Hi everyone
I've been reading the messages here for the last couple of weeks, but haven't posted yet, so hello!
Just wondering if i could ask all you rabbit knowledgable people's opinions please??
I'm at university (mature student) and volunteer at a wildlife hospital. The hospital also houses an overflow of pet rabbits from the RSPCA. For the last few weeks there has been a male rabbit there who bites quite badly and last week a lady told me he was going to be PTS as they wouldn't be able to rehome him.
I don't know his previous history but didn't think this was right as he is perfectly healthy. I think his biting is probably due to the fact he is unneutered and obviously very scared/and territorial. He has bitten me when putting food into his hutch at the wildlife hospital.
I told them i would take him and on thursday I brought him home with me. He's currently living in my summer house. He really does bite hard- not just a little nip here, and I already have a wound to prove it from making the mistake of trying to pick him up! I'm not sure how to put photos up yet, but here's a link to one of him and my own rabbits (Esmerelda and Silent Bob) house. http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cartermandy/album?.dir=/4d58
I long-term foster Esmerelda and Silent Bob (they both have malclussion and Bob has a nasty face absess) for a local rescue centre who have agreed to take him, but i feel bad for burdening them with another rabbit when they obviously have so many already. They did say he would stay there forever if he continues to bite as they do not PTS.
Unfortunately, my boyfriend isn't as keen on animals as me and I had to persuade him to have the other two so i couldn't keep him permanently. Also, there is the cost issue, as i'm a student I can't really afford a hutch etc.
So...although i do not have much money I was thinking of either giving the rescue centre a donation to cover the cost of neutering or getting it done myself and then taking him over to them.
Or...after neutering myself, he could stay living in the summer house and I could try and work at making him more friendly as they wouldn't be able to give him much attention with all their other buns to look after and then rehome myself- but I'd be worried about where he was going, a rescue is in more of a position to homecheck.
So what is the best for him? He seems fairly happy in the summer house, perhaps a bit bored (just a brick building really but its quite big- 18ft by 10ft.) and i've been letting him out in the run as my rabbits live in a converted play house and have the run of the garden. Unfortunately the run is quite small though (5ft by 2ft). As proof of his hormones, whilst in the run earlier today he went mad when he spotted Esmerelda and sprayed at her and tried to dig his way out! (She is unneutered, Silent Bob is.) I have now moved the run to the patio, where they can't go and he can't dig.
Is there much chance that his behaviour could be changed? If so, how long after neutering would he calm down? I'm not sure how old he is but he must be well over a year old. I've read a few threads and articles on how to alter biting behaviour, but any tips would be appreciated.
I think his behaviour is mainly due to fear and hormones as he does seem curious but very nervous. He is also incredibly energetic and jumps up on a very high window ledge in the summer house.
Also...he hasn't eaten much at all since being here. I've tried two types of food and lots of veges but he's not really interested.
Sorry this is so long, thank you in advance for any replys.
Mandy
[/b]
I've been reading the messages here for the last couple of weeks, but haven't posted yet, so hello!
Just wondering if i could ask all you rabbit knowledgable people's opinions please??
I'm at university (mature student) and volunteer at a wildlife hospital. The hospital also houses an overflow of pet rabbits from the RSPCA. For the last few weeks there has been a male rabbit there who bites quite badly and last week a lady told me he was going to be PTS as they wouldn't be able to rehome him.
I don't know his previous history but didn't think this was right as he is perfectly healthy. I think his biting is probably due to the fact he is unneutered and obviously very scared/and territorial. He has bitten me when putting food into his hutch at the wildlife hospital.
I told them i would take him and on thursday I brought him home with me. He's currently living in my summer house. He really does bite hard- not just a little nip here, and I already have a wound to prove it from making the mistake of trying to pick him up! I'm not sure how to put photos up yet, but here's a link to one of him and my own rabbits (Esmerelda and Silent Bob) house. http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/cartermandy/album?.dir=/4d58
I long-term foster Esmerelda and Silent Bob (they both have malclussion and Bob has a nasty face absess) for a local rescue centre who have agreed to take him, but i feel bad for burdening them with another rabbit when they obviously have so many already. They did say he would stay there forever if he continues to bite as they do not PTS.
Unfortunately, my boyfriend isn't as keen on animals as me and I had to persuade him to have the other two so i couldn't keep him permanently. Also, there is the cost issue, as i'm a student I can't really afford a hutch etc.
So...although i do not have much money I was thinking of either giving the rescue centre a donation to cover the cost of neutering or getting it done myself and then taking him over to them.
Or...after neutering myself, he could stay living in the summer house and I could try and work at making him more friendly as they wouldn't be able to give him much attention with all their other buns to look after and then rehome myself- but I'd be worried about where he was going, a rescue is in more of a position to homecheck.
So what is the best for him? He seems fairly happy in the summer house, perhaps a bit bored (just a brick building really but its quite big- 18ft by 10ft.) and i've been letting him out in the run as my rabbits live in a converted play house and have the run of the garden. Unfortunately the run is quite small though (5ft by 2ft). As proof of his hormones, whilst in the run earlier today he went mad when he spotted Esmerelda and sprayed at her and tried to dig his way out! (She is unneutered, Silent Bob is.) I have now moved the run to the patio, where they can't go and he can't dig.
Is there much chance that his behaviour could be changed? If so, how long after neutering would he calm down? I'm not sure how old he is but he must be well over a year old. I've read a few threads and articles on how to alter biting behaviour, but any tips would be appreciated.
I think his behaviour is mainly due to fear and hormones as he does seem curious but very nervous. He is also incredibly energetic and jumps up on a very high window ledge in the summer house.
Also...he hasn't eaten much at all since being here. I've tried two types of food and lots of veges but he's not really interested.
Sorry this is so long, thank you in advance for any replys.
Mandy
[/b]