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Biting??

Nicola1

Wise Old Thumper
Ruby seems to have acquired a taste for human flesh.

She has never bitten me before, only nipped me or boxed me, but she has bitten the OH a couple of times and when he fed her this morning she bit him and hung off his hand until he pulled her off. His hand was pouring with blood.

I do the afternoon feed and he does the morning but she never bites me so I don't think it's anything to do with food :?

I am a little bit worried, I was upstairs and could hear him shouting at her. I know he'd never hurt her but I don't like my bunny being shouted at :evil:

We don't know anything about Ruby's history, only that she was handed in to P@H adoption because she is 'temperamental' and the staff were terrified of her and as good as gave her to us because we were the only ones who could manage her. She has been spayed and is bonded with Castiel.
 
How long have you had her? Is this new behaviour?

Do you know what the OH had done before putting his hands in with her? How is her eye sight?

Is your Oh scared of her?

Many questions, sorry! :lol:
 
We've had her a couple of months now, she has always nipped and boxed which seems to be when she's defending her territory. This has actually settled down now that she's been spayed and bonded though.

I'm not sure, I know she has bitten him when he hasn't even been feeding her. Her eyesight seems fine.

I don't think he's scared of her but he is cautious around her and calls her names :(
 
Am rushing out the door... but how do you respond when she bites? Both of you? and as Sky-O says... what was the trigger? It can be a complex behaviour and quickly becomes a learnt one - you need to isolate the trigger and work out why she did it! Excluding health issues of course.
 
if this is unusual behaviour for her, i would take her to the vet for a check up as it might be because she doesnt feel well...or it could be you just surprised her.if shes a big bun , they tend to sleep soundly unlike smaller buns, which generally dont get surprised so easily.maybe she was sleeping?:?
 
Am rushing out the door... but how do you respond when she bites? Both of you? and as Sky-O says... what was the trigger? It can be a complex behaviour and quickly becomes a learnt one - you need to isolate the trigger and work out why she did it! Excluding health issues of course.

I'm not normally there when it happens I'm normally upstairs so I don't fuss her or anything because he's shouted at her. He shouts at her though when he bites her so I am worried that she might be a bit intimidated by him.

He does tend to avoid her now and doesn't pet her or stroke her anymore. I think she always goes for him but has only successfully bitten him a few times. When he said she was biting him I thought he meant just nipping until I saw his hand today :shock:

They are very close to the other bunnies and OH always fusses over Harvey so maybe he smells of Harvey to Ruby and she doesn't like it?
 
if this is unusual behaviour for her, i would take her to the vet for a check up as it might be because she doesnt feel well...or it could be you just surprised her.if shes a big bun , they tend to sleep soundly unlike smaller buns, which generally dont get surprised so easily.maybe she was sleeping?:?

It is possible. It's not unusual, we were told she was aggressive and temperamental. She seemed to settle down after her spay and her bond, but I think she may have only settled down with me and not him. They are normally throwing themselves desperately at the bars at food time :lol: so I don't think she was asleep. Interesting that they sleep more soundly though :wave:
 
I'm not normally there when it happens I'm normally upstairs so I don't fuss her or anything because he's shouted at her. He shouts at her though when he bites her so I am worried that she might be a bit intimidated by him.

He does tend to avoid her now and doesn't pet her or stroke her anymore. I think she always goes for him but has only successfully bitten him a few times. When he said she was biting him I thought he meant just nipping until I saw his hand today :shock:

They are very close to the other bunnies and OH always fusses over Harvey so maybe he smells of Harvey to Ruby and she doesn't like it?

From a non-experienced view, Biscuit does exactly this if i've picked Ginger up, given her a stroke and then give him a fuss. He doesn't 'bite' as such, but nips and has dug at my hand.
 
From a non-experienced view, Biscuit does exactly this if i've picked Ginger up, given her a stroke and then give him a fuss. He doesn't 'bite' as such, but nips and has dug at my hand.

