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Dealing with naughty rabbits

luvabun

Warren Veteran
Is there a tried and tested method for dealing with our bunsters when they're naughty? Not my 2 of course, they're positively angelic
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but I was wondering what you do when they do do something wrong
 
Hehe, common fess up what have your little angels been up to? Chewing the wallpaper? Weeing on the bed? Plotting world domination?

I guess it really depends on what they've done thats naughty. If they are chewing at the walls and you catch them at it then no and a spray of water is a good response. You can only do something if you catch them in the act though, if you find out later then there's no point as they won't associate the no with the behaviour. If a buns repeatedly chewing the wall after you said no then you could give it something to play with or have a brief time out in its cage.

Most of being naughty is natural bunny behaviour so its more redirecting it to something thats appropriate in the context of living in a home than telling them off.

Tam
 
Honest injun Tam.. they ain't done nothing.....yet..... they're outdoor buns so I don't have to worry about wallpaper or peeing on the bed. Its just reading about loads of buns you realise they can get upto mischief hence my question... forewarned is forearmed and all that malarky..
 
Ahhh so you looking more at waking the neighbours up at 4am thumping, digging up the lawn and spending 3 hours racing round the garden tryinng to sheperd them back into the run after they ran between your legs when you opened the door :lol:
 
[quote="Tamsin"
Most of being naughty is natural bunny behaviour so its more redirecting it to something thats appropriate in the context of living in a home than telling them off.

Tam[/quote]

Sound advice as ever Tamsin, and I would like to add, that we have a store of tissue boxes full of hay, and whan rabbits misbehave we get a box out and place it in front of the rabbit to distract them.
Suddely adding something new and interesting into the environment kinda draws a bunnies attention, and away from what what they were doing to annoy you :lol:
If this fails, we try a gentle squirt of water from a small water pistol.....the absolutely final resort for really persistant pests :roll: is to collect bunny up and place in a carrier (not the hutch or normal living accommodation as this may confuse the bunny) and ignore for half an hour, difficult as it is :? ..and repeat this each time the rabbit begins the incorrect behaviour.
It is very effective but you have to be strict and persist...it is well worth it in the end when you and your rabbit can co exist in perfect harmony. :D
And if all these methods fail then perhaps you should consider exchanging your rabbit for a better behaved one :p :lol: :lol:
 
Totti is a real lap bunny and will sit on my lap for hours on end and the only thing he is guilty of is licking me to death!!! But if he decided to take a bite, surely if I give him a box of hay (i.e. yummy food in his eyes) wouldn't he associate the nibbling with getting a treat and then do that again? :? As you can see, my parenting skills are ****... one of the many reasons why I never had kids.. I think I'd find it very difficult to say NO then see that cute face and not want ot immediately cuddle it
 
We use the hay as a distraction method, and only as a first stage to addressing inappropriate as opposed to naughty behaviour...hay is available for our rabbits all the time anyway, so it is not rewarding behaviour with a special treat as such.
We also use apple sticks as a distraction method, then after this, the water pistol and carrier for truly naughty rabbits :lol:

Some rabbits misbehave when scared though, so you have to decide whether the rabbit is being truly naughty, or just reacting to fear, in which case reassurance rather than a reprimand is needed

Punishment wise for a rabbit who is just being plain naughty, depends on how naughty the rabbit is actually being, ..just a little reminder that they should not be doing something first (give a warning), and then the telling off stage (water pistol or carrier)...most bunnies respond to the warning stage :D
 
It depends why the bunny bit. If you clipping its toe nails which you know it doesn't like and it nipped to warn you it didn't like it then I'd take that as the warning it was intended and say no but then reasure the bunny give it a treat and/or take a break from the nail clipping or only do one more nail. So the bun knew that nipping wasn't appriate but also taking into consideration its a bunnies way of expressing its feelings and should listened too.

It the bunny nipped because it was scared then obviously timeouts or no isn't the right response.

It also depends on the buns personality, a bouncy out going bun thats always into myschief and know's when its being naughty I would respond to differently then to a shy bunny, even it they were both eating the wallpaper.

I think understanding why the bunny is doing something is the most important consideration in your response. If the bun is attention seeking then no and a time out might be appropriate but bearing in mind if its attention seeking it wants your company or entertainment. So after you have said no to the behaviour and the bun has stopped you can reward the now good behaviour with a new toy to stop it happening again. If you get really clever next time you'll anticipate the "I considering chewing wallpaper" look and find alternative entertainment before they start.

It does sounds all very complicated but you know your bunny and are used to interacting with them so a lot of it will come naturally.

Tam
 
hopefully they'll carry on being adorable well behaved buns so I won't have to put any of this into practice. Well behaved apart from leading me a merry dance round the garden when its time to go back in the hutches... not a pretty sight when I'm in me dressing gown :oops:
whilst we're on the subject of learned behaviour, how can I convince Brody to use her litter tray all the time not just for 3/4 of it? She's another well behaved little poppet as a pooey bum does not come into the naughty category. They're both off to the vets tomorrow for a nail clip. I'm also going to ask about her weight (lack of) and following Tam's suggestion a while ago, ask them to check for worms. I can't see any wrigglies in her poo though, am I supposed to take a sample? She really doesn't seem too fussed on hay and I've tried all the different varieties that I can find. The Oxbow gets nibbled the most, but not in any great quantity. Its sooooo hard being a paranoid bunny Mum.
 
I'd give the vet a ring before hand and check on the poop sample.

Is Brody neutered? Unneutered buns aren't always 100% on litter training as a scattering of currents is used to indicate territory. Is she pooping outside the tray or weeing or both? Is it all over the place or next to the tray? Does she share with somebun else?

It sounds like something digestion wise isn't quite in sink so hopefully the vet will have some ideas and that with help with the poop and the weight. Does she have hay near her tray? Buns like to munch and poop at the same time so it might help encourage her to eat hay and use the tray.

Tam
 
bunnyhuggger said:
Adele said:
:shock: and do what with the sticks? give 'em 'six of the best' :shock: :wink: :lol:

:no: naughty Lynda, of course NOT, but we do use the sticks to chase off cheeky Forum Members , oh and we have brooms, dustpan and brushes, buckets of cold water and tins of baked beans, not to mention all those pellets to use to control the masses too, so be warned :p :roll: :evil: :lol: :lol: :lol:

It is only because you are envious that we have an entire orchard right behind us full of lovely apple sticks, and all you have is weedy old twigs for your bunnies :twisted: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Adele said:
we have brooms

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:shock:

Adele said:
It is only because you are envious that we have an entire orchard right behind us full of lovely apple sticks, and all you have is weedy old twigs for your bunnies :twisted: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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- Billa!!!!!!!!!! Adele say's your superb willow sticks are weedy old twigs.....
 
Brody is neutered and I think its just poos that are all over the place. Will reposition her food bowl near the litter tray - I keep putting the willow ball with the hay in it near there and it ends up all over the place - usually in the tray :shock:
 
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