what can i do with a biter?

Oscar is prominently getting more agressive, even considering he was neuterd 3 weeks ago.

i cant even touch him without him running away and sratching me.

if i hold him, he bites, REALLY hard. ive come to a point where ive started to wear a coat just to hold him.

hes a giant papillion (or checkerd giant according to the internet) and apparently these are well known for being aggressive and biting alot.

could this be due to his background?
what can i do to make him stop!!!

I have giants, and they get very stressed being picked up. Nigel used to bite me instantly I picked him up for any reason, or box me with his front paws and growl if I got in his space.
He should calm down in time but all you can do at the moment really is just 'shoo' him in and out of where he needs to go to avoid touching him,
spend time on the floor and wait for him to come to you,
gently stroke him but approach from the side, not over his head
hand feed his favorite food so he learns that hands are good

some buns just like their own space. Is he bonded with your other giant? WHen Nigel and Gladys bonded Nigel turned into a big floppy happy bun.

Take it slowly. Don't try to pick him up or hold him, just sit there with some tasty treats until he gets used to that. Then you could try gently touching him as he's scoffing a treat, and so on. Just take it in tiny steps, and if he doesn't like something, don't repeat it - go back to the previous step for a little longer.

Hope he improves!

AMETHYST

yep he is bonded. i know i shoudnt have done it early, but they both seem extremley happy together and i havent seen ANY humping from oscar whatsoever

i think one reason for that he dosnt like being picked up is that he was from a rabbitry where i dont think he got much attention
( will never buy one again)

ooops forgot to say hes a Papillion X conti

Amethyst said:

Take it slowly. Don't try to pick him up or hold him, just sit there with some tasty treats until he gets used to that. Then you could try gently touching him as he's scoffing a treat, and so on. Just take it in tiny steps, and if he doesn't like something, don't repeat it - go back to the previous step for a little longer.

Hope he improves!

AMETHYST

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ill give that a go. i dont want a rabbit that hates me!

ill take some treats and feed him them!!

hes probably still quite peeved he just had a major op.... give him time to let him trust you again..

Alvin will bite if we do something like hold him when he dosnt agree with it, but hes not nasty just telling me hes not impressed... when im not trying to grab hold of him hes quite lovin in his hate human sort of a way

I hope your doe is speyed or you are risking kits bonding them early:?

One of the important things is not to react. So wear gardening gloves, body armour (!!) or whatever you need. Spend time with your bun in a non-threatening way, give him strokes but leave him alone if he runs away and doesn't want to be with you. Give him time and he will. If he bites or otherwise attacks you, don't react. Buns do this to try and get a reaction; even fear agression happens because they are trying to make you go away. With a lot of time, patience (and possibly body armour!) you can turn the behaviour around.

There is more detailed advice in Dr. Anne McBride's book Why Does My Rabbit? Also, if you google Tellington Touch Technique that is a method for 'treating' hand shy rabbits.

Good luck!

hmm when i was fostering i had a little bun like that but she was only been bosy and saying put me down now. and that was her way of saying that but i just kept stroking her and didnt little distances made sure when i pick her up she felt she was secure after a few day she notice is wasnt that bad been pick up. i think she was just abit nervous and scared it is along way down for a little bun :lol:

honeybunny said:

I hope your doe is speyed or you are risking kits bonding them early:?

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I don't believe she is, the disadvantages of bonding so close to his op were explained on another thread......lets just hope they don't become another statistic.

he is learning that biting people gets the desired result - ie, they dont pick him up so much. stuff a glove and tie it to a stick. try stroking/petting him with it, a just a little bit at a time, till he gets used to it and sees its nothing to worry about. if he does bite it during this time, you wont get hurt and he wont learn that biting is a good way to get what he wants.