So Kookie (my 3 month old female bunny which i got 4 days ago) bit me earlier. She was running around my room. I left the room to go eat lunch and then i came back to get my phone from my room. When i opened the door she came to me and i when i was going to pet her (she usually likes petting) she started sniffing my hand and then bit me. I got my phone and left and when i came back she did the same thing. I thought it's probably because i smelled like food? Because later when i came back after washing my hands she didn't bite me again. I was just wondering what it means. Is it bad? Or is it because i smelled like food? The biting wasn't bad by the way it didn't bleed or hurt or anything it was just a little nibble.
She bites!
- Thread starter kookiebun
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It could be a lot of things. You have only had her for 4 days so you need to go through a bonding process with her so she trusts you. Rabbits are prey animals when they feel threatened they will bite. You can look on the web or internet for ideas on how to bond with your rabbit.
Everyone has different opinions on this and there is no "right" way but this is my opinion...
when you get a new rabbit, confine them to a small space. This will make them feel comfortable as well as encourage them to use their litterbox.
Start feeding them by hand... don't pick them up or pet them if they don't want it. Feeding them by hand will associate your hand with something positive.
Get an exercise pen and have the bunny stay inside it while you sit there with them. Don't touch the bunny, just let the bunny come to you and get comfortable with you. After doing this a few days then see if she will let you let her.
You have to take it slow with rabbits. You want to do everything right now so they grow up and become trusting of you and bonded to you. If your not patient and keep grabbing her or doing this that she doesn't like she will become an aggressive bunny.
Everyone has different opinions on this and there is no "right" way but this is my opinion...
when you get a new rabbit, confine them to a small space. This will make them feel comfortable as well as encourage them to use their litterbox.
Start feeding them by hand... don't pick them up or pet them if they don't want it. Feeding them by hand will associate your hand with something positive.
Get an exercise pen and have the bunny stay inside it while you sit there with them. Don't touch the bunny, just let the bunny come to you and get comfortable with you. After doing this a few days then see if she will let you let her.
You have to take it slow with rabbits. You want to do everything right now so they grow up and become trusting of you and bonded to you. If your not patient and keep grabbing her or doing this that she doesn't like she will become an aggressive bunny.
Thanks for the tips!
If she didn't grunt or growl, or lunge or box with her front feet, then I think it sounds more like she was just nibbling to me. Usually if they are biting in an aggressive way they also grunt or growl so you know they are angry. And usually, at least with mine, if they are grumpy its because they are being territorial and feel you invaded their space.
She didn't show any other sign of being aggressive. She just sniffed me then lightly bit my finger. She didn't really seem grumpy cause a few minutes later she was running around and doing binkies all over the room
Sounds like you smelled like food and she wanted a taste, which you said yourself, so not sure what you're worried about then?
I feel their teeth almost every day when giving them veggies, they can't see straight ahaed and probe with their teeth. If something smells interesting, is in front of their nose - next step is nipping it. That's not biting, no aggression or menace involved.
Some rabbits have better eye-teeth coordination than others or other preferences about using their teeth, but such nips are nothing to worry about too much. Just tell someone approching your rabbit that it can happen and not to be scared about it.
But, anyway, you can't tell much about a rabbit after just 4 days. Patience. She can eventually learn what is edible, intresting or fun to gnaw at, and what's not.
Some rabbits have better eye-teeth coordination than others or other preferences about using their teeth, but such nips are nothing to worry about too much. Just tell someone approching your rabbit that it can happen and not to be scared about it.
But, anyway, you can't tell much about a rabbit after just 4 days. Patience. She can eventually learn what is edible, intresting or fun to gnaw at, and what's not.
I'm not really worried, i just wanted to know what that meant. Just making sure it wasn't because she didn't like me or something.
Oh thanks for the info, i was just curious why she did it because obviously i'm a newbie with rabbits lol but i did lots of research about them so i guessed she was just kind of exploring?
Yep, I agree with everyone. She didn't really bite you - rabbit's teeth are like razor blades, if you aren't bleeding she had no intention to hurt you. My first rabbits were the cutest bunnies ever and were never agressive with me, but when I took them to the vet for the first time, they were pretty displeased - when I left, the vet had bite wounds and blood all over his hands and said 'those rabbits are MONSTERS'... So, if she ever want to bite you, you'll know XD.
Her temper and general disposition will probably get a lot worse in the weeks to come though, when the hormones kick in. She will calm down again after being spayed ^^.
Her temper and general disposition will probably get a lot worse in the weeks to come though, when the hormones kick in. She will calm down again after being spayed ^^.
BladeRunner
Active Member
Charlie is still occasionally nipping. Bruises but no blood/broken skin.
What's more annoying is that she seems to like our son and will hop onto his laptop and 'smell' his face. She will also accept the occasional carrot treat or raisin from him.
But not me. She doesn't like my husband that much either.
And we've been nothing but nice to her. *rolls eyes*
Thought about sending her back to her original owner--- who said he'd take her back.
