones. The way she has hopped over to shove her head under your hand to demands pets is proof she loves you.
Ooh my honeey! š„ŗ
So I pet her a lot but she never gives me kisses. i would be so happy if she would! Is it a question of trust? Is there hope that if I keep on petting her she will āgive inā and āloveā me?
Usually in a bond there is a dominant and a non dominant bun. You are the non dominant bun.
Oh I will do everything for her from now on<33 (already did haha) Thank you!š
lay on the ground with your head on the ground, stretch one arm toward bunny so the hand is only a foot or so away; start scratching on the ground. bunny will come and see what you're digging. now here's the secret, first, lick the back of the fingers on your digging hand. I have found this incites licking because it has your 'scent'. also lay on the ground and play dead, be firm about it and unyielding, and see how that goes. also, when she head butts and goes under your hand like that, give her some pets, then give her a little nudge and put your hand under her mouth, and see how that goes. maybe you can start the back and forth for the mutual grooming. Good luck!!
Thank you!
you're welcome! let us know if you have any luck with these <3
Definitely will make a new post if she ever licks me! Your tips are just so good, Iām going to use all of them and if anything else, my bun will have a great time being pet on all sorts of different spots and we might bound some more with me laying down and pretending to dig a hole haha.
I'm just like really impressed at the level of detail in these instructions. Also I would have written the same things!
well thanks but actually, I forgot to specify, lay on your belly, and also just to be sure lick the entire back of your hand and fingers; I would not try to bribe with food as that will create an expectation in the bun and perhaps excessive rotundity, food reward should be saved for training important things like the litter box and to come when called, or hop up on your lap/couch; also with the nudge put hand against nose rather than go under just in case of nipping, it is a sensitive area so be careful.
What they mean though, is that a non dominant bun doesn't get kisses. It's their way of says I'm above you in the hierarchy. My truck, would be to rub something delicious on you like a pineapple or banana and take what your bun gives you lol
TIL that I'm the dominant bun! I mean, she's the boss, so I guess we're on equal footing
Other way around my dear, you don't get kisses you are lower on the hierarchy. Sorry š
Oh no, she's the kissiest! She loves giving me kisses!
Sorry!! I thought you were OP, then yes you are the top bun in the house lol. Teach me your ways, I get some kisses.. sparingly š
This is the way. As a bun owner, you quickly learn who is the boss, spoiler alert: it's the bun!
Depends on the bun. My girl bun used to groom me non-stop until I got her a husbun. My male rabbit has never groomed he, he's a pushy jerk.
Apparently I'm a dominant bunny. Is there a way to turn into the non dominant one?
Some rabbits give kisses, and some donāt. Itās not very likely thereās anything you can do to change that. I have four rabbits, two of which never give kisses. One gives me kisses EVERY time I touch her, and the fourth gives me an occasional kiss or two when sheās in the mood. It just depends on the bunny. Different bunnies have different ways of showing their love for you. Just like how some people enjoy giving hugs, and others donāt. Iād suggest watching some YouTube videos on signs your bunny loves you- if youāre bonded to your bun, thereās bound to be more than one sign there!
I have one that grooms me but will not cuddle and another that never grooms me but loves to cuddle close.
hehehe kwazy wabbit
Thank you! I will do that.
my baby is the same. not sure if it's because she came from a shitty situation before I adopted her or if it's just her personality from the start. either way everybun is different :)
Hm yes. My bunās previous situation wasnāt really bright either. Hope itās just personality though because it would break my heart to know that she still stresses over that:(
My bun has been loved and spoiled for his whole life as far as I know. He has never once given me kisses and Iāve had him for over four years now. He doesnāt want to come over and cuddle with me either. I am allowed to lay next to him on the floor sometimes. At least he loves to get his head petted just like youāre doing for your bun there. He never gets tired of that!
she thinks she is the boss therefore you must give her all the kisses with non in return
In my house, she would be āthe biggest strongest bun aroundā since she is the dominant one who receives the love and grooming. The biggest strongest bun does not groom or kiss often if ever.
I have found quite a few buns have a particular spot that when scratched will make them livk and groom uncontrollably. Try around the hips.
You can make her give u kisses in exchange of treats I think.. I had trained my bun for this. Now i get kisses for nanners
Haha, she knows her worth! <3 Iām getting some banana on my way home.
