My rabbit is just not nice!

[jbrule]

I posted while ago about my mini lop attacking my cats, it hasn't gotten better. He got one of our kittens and attacked so viciously that the poor baby pooped itself! He bites my husbands ankles when he's sitting watching TV. I don't trust him around the kids. The more I keep him locked up (in our master bath which is about 12 x 12) the worse he gets but he can't be loose all of the time, the cats were here first and frankly, I actually LIKE my cats, not so much with this rabbit. We have had him for over 3 months, he is about 6 months and neutered. I don't know what to do with him, no one else would want him, he just is not a nice pet! A rabbit whisperer is what he really needs. I am ruined for rabbits at this point, first I have the best rabbit ever who died while being neutered and now I have this aloof nipper who does not seem to want to be a pet!

 

[Orchid]

While I am not of the idea to just flip a pet from home to home...I really do believe they know their fate, know where they belong....

I hope the right answer...road...comes for you...
I know it is not easy..

 

[xKuchiki]

In situations like this, you need to ask yourself questions from the point of view. Where did you get him from?

Ask yourself questions like these:

*Why is he acting this way?
*What might have happened in his past life that makes him act this way?
*Is he simply scared of the cats?
*Is he just being territorial?

When I first adopted Theodore from the local BCSPCA, I had high hopes. Theodore turned out to be far from what I expected, he was an independant, rude obnoxious little boy, who was much too curious for his own good. I hated him for a while, despising to even go outside and have to feed him. When I began to realize that he was only with his first family for maybe only 6 - 7 months before being dumped at a shelter, I my conclusion was that being in a home for such a short while, Theodore simply didn't know HOW to show affection. He quickly got better but he is still very independent and aloof. This is just how Theodore is, and thankfully I have Clover who is my snuggle bunny.

And how long have you had him? You may just have to give him time, as time brings many things.

Hope all is well, Junebugg

 

[jbrule]

We got him from a breeder. We have had him about 3.5 months. He was a nicer rabbit until his hormones kicked in, the cats used to like him and they never did anything to make him scared of them. It might be territorial but what do I do about that? I can't have him attacking the poor cats. He has bonded with my dogs, he grooms them, snuggles with them, almost thinks he is a dog. He would be happy to just live with them I think. I have thought about building him an outside enclosure but I think he would get lonely, but that is probably a better solution then some of the others I can think of. He is also too curious for his own good, which I'm sure means that he is a smart rabbit. I can deal with independent and aloof but not the cat attacks and ankle biting!

 

[Sweetie]

After reading this thread, it sounds like it would be a good idea if you built him an inside enclosure. That way he isn't alone. That might not stop the nipping and attacking the cats. My rabbits live inside and have their own enclosed area of my apartment.

It is really neat that your bunny bonded with the dogs.

Maybe the reason why your bunny attacking the cats is because maybe the breeder had cats and they attacked him, and now he thinks that all cats are out to get him. So he is thinking that in order to not be attacked first, he has to attack the cats first. I would reassure your bunny that your cats are very friendly and will not hurt him.

Build your bunny an inside enclosure so he won't be lonely. Give him his own area, it may help with his nipping and attacking.

For you bunny nipping your husband's ankles, your bunny could be jealous of your husband or your bunny has been mistreated by a male before you got him. Does your husband spend time with the bunny? If not, then it would be a good idea that your husband spend time with the bunny whenever he can and show the bunny that he won't mistreat the bunny. I am not saying that your husband mistreats the bunny, I am saying that might be what the bunny is thinking or feeling.

I do hope this helps you figure out why your bunny is attacking your cats and nipping your husband's ankles.

 

[elrohwen]

You've gotten some good suggestions from Sweetie. I wanted to add that he may be going through an adolescent stage. We like to think that neutering solves all behavior problems, but I've heard stories of bunnies who were still little terrors during the first year. So hope that he can grow out of it!

