Bad Tempered Rabbits at work!!!

[LionheadLuver]

Hi
We have boarding at the pet shop I work at and we had to clean them out (as with any animal!!). There were three, two Netherland Dwarfs and one Dwarf Lop/French Lop. The first one, a Netherland Dwarf was really friendly and sweet. The other two were right devils, especially as the lop was REW, it had devil eyes. Anyway, it was so aggressive and bad tempered. It took about half an hour to come up with a good plan to trap it and clean the hutch out. He attacked anything and everything that entered his hutch. He was huge but the hutch he was in was only about 4ft, and his water bottle wasn't working so I had to sit there squezing it for like 15 mins, he was so thirsty. The Netherland was also aggressive. I mean, can't people tame their rabbits?!?! After cleaning out those two, my girls are angels. I feel so lucky to have my two angel girls.

Just wanted to let it off my chest. Sorry if this thread seems pretty pointless.

[ZakuraRabbit]

Some rabbits are just plain mean:cry:
Zakura was like that as well, I got her at 7 weeks and I had handled her since she was 2 weeks. Since I got her she had been living inside in my bed room, and when she was 4 months she just clicked.
She started attacking my hand when I came to feed her, and soon she would hardly let me put my hand into her cage without her charging at me:cry:
Had her neutered and it helped...somewhat... though for some reason NOW she's fine in her cage, but attacks out in the pen:roll:

[Sooz]

Why didnt you get him a new water bottle or a bowl instead of squeezing the old one?

Was the rabbit neutered?

[FriskyClover]

Was the aggressive rabbit neutered? Perhaps you need to have a word with the owners, the rabbit clearly needs larger accomodation and better care.

[AlisonA]

If his water bottle isn't working properly he may well be aggressive in part because he is dehydrated and has to really struggle every time he wants a drink. Squeezing it is all very well but he can't get a drink any other time you're not there and the same thing will happen when he goes back home. Giving him a new bottle might make a lot of difference to him. I would also suggest a bigger hutch and neutering though, it sounds as if this poor bun is suffering from fear aggression and has learnt that you can make nasty humans go away by attacking them :cry:

[LionheadLuver]

I don't know if he was neutered but probably not. There was a sheet to fill out for each rabbit and the owner of the friendly one, filled out everything from veg to fleaing/bathing. The owners of the aggressive ones only put down their details, nothing about if the rabbit can have veg or if it's friendly etc. Probably shows they don't care much about the welfare of the rabbit if they can't even be bothered to fill out the sheet. It made it so much easier knowing what to do from the sheet if it's filled out. I didn't think about changing the bottle. Don't know if it's one of the pet shops bottle or the owner's. Can't really interfere with it that much.

[AlisonA]

If it's really that difficult I'll send you a couple of quid to buy it a new bottle :roll: They're dirt cheap and if the poor thing can't drink it's not exactly going to have a long and fulfilling life is it! At the very least have a good fiddle with it to work out why it's not working - is it blocked, crusted with limescale? Give it a darn good clean and see if you can make it work.

Why not see if the RWA will send you some of their leaflets (or you can download them from their website) to give to customers as a bit of a 'hint' when they come back to collect their animals?

[Sooz]

How is the poor thing going to drink while your not there?

Fluids are so important to a rabbits gut movement.

[LionheadLuver]

I'm just the "cleaning-out" person, not the manager. I can't fiddle with things that are not the pet shop's. Anyway, it'll be gone by the time I go to work again, so I can't do anything about it now.

[Becki xX]

Hi
We have boarding at the pet shop I work at and we had to clean them out (as with any animal!!). There were three, two Netherland Dwarfs and one Dwarf Lop/French Lop. The first one, a Netherland Dwarf was really friendly and sweet. The other two were right devils, especially as the lop was REW, it had devil eyes. Anyway, it was so aggressive and bad tempered. It took about half an hour to come up with a good plan to trap it and clean the hutch out. He attacked anything and everything that entered his hutch. He was huge but the hutch he was in was only about 4ft, and his water bottle wasn't working so I had to sit there squezing it for like 15 mins, he was so thirsty. The Netherland was also aggressive. I mean, can't people tame their rabbits?!?! After cleaning out those two, my girls are angels. I feel so lucky to have my two angel girls.