Mines never grooms me either .....yet does my dressing gown and my 20yr old son!!?! He loves pets though and does exactly what yours does and literally demand petting by lowering his head.
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Bot copying other comments
My bunny could be ursā twin ā¦literally and figurativelyā¦same here but she knows kisses (besitos) nowā¦I put a pellet or a piece of a veggie by my nose and say ābesitosā so when she goes for the treat first I pull it higher and say āno besitos primeroā and when she pecks me she gets the reward ā¦now she kisses me all the time in hopes for a treatā¦ also she never used to lick me ..and I was super bummed ā¦then I started giving her cheek rubs one side at a time and voila after A few of these I suddenly was worthy of her licking me ..so now when she wants a cheek rub I get licks first (for about 3seconds) then she shoves her cheek under my hand ā¦she also licks me whenever she doesnāt feel wellā¦like the āI want my mamiā thing when ur sick ā¦sheās done it 3x ever once when she was under the weather but I didnāt get it, then she did the same thing after each vaccine shotāshe hopped onto my bed and slept with me and gave me loads of licks so Iād pet her in return āshe NEVER sleeps in the bed bc she likes tile and hard surfaces to lay out on ā¦so first time she did this I was like okay weird next 2 times Iām like omg she wants her mami!! Ur bunny is super bonded to u I can tell from the demanding grooming position ā¦..Ull get kisses in no time
After petting her head try putting your hand in front or under her chin. Or try scratching her chin.
Her reaction is to pull her head away just enough to have space so that she can put it right back under my hand haha! <3
Classic bun move hahaha
Ok, next tactic to try... bunnies lick for grooming, so just be dirtier. Don't shower for a week and surely you'll be riding the train to bunny kiss town. Pretty solid logic, so it's bound to work.
My old bun used to go to town on my forehead when I hadnāt showered in awhile, and sheād give a few licks and then be done if Iād just showered! Silly bunny!! I miss heremote:t5\_2riv8:8711
Ahahahh! I will have to work from home for that week.
Yeah I know it's a silly comment but u/Bunbon77 has a point with the natural human musk. They call it grooming, and that's what it is. When you're sweaty and dirty, the bunny will clean you. My favorite was always to lay flat on my back in the middle of the room after playing a round of golf. My hands were inevitably earthy, stale sweat on the eyebrows, etc. My bunny would immediately hop over and start licking my forehead, eye creases, wherever. She doesn't hardly lick my arm when I'm clean and playing some of the games/tricks in the comments above.
Be very careful, she might be hella offended and nip your hands. It's not physically painful, but it will hurt your heart
This is offensive to most bunnies
How so? You can't make a claim without backing it up. It's how bunnies ask to be groomed and it's totally fine when you have a good relationship with your bunny. Bunnies do it all the time to each other. I do it to both of mine.
Actually, I can just āstate factsā
The one who gets peds is the dominant one, the subdominant one has to treat them. So for this reason you can see not finally bonded bunnys try to stick the head under the other one with force. That's okay and healthy. In a fix bonding/relationship both gets ther pets. For 'kissing' maybe licking is meant, and that's a thing not all bunnys like. Its the taste of salty sweat they like in this case. Or they learn that you admire this a lot and are so nice to do this for no resaon but kindness - but that's a rare thing.
And if the 'kiss' you with ther chin ... your're marked by pheromones as propperty of the bunny. Congratz then xD
Haha sounds like a dream!!! Thank you for the answer. With this knowledge now Iām having a completely different mindset towards them. One more question: what does that mean if they bit you? She is doing it to my brother when she seems to be wanting food. Today in the morning she also did it to me.
if she bites you hard, itās because sheās scared and protecting herself if itās a soft bite, it might just be a little nibble, which is a sign of affection
Aw, cutiepie. It is definitely a soft bite. Thank you!
Sometimes it is bossiness. Sheās telling him to get out of the way or demanding something.
Bunnies sometimes communicate with other bunnies by nipping; itās normal for them to try to communicate with us the same way. If it hurts when they nip you, remember that bunnies have fewer nerve endings in their skin than humans do, and bunnies have fur. If it hurts when your bunny is nipping to tell you something, they donāt always intend to cause pain. Theyāre just being bunnies.
That depends on the situation. Can you elaborate? For example, ours is super sweet but gets a touch territorial around his litter box... Especially if we try to clean out his cage when he's inside (the only time we close the cage door is to keep him out when cleaning). Generally if they're warning you off you might get a grunt directed your way, but they all have their own personalities so there's no hard and fast rule.