She is very interested in the other buns, when Castiel and Ruby are free ranging in the living room as soon as the door opens she'll run into the bunny room and start putting her nose through the bars to sniff them. I know this isn't necessarily friendly though.

But if I've stroked Harvey then her she doesn't go for me :?

ETA: And Harvey always licks our hands and faces so his scent is probably stronger on us then the other buns'
 
My little rabbit nephew went through a prolonged biting phase last winter, but has settled down (although he's not neutered). Some rabbits do have reputations as biters, but this sounds as if something has happened to upset her, or perhaps she is jealous of Harvey. Poor Ruby ... and Poor OH's hand. I had the marks from Mr McFlurry's sharp little incisors for months. :shock:
 
My little rabbit nephew went through a prolonged biting phase last winter, but has settled down (although he's not neutered). Some rabbits do have reputations as biters, but this sounds as if something has happened to upset her, or perhaps she is jealous of Harvey. Poor Ruby ... and Poor OH's hand. I had the marks from Mr McFlurry's sharp little incisors for months. :shock:

:shock: I have a scar on my wrist from where Castiel bit me when I tried to split him from Harvey during a failed bond. That was my own fault though he didn't even realise it was me he was just blindly fighting.

I'm really gutted :( when we first got her he said there was no way we could have left her there and spent loads of time with her. Now he shouts at her and I don't think he even likes her anymore :( I love them all so much it feels like a personal insult that he doesn't like her :(:oops:
 
When Mr McFlurry went through his biting phase, it usuall followed licking my fingers and tugging my clothes. I honestly think the poor wee fellow was sexually frustrated and thought I was another rabbit! :shock: Seriously, though, I'm sorry this is so upsetting for you. :(You could maybe put a thread in bonding and behaviour and maybe get some more expert views? My guess would be jealousy, especially if Ruby actually sees OH making a fuss of Harvey.
 
Yeah, I'm guessing she probably doesn't feel too warm towards someone who is hostile towards her and shouting at her as well.

I think it might be best for me to do everything for Castiel and Ruby for now.
 
I had this problem to. I have noticed that if I am wearing freshly washed clothes which don't carry any smells from my other pets and have just washed my hands everything is fine. Try that as an experiment and see if it makes a difference, also ask him to keep the sound of his voice low and gentle.

I hope it helps.
 
did Matthew have pineapple?? :shock: that girl is viscious for treats!:lol:

Pud still doesn't get on totally well with my OH and we've had her a lot longer, she's so suspicious of him and even when she does on the rare occasion let him stroke er she's not relaxed at all and she'll usually bolt after a bit.
 
did Matthew have pineapple?? :shock: that girl is viscious for treats!:lol:

Pud still doesn't get on totally well with my OH and we've had her a lot longer, she's so suspicious of him and even when she does on the rare occasion let him stroke er she's not relaxed at all and she'll usually bolt after a bit.

:lol: no he had food though. She's nipped me loads but never bitten me :shock:

bless little Pud Ruby is a diva as well so maybe that's it :lol:
 
:lol: no he had food though. She's nipped me loads but never bitten me :shock:

bless little Pud Ruby is a diva as well so maybe that's it :lol:

Maybe they are both just mummies girls!!

Tell Matthew to leave my buns alone or I'll kick his *** I would just take over her care and if OH annoys you teach Rubes to sic balls :)
 
Maybe they are both just mummies girls!!

Tell Matthew to leave my buns alone or I'll kick his *** I would just take over her care and if OH annoys you teach Rubes to sic balls :)

It is understandable we are awesome

:lol::lol::lol: ok :thumb:
 
The bite is looking pretty horrific :? he says it's tingling under the skin. Starting to see a little why he hates her :shock::lol: She's been soft as muck with me all day
 
The bite is looking pretty horrific :? he says it's tingling under the skin. Starting to see a little why he hates her :shock::lol: She's been soft as muck with me all day

I went through a lot of savlon when Mr McFlurry was going through his biting phase. Hope you work out some kind of truce between them.
 
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