I would try to get more positive interactions going. I think if you and the bun have more positive time, you'll start thinking of each other more positively. This might not help the poor cats, but if this is a phase it'll help you get past it without tearing your hair out. Maybe try training him to do some tricks. Or training him to do anything really. Keep him mind working and help him see that you (and your husband) bring good things to him.

 

[Bentley]

When I first received Bentley I practically hated her because she never wanted to come out of her cage, and whenever I took her out she scratched me or nipped at my arms. :X I was so fed up with her I just wanted to give her back to the person I got her from, but then when 3 months passed or so, I began to realize that Bentley was in some-way somewhat like me. We were both independent and soon after she began to become familiar with my house and we started bonding. Now that I've owned her for over a year, she only scratches me accidentally, and will rarely nip. And when she does nip I think its funny, idk why though lol. I also have a cat, and Bentley has become good friends with our cat. Maybe you should just give your rabbit more time?? It took me awhile to like Bentley, but now that we've been together I wouldn't think twice about giving her away.

Perhaps for the nipping problem you could squirt him with a waterbottle? Haha, I'm not sure though, but we did that to teach our cat, and so I'm thinking it might work on rabbits to.

 

[Sweetie]

Yeah I agree with the waterbottle thing. It just might work. Also positive things you and your husband can do will help. All very good advice. Please ask yourself the questions and try the suggestions given to you from xkuchiki to Bentley. Not sure if anyone else will respond. I hope that you get more good advice.

 

[jbrule]

He is an inside bunny, I was thinking about building him an outside enclosure. I have actually dumped a glass of water on him (I had it in my hand) when he was going after a cat and it didn't phase him. I will try the water bottle though. Ironically last night he kept jumping in my lap and staring at me. I was a little scared he was going to bite me but he didn't.

 

[kirbyultra]

Some rabbits can be very nasty to other beings their first year. It does result in a lot of surrenders to shelters. I had a very hard time with Toby attacking my other rabbit when he was 5-7 months. He's 8 months now and suddenly... I don't know why or how.... He has become a sweetheart. He no longer runs and thumps and scatches. He sits still for petting. He doesn't charge at the fence every time he sees the other bunny. I was really beside myself for a while when he was behaving badly but bit the bullet and continued to play the role of overbearing mother, injuries and all. He must know by now that I am harmless. He enjoys my company. He sits and watches tv with me. He's like a different bunny. I haven't put him together with my other bun just yet, it still be too soon, but I think with enough time you'll truly know your bunny's personality. It's hard to determine at less than a year old what he'll really be like.

Really, I think waiting it out might be worth it. Make sure he is able to see and smell your family members so he knows that these people and animals are not a threat. I don't think that removing him from the situation is good, he may grow resentful and not know how to live with others later on in life. If he gets aggressive put him back into his indoor enclosure or your bedroom. Time out for 30 minutes, wag your finger, tell him "no!", then just leave him there and walk away. When he is better, let him out. Sooner or later he will learn you are the boss, and bad behavior won't be rewarded with time to play outside. Only good bunnies get to go out. whenever Toby used to act out, I'd chase him all the way back to his cage. He wouldn't let me pick him up to put him away so I had to use scare tactics to get him to go back into his cage where it was really his territory. Some would not approve, but I had to really be firm with Toby sometimes to get him to understand the rules. It took months and sometimes it felt like nothing was working but it turns out, once he got past his teenager phase, allthat discipline stuck with him. He is such a good boy now. He is happy, not naughty.

I hope that you give your bun a bit more time. Some buns are just not very friendly but sometimes they just need to get through a naughty phase.

 

[Sweetie]

jbrule wrote:

He is an inside bunny, I was thinking about building him an outside enclosure. I have actually dumped a glass of water on him (I had it in my hand) when he was going after a cat and it didn't phase him. I will try the water bottle though. Ironically last night he kept jumping in my lap and staring at me. I was a little scared he was going to bite me but he didn't.

