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Not an indoor rabbit...

TheThreeB's

Mama Doe
Hi all,

Quick back story..

Way back, Dottie started off as a house rabbit when we rescued her and was a right pain tbh and chewed holes in the carpet. We got her spayed, bonded with Ziggy and moved to a huge area outside.

However we recently lost Ziggy, so bonded her with our indoor rabbit Spud, so now she's back inside till spring.

Well Spring can't come soon enough .. She's clearly not suited to being indoors, she's always up to no good, is actually nasty and will bite my ankles and destroy everything in sight. They have a large pen which is left open for them to come and go, if I shut them in for any reason she's chasing Spud.

I have a problem don't I :(:? x
 
Oh dear, how old is she?

I've got two destroyed carpets downstairs. Just have to live with it
 
How long has she been indoors for - if not long and the weather isn't freezing, you could put her back outside with tons of bedding. Would she go back into the playhouse? I put Pepper outside last year after she had her fur shaved off all along her back and she was fine and I was amazed at how fast her coat grew back. I checked her every day to see if she was warm and she always felt warm.
 
Oh dear, how old is she?

I've got two destroyed carpets downstairs. Just have to live with it

She's around 3, although we don't know exactly.

I've protected the carpet as best I can with carpet tiles in corners etc. At the minute she's shredding them instead. It's the biting though and it seems to be me she goes for :( x
 
How long has she been indoors for - if not long and the weather isn't freezing, you could put her back outside with tons of bedding. Would she go back into the playhouse? I put Pepper outside last year after she had her fur shaved off all along her back and she was fine and I was amazed at how fast her coat grew back. I checked her every day to see if she was warm and she always felt warm.

She's only been back inside while we've been bonding them, so she could potentially, but Spuds been in around 18 months so we do need to wait really! x
 
I'm sure she will stop biting you once the dominance is all settled down and she no longer thinks she has to prove it. What do you do when she bites you?

Whenever a rabbit lunges or bites me, I always pick them up for a calm cuddle. They don't like it but it seems to work. After a while they stop biting you, instead you can see them start to lunge, then they quickly change their mind and run away to avoid being picked up.
 
I'm going to ask but I'm sure you've thought of it - how are her sight and hearing? Morning isn't a 'mean' rabbit per se, but she presents as it because she's blind. She grunts and lunges a lot, especially if things take her by surprise. No clue what caused it, she could have just been born that way. Otherwise she's in good health. Knowing doesn't change the behaviour but it did help understand it. Previously we thought she just had an attitude problem. :lol:
 
I'm sure she will stop biting you once the dominance is all settled down and she no longer thinks she has to prove it. What do you do when she bites you?

Whenever a rabbit lunges or bites me, I always pick them up for a calm cuddle. They don't like it but it seems to work. After a while they stop biting you, instead you can see them start to lunge, then they quickly change their mind and run away to avoid being picked up.

Ah good tip, I'll have to try that. Usually I do what I have to and get the hell out, so I guess I'm just reinforcing that her biting me gets rid of me!
 
I'm going to ask but I'm sure you've thought of it - how are her sight and hearing? Morning isn't a 'mean' rabbit per se, but she presents as it because she's blind. She grunts and lunges a lot, especially if things take her by surprise. No clue what caused it, she could have just been born that way. Otherwise she's in good health. Knowing doesn't change the behaviour but it did help understand it. Previously we thought she just had an attitude problem. :lol:

I hadn't actually, I don't think so though because she's been jumping on the back of my dd's sofa, up on to the window sill and back down again with ease! I think her hearing is fine too.

I think it's just her! We've learnt to love her the way she is, but it was obviously easier when she was outside and could have minimal human contact (her choice), but now being in the bedroom...

x
 
I hadn't actually, I don't think so though because she's been jumping on the back of my dd's sofa, up on to the window sill and back down again with ease! I think her hearing is fine too.

I think it's just her! We've learnt to love her the way she is, but it was obviously easier when she was outside and could have minimal human contact (her choice), but now being in the bedroom...

x

See :)lol:) I thought the same with Morning because she can climb up and downstairs, get up on tables and chairs and things, which is why it took me so long to even question it. She's completely fearless with investigation and bunstruction and sharp as a tack. But no, she's blind.

Like Dottie, she's going back out in Spring!

Of course, I'm not saying she is, but it's always good to cover all bases. xxx
 
See :)lol:) I thought the same with Morning because she can climb up and downstairs, get up on tables and chairs and things, which is why it took me so long to even question it. She's completely fearless with investigation and bunstruction and sharp as a tack. But no, she's blind.

Like Dottie, she's going back out in Spring!

Of course, I'm not saying she is, but it's always good to cover all bases. xxx

That's amazing isn't it, you wouldn't think they could do all that!

There's is definitely something up with her! When I went in there earlier, they both ran under the sofa, only for Dottie to then shoot out, take a bite out of my foot and run back under :shock::censored:.

I also witnessed her chasing Spud and biting his back, so I'm worried we've made a mistake. Bonding seemed to have gone perfectly but since I let them have the room. Maybe it was too soon? They're in time out back in the pen at the moment!

I honestly wish I'd left her outside and maybe bonded Spud with someone else! My dd is also unhappy because Spud is her baby and she would rather he stayed an indoor rabbit, but with Dottie it seems impossible :( x
 
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