behavior modification for young bunny

[SnowyShiloh]

Hi everyone! I need some advice on behavior modification for Phoebe Mae. She's 10 weeks old and has recently started digging and biting at fabric a lot, like blankets, the couch, and worst of all, the clothes we're wearing! I don't think she's trying to be mean at all and so far has only bitten our clothes, but I really don't want her digging and biting at us anyway. She's a sweet girl and is still bonding with us, so I don't want her to associate us with being punished. I also don't the digging to become a habit :shock:

Thanks in advance!

 

[Maureen Las]

She is very young so a lot of that behavior is totally normal. Possibly provide a box of clean kiddie sand for her to dig in.

She needs her own place to play as she wishes so it is up to you to provide that environment until she outgrows this stage. I give my rabits big cardboard boxes with an opening for them to go in and then they figure out the rest.

When she is spayed she will calm down some, also she is still a babe and a lot of this behavior will mellow out when the bun is about 2.
Just be creative and safe when providing her with toys and situations which will be stimulating and fun for her.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

angieluv wrote:

When she is spayed she will calm down some, also she is still a babe and a lot of this behavior will mellow out when the bun is about 2.
Just be creative and safe when providing her with toys and situations which will be stimulating and fun for her.

This is for sure, as far as the spaying when necessary, her actions will slowly calm down.

In the mean time, you could also try crumpled up paper in a box for her to take her aggressions out on might help. Also, have you ever taken a toilet paper roll and filled it with some yummy hay? That would work as a toy and a feed tool, which they find fascinating!


Let us know if these ideas help any, but remember to give them each some time, it may not work right away.

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Phoebe Mae has an old phone book that she likes to shred, and she has a cardboard tunnel in her cage that she likes to go in and dig/shred/chew. When she's out of her cage, she likes the crinkly fabric cat tunnel. She has a lot of toys and things to chew. I think she's a happy girl I'm just wondering how to let her know that it isn't nice to dig at our clothes. I know she isn't trying to hurt us, she only digs at clothing and not bare skin, but she bit Paul on the nipple tonight and he isn't very impressed.

When Tallulah used to occasionally bite, I would tell her NO and gently press her head to the floor for a few seconds, then put her in her cage and ignore her for a while. That worked really well, she got the message and stopped biting after a couple days. Phoebe Mae is still learning that we're nice people who love her and like to pet her though, so I don't want her to associate us with having to go back to her cage. I suppose I could try to redirect her when she digs, but what would I redirect her to do? Should I just pick her up and put her on the floor to run around when she digs?

 

[NZminilops]

Good luck! Sakura will be 2 next year and she still does these things . In the past if I've yelled at her to stop she digs even MORE, till she falls over backwards!

By yelling I don't mean screaming and swearing at her, just calling out to her to quit what she's doing, in case anyone thought I was being mean.

I think distraction is about the best thing I can ever think of when Sakura does this (like pet her on the head or give her something to eat).

 

[JadeIcing]

My concern is that she would think of it as ohh fun.

Best advice turn away from her and ignore her. Give her the "bunny butt".

Read This I used somethings here with Sam and helped alot.


Check out R-E-S-P-E-C-T is What My Bun Demands of Me and Prove That You Love Me

 

[JadeIcing]

Was wondering how this is going.

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Hey Jade! Thanks for the interest It's going... Little Miss is still very diggy, if I'm lying on the couch and she jumps on me, she immediately starts digging and biting. I'm trying my best to discourage and ignore her. If I pick her up and cuddle her she's fine, and she does great when she just hops on the couch and runs around or lies down to be petted, for some reason it's just when she's sitting on me that she digs and nips. Hopefully it's just a phase. Also, I love that web site- I read the whole thing a while ago, it's so informative and funny!

 

[JadeIcing]

FYI Connor has always digged. Never stops.