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I feel like my rabbit hates me!!!

LilRabbit25

Warren Scout
My rabbit bit my finger a few minutes ago while I was cleaning his cage. The cut is quite deep but has stopped bleeding. My rabbit is a 7 month old mixed dwarf (neutered). Recently also while cleaning his cage he got a bit aggressive so while I clean his cage I put him into the bathroom (its quite warm in there but he's only in there for 20 mins). Today I let him back out of the bathroom and he hopped around exploring his cleaned cage. Then, I got him fresh water and was about to put it into his cage when he suddenly bit me! He was almost hanging off my finger and was holding on really hard. He's bit me once before also when I was cleaning his cage. He is normally a really sweet and active bunny that loves me the most out of everyone. He comes to me to sit on my lap and eats veggies from my hands but he's always had an aggressive side of himself. What should I do? Also, after he bit me I was sort of scared he would bite again if I came near. Do rabbits usually bite once and then forget it or do the keep on attacking? Would it be safe to go near to him straight afterwards again after he bit me? Please help! I feel like he hates me!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I can pretty safely say that your rabbit doesn't hate you. What it sounds like is him protecting his territory. Both times you've been bitten, it's just after you've cleaned out his cage, yes? The way he sees it, you have taken his house, cleaned it out and made it smell wrong, and he might think that's you trying to take it over! All he is doing by biting is telling you that 'it's mine, stay away from it!'. Because you have put him in another room while you were cleaning, he won't be able to see what you are doing and will be extra unsure.

Once he has bitten you once, he could bite you again straight after, so I would recommend that you just keep your hands away from his cage when you have just cleaned it. Give him time to make it smell like him again, or, you could always keep some of the cleaner hay (that still smells rabbity) and put it back in the cage once you're finished cleaning, so that it still smells like his house. If he's not in or near the cage, I think it's unlikely that he will bite you.

Well done on getting your rabbit neutered though, lots of rabbit owners don't but it is a very sensible thing to do and good for your rabbit's health :thumb:
 
may I ask how large his cage is and how long he is in there ever day? (ie is he free range and its just a base or is he only let out occassionally). he may be frustrated and bored or simply over territorial if this is the place he has to spend too much time.
 
His cage is about a 120cm long and 70cm wide. I basically just use his cage so that I have somewhere secure to put him while I'm out. I let him out every morning for about 2 hours before I go to school (7:00 - 9:00) and then after school the whole day until I go to bed. So about 6 hours outside every day. He doesn't seem to mind his cage because he sometimes goes in it even though his cage is open and he's free to hop around anywhere. Rabbits don't like being touched in the face right? Could it be that he bit me because I touched him near his nose/mouth area? I was reaching into his cage with his bowl and might have brushed passed that area. I really don't know but he is so cute and friendly around me but not really around strangers.
Thanks guys for your replies! :)
 
Has he been fixed. I know some female rabbits bite and get territorial when they need to be spayed
 
My girl rabbit was VERY territorial even after we had her spayed. If I put my hand in her cage for anything (even to put veggies in) 7/10 times she'll lunge and scratch my hand. I can tell when she's going to do it, she sort of has a look in her eyes and a tense pose, I can almost see the anger boiling up inside her. She's been a lot better since we bonded her and she's been sharing a cage with a male rabbit, she's learnt to share and not be so 'mine, mine, mine' :lol:

I guess it's just like someone coming into our house and taking out our furniture and personal belongings. We'd hate it. If someone came into your house, took out all your furniture and belongings just after you'd got them arranged exactly how you like them, you'd try to stop them!

Maybe you could always put his favourite treats in the cage after you've cleaned it, so eventually he learns there's a treat waiting for him and might take his mind off the fact that you've 'invaded' his home.
 
He could have thought it was food in front of him as rabbits can't see straight ahead ver clearly as their eyes are on the side of their head! When you approach him with your hand move very slowly so he doesn't get frightened. This might help but be ready to move quickly if he is being unfriendly
 
Rabbits usually like being stroked on the nose or cheeks if they are confident :)

Definately him just beng territorial, nothing to worry about. Rabbit bites dont hurt that much, but just keep your hands out of his cage when he is in it. You should have less of a problem if he is left to run around the room when you are cleaning his cage. He may be less territorial if he spent less time in there, to be honest 6 hours out isnt really enough, and the rabbit welfare association reccommends housing a lot bigger than that: http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/ahutchisnotenough.htm so getting him bigger accommodation or having him out 24/7 should really help, it did for my bun, who used to be just like yours.
 
he will be getting a bit frustrated I guess in that cage - it really is very small I am afraid even for a 'part time' of the day - and if he is put in there when HE wants to be out he will get frustrated.

Perhaps you could look at fencing off an area of the room or something rather than using a cage as such? There is a sticky thread on here with examples of indoor accommodation.
 
My rabbits indoors in a hutch when I'm at work but I added on a playpen which is about 4ft square so she can run around in it and let her out as soon as I get home. Could you maybe add something on to yours?
 
Agree with everything said so far.

Stephen has an indoor cage and used to be a bit of a nipper if I had just cleaned his cage out. I found that letting him see what I was doing and having him hopping in and out of the cage as I was cleaning it made it a lot easier for him to accept and he hasn't nipped me since (apart from when I put his eyedrops in... NOT happy!).

Try not putting him in a different room, and I really don't know if it makes a difference but I pick up his hay with my hands to throw it away so maybe I still smell like him and he doesn't get so stressed out? I don't know though, that's just my ramblings.
 
Pic

Here's a picture of his cage:

Here is Mozart standing up next to his hay (i'm filling it up now). There is enough space for him to fully stretch.

