Nipping advice

kerry-123 · Apr 17, 2009

*Sigh* Joey is still continuing to nip me, I'm beginning to think he just hates me

he seems quite hutch (well shed) territorial but he nips me outside of it too. Just wondering what I can do to help make this stop it's really bugging me that I'm becoming afraid of my own rabbit :shock:. He's been neutered for about a month now and still no signs of calming down will it be better after six weeks of being neutered?

linzi1loveanimals · Apr 17, 2009

How do you behave when he does this?

It sounds like he has got into a routine of doing this and that it is now the norm for him... mommy=nipping He may think it is affectionate... :roll:

When he is around you how long does it take/what are the pattern of events leading up to him nipping you? Is there a particular trigger?

I have had a couple of buns who thought nipping was acceptable. It just depends on the circumstances around them doing it to enable you to come up with a plan of action to stop them! I find that once you remove the bad habbit.. for a couple of days... they tend to foget the habbit and do something else. So if we can figure out from the chain of events, why he does it, it isn't impossible to stop them. Now I only get nipped by what were the "nipping" buns if I have p*ssed them off (tummy rubs, clipping nails, or if my hands smell of food or veg!)

He does love you in his own nipping way!

kerry-123 · Apr 17, 2009

linzi1loveanimals said:
How do you behave when he does this?

It sounds like he has got into a routine of doing this and that it is now the norm for him... mommy=nipping He may think it is affectionate... :roll:

When he is around you how long does it take/what are the pattern of events leading up to him nipping you? Is there a particular trigger?

I have had a couple of buns who thought nipping was acceptable. It just depends on the circumstances around them doing it to enable you to come up with a plan of action to stop them! I find that once you remove the bad habbit.. for a couple of days... they tend to foget the habbit and do something else. So if we can figure out from the chain of events, why he does it, it isn't impossible to stop them. Now I only get nipped by what were the "nipping" buns if I have p*ssed them off (tummy rubs, clipping nails, or if my hands smell of food or veg!)

He does love you in his own nipping way!

Well it's normally when I stroke him if he's not in my arms, like if he is in his house or in the playpen and I try (he will let me but sometimes will turn around quickly and nip) I think that is the only trigger maybe he is territorial? When I have him in my arms he is absoloutely fine, but if I set him down and he's just out in the open the nipping starts. When he does it I normally say "NO" very loudly and try to look intimidating

like look at him straight on with my finger pointed, or give him a light tap on the nose (although I haven't did the light tapping in a while)

linzi1loveanimals · Apr 17, 2009

Yea it sounds like a territory thing.. so if you put your hand in his house etc he nips.. and if he is in the garden loose? he nips? have I get this right?

If he hated you he would nip in your arms also.. does he nip as soon as you put him back on the ground after picking him up?

Neutering does help but doesn't stop the behaviour and usually it is within a week that biting stops after neutering... Betsy who was posted on here yesterday is a nipper... and she has been neutered a while it seems. I would think he would have stopped it by now unless it's triggered and not instinct.

I suggest;
Not putting your hand in his cage / house for anything apart from Hay, Fod, Water... positive things. (he may not see you stroking him as positive YET!)

Open his cage / run / house and sit on the floor by him - not touching him.. does he still nip you? If so he is a bossy little beggar! As this normally means "move out my way!"

Some people say letting out a scream when they bite, makes them understand it hurts.. as rabbits squeal when in pain.. but if they mean to bite you they already know it's going to hurt (this never worked for me)

All I did was firstly respect their space - it's the safety net / safehaven whatever you want to call it. I only used to put my hands in hutches/houses for food and cleaning. Stroking wise I would bend and let them sniff my nose.. but I wouldn't touch them... they accepted this gesture, and I built on this by just letting them sniff my hand but still not touching them, then progressed to giving one head stroke after placing their food in.

If he nips you when you are our sitting in the ground etc, tell him no and put him back in his house. I know gentle nose tapping works on cats and dogs but it's wasted energy on rabbits. Taking away their enjoyment briefly will get the message across.

Everytime he bites (outside of his house/hutch) put him back in his cage, leave it for 5 mins and let him out. If he comes out and does not nip you, leave him be, praise him and let him go back to his house etc without handling him, and avoiding any nipping opportunities. Once he has come out and not nipped you, it is a good sign that he will remember this "routine". Building up to stroking him gradually is the answer, as I think he is saying "get out of my house" and "leave me be".

I may be wrong, but the above has worked for me so I thought it may be of use for you to try :wave: Seems buns want affection on their terms only

If he nips after you have had him in your arms, and put him on the ground - I would take this as "don't do that again - I don't like it" so would only pick him up for health checks/treatment and vets trips! He will learn to trust you then and will want affection - without nipping you. None of mine are picked up for affection, they follow me round, lie there for a fuss or I lie on the floor with then. They seem to prefer it

Good Luck and I hope this makes some sense! :wave:
I always type essays... but if I cut them short I sound like I'm being off, so sorry for essay

:lol:

kerry-123 · Apr 18, 2009

linzi1loveanimals said:
Yea it sounds like a territory thing.. so if you put your hand in his house etc he nips.. and if he is in the garden loose? he nips? have I get this right?

If he hated you he would nip in your arms also.. does he nip as soon as you put him back on the ground after picking him up?

Neutering does help but doesn't stop the behaviour and usually it is within a week that biting stops after neutering... Betsy who was posted on here yesterday is a nipper... and she has been neutered a while it seems. I would think he would have stopped it by now unless it's triggered and not instinct.

I suggest;
Not putting your hand in his cage / house for anything apart from Hay, Fod, Water... positive things. (he may not see you stroking him as positive YET!)

Open his cage / run / house and sit on the floor by him - not touching him.. does he still nip you? If so he is a bossy little beggar! As this normally means "move out my way!"

Some people say letting out a scream when they bite, makes them understand it hurts.. as rabbits squeal when in pain.. but if they mean to bite you they already know it's going to hurt (this never worked for me)

All I did was firstly respect their space - it's the safety net / safehaven whatever you want to call it. I only used to put my hands in hutches/houses for food and cleaning. Stroking wise I would bend and let them sniff my nose.. but I wouldn't touch them... they accepted this gesture, and I built on this by just letting them sniff my hand but still not touching them, then progressed to giving one head stroke after placing their food in.

If he nips you when you are our sitting in the ground etc, tell him no and put him back in his house. I know gentle nose tapping works on cats and dogs but it's wasted energy on rabbits. Taking away their enjoyment briefly will get the message across.

Everytime he bites (outside of his house/hutch) put him back in his cage, leave it for 5 mins and let him out. If he comes out and does not nip you, leave him be, praise him and let him go back to his house etc without handling him, and avoiding any nipping opportunities. Once he has come out and not nipped you, it is a good sign that he will remember this "routine". Building up to stroking him gradually is the answer, as I think he is saying "get out of my house" and "leave me be".

I may be wrong, but the above has worked for me so I thought it may be of use for you to try :wave: Seems buns want affection on their terms only

If he nips after you have had him in your arms, and put him on the ground - I would take this as "don't do that again - I don't like it" so would only pick him up for health checks/treatment and vets trips! He will learn to trust you then and will want affection - without nipping you. None of mine are picked up for affection, they follow me round, lie there for a fuss or I lie on the floor with then. They seem to prefer it

Good Luck and I hope this makes some sense! :wave:
I always type essays... but if I cut them short I sound like I'm being off, so sorry for essay :lol:

Well that's great advice will give it all a go

Thanks for making so much effort to help :wave:

Nipping advice

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