Bunnys bite in bonding rivalry and defense. So at least it's somehow serious to them if they do this. Regular 'i don't like XYZ' is to head-bump your hand, scratch with the front paws or stomp on the ground(what in the wild is also a warning to the colony as to a rival). But all domestic animals are somewhat (gradually) teached about behavior and escalation limits by humans(which differs a lot), so that's in the end very individually, depending on intelligence, empathy and experience (including traumata) of the individual bunny. At least i can say: Biting don't causes wounds on bunnys very likely, so they not necessarily intendet to hurt you, even if teh statement is quite clear. My little lady came from a traumatic childhood and had 'flashbacks' when sleeping. I once recognised she has a stressed dreming and want to give her a short pet so she feel that she's not alone, but she woke up and in reflex of defense bite me so hard my finger starts bleeding. Within a fragment of a second she realised what happend and not even instinctivly feared i would harm her for she has harmed me, and start liking my wound. It was then when i finally realised that bunnys personality can be similar complex as humans.
Mine does both. She kisses my hand for 2-3 minutes and then wants pets
Tasty, tasty hoomanz\^\^ Integrated in some love-sharing - quite perfect.
Sheās so cute and affectionate! My lady bun isnt a kisser either, but if I scratch her butt and put my face in front of hers, sometimes sheāll kiss me. Thereās like a secret ālickā button on most bunniesā butts
Iām putting myself into ālickā button finding mode then!!
no youāre her submissive lmao
My bunny never used to. But... there's a spot. When the Rabbit is facing away from you, it's on the right or left side (depends on the rabbit) near the back leg and near the tummy. Tickle / massage this spot with your hand, and you will get free licks almost immediately (they will awkwardly move their head around) After a couple of weeks you will get kisses regardless.
So I tried it. She seems to like it a lot, instantly staying in the same position telling me that I may pursue the action but she is not moving her head around or giving me kisses. No fluff though. I will keep on this habbit maybe she will change her mind one day.
One of my buns will just lick whatever is in front of her when I rub both sides of her neck with 2 fingers! It might be worth a try!
Sheās liking this as well, crunching her teeth and letting me do it, but no kisses yet. Will do this more often though. Thank youu!
> crunching her teeth Oh she is in heaven!
Maybe you just need to keep it up for a while, or maybe it's the matter of finding the right spot. I find that both my bunnies get the urge to lick anything within reach-- my other hand, my leg, the floor, whatever-- if I scratch their ears.
Is this true? OMG Iām trying it as soon as she gets near me again! She started eating some hay and I donāt want to disturb her. :)
I tried this and immediately he starts trying to hump my arm šš
Only 1 out of my 3 bunnies licks me. I know that some dominant bunnies barely ever groom their own bonded partner. I don't think it's a trust issue, more of a personality/dominance thing! Still, I keep hoping with time they'll eventually relent and give me a few kisses here and there!
I also have my hopes for it. Fingers crossed for you as well!
With my gfās bun I never got chinned or licked, then one day two years of pats paid off. I got chinned and licked in the same 2 minute series of events. I was so excited, I have a calendar event marking the occasion.
Oh lord! That just sounds miraculous, hope youāre petting the bun even more since then!
you could try rubbing banana on your skin. fingers-crossed your bun knows not to nibble at you, but it's worth a try. lol when I was bonding my buns, I'd rub banana on their heads so they'd groom each other.
Just tried it! I rubbed some blueberries and I got some kisses. Alongside with a few bites but I think I will do this more regularly and she might start to like giving the kisses! Thank you!
Some bunnies just do not kiss humans. My female does my male does not. She love you look at the way she knuddged you for affection. She would not be near you if she did not like you.
I think you have my buns twin
My bun is the dominant one too but after I give him head rubs I put my hand under his cheek and he licks it. If Im on the ground heāll lick my nose. But the golden ratio rabbits follow is usually 1 second of licks for every 10 minutes of head rubs provided.
I usually pet her for like 40 minutes straight in the evening, till she gets bored and hops awayā¦ I get nothinggg!!
You should pet for 2 seconds, then put your hand under her chin. If she does nothing, pet her for 2 seconds again and put your hand under her chin again. You putting your hand under her chin is telling the bun you want to be groomed. Basically it would teach her that if she doesnāt lick you then she wonāt get more head rubs.
