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Help, How Can I Stop My Bunnies Biting

Keyzzee

Keyzzee

Warren Scout
Hi I have two bunnies aged 5 months, they are generally very friendly and affectionate, however, recently I have noticed that every now and then when I pick them up they will bite my clothes and if the material is not thick enough they will nip me in the process. Its becoming more and more common and their 'nips' are hurting more and more, I dont think they mean to be nasty as they have never tried to bite my skin, can someone please give me some advice how to curb this behaviour, as Im getting concerned that as some point Im not going to be able to pet them at all. My other two who are a year old have never done this and dont know why fudge and busta have started.
 
Keyzzee said:
Hi I have two bunnies aged 5 months, they are generally very friendly and affectionate, however, recently I have noticed that every now and then when I pick them up they will bite my clothes and if the material is not thick enough they will nip me in the process. Its becoming more and more common and their 'nips' are hurting more and more, I dont think they mean to be nasty as they have never tried to bite my skin, can someone please give me some advice how to curb this behaviour, as Im getting concerned that as some point Im not going to be able to pet them at all. My other two who are a year old have never done this and dont know why fudge and busta have started.
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Hiya

Are they neutered?
 
I think the first question most people will ask you is whether they are neutred or not? Also you didn't say which sex they are? They tend to get a little more temperamental when they are hormonal, especially during breeding season.
 
A lot of buns don't like being picked up. Cracker - my dwarf lop, was neutered years ago, but if I hold him for "too long" I get nipped. I just make sure my arms & shoulders are covered now when i hold him. I don't put him down immediately though - don't want him to think if He nips he wins:lol:
 
Arthur does this when he wants to be put back down on the floor. Its his way of showing his disapproval at being held. I've had to keep picking him up though to give him his meds and check him over. When I put him back down on the floor he flicks his feet at me too :lol:
 
Keyzzee said:
Hi fudge is a girl and unaltered and busta is a boy and he was done about 5 weeks ago.
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:shock: How long has he been in with your unaltered girl? fudge needs to be spayed, she is at high risk of getting uterine cancer being unspayed and female buns are incrediably hormonal if left unspayed.
 
Hi Fudge and busta are brother and sister so have always been together, I am getting fudge done but wanted to wait until she was a little bit older and things were a bit bigger as I understand the ladies op is a lot fiddlier than the boys. Generally as a rule they dont seem to mind being picked up and cuddled etc, just every now and again, they will have a spell of nipping, a bit later when i check on them, they are all lovey again, giving me kisses and climbing on me etc. So am at a total loss
 
Keyzzee said:
Hi Fudge and busta are brother and sister so have always been together, I am getting fudge done but wanted to wait until she was a little bit older and things were a bit bigger as I understand the ladies op is a lot fiddlier than the boys. Generally as a rule they dont seem to mind being picked up and cuddled etc, just every now and again, they will have a spell of nipping, a bit later when i check on them, they are all lovey again, giving me kisses and climbing on me etc. So am at a total loss
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They will still mate if they are brother and sister :? :shock: Some vets spay females at 6 months but alot of good rabbit savy vets will do them when they weigh enough and are healthy. My saffron was stroppy from about 10 weeks old, shes much better since being neutered. Better check your girl isnt pregnant :(
 
nursecroft said:
:shock: How long has he been in with your unaltered girl? fudge needs to be spayed, she is at high risk of getting uterine cancer being unspayed and female buns are incrediably hormonal if left unspayed.
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Girlie bun has got a bit of time yet before she's at risk of cancer. I think they recommend spaying by 2 years old. Also although some vets WILL spay before 6 months, a lot prefer to wait a bit longer espcially if bun is still small. One of my girls was year old before she was done.

As for brother & sister kept together - if boy was done as his bits dropped, which sounds quite possible, girls take a bit longer to mature, so it's highly unlikely she's pregnant. A lot of Rescues never separate siblings, just get boy done as bits drop (anytime from 12-16 weeks) & girlie is safe.

At 5 months though - the hormones may well have kicked in. I'd get girlie done at 6 months, & see where you are from there.
 
Angie65 said:
Girlie bun has got a bit of time yet before she's at risk of cancer. I think they recommend spaying by 2 years old. Also although some vets WILL spay before 6 months, a lot prefer to wait a bit longer espcially if bun is still small. One of my girls was year old before she was done.

As for brother & sister kept together - if boy was done as his bits dropped, which sounds quite possible, girls take a bit longer to mature, so it's highly unlikely she's pregnant. A lot of Rescues never separate siblings, just get boy done as bits drop (anytime from 12-16 weeks) & girlie is safe.

At 5 months though - the hormones may well have kicked in. I'd get girlie done at 6 months, & see where you are from there.
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Thats why i said they will spay her when she weighs enough, by bun was done before 6 months because she was a good weight and was very hormonal. :D

I know shes not at high risk until shes older, i was just listing other reasons for ensuring buns are neutered. I was always told they should be seperated but so they can see eachother to makesure there is no risk of pregnancy but sounds like they will be ok if the boy was done when his bits dropped.

She will be hormonal until she is done, saffy was soooo naughty and stroppy! :rolleyes: shes lovely now :D
 
nursecroft said:
Thats why i said they will spay her when she weighs enough, by bun was done before 6 months because she was a good weight and was very hormonal. :D

I know shes not at high risk until shes older, i was just listing other reasons for ensuring buns are neutered. I was always told they should be seperated but so they can see eachother to makesure there is no risk of pregnancy but sounds like they will be ok if the boy was done when his bits dropped.

She will be hormonal until she is done, saffy was soooo naughty and stroppy! :rolleyes: shes lovely now :D
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:lol::lol: My Kendra was the ONLY female that hasn't been a stroppy bun. There was no change in her at all pre/post spay. She didn't get any bigger either:rolleyes::lol:
 
Thanks for the reassurance, I hope they grow out of it, as I have no alternatives to picking them up, as I have to pick them up to transfer them from their hutch to the runs and vice versa. So I guess its gonna be a case of big jumpers for protection.
 
Angie65 said:
:lol::lol: My Kendra was the ONLY female that hasn't been a stroppy bun. There was no change in her at all pre/post spay. She didn't get any bigger either:rolleyes::lol:
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haha guess it depends on the bun all mine have been stroppy until they were spayed, i had a dutch that would lunge at everyone (apart from me) and spray everywhere, grunt and be a general madam until we had her spayed. Saffron has attitude still but doesnt spray and push joey around as much, shes also better to handle... shes massive now though, cant believe how much shes grown! :shock: they thought she was a mini lop :lol: shes moving more to frenchie size:D
 
Lisa's Rabbit Boarding-Scunthorpe

:wave: I've got 3 of my own bunnies. My first bunny, Toby has always tended to nibble at my clothes when i pick him up. I've found that if i hold him with his legs & head facing away from me he isn't able to nibble at my clothes anymore. With Toby he 's doing it beacuse he wants me to put him down. If you rabbits nip sometimes it is just affection or they are warning you because they dispprove of what you are doing. If your rabbit nips you you should squeal then they start to learn that they are hurting you...Also, you can get something called 'Chew Stoppa' which i got from Pets at Home it can be used on clothes & furniture, like sofas etc, they don't like the taste of it!:)
 
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