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Any advice greatly received

njefferies

New Kit
Ozzie seems to be turning into a very independent rabbit who decides to lash out and bite when he's in a bad mood! I've just been out to his hutch and I opened the door and put my hands near the hutch (not inside)........ he came up to me, as if to smell me like normal - but bit me hard instead. :cry:

We've had him for about 2 months. He was fine for the first week, and then we had him neutered, since then he seems to have got quite aggressive. He can be perfectly friendly and sociable, and will eat from our hands and jump on our laps (then quickly jump off again!)... but most of the time when you try to pick him up, he bites. I have been patient for a long time now and have tried to build up his trust, as many people suggest. And i know people say that it's probably because he's scared, but I really don't think that's the reason anymore. Can rabbits just be aggressive for no reason? He has a big hutch with access to a big run underneath at all times and loves running around the house in the evenings. I just don't understand it.

The thought of taking him to the vets for his vaccinations and to have his claws clipped just seems impossible. He has a carry case, and will go in and out, but I know he'll bite if we or the vet try to pick him up!

If anyone can suggest any new ideas to help me to calm him down or if anyone has experienced this themselves, please please let me know. I'm desperate. I love him and he has a lovely character, but this biting just ruins everything and I'm wondering what to do if he doesn't change.

Thanks.
 
I am not the best person to answer this but I am sure you will get plenty advice from people who have had this problem - I think Lynda (bunnyhuggger) might have experienced this with some of the bunnies she has taken in.

I just wondered if maybe your bunny is in pain. Where did your bunny come from? Has he had any bad experiences with people? Could he have had an injury? Did he turn straight after the neutering or was he always a bit grumpy?

It may be that he doean't like being picked up - some bunnies only like being petted when they are on the ground.

lol Pam
 
Ditto to all Pam says. Cody is a soft gentle wee man, but recently bit Jim twice and me once. He was in pain with his mouth. He's fine now.

Any of the situations Pam quoted would cause a bun to lash out. There are a few psycho buns about though :wink:
 
Thanks for your replies

He came from a well known breeder and he didn't seem grumpy when we first got him at all...... but I suppose he could have been shy!

When he was neutured, he got a bit swollen so we had to give him anti-biotics and he hated it! That seemed to be the turning point. But after 2 months, I feel that we've built up his trust, and he's not scared about that anymore.

I don't think he's in pain...... how would I know?! It's not all the time. Sometimes I can pick him up from his hutch and he's ok. But we can never ever pick him up when he's inside our house, cos he really goes for us and sometimes growls. I always ensure that we're picking him up correctly so it can't be that.

I think I've just chosen a bunny that refuses to be handled at all. I know that rabbits aren't really supposed to be cuddly pets, but I feel so disappointed. I don't mind if he wants to run around rather than sit on my lap - but I really don't like being attacked for no reason! It just seems that i should leave him in his hutch/run all time and not interact with him at all - surely that's not right!
 
I would still go with the feeling pain somewhere - it could be that he has something wrong as most buns are not viscious :!: I could understand his behaviour if he had only just been castrated but not after this length of time.
Do you think he could be lonely :?: It's a possiblitly - but I would get him checked over by the vet - best thing to do if he is biting when handled is to cover him with a towel first - that's what a vet would do in that situation.
He sounds as though something is wrong somewhere - could be his hormones with spring just around the corner but then again .......
 
I'm no rabbit expert, but I'm trying to see this from a rabbit's point of view as best as I can - maybe he's just scared of height's if the hutch you have is high up he probly would'nt mind you picking him up as you dont have far to go till he's at your level but I know my rabbit does'nt like being picked up from the ground either because to a rabbit, standing up for us is probly like going up the eiffel tower in 10 seconds for them, try and sit down and pick him up? I dunno if this will help, it's probly more likely he's in pain but best of luck anyways.
 
I am the owner of a psycho bun!!! He is very cuddly loves attention and will sit next to you and be stroked for ages. However I also have horrendous scars all over my hands (as well as some on my legs and ankles) from his biting! My mother had to have 2 stiches on one of her bites!!!

Although he had nipped before being neutered the aggression got much worse afterwards.

I now wear ski gloves most of the time when he is out or if I have to put my hand in his cage, it gives me the confidence to handle him without worrying about getting bitten!!!