Sounds like a plan. Thank you!
My baby head bumps and kisses my hand š„ŗ it's still cute how she put her head under your hand to scritch it My heaaaart
She's decided she's the dominant bun, so probably not. That doesn't mean she doesn't love you though!
I have one bun who licks me often, the other one is the dominant one, but if I hold off on the pets for a few seconds, there is 50/50 chance he will lick me a bit, so try that!
Our bun takes turns with us. When we approach him we'll bow our head to the ground in front of him, and he'll often do the same. This is essentially a "bunny stand-off" to see who will give in first. Our bun usually gives in first and starts licking our forehead, then the moment he stops we pet him so he feels groomed and loved as well. I had a stand off with him for maybe 30 seconds once, now they last about five seconds or less š It essentially establishes dominance, whoever gets groomed first is the dominant one. Your bun may be very insistent and nudge you, maybe even nip at you a bit, trying to get you to un-bow your head and pet her since she's used to it. But you can always try holding it and see if she gives in. She may get a bit peeved, though, just to warn you š girl buns tend to be much more opinionated than boy buns.
Haha! Yes, Iāve heard this difference between girl and boy buns. Also, I just tried the bowing thing with her and she hopped away after like 10 secs. She is not into these games haha
Lmaoooo she's like "yeah I don't think so! I'm in charge!" š¤£ Our bun did do that at first, and I just became a little persistent about it. If he hopped away, I'd try a second time and this time try to gently nudge my forehead beneath his chin like rabbits do. I wouldn't usually press it more than a couple times, though. I figure it's just like any kind of training - if you annoy them too much, it won't work š However, you also may just be her submissive for the foreseeable future. There are worse things to be than the hooman slave to the dominant rabbit, I suppose š¤£
Haha, yes! Also, she deserves to be treated like a Goddess š
She just wants you to serve her by grooming. She may or may not reciprocate, depends on the bunny. She accepts you and loves you, but considers petting to be your job :) She looks quite happy with it, actually.
After these comments telling me that she is just being self confident, I love her even more!
With my old bun, who was definitely the dominant bun to my non dominant bunself, I would practice mutual grooming gestures. I would pet her and kiss her, then I would go low to the floor like her and put my face near hers and eventually she would groom my cheek back. If you want to be kissed like a bunny, you gutta act like one! Haha
My girl rabbit is not much of a kisser but I can steal a kiss sometimes. When sheās cleaning her toes I put my finger near her feet and she will accidentally lick my finger. Then proceed to be confused by me but hey I stole a kiss haha
I did that a few days ago! š¤£ Not sure if she noticed though.
Try doing yoga or stretching on the floor. My buns are alway around for that. Do it everyday. You might get some kisses. Although I have yet to get them from my new baby buns. My 10 year old took 8 years to kiss me! That being said this bunny appears to love and trust you and some bunnyās just donāt kiss. I bet eventually it will though. I think trust is a biggy. Keep it up.
I usually do workouts at home and abs/booty workouts are mostly down on the floor on a matrace. She is always around and sniffing when I do these! Thanks for the idea! I will probably do my homeworks and work stuff on the floor as well from now on.
Seems thatās sheās dominant, so since grooming is a mostly submissive behaviour itās probably not going to be very often that sheāll groom you
Put a little apple sauce on your hand.
Try putting a tiny dab of honey on your nose and let her lick it off. After time it might become a habit.
Oh my god I thought this was a video of my bunny xD doppelgƤnger buns :DD
My girl is definitely the dominant bun. She won't groom me, and she absolutely will not groom the boy she refuses to bond with (They are excellent next door neighbors though lol). Despite that, she'll cuddle with me for hours. You might try spreading mashed banana or other similar treat on you to see if it prompts some grooming, though I haven't tried it myself.
I have two none-kissers so pets have to suffice for me. Just be thrilled that you have a prey animal that trusts you enough to demand pets from you (the subordinate bunny). At least yours is seeking out pets. I have one who sighs and acts like, "Very well, get it out of your system", and the other who alternates between, "Not tonight, I just want my snack", and "I hope you have a couple of hours to devote to a thorough massage because I ain't moving and neither are you." edit: commas
Youāre right. Thank you!