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This is the little platform where he relaxes (stretched out) and where his water bowl is.

photocopy.jpg


Top view.

photocopy3.jpg


Side view.

photocopy2.jpg


I really want to attach a small play pen to his cage but the only problem is that he's a very active bunny (loves racing and binkying around my house and even at the vet!) and I used to have a play pen attached but he kept on accidentally bumping into it while racing around and doing binkies and sometimes even managed to knock it over (don't ask me how). So I really don't know.

Yeah..... I think i'll go back to letting him see what i'm doing when I clean his cage..... the only problem is that he gets in the way the whole time. Like he climbs into the bin bag while i scoop his hay out (very dangerous...... don't really want to risk him suffocating), he tries to snatch the stuff away I need to clean and he just wants to explore everything. It just makes it double the time of cleaning........ I know, he wants to explore and likes it but it just makes it much more work. But then on the other hand maybe he does like watching. I'll see. Thanks guys for your help though!
 
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If the pen is sturdy enough it will not be knocked over, I'd go for a dog pen as rabbit pens are not only too small usually, but also tend to not have much height and so easily escapable. Alternatively you could make a c&c cage, have a look at the indoor housing sticky for ideas.

Or can you not just bunny-proof the room, so he can be out of his cage 24/7? The RWAF reccommends a minimum of 44sqft for rabbits, but his cage only gives just over 8sqft at the moment.
 
I really want to attach a small play pen to his cage but the only problem is that he's a very active bunny (loves racing and binkying around my house and even at the vet!) and I used to have a play pen attached but he kept on accidentally bumping into it while racing around and doing binkies and sometimes even managed to knock it over (don't ask me how). So I really don't know.

Yeah..... I think i'll go back to letting him see what i'm doing when I clean his cage..... the only problem is that he gets in the way the whole time. Like he climbs into the bin bag while i scoop his hay out (very dangerous...... don't really want to risk him suffocating), he tries to snatch the stuff away I need to clean and he just wants to explore everything. It just makes it double the time of cleaning........ I know, he wants to explore and likes it but it just makes it much more work. But then on the other hand maybe he does like watching. I'll see. Thanks guys for your help though!



I think tbh it does sound like he is just one of those very active buns that needs to be permanently able to come and go from his cage - try and think of him more as a small active dog or cat -

The climbing over stuff and getting in the way is one of the joys of rabbit ownership - watching them be so inquisiitve,

Have you thought of getting him a friend?
 
I've tried getting him a friend like I looked after a friend's bunny for a few weeks and tried to bond them but Mozart just doesn't seem like a bunny with bunny friends. Apparently at the place I got him, they said that he likes being with humans more and not really with rabbits. Isn't it dangerous if I give him free run of the room at night? I mean, even if it is bunny-proofed he could still hurt himself.... somehow...... He's allowed free run on the bottom floor of my house (he can't climb the stairs) everyday. During the time I go to school he's outside. Basically, I let him out in the morning from 7:00 AM and put him back in when I go to bed except I put him in his cage for when we are vacuuming and when I am out.
About stairs - are stairs safe for bunnies??? Mozart is very easily frightened by sounds and so the last time he went up the stairs he heard a sound and got frightened. Then he started running down the stairs and fell down the last 3!!! I really don't want that happening again but he loves going on the stairs. I've even built a ramp out of wood but I think its too steep (it has grip though). But apparently bunnies prefer stairs to ramps. Should I let him up??? My stairs are quite long and don't have that much depth as in the place where you put your foot isn't very long. This makes it even harder for him.
 
How did you bond the bunnies, where, and how long for? There are very few buns that wont accept a friend if you stick to the rules of bonding.

If your room is properly bunny proofed he wont hurt himself, just make sure electric cables are out of his way (more for their safety than his) and there are no chemicals or house plants where he can get to them.

Stairs are fine too, but I wouldnt leave him unattended on them at first, but let him go up them supervised a few times at first, with practice buns often are great with stairs and love them too.

Its good that he can get time out of his cage when you are at school, what run do you have? You'll need a plan for indoors soon though, as after September it will be too much of a temperature difference to put him outside if he is usually inside.
 
Rabbits usually like being stroked on the nose or cheeks if they are confident :)

Definately him just beng territorial, nothing to worry about. Rabbit bites dont hurt that much, but just keep your hands out of his cage when he is in it. You should have less of a problem if he is left to run around the room when you are cleaning his cage. He may be less territorial if he spent less time in there, to be honest 6 hours out isnt really enough, and the rabbit welfare association reccommends housing a lot bigger than that: http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/ahutchisnotenough.htm so getting him bigger accommodation or having him out 24/7 should really help, it did for my bun, who used to be just like yours.

I can't say I agree with that. Rabbit warning nips don't hurt that much but it defo hurts when they break the skin. I needed stitches after Jeremy bit me and I still have the scar 18months later.
 
If he's not a destructive bunny, he'd be fine overnight free ranging. I had to stop it with mine, as she completely ate the carpets and wallpaper.

If not, have you thought about replacing his cage with a dog pen? You can get 6 foot x 2 foot for about £40. They're more steady than rabbit pens, and have higher sides. It could be an option if you decide that you'd like to upgrade.

The cage you have is a good height for an indoor bunny cage, but sadly purpose made indoor bunny cages never meet the standard. When I first got rabbits I was tricked into the same trap too and paid a fortune for a tiny cage that I now house mice in!

Bonding should be done in a completely neutral place so that there's no scents of other rabbits.

He's very cute, and obviously very well loved :love:
 
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