Biting when I refuse food (my food, not rabbit food)

Hi,

Charlie has always loved his food and is a big eater and he does pester me for my food when I'm eating. I've always given him some if it's just a biscuit or bit of toast or something, but over the last 3 days he's been really aggressively pestering me for my own food. It's the first time he's ever nipped me. As soon as he sees me eating he's up on the chair and climbing on top of me trying to steal my food.

Up till now I've always given him a nibble and he eventually runs off, no harm done. Lately he's becoming more aggressive (he's neutered and fully mature but don't know his age) and will nip quite hard if I don't give him my food.

Last night I was eating a Malteser ice cream lolly and he went beserk for it. I let him have a few licks but he wouldn't leave me alone and started biting. In the end I had to leave the room to finish it. It sounds silly but for the first time I was quite scared of him. He was very aggressive with me and extremely persistent. The same thing has happened while I'm eating sandwiches, all sorts of things. He tried to take my sandwich today but I didn't give him any as it was corned beef. I walked out of the room to avoid the pestering.

I saw a similar thread a few weeks ago but I can't for the life of me find it again. I can't remember what advice was given. If anyone has any advice on how to nip this in the bud before it gets any worse I'd be really grateful. He's not normally aggressive and is quite a laid back rabbit who loves being stroked and fussed, it's just when it comes to food he's a different rabbit altogether.

Thanks x

I would be wondering if he is unable to eat his own food and so is hungry, so I'd suggest a vet check on his teeth as a priority.

Sky-O's point is a very good one. If he's well and it's not that then I'd suggest that because you've been giving it to him he now expects it and is being more insistant in the hopes of getting more. I would not feed him anything that you are eating yourself, even if it's bunny safe, because he's taking the cue from you that you're eating something so he should have some too. I'd make it so he only has his food in his eating space.

He thinks getting some of your food is now his right and if you refuse he gets more and more worked up. I'm getting the impression you maybe still give his food sometimes even when he's acting a bit pushy? That just shows him the behaviour works and it keeps escalating.

You need to set firm boundaries and stick to them, if he shows any behaviour you don't like, he doesn't get the food. I'd usually say, don't back off from an aggressive rabbit but as he's trying to get you to give him food, I'd be tempted to push him back onto the seat and stand up at the first sign of behaviour you don't like. Wait a few seconds for him to calm down and then sit down again, if he climbs back on and tries again, repeat. When he doesn't reward him with food. He should learn that being pushy means you stand up and he gets nothing and behaving gets the treat.

You might want some thick clothes temporarily until he's learnt the new rules.

Sky-O said:

I would be wondering if he is unable to eat his own food and so is hungry, so I'd suggest a vet check on his teeth as a priority.

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Thank you Sky-0 that's a really good point. I don't think it's his teeth though as he's definitely eating his own food. I've actually had a bit of a problem with him eating ALL the food meant for both rabbits!:roll: He eats about 80% of the food I put in the cage for both my bunnies. He's a big boy (I wouldn't say fat yet) and he eats whatever is put in front of him straight away. He's a rescue rabbit and I think in his previous home there wasn't enough food to go around as he eats like he's never been fed, as if the food will be gone if he doesn't eat it all quickly. I'll definitely keep an eye on him though to make sure he is eating his own food.

Tamsin, thanks for the advice. You're right, when he gets pushy with me I give in. Mainly to get some peace but recently out of fear of being bitten if I don't. My husband had to intervene last night as Charlie just wouldn't leave me alone. It's gone from being quite funny to being a bit scary. What you've suggested sounds like a great idea, i'm going to try it tonight. Hopefully he'll learn quite quickly. In the meantime I'm off to dig out my (ahem..) padded bra as it's my boobs that tend to get nipped most often!:lol::evil:

Just wanted to say Charlie's a lovely boy normally, so sweet and a big softy. I don't want to paint such a bad picture of him like he's the bunny from hell :lol: and I think he's learnt his 'eat as much as you can as fast as you can' attitude from his previous home where he wasn't treated properly.

It may have been my thread about Stephen, who stood on my dinner plate as I held my sandwich over my head because he was trying to mug me for the salad?
Stephen is getting a little better but he is really very pushy with food, and I've never shown him it's ok. I've found that putting some of his food down when I'm eating has made it a bit better, but only for the first few minutes because he eats so quickly that we still have most of our dinner left by the time he's finished. I just keep putting him on the floor, hope he gets the message soon because I don't really want to have to lock him away just so I can eat.

My thread - Eating off My Plate

Ah yes, thanks Cari, it was your thread. I remember you saying how Stephen sits on your dinner plate! I'm ashamed to say I thought it sounded funny at the time but I can appreciate how horrible it is now. I'm glad you're getting a little more peace at meal times.

If Tamsin's suggestions don't work or if Charlie doesn't improve my next plan is to eat all meals in the dining room and shut the rabbits in the living room until we're finished. I won't feel too bad about doing that It's just a shame we can't eat anything at all in front of Charlie, not even a biscuit with a cuppa in front of the TV on a night! I'm confident he'll learn after I've stood up and put him back on the floor/sofa a few times, as Tamsin suggested.

Thanks

egg said:

Ah yes, thanks Cari, it was your thread. I remember you saying how Stephen sits on your dinner plate! I'm ashamed to say I thought it sounded funny at the time but I can appreciate how horrible it is now. I'm glad you're getting a little more peace at meal times.

If Tamsin's suggestions don't work or if Charlie doesn't improve my next plan is to eat all meals in the dining room and shut the rabbits in the living room until we're finished. I won't feel too bad about doing that It's just a shame we can't eat anything at all in front of Charlie, not even a biscuit with a cuppa in front of the TV on a night! I'm confident he'll learn after I've stood up and put him back on the floor/sofa a few times, as Tamsin suggested.

Thanks

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It just sounds cute doesn't it, bunny sitting on your dinner plate begging for some salad, until you realise that means that every time you bring your sandwich to your mouth your rabbit is trying to steal all the filling out the other end and won't leave you alone!! :lol:

Biscuits and things like that are still far too much for Stephen but he's slowly learning that plates of food do not mean he's going to get anything, he'll try to eat anything though, the other day he jumped up and I didn't put him on the floor as I didn't think he'd want to eat anything off my plate, until he started tucking in to the crust of my quiche. :? I think it's about consistency and patience. Stephen is getting better, but my thread was a month ago? And he still does it.

Cari said:

It just sounds cute doesn't it, bunny sitting on your dinner plate begging for some salad, until you realise that means that every time you bring your sandwich to your mouth your rabbit is trying to steal all the filling out the other end and won't leave you alone!! :lol:

Biscuits and things like that are still far too much for Stephen but he's slowly learning that plates of food do not mean he's going to get anything, he'll try to eat anything though, the other day he jumped up and I didn't put him on the floor as I didn't think he'd want to eat anything off my plate, until he started tucking in to the crust of my quiche. :? I think it's about consistency and patience. Stephen is getting better, but my thread was a month ago? And he still does it.

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You're right it is cute at first until the bunny gains more confidence and it becomes overbearing. I've never heard of a rabbit eating the crust of a quiche :lol: but someone on this forum (sorry I can't remember who it was) did say they left a curry on the floor and came back to find their rabbit licking the curry sauce up :lol:

Ironically I've just eaten lunch in front of Charlie and he didn't jump up at all. It was just a cheese & salad sandwich and 3 of us ate in front of him. He came to see what we had but didn't pester for anything. Maybe it's certain smells that appeal to them.