Biting bunny

[Magick_mogwai]

I need some advice about Gandalfs most recent behaviour. He has started in the last week biting people. He's always been extremely loving and sweet natured, he has gently nibbled my finger before when it smelled of fruit or he was licking banana or orange juice off my hand but this is different, proper nipping bites. The first time I did it I thought it was because he had just freaked out over the wind outside howling and I was picking him up to reassure him while talking and I thought I may not have been paying enough attention and freaked him out more. However he has done it twice more once to me when I didn't give him the pellets I was holding and once today when my boyfriend nudged him away from the part of the couch he was trying to dig. He usually responds really well to being nudged like bunnies do when they want to say 'stop doing that' but this time he bit. My boyfriend shouted in surprise more than anything and put Gandalf away in his cage straight away.


In the past week his behaviour has not changed in any other way, he has been just as loving. My flat mate has gone on holiday and he haunt been out much this morning though so could either of those be a factor in this new behaviour?

I'm wondering a) how I can discourage his biting and b) whether this change in behaviour could be because he has yet to be neutered. I didn't want to put him through neutering if I didn't have to, he's my only bunny and I don't have space for more, but I'm thinking it might be time to book an appointment at the vets.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Definitely neuter. It helps to mollify hormone driven behavior especially if he thinks he's the alpha. It has helped with all of our nippers. I also pin them down like an alpha rabbit would do. Better that you train the bunny than the bunny train you.

 

[lovelops]

Definitely neuter. It helps to mollify hormone driven behavior especially if he thinks he's the alpha. It has helped with all of our nippers. I also pin them down like an alpha rabbit would do. Better that you train the bunny than the bunny train you.

I agree with the alpha bunny situation. I think that is good and do that now. But even after getting both Brooke and Lady fixed they still nip... I believe with some it's a personality thing. Just last night I was petting Lady and stroking her head and giving her nose rubs and she had her eyes closed, teeth were rubbing in the good way... then she just jumped up and Bit the living crap out of me on my hand and jumped in the batch of hay that was sitting beside us on the kitchen floor... I was like, WTF?

I think she needs Xanax!

I mean she was worse before she was fixed, but even after she's gotten fixed she still uses them teeth... maybe in time it will change.. She's 10 months now..

Vanessa

 

[selbert]

I also think neutering will help. I read somewhere that pressing their nose (which also pushes their head) down and firmly saying "No." is a good training tactic. According to this theory: this is how mother bunnies tell their naughty kits off. I started doing this with Dog (my doe) when she started eating my mother's plants when we visited for the holidays. Now she must have the best will power because she just lies by them, looking hopeful. Now and then my mother feels for her and rips a leaf off to feed her (I looked up the plants and they are not harmful to rabbits). So either the training worked, or she just learnt that patience ends in a bigger reward than a nibble and a telling off!

Hope the biting ceases soon! All the best,

Selina

:brownbunny

 

[Magick_mogwai]

Thanks everyone. I will definitely give the pressing his nose down a go. He has always accepted he's not alpha bunny and put his head down around me but maybe his hormones are telling him to start challenging that. Guess I will be phoning the vets tomorrow too. I just hope it doesn't change his temperament, he is such a loving little boy!

 

[selbert]

Yeah hormones do that to a bun! I was really worried that neutering would affect the bond between me and my bun and also the two buns themselves. After the neuter she was a little angry at me, after that night she was her right old self again! The only changes were she had stopped pooping everywhere (marking territory) and she had stopped humping the heck out of Dope's face during their dates!
Plus for a boy, its such an easy operation so no worries there also!
Good luck with everything, let us know if he gets any better.

Selina
:brownbunny

 

[Margalitb]

Yes, neutering is a great idea. There is also a little trick to discourage the behavior when it happens: when he bites, let out a quick, shrill, high-pitched squeak. This is similar to the sound a rabbit makes when in pain, and it'll let him know that he's actually hurting you. Works great!

 

[lovelops]

Yes, neutering is a great idea. There is also a little trick to discourage the behavior when it happens: when he bites, let out a quick, shrill, high-pitched squeak. This is similar to the sound a rabbit makes when in pain, and it'll let him know that he's actually hurting you. Works great!

It worked great for Brooke to keep biting me. She loved the sound and actually kept doing it Biting me that was to hear the sound. Finally I had to go back to NO! I guess she is just a smart aleck!

Vanessa

 

[Magick_mogwai]

It worked great for Brooke to keep biting me. She loved the sound and actually kept doing it Biting me that was to hear the sound. Finally I had to go back to NO! I guess she is just a smart aleck!

Vanessa

Haha! Trust a bunny to do the exact opposite of what you expect. Well Gandalf is booked in at the vets on Friday, earliest I could get him in with the only vet I trust at the surgery to do the operation (he operated on Gandalf before when he hurt his foot and that was a much riskier procedure). I tried the high pitched noise when he bit me for not letting him steal my biscuit - he did it once more but after hearing me make the sound again and got his nose pressed down he stopped trying to push my hand off his nose and hopped away so I'm sure it is probably an alpha thing. Ordering a big bunch of parsley for Friday and Saturday and bananas so hopefully he will forgive me for the vet trip! :cooking:

 

[Tammy B]

I just started having a lil issue like this with Stewie the last couple of days...I thought it was just because of what i had going on and not spending alot of time with him that he might have been getting a lil ticked off about it but he's grunting or growling a lil and takes his time too ..It's actually cute like he's courting me or something lol but i think i know what he's up to and i got to put a stop to it and i have been telling him no and pushing him down and he's slowly getting it but he's starting to learn to be sneaky and sneak up on me and do it and then take off...It's gonna be interesting but i will win haha...I am planning on having him neutered in the next lil bit but judging by this new development i may have to do it asap.

