• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Strange Behaviour!!! HELP!!!

Blossom_Flora

Young Bun
I have two dwarf rabbits and one in particular can be quite aggressive when you put your hand in her cage. She will run forward and try to bite you, she also does this with food etc.... she tries to bite you when you pick her up but once you are holding her she is fine! does anyone know why she might be acting like this and what i can do to stop it? the other rabbit is more nervous but sometimes scrabbles out of your hands when you are holding her. Is there anything I can do to stop this as she has fallen on her back on the floor several times after leaping from my hands. Please help!!!!

Henrietta

ps. they live in outside (in the shed) and get a hop in the run most days. Their hutch is very big as it is 2 storeys!
 
how old is she? and has she been spayed? this normal sorts out biting behavior, females are very territorial so that probably why she is trying to bit you because you are in her cage.

remeber rabbits are prey animals so most rabbits dont like being picked up, some tollrate it better than others.
 
Hi henrietta!! :wave:
My lionhead Ralf is also very territorial about his food, and has nipped by husband a few times!! I always put my hand above his head when I go in, rather than putting the food down under those nashers!! Once my hand is above his head, he knows who is boss and puts his head down, so I can put his food on the floor in front of him. I keep my hand on his head and stroke his head whilst I am putting the food down. Don't know if this will work for you but it has worked with quite a few of mine over the years. Also saw a programme once (think it was pet rescue) and the lad who'd adopted this really agressive doe was told to put a sweeping brush in when feeding or picking up, so the rabbit would attack that rather than his hand. This also seemed to work and within a few weeks the bun ended up realising that he wasn't there to attack her afterall! With regards to them jumping off you, I think most of them do that (mine live in a shed too with a 2 tier hutch inside), a good way is to wrap them up in a towel so only their head is poking out (so they can't scrabble with their paws) and then you can lower them onto the floor and open the towel before they dart off into the top part of the hutch!! :lol:
 
Unneutered females can be quite territorial of their cage. How is her behaviour when she isn't in it? If its much better than I'd blame the hormones and consider spaying. If she has the same behaviour in more neutral areas then as Kerri says doing some work with her will hopefully help. The brush (toothbrush) on the stick might help and also if you sit in their run/shed and ignore them whilst they run around it gives them the opportunity to get used to you without the pressure of interacting.

Tam
 
naughty bunnies

she is like that everywhere, even in the house and on the lead in the garden, once shes in your hands she wont try and scrabble away like our other one!

Henrietta
 
Hi

Perhaps it is cos of fear that she is doing this? Rabbits (and other animals!) can act very agressively out of fear. I would def take it slow and do some work with her, so she knows you are no threat to her. We use a soft baby brush on the end of a stick to start stroking the buns at work if they tend to dive for us, and tends to relax them. She may not like being picked up (lots don't!) so may be a case of having a floor-only bunny or teaching her to walk into a carrier if you want to take her anywhere. Have you had her since she was a baby? Anything ever really scared her?

Nicola
 
bunnies

we haven't had them since they were babies but we have had them since they were ready to leave their birth home. anyone have any ideas on helping me get her used to us as nothing has really scared her before. when we first got her she was ok with everything but now she bites and stuff as i have explained.
 
Back
Top