Just wanted to let it off my chest. Sorry if this thread seems pretty pointless.

Its not really a case of people taming their rabbits - Jens quite often really aggressive & if someone said that to me they'd get such an earful!! :? Good job you have ended up with nice buns really, if thats your attitude. As for the water bottle, if I was as thirsty as the poor mite must've been, I'd be nasty too! :(

[Becki xX]

I'm just the "cleaning-out" person, not the manager. I can't fiddle with things that are not the pet shop's. Anyway, it'll be gone by the time I go to work again, so I can't do anything about it now.

Did you tell the manager about the bottle not working?

[LionheadLuver]

From the mood the rabbit was in today, I'm suprised it ever gets cleaned out, cos I don't know how on earth you can do it stress-free and without causing upset to the rabbit? In the end, we had to trap it in it's 1ft bedroom, while we cleaned out the living area, which is not ideal. If the rabbit is tamed and friendly, it has a much better life, cos it doesn't get so stressed and upset over things such as cleaning out and feeding. The friendly Netherland was so calm and sweet, I happily stroked it, fed it, watered it, and cleaned it out, so much less stress to the rabbit, and also to me. I'm not so happy to clean out a bad-tempered one.

[sillyrabbit]

The rabbits not evil or mean :( :? Is it at the pet shop or at home? If its at the pet shop he is probably just miserable from being somewhere strange and not being able to have a drink :(

Surely if the pet shop is looking after the bunny its the pet shops responsibility to make sure the bunny has access to water? Sticking a new water bottle on the hutch isnt fiddling with things that arent the pet shops. Leave the broken bottle there if you want just put a working one next to it. Im sure the owners wont be mad that the bottle has been replaced :D

[sillyrabbit]

From the mood the rabbit was in today, I'm suprised it ever gets cleaned out, cos I don't know how on earth you can do it stress-free and without causing upset to the rabbit? In the end, we had to trap it in it's 1ft bedroom, while we cleaned out the living area, which is not ideal.

Most people take the rabbits out of the hutch while they clean it, maybe thats why he wasnt happy. He may not be used to having his hutch cleaned while he is still in there

[casu consulto]

You can't just brand the rabbit 'mean'. You've got to look at it from the rabbit's point of view. Lots of rabbits can be quite possessive over their home. To the rabbit, that small hutch is his territory. You invade his space when you put your hand in there, as a stranger you bring strange smells, quite possibly of your own rabbits. Your hand is as big as his head. Many rabbits do not like being in a hutch whilst it's cleaned out. And, if his owners did as you had to, and trapped him in one part of the hutch, then he might associate cleaning time with being trapped, or fear. And as others have pointed out, if he can't drink then he'll be all the more frustrated. But the rabbit is not in any way evil... no matter how red his eyes are. :?

[Becki xX]

Most people take the rabbits out of the hutch while they clean it, maybe thats why he wasnt happy. He may not be used to having his hutch cleaned while he is still in there

I thought that - If I tried to clean Jeni's hutch with her in it, she'd savage me :lol: Lionheadlover, are you confident in handling rabbits? I just take Jen out of the hutch the same as any other rabbit, if she bites she bites, but its not stressful and doesnt upset her, if she gets stroppy, she'll settle down once in her run. As Becky said, rabbits arent mean - they're obviously worried or unhappy about something X

[sillyrabbit]

I think all of mine would be pretty mad if trapped them in the bedroom part while I cleaned the hutch :lol: Buu gets stroppy when I start messing about in her hutch so I just do it while she is out :lol:

Im guessing the pet shop are letting these bunnies out for exercise, I would just have the hutches cleaned while the buns arent in them :D

[AlisonA]

See if the owners want to give it up, I do love a good challenge with an aggressive bun - several have been to Aunty Alison's school of relaxation and have ended up being rehomed as much calmer, happier bunnies.

