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Nipping Bunnies.

Starlight

Warren Veteran
Someone who i rehomed to recently had a query that really puzzled me.


Originally i bonded her two males, (one from the rescue) with no problems what so ever!

Then when they came for boarding, their mummy fell in love with the beautiful Misty, and so the boarding holiday became a bonding holiday!

All went fine and very well after one small squabble, but once they got home, they unbonded.

Now they have been rebonded indoors the past few weeks at their house, all seems to be slowly making progress.

However, when excited, Misty seems to nip one of the boy's side. Not painfully, but like a pinch. The male, Dexter is a very very quiet and shy one, so runs everytime instead of confronting.

Can anyone think of any reasons why she could be nipping? Could it be a phase?

And anything to stop her nipping?

Their owner posted this on here before, but got no replies.
 
:wave: Sally nips at Feegal if she thinks he is pigging all the food she even boxed him in the face when my son only gave them one piece of greens between them:shock: I just gave them the rest and they were fine. Would take an earthquake to get him off his food:lol:

And Feegal butts Sally out of the way when he wants a fuss instead. I just push him gently away.

Isn't it a good thing that her rabbits know their place in the hierarchy?
 
Violet nips at Mai when he gets excited (like at feeding time) etc. It doesn't seem to bother Mai.
 
I had a pair & the girlie used to nip her 3-times-as-big boyfriend. After they had been bonded a few months it died down:D
 
Hi

Thank you for posting this for me Christine.

It is reassuring that all three of you are having/have had similar problems and do not see it as a major issue, I just wish I knew why she was doing it.

I have occasionally found Dexter's (only ever Dexter's) fur in the pen, with the toys they have and the fact they are now in a different room it is hard to tell the difference between playing and a minor scuffle, but they have always sorted it out themselves without any wounds.

I do worry that Misty is picking on Dexter, maybe what I class as shyness, she classes as a weakness, but I often walk past to all three of them cuddled up, which leads me to think it is just her way of communicating with him, which I don't think is fair to punish her for (squirting her with water or shouting at her), but her methods are not really fair on Dexter.

Any more suggestions?
 
Does Dexter seem affected by it? Is he unhappy/off his food/quiet? If you noticed a change in his behaviour I would probably be worried BUT

Some buns are naturally arsey. My Suki was :censored: to Alistair at first. But she soon settled. I lost Al to mxyi recently - Suki is well into recovery - but she's way nippier & territorial with me than she was when bonded:cry:
 
I have a nipper. :roll: I tell him that he's being a total :censored: to his wifey bun, but he doesn't care or look ashamed, and Amber herself forgives him far too easily! Barney likes to aim nips at her /face/! He has never, ever broken the skin and only does this if she is being stroked, is eating something he wants or sat somewhere he'd like to sit. So with him it's a dominance thing. He also sometimes tugs her fur out, but I'm never quite sure if this is always him being a mean little wretch or if she's just got a lot of loose fur (she's a lionhead cross and getting fuzzier every year!) He never actually hurts her, though, and she tolerates his general bad attitude - with her! With me he's a big softy! - like no other bunny ever would. I just sort of figured nippy Barney was a pain in the behind in terms of bunny personality. :lol:
 
I am sorry you recently lost Alistair Angie, but I am glad that Suki is recovering well, she must be a good little fighter, it is enough for a rabbit to deal with by just losing their best friend.

I did at one point think it was upsetting Dexter, he would run off to the litter tray and stay there for a while, thankfully I have not seen Misty follow him there to continue the nipping, so I think that it a good thing as Dexter has always used a litter tray as his safe place, so hopefully he is ok with it.

I have a feeling it may be something to do with grooming, Dexter rarely grooms any one and if he does it is a quick, half hearted gesture, Misty always grooms him, I do wonder if she gets fed up and she is nipping him to say 'Oi you, it's my turn'.

I have tried the baby food on her head trick, either Trouble gets there first or Dexter literally licks off the food, he's not actually grooming.

It sounds like I have a similar situation to you Casu, not all the time, but it does mainly happen when they get excited or think food is coming, but Dexter comes out of his shell when he sees food and he would quite happily jump on her head if she gets in his way, she is actually the one that gets pushed about at meal times.

I was hoping it would die down soon so I can put them back in the shed, but I am dubious to change things just in case it all goes wrong again, it has been over three weeks now, but I am scared to make any radical changes.

Does anyone think I would be making a mistake by trying to put them back in the shed while she is still nipping, or do you think it isn't going to change so it is best to get them back to their familiar home? Dexter might be less of a pushover in the shed, but could that make things worse if he fights back?

Loads of questions 'sigh', why are these little creatures so complicated????
 
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