Are you saying that he has an inside enclosure already? Because having his own area where he can run around will prevent him from attacking the cats. Just make sure that the cats stay out of his enclosed area.

From what I have read, I assumed that he was free roam around the house that he didn't have an enclosure inside the house. With it getting cold out, you would want him to stay inside by having his own area.

When the weather warms up then build him an enclosure outside. Please don't put your bunny outside until the weather gets warmer.

 

[BethM]

jbrule wrote:

He is an inside bunny, I was thinking about building him an outside enclosure.

You have gotten a lot of good suggestions on working with your bunny, I don't have anything to add to that.
However, I would really urge you to NOT keep your bunny outside. I live in Shawnee, KS, not far from you. The weather in this area is really not suitable for a domestic bunny to live outside. Winters are often in the teens or 20's, and summers can reach 100+, and humidity. There is very little time during the year that is comfortable for a bunny to be outside here.
Additionally, there are a lot of pests that can affect bunnies here. If you keep your bunny outside, he may have to deal with fleas, flies, and cuterebra (bot flies).

 

[jbrule]

He does have an inside enclosure. He used to run freely except when we weren't home and at night, that was until he started going after the cats. Now he spends most of his day in his space (my ensuite and walk in closet).

I will give him more time. I am not one to get rid of pets on a whim.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Just thinking... could it be that he needs to dominate his space completely, mark his territory out? Is his enclosure completely his own, with no cats/ppl moving through it/stepping into it?

I'm wondering if he is feeling insecure due to the orientation of his setup...
Can you post pics of your setup/ draw a picture?

Nipping can also indicate a desire to make you "move", or to give attention. If the bunny wants attention while your hubby is watching TV, I can very well see him nipping (Heck, I get nipped for that ).
Can you put the bun on the couch to get a nose rub while you guys are watching TV?

Jumping on your lap to look at you completely says to me "Hi Mom,I'm here, pay attention to me and my needs. I wanna pat/nose rub/craisen/insert need here."

He sounds like he is full of energy, a bit belligerent, very male, seeking attention.

How much time are you spending with him one-on-one, in his space?

* As Kirbyultra said, teenage 1 yr. old buns can be obnoxious at times... they do settle down though by age 2 (Stuart is far more calm than he was).

 

[Runestonez]

We brought homepair of lionhead girls...they were awesome with our cats...as soon as we walked in the house we put them down and they walked right up to our cats and settled down right beside them...considering how poorly socialized the bunnswere we were very happy.

Then shortly after getting them spayed Peppers turned into a small fuzzy demon...:shock:

We heard a god awful screech one day and saw our 18pound cat come running around the corner of the kitchen with a 2.5 pound bunny clamped onto her haunch and hanging in the air! Peppers would also make her way into the basement and sit in the cat litterbox...she wouldn't use it...she would just sit there and watch the 5 cats run back and forth crying because they had to pee!

We took Pips advice and tried moving her to a different room where she had less territory to protect. She is fine in her room...but she is still a very angry little bunn! Even my hubby can't handle her! I am the only person who can pick her up without getting lunged and growled at! But at least in her own room she has no cats to compete with and she is a bit easier to deal with!

Danielle

 

[kirbyultra]

jbrule wrote:

He does have an inside enclosure. He used to run freely except when we weren't home and at night, that was until he started going after the cats. Now he spends most of his day in his space (my ensuite and walk in closet).

I will give him more time. I am not one to get rid of pets on a whim.

Hooray!

I think Autumn is onto something, along with some other members. The bun may benefit from spending a bit more time by himself in a safe space for him to call his own. Sometimes opening up the whole home to the bunny is counterproductive, especially if there are other animals. He may be very anxious about the territorial disputes, even if no one is disputing with him :?

The nips can be for attention. I get nipped in the toe by my heart bunny Kirby when I am ignoring his needs for attention. It happens with the best buns, and certainly with some naughty buns.

