Instructions
Sit on the ground a few feet from the rabbit. If the rabbit is in a cage, let it out. Rabbits might feel cornered in their own space, or even become aggressive in defending their territory from intruders.
Let the rabbit come to you. If the rabbit hops away, be patient and wait for it to come back. Never chase or follow a rabbit unless you are certain the rabbit knows it is a game. Nothing scares a rabbit more than being chased by a large potential predator, such as a person.
Let the rabbit sniff your hands before you start stroking it. The rabbit might want a little time to check that a new person is not a threat.
Stroke the rabbit gently on the back in the direction of the fur. Some rabbits also like their heads being stroked, though others do not. Don't rub its belly or pull its ears through your fingers, however gently.
How to Pet a Rabbit
Rabbits might have an intelligence on a par with dogs and cats but they communicate in completely different ways. This means that showing affection to a rabbit that it will appreciate is not as easy as it might appear. Rabbits won't purr, rub their heads against you or wag their tails. They also hide their fear. Rabbits are prey animals and need to disguise their emotions from predators. A rabbit that goes very still when you pick it up is not content; it is scared. To pet your own new rabbit or a friend's rabbit, the key is to let the rabbit do the approaching.