But she's living in my son's room and is very good about using her litter box.
So it's a mixed up situation.
She's small for a mini rex and a little over two pounds. We've thought about cutting back a bit on her food as she loves to gorge herself and we don't want her to suffer from weight issues.
A few pics of her with her favorite couch cushion :
What's more annoying is that she seems to like our son and will hop onto his laptop and 'smell' his face. She will also accept the occasional carrot treat or raisin from him.
But not me. She doesn't like my husband that much either.
And we've been nothing but nice to her. *rolls eyes*
Thought about sending her back to her original owner--- who said he'd take her back.
But she's living in my son's room and is very good about using her litter box.
So it's a mixed up situation.
She's small for a mini rex and a little over two pounds. We've thought about cutting back a bit on her food as she loves to gorge herself and we don't want her to suffer from weight issues.
A few pics of her with her favorite couch cushion :
Nipping I can deal with... Pippi has bitten halfway through myself finger, and it took *months* before I could play bass properly...
That being said, there's nothing my buns could do that would tempt me to give them away... And I'm highly allergic to them and everything...
How long have you had Charlie? Rabbits do take a long time to "open up" to people. As prey animals, it takes them a while to trust people. All three of our buns love my husband, and slightly tolerate me.. Lol...
That being said, there's nothing my buns could do that would tempt me to give them away... And I'm highly allergic to them and everything...
How long have you had Charlie? Rabbits do take a long time to "open up" to people. As prey animals, it takes them a while to trust people. All three of our buns love my husband, and slightly tolerate me.. Lol...
On what is she gorging? What is her usual diet? A rabbit's digestive system is supposed to be in constant motion. Having hay available all day (and refreshed daily) is really important. How is her hay eating? What else does she eat each day?
Sorry, I can't remember if your girl is spayed. Is she?
BladeRunner
Active Member
No, she's not spayed yet.
She mostly eats bunny pellets and occasionally steel cut oats.
Along with bunny treats from PetCo-- like yogurt pretzels, yogurt raisins, colored crunchies, seed -N- honey sticks, etc.
Also has a hay rack. Boy does that make a mess.
She mostly eats bunny pellets and occasionally steel cut oats.
Along with bunny treats from PetCo-- like yogurt pretzels, yogurt raisins, colored crunchies, seed -N- honey sticks, etc.
Also has a hay rack. Boy does that make a mess.
Please try to cut those treats out of her diet asap. They are the equivalent of us eating mcdonalds all the time. They will make her fat and unhealthy. They will also probably cause her digestive issues. She needs Timothy hay, greens and a tiny bit of pellets. Please read more about what to feed your bunny:
http://rabbit.org/what-to-feed-your-rabbit/
http://rabbit.org/what-to-feed-your-rabbit/
BladeRunner
Active Member
The rabbit treats from PetCo or PetSmart are safe for bunnies... I think.
Also they're given to her fairly sparingly.
But I'll check out your link, thanks.
Unfortunately pet stores sell stuff that will make them a profit and appeal to the buyer --whether or not it is good for your pet. The ingredients in the listed "treats" are junk, as stevesmum state. Did you know that yogurt should not be fed to rabbits because, once weaned, rabbits cannot digest dairy? Also rabbits are not rodents and so they should not be fed seeds - so the seeds and honey treats are also bad for her.
The better treats (if you want to offer treats) are fruits. One slice of apple, OR a few raisins, would be considered the max treat amount for any given day.
Having a hay rack is fine, but the hay should be added every day (or twice per day). Rabbits tend to start ignoring hay once it has been sitting there for half a day.
The general guide is that a rabbit should be eating its body size in hay every day. If she isn't, then the hay needs to be refreshed more often. Don't wait until it is low or empty.
Her pellets should be plain, timothy-based pellets (1st ingredient listed should be timothy hay), that have no colorful bits or seeds added in. The "gourmet" stuff sold is - again - the junk food (that is also why it is usually much cheaper than the healthy pellets).
Her not being spayed could also be having a large effect on her nipping behavior. Spayed buns are better behaved.
At 3 months she should be eating more than just a 'tiny bit' of pellets.
OP, if you're feeding youth pellets then they're probably alfalfa based and feeding her Timothy or another grass hay is fine. Plain rolled oats are fine, in moderation, but don't feed her too many.
OP, if you're feeding youth pellets then they're probably alfalfa based and feeding her Timothy or another grass hay is fine. Plain rolled oats are fine, in moderation, but don't feed her too many.
middleman1982
Member
We've had Cooper for a week now, he was sweet as can be and didn't bite till last night. At first it threw us off till we realized he was biting and nudging because he wanted off the couch to play. He also like to charge me at full speed as if to say "come at me bro!" Every time I get in his cage to swap out fresh hay. I can honestly say I never realized what big personality could come in such a small package. Outside of those behaviors, he's a regular cuddle buddy.