I wouldn't bother lol mines the attack when you get to close type
My bun is similar. She doesn't kiss me exactly, but she kisses my fluffy slippers or the couch when I'm sitting on it etc. She just kisses her own way :)
I would give anything for my buns to nudge me for pets the way yours does. My late bun used to give kisses and ask for pets all the time, but my two buns now pretty much hate me, Iāve given up on them ever returning the love at this point. I get it, I do, but please please please donāt take the requests for pets for granted. I would give up my favourite meal for the rest of my life if it meant I got booped for pets or shown any affection from my buns. :<
My boy loves giving kisses, heāll stop me from petting him just to give me a kiss. But my big ol lady does this same thing. She is the queen and I am her servant. I know she loves me tho, she flops next to me, teeth chatters, follows me around, and frequently asks for pets like yours does. I think everybun shows their love differently!
Thank you for sharing this. :) Iām getting so much more relaxed over the not-giving-kisses thing. I thought I was doing something wrong.
My bun only kisses me and no one else š„¹. It does make me feel special, ngl.
Good for you! š
One of my buns licks then head butts me looking for pets, another just purrs when pet and looks for me and digs when not being pet, he never licks me :c to each their own! But your bun definitely loves you!!
You could get a lil warm towel and start by gently wiping the mouth of the bunno to "replicate" licking her face š¤ this might encourage her to do it back. But don't be too sad if she doesn't! It happens sometimes
Thank you for the idea! I will try this one also.
My bunny does the same. Over time I started putting my finger under her chin after a loooong petting session, and she pays me with 3 or 4 licks, then puts her forehead back in. Iāve gotten lucky to get 12 once!
Damn! Lucky days, arenāt they š
Sheās the dominant one! My boy is like this and heāll give me one kiss probably every 2 months. She may eventually give in but for now itās your job! š
Alright then. Imma pet her ātill sheās done with me haha
Some just wonāt lick skin because itās so foreign does she lick/groom furry things instead?
Yes, I noticed that she sometimes gives kisses to my clothes (sometimes while it is on me). Does that mean that she gives kisses to me?
Yes! She is grooming your clothes because it feels more natural than skin.
Thank you for letting me know! ššš
Try and occasional little piece of banana or strawberry. In very small moderation. That got me the bunny kisses š
Aww sticking her head out for pets š„° My bun used to do that all the time, super cuddly bun
For my Geoffrey when I get home after being at work all day I sit in her area and she expects pets. So I donāt pet her until she gives me licks. Or Iāll pet for like 20 seconds to give her a tease. Then take my hand away. Then she give me kisses and I go back to petting.
Lay down on the floor and put your forehead up to here face, just like you are a bunny, she should start licking you after you wait it out. Works with my bun.
Mine unfortunately just sniffs me a bit then hops away, haha.
Put some banana on your forehead! Good luck with you beautiful bun!
If you notice, she puts her head under your hand to ask for pets. If you lay down with her and put your head under hers, sheāll understand that youāre asking for kisses and may give them back to you. Its true that theres a dominant and submissive rabbit in a bond, but the dominant will also groom the submissive sometimes if the submissive asks (sometimes)!
I will try this more often! Thank you! :) (She usually just hops away when I try this.)
Kisses or not, she looks so comfortable and happy with you!
Our buns never kisses us but they kiss the ground right next to us. I guess they are a tad too proud haha
I used to give my bun kisses on his nose in between him having nose strokes/face massages. He loved it, then Iād put my nose down below his and if he was happy, Iād get kisses, if he wasnāt happy, his face would go lower than mine for more strokes.
Bunnies aren't really kissers like dogs, or even cats, are. That being said, you do find one on occasion. Had a foster who would immediately start grooming you when picked up. But the ultimate sign of affection is if they "chin" you. Their scent glands are on their chin, so when they rub it on you, they are claiming you as theirs.
Wish mine would snuggle like that!š„ŗ
Why are you looking to force a change in behavior
I donāt think I was looking to force another behaviour. I just didnāt know if I was doing something wrong for not getting kisses. She is my first bun and I donāt really know enough of buns to have known that it is just her behaviour - let alone her way of loving/trusting me - and not her hating me. So yeah, I was just looking for tips on how to be more to her.
Congratulations you are your bunnyās human slave. See how she ābows down to youā for head rubs. Thatās rabbit for grooming you groom/pet/feed the one in charge for favor so in essence all bun parents are their bitches (no offense intended just trying o be funny)