If a bunny had it in for you, they may charge and be relentlessly bitey with teeth and jaws. I don't think that's what your husband is getting right?

 

[Sweetie]

Some funny things people are posting.

Danielle: your bun is funny. I like your bunny!

jbrule: I hope that with time your bunny will behave. It will take time, but once you have a behaved bunny, it is well worth it.

My two bunnies are a year old. Prince chews on the cage and it is very irritating, so I found that a clicker for use to train dogs with will work to get him to stop chewing on the cage. Ever thought about getting a clicker to get your bunny to stop doing naughty things? It may work. You'll need to click it when he does naughty things. Be repetitive with it. Soon he will get the idea that his behavior will not get positive results. Plus the time outs work also.

 

[Pipp]

I don't think he needs time to himself, just his own space. He probably loves you -- a lot -- and is territorial and jealous of the cats.

And he's still in the bunny-from-h*ell age. It does last awhile.

Pipp, my bonded mate, was the sweetest rabbit until her terrible teens. It took a few months after her spay for the hormones to calm down her to get back to her kissy-bunny self. Part of the process involved blocking her into my room instead of giving her the run of the house, as noted -- she was exhausting herself.

She definitely prefers just living in the one room, she has no interest in leaving, at least not as long as she just convinces herself she's the only bunny in the world. But even now she'll still try and maim any cats brave enough to try and come into OUR room.

My heart bunny Dill was an opinionated biter, he'd nip me if I missed behaved -- Dill loved me, but I had to behave -- and I loved every chomp. They really don't do much damage. And it was just a disciplinary thing, it wasn't hate or anger, just his version of the water pistol. (Hard to work one without a thumb).

I'd really recommend getting your bunny a bunny friend to take the pressure off you as his mate. Neither Dill bonding with Sherry nor Mister bonding with Darry made either any less friendly towards me, they became calmer and less obsessed, but just as pet-able.

Mind you, in Dill's case it didn't help the cats much. He and Sherry started ambushing them in tandem. But it was all in good fun, just a chase game. The cats figured it out.

And for the record, Darry was a snotty, ill-tempered
bunny when she came here, and the only one (aside from Scooter-the-Monty-Python bunny) who ever intentionally drew blood. She lived in the back with Radar for four years and moved into the living room to live with her new mate, Mister, when Radar died a few months back. And lo-and-behold, with just a few months of daily up-close-and-personal human time, she's turned into a very friendly little rabbit! There's hope for everybunny.

But you really won't have to worry about him if you get him a mate. They're very content with a bunny friend and a little space.


sas :bunnydance:

 

[jbrule]

Since he is in my bathroom, his cage blocks my shower (it's huge) and I have been trying to figure out a different place to put him. I have one place but it doesn't get much sunlight so I am hesitant to put him there. I'll see if I can get a pic of his set up but we humans do use his space too, the cats don't. He always wants out of his space, he digs at the walls, the floor, chews the gate. He hates being locked up!

He does like me, he likes me to pet him, he nudges me all the time which I take to mean "pet me". I can't trance him, he will not do it! He does hop on the couch when we watch TV but he doesn't like us to touch him, he also doesn't like me to touch him when he hops on me. I honestly think he sees the dogs as his mates not me. Right now my husband is not open to the idea of another rabbit.

My expectations might have been too high with him, I think I got him too soon after my other bun died. I still cry when I think about my other one, he was so special and I never thought a rabbit could mean so much to me!

Anyway, here a few links to pics of himand one of our dogs, I can't figure out how to post a pic!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/photo.php?pid=3064102&id=614411425

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/photo.php?pid=3064088&id=614411425

 

[rindindin]

I think that part of the problem with biting could be from your own fear, also. ALL animals can sense when people are afraid, and it makes them nervous. I know that General bit my sister, because she was nervous while holding him. He's never bitten anyone but her, because she's afraid of him!