[sally1974]

I hope the rabbit got a new water bottle poor thing, also I have a REW and he certainly doesn't have "devil eyes" I think they are gorgeous:D
Sallyx

[LionheadLuver]

Firstly, I tried to pick it up, but it went for me, so I wasn't putting my hand in again. :rolleyes: Anyway, after that we sat there waiting for it to go into a box and that didn't work. So we trapped him in his bedroom and did the living area, and visa versa. Did the same with the aggressive Netherland. I'm confident in handling the rabbits that are for sale in the shop, they just kick, but I've worked out a way to pick them up safely and as stress-free as possible. I am very confident in handling my girls, but they just sit in the corner and I can pick them up easily, but I know their little tricks and habits and can stop them from doing those too.

REWs are beautiful, but as a joke, because this one was evil, I called it the devil eyes.

[sillyrabbit]

He isnt evil though :? He is a rabbit, he wasnt trying to bite you to be mean because he is a horrible bunny! He was probably scared and thirsty :? Im sorry but I really dont understand how you can think this poor bunny is evil :? He is probably not neutered, in a strange place and frightened :? Oh and unable to have a drink :roll: And he is a he, not an it :?

[Fran]

He isnt evil though :? He is a rabbit, he wasnt trying to bite you to be mean because he is a horrible bunny! He was probably scared and thirsty :? Im sorry but I really dont understand how you can think this poor bunny is evil :? He is probably not neutered, in a strange place and frightened :? Oh and unable to have a drink :roll: And he is a he, not an it :?

Yeah, poor baby :( You'd probably say all my bunnies were 'evil' if you met them but they're not, they just know what they want ;) Oh and Sally, I've always thought your REW is absolutely gorgeous :love: xx

[jbun1]

I'm just the "cleaning-out" person, not the manager. I can't fiddle with things that are not the pet shop's. Anyway, it'll be gone by the time I go to work again, so I can't do anything about it now.

:shock: If I had this attitude at work, I think I would get the sack! :? I don't think the animals in my care would last very long either! :(

[Indiechic]

:shock: If I had this attitude at work, I think I would get the sack! :? I don't think the animals in my care would last very long either! :(

comepletely agree. I manage small teams of new people, aswell as my regular job, but im not the manager of my department, but if something was afoot, i would deal with it.

:roll:

Poor bunny, sounds like he needs a nose rub x

[Mandy]

Guys I don't think you all having a go at Lionheadlurver is helping the rabbit much. Could you be more constructive with your suggestions please..

[sally1974]

Yeah, poor baby :( You'd probably say all my bunnies were 'evil' if you met them but they're not, they just know what they want ;) Oh and Sally, I've always thought your REW is absolutely gorgeous :love: xx

awww thank you:D:D
Sallyx

[LionheadLuver]

Guys I don't think you all having a go at Lionheadlurver is helping the rabbit much. Could you be more constructive with your suggestions please..

Thank you. There's nothing I can do about the rabbit now anyway. I am just the person who comes and cleans out the animals. I told the 2nd in command person and she just laughed (about the water bottle) so I didn't take it any further. I also had other stuff to do at the time, so couldn't fiddle with the bottle. If it was a bunny for sale in the shop, it'll be sorted. But a boarding bunny, I don't go there.

[Indiechic]

Guys I don't think you all having a go at Lionheadlurver is helping the rabbit much. Could you be more constructive with your suggestions please..

Sorry Mandy, I was basically trying to say she should say something.

[Lspacehopper]

Thank you. There's nothing I can do about the rabbit now anyway. I am just the person who comes and cleans out the animals. I told the 2nd in command person and she just laughed (about the water bottle) so I didn't take it any further. I also had other stuff to do at the time, so couldn't fiddle with the bottle. If it was a bunny for sale in the shop, it'll be sorted. But a boarding bunny, I don't go there.


As an animal lover, regardless of the situation I certainly wouldn't adopt the attitude that it's NMP (not my problem).

As for aggressive rabbits. This particular rabbit was probably scared and reacting to strange people and a strange environment. If you show fear with a rabbit who is slightly aggressive, it will pick up on this and act on it more IMO. Once you manage to securely hold them, they tend to calm down. Blocking it into its living are would only have made the situation worse.

If you aren't confident in dealing with such a situation then you really must request more training or get someone who can cope to do it.