Apart from a little nip to my ankle I havent been bitten since September, so fingers crossed he seems to be mellowing in his old age (he is one year old in 2 weeks!). I have now got to the stage where I'm starting to use the gloves less!!!
 
i have a bunny that hates being handled, although she is a doe, she has been like it from a baby, she doesnt like being touched and definitely not being picked up, she will go for me if i attempt to pick her up.

she is a weird case, she is not spayed yet (but i dought very much it will change anything when she goes in, in two weeks time. she is over a year old (so not because shes in puberty) she has had a litter of babys and when she was carrying them she was nice as pie and when she had them (weird they are supposed to get worse). she was a different bun she would let me stroke her, hand feed her and brush her. then i took the babies away at 10wks (which i think she was annoyed with) but it was getting very over crowded and i put them in the hutches opposite so she could still see them.

then that day until now as gone back to being a cow!!!

it doesnt not bother me though because she is not my only bun so she gets lots of company, she loves attention from the others and still loves even more letting them know she is the boss!!!

the moral is some buns dont like being handled know matter how much trust they have in you, she even trusted me with her young (and she was protective with them so its not liked she didnt care.)

have you tried bonding him it may chill him out or give you another to cuddle.... :D
 
I seem to be having the same probs. My boy is about 4 1/2 months old as was fixed about a month ago just after getting him. He seems to be going for Shadow. Shadow was fixed ages ago and hes such a honey. (i also have post in here) Where Sparkee (male) and Bugzee (female) got fixed at the same time.

I don`t see them fighting but Shadow has some wounds on him and a swollen front foot.

I would have thought getting them fixed would settle them down!! They have all been happily bonded but in the last week, Sparkee has been getting Shadow when I`m not around.

I wish I could offer some help too as he can also nip us with no reason!!
bronie
 
I hate to have to say this but ive experrienced this three times , a rabbit that is friendly untill after they are done, 2 were that bad after that they were pts, i disscused this at length with my vet and the common denominater was that they were done by a different vet. The only thing we could come up with is that they incured a small amount of brain damage due to lack of oxegene during the op. This seemed to tally as ive never had it happen with my normal vet but the three times i had to have the locum they turned visiuos after the op.Im not saying this is the case with yours but i would be worried if his temperement has drasticly changed. .I would add that ive had a couple of hundred rabbits done and its only happened with this one vet. I did have a friend that had a rabbit done and he turned so nasty that they were scared of him and wore gardening cloves, vet before he was as gental as a lamb. I would complaine to the vet and dont be phobed of with its hormones he will get better. val :(
 
If it is possible that it’s down to the neutering op – is it safe? It would put me off! :? As it is something you can’t be 100% sure of the outcome. I could just be talking rubbish due to being tired, but it is worrying. :(
 
ok, to help u out, mitsy is very friendly but in her own way........... and i cant stress that enough, i think u said ur bun was only a few wks old, mitz was v.shy for a month or two when we first got her,, as in she would run away all the time, and now she is cool, she likes fussin, i.e, strokes n nose rubs but gets very jumpy if she senses u r gonna pick her up, which she hates, she still runsaway if u try to pick her up n will grunt at u n bite occasionally if u corner her to pick her up.. all i can say thro experience is hang on in there... i must admit I first got a rabbit in ignorance thinking they would b easy to keep n affectionate from the off.......... how wrong was i? Rabbits require so much care n attention n it may seem for the first few months that u are getting nothin bk, but you will, i promise, once u hav gained their trust they give u love that is totally unique n quirky, i must admit i was always a dog person but Mitz has proved to be as much fun n more than a puppy in her own little way even tho i believe she will until her dying day refuse to be voluntarily picked up.. just wait a while n see how their character develops.. its worth the wait :)
 
Yes can I just add that all is not lost, my psycho bun has been very affectionate for the last few months! :D and yes the thought of rehoming him did cross my mind when I was nursing my poor hands but I'm glad I perservered with him!!! Time can work wonders!!!
 
Thank you for all your great suggestions and thoughts. It's nice to know I'm not the only one! I will ask the vets when he goes to have his vaccinations. Perhaps I'll invest in some big thick gloves too! I'm going to hang in there and hope things improve!

Thanks again. :D
 
MightyMax said:
Hi there :)

How is Ozzie doing these days? ........

Aye, how is the little fella doing ?
Did you go with the gardening gloves idea in the end ? It worked with Ben when he went through this stage after his op. Everything on the floor became his - shoes, cup of tea, cushions, handbag ! I got a pair of gardening gloves and just let him bite when I went to get these things, then squeaked if he did bite me. I think he got the message that it was hurting and he wasn't just warning me, because now he'll charge if I'm doing something he doesn't like, but he doesn't bite :D
 
bunnyhuggger said:
Salsa said:
he'll charge if I'm doing something he doesn't like, but he doesn't bite :D

Hope he's not too expensive!!! :lol: ................ sorry :oops: :roll: :wink:

LOL :D :D :D
He's very expensive compared to my old hamster (god rest his soul), but we haven't got to the stage where I give him the money directly yet ! Bunny pocket money - now there is a funny idea ! I wonder what they would buy :D
 
Maybe you should start a new post and ask that question, can't wait to hear what Strawberry and Boscov would buy :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
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