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Lunging for food

I’ve recently rescued a bunny I’ve named Snoopy that I’d like your advice on please.

Snoopy is really sweet and affectionate but lunges for food, which has resulted in me being nipped a few times. Snoopy was found as a stray under a car on a housing estate, so he could have gone a while without food, which may account for his behaviour. I think it is down to excitement as he doesn’t growl and I genuinely think he thinks my hand is the food! He will climb up my leg and run round my feet if he knows I’m going to feed him and will shoot across the room for food. I have honestly never seen a rabbit move so fast when food is involved or eat so quickly. He probably eats 3 times faster than any other rabbit I’ve had over the years (Snoopy is my 9th).

To give a bit more information on his situation, I’ve had him for a month now and had him neutered last week, vaccinated and health checked. The vets couldn’t find any health issues. He has the whole upstairs of our house to run around and is cage-free and litter trained. I feed him nuggets in a ball each morning which he rolls around until they’re gone, greens in the evening and hay 24/7. He’s not the biggest hay eater, only having a small handful a day, but I hope when he is bonded my female bun will encourage him to eat more , as she loves the stuff. He is a really sweet and affectionate bunny, loves being stroked and licks me in return. He always wants to be near you, sitting at my feet while I work.

Snoopy is being bonded in three weeks time, once healed from surgery, and I’m concerned he may bite the other bunny whilst they are eating. I’d therefore like to try and curb this behaviour before then. I have tried to sit on the floor until he has calmed down then feed him, but he doesn’t really calm down and as soon as my hand is at his level, he’s there!

Appreciate your help. :)
 
I agree with IM on the scatter feeding. This will also be a safer way of feeding once he’s being bonded I think. Hopefully once his hormones subside and he gets used to food being available he might calm down. I assume they have checked his eyesight?
 
Rabbits can be very competitive over food, I have a few who chase one another and I do scatter food. Try to encourage the hay eating to keep his teeth worn down, how many pellets does he have?
 
We had to scatter feed after bonding for a very long time.

Rodney was a rescue that also had food issues he just couldn't cope with sharing.

Scatter feeding helped and also sticking to very fixed feeding times.

We also offered two water bowls spaced apart so he could only guard one of them.

Now hes a single bun he seems happy to leave food for later and I'm kind of hoping the behaviour doesnt return.

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Hi all,

Thanks for your responses. I do already scatter feed his greens and hide them in tunnels or toys so he has to find it. He also seems to be eating a little more hay each day which is good news.

He has an egg cup full of nuggets a day.

I’m not sure about eyesight check. I did ask the vets to do a full health check but I don’t really know what they did exactly as wasn’t allowed in the room with him due to COVID. To be honest I don’t think his eye sight is the problem, I think it’s the excitement over food. But appreciate your advice.

Will continue to scatter feed once bonded and do that with nuggets too. Apart from that and time, does anyone have any advice for training it out of him?

Many thanks, you’ve all been so helpful already.
 
Time might help once hes used the consistancy.

Rabbits really are creatures of habit in my experience. They love a routine.

In terms of biting you I would only hand feed at the end of dinner. Once the excitement has calmed a bit.

From my experience the bonding changed both my buns behaviour so you many not see it.

I know it's hard to tell what age he might be but mine both calmed a tiny bit once past adolescence.

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Time might help once hes used the consistancy.

Rabbits really are creatures of habit in my experience. They love a routine.

In terms of biting you I would only hand feed at the end of dinner. Once the excitement has calmed a bit.

From my experience the bonding changed both my buns behaviour so you many not see it.

I know it's hard to tell what age he might be but mine both calmed a tiny bit once past adolescence.

Sent from my SM-A705FN using Tapatalk

Thanks for your advice.
 
My bunny, Butter-Bean, used to do the same with food. He was a rescue bunny too. They think he was neglected before he came to rescue.
He's not like that at all with food now
I scatter fed too. I don't need to scatter feed now
He just realised after a while that I was going to feed him and he didn't need to worry
Bless his heart
 
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