Question for you. What would you have done had your rabbits not have turned out as friendly as they did?

[Mandy]

Could you ring the owners up, and say 'sorry to bother you, but I wasn't there when you picked the rabbit up and I meant to tell you the bottle isn't working'. If they don't know, they'll just presume he's not thirsty.

Also you could offer to send them care leafets (you can send off for some or print off from the RWA website)- say you're sending them to all customers. Then they can learn about aggressive rabbits - there are some specific articles on it. I'm sure they wouldn't be annoyed.

[Mandy]

Here:
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/aggression.html

[elve]

what a shocking attitude - poor bunny :(

[LionheadLuver]

Question for you. What would you have done had your rabbits not have turned out as friendly as they did?

I would have probably bought a hutch with run underneath so I didn't have to handle them day to day. And when going to vets and stuff, wear thick gloves. My previous rabbits were aggressive like these rabbits, and my parents just didn't handle them, just encouraged them into their hutch, for example.

[raine]

Poor bunny. Im confused by your post LL. The owners might not be aware of their dysfunctional bottle. They are obviously trying the best for their bunnies as they have "boarded" them with a petshop whilst they are away instead of languishing at the bottom of their garden.

Why on earth would you be frightened of raising a bottle not working with the owner of the shop?

[LionheadLuver]

I also forgot to mention that the aggressive Netherland had done really tiny poos. Is this normal for a Netherland? They were like 2mm across at the most.

Answering your question, raine, it's that I don't know whose bottle it was, I had other things to do at the time, and the 2nd in command person didn't seem to think it as a big problem.

[Indiechic]

I also forgot to mention that the aggressive Netherland had done really tiny poos. Is this normal for a Netherland? They were like 2mm across at the most.

Answering your question, raine, it's that I don't know whose bottle it was, I had other things to do at the time, and the 2nd in command person didn't seem to think it as a big problem.

But if the bottle isn't working, it is a big problem. I would ahve gone straight to the boss.

Marsha doesn't do big poos, i think all poos vary in size tbh

x

[bunlover]

im annoyed u think it is acceptable to leave a rabbit without water. even if ud put a plastic bowl of water in it would have been better than leaving him a pet store near me thought it was ok to leave a rabbit mum with her babies without water and i said i wouldnt leave until they filled it they soon filled it so i would leave. I too would have paid a few quid for a new bottle or told the shop manager that as they are providing the boarding this is a duty of care to provide the new bottle and owners can be charged if its that big a deal when they return. I wonder if the 4ft hutch is a tempory boarding hutch? or its full time accomodation? maybe the rabbit is free range normally(heres hopeing).

As they did not fill out the sheet does that mean while in your care you do not give the rabbits veg?toys?hay? i just wondered i am not having a go jsut wondered what the notmal practise is with non form filled out buns.

sorry this is a long post but i just want the best for these buns too as im sure you do. I think it is horrible to say they are evil rabbits they have probebly never been given the time and patience. My hamster has red eyes and was labelled evil and returned which is why i rescued her she growled and bit me at first... now with time and a new name she has settled.she now has access to a run in the living room daily has a varied diet lots of love and a big cage. and no i do not think she was ever evil just scared

I think what these rabbits need is someone to let them have a run.... mayb get neutered.... let them have a varied diet with plenty of readily available hay and water and to be given time to get to learn humans arent bad. poor buns hope that owners are nice to them and love them and that they get the attention and love they deserve.

[Tamsin]

Hiya,

You did the right thing by telling the person in charge about the problem and they should have listened and taken your concern seriously. Sometimes if you're the junior person it's difficult if the person above you doesn't listen to what you have to say. Sometimes though it's important you take a stand. For example, if the bottle doesn't work then the rabbit could get dehydrated and that can cause stasis - which is potentially fatal.

If you're not comfortable with taking it to the next level of management in person then you could write a letter. For example leave a note in their office, or on their til or even just tuck one on the cage so the next person in knows there is a problem.

With aggression then it's really down to the owner to sort as it needs time to work with a nervous rabbit. Blocking them in a separate area is probably the least stressful and safest manor to clean the cage. Alternately if they came with a carrier you could pop them in there.

I hope that helps :)