 

[lovelops]

I just started having a lil issue like this with Stewie the last couple of days...I thought it was just because of what i had going on and not spending alot of time with him that he might have been getting a lil ticked off about it but he's grunting or growling a lil and takes his time too ..It's actually cute like he's courting me or something lol but i think i know what he's up to and i got to put a stop to it and i have been telling him no and pushing him down and he's slowly getting it but he's starting to learn to be sneaky and sneak up on me and do it and then take off...It's gonna be interesting but i will win haha...I am planning on having him neutered in the next lil bit but judging by this new development i may have to do it asap.

Yeah but I would give it a week or so, he just lost his mate and litter here.
There's been some major changes going on in his life. He hasn't been with you all that long and then BAM this major emergency pops up.. I would work with him a bit more and work with treat based enforcement for the NO BITING stuff and see if that works also. Like after you push his head down and he stops after a while, you stroke his nose and after a bit give him a treat so he does not associate you with bad things like pushing him down but positive. I had to work on that with Brooke. She would grunt and stuff all the time..

Let us know how you and Stewie are doing..

Vanessa

 

[Tammy B]

Thanks Vanessa...Wow things have been pretty strange lately....He is getting the down part with me saying no lol....He hops around alot going between me and my boyfriend doing the grunting and gets up on my leg with his front paws starts licking m,e then he bites me the lil bugger i'm going to be full of bruises before this is all said and done lol...He's such a sweetie though..I think he had a ton of attention paid to him at one point and now that we are paying attention to him he's like taking it to the extreme and scared to let us stop...i think he's got abandonment issues.

 

[lovelops]

Thanks Vanessa...Wow things have been pretty strange lately....He is getting the down part with me saying no lol....He hops around alot going between me and my boyfriend doing the grunting and gets up on my leg with his front paws starts licking m,e then he bites me the lil bugger i'm going to be full of bruises before this is all said and done lol...He's such a sweetie though..I think he had a ton of attention paid to him at one point and now that we are paying attention to him he's like taking it to the extreme and scared to let us stop...i think he's got abandonment issues.

I think you are right. Once he feels secure all this will stop. It's just him acting out now and the whole transition of being one of X amount of buns to him being the solitary bunny in the house.. hang in there. It will get better..

Vanessa

 

[Tammy B]

Yes i believe it will ...He's so **** funny ..He reminds me of a dog...He does everything a dog does except chase his tail and it would surprise me to see that either lol...he has really come out of his shell the past 2 days ..wow good to see him sooo happy.

He's not spraying or anything as of yet and maybe with just him he won't...Is it still better for him that i get him neutered?
I mean health wise is it better for him?..At this point i don't want to put him through any more stress than i have to ..I'd rather he just live happy and healthy

 

[Magick_mogwai]

Yes i believe it will ...He's so **** funny ..He reminds me of a dog...He does everything a dog does except chase his tail and it would surprise me to see that either lol...he has really come out of his shell the past 2 days ..wow good to see him sooo happy.

He's not spraying or anything as of yet and maybe with just him he won't...Is it still better for him that i get him neutered?
I mean health wise is it better for him?..At this point i don't want to put him through any more stress than i have to ..I'd rather he just live happy and healthy

I wasn't going to get Gandalf done until the behaviour issues came up. He has never sprayed and apart from the biting which seems to be under control now, with me at least, he's no problem (apart from his recent decision that the window sill looks like a good place to hop up to and sit on). But looking around a lot of people say males are happier without constantly wanting to mate.

If he was female it would be an easy decision because of the massive risk of cancer in unaltered females but with males I think it comes down to whether you think they are happy and healthy, what their behaviour is like and whether you think an operation would be too stressful on him. I decided on getting Gandalf done based on how he chases the cats a lot and his challenges to everyone in the house for alpha spot, plus he had an operation on his foot and took it in his stride so I don't think he will be affected to badly by the ordeal. He likes the get too which helps (I did say I had a weird bunny right)

Best advice I could give is know your bunny and make an informed decision based on what's best for him
Hope this helps! :anotherbun

 

[Tammy B]

I think i'm going to talk to my vet about it and probably should take him in anyway here pretty soon for a check up..I haven't had the chance to take them in to see the vet yet with all that has been going on..I spent the first month they were here just trying to get them back to half decent health again as i didn't want to add more stress to them by them being drove here for an hour and a half then being taken to a vet and Stewie especially was in such poor condition.Now he gets excited when i come to his cage for anything..to feed him,pat him,take him out for his run around the house etc.He is soo needy right now scared i'm going to not come back i think..poor lil guy ..He gets excited enough that he pees..is that spraying?...he is stinky anyways so i can't tell if he's spraying or just peeing cause he gets excited like a puppy does lol i am new to this...I am glad the Gandalf is doing much better .

 

[Magick_mogwai]

Thanks Tammy B. He was in for his operation today and The vet rang a short while back saying it went perfectly, Gandalf woke up okay and started eating the greens and hay and pellets they told me to take in for when he woke up. Sounds just like my little man - 'man I'm sleepy... I feel funny... Oooh! Greens! Yum!' Haha

Also apparently they had to have someone standing fussing over him until he was actually under the anesthetic since every time they stopped he stomped at them. :roflmao:

Going to pick him up in just over an hour, I just hope he is happy to see me and not in too much of a bad mood with me. Maybe I should pick some parsley for the journey home.

 

[Tammy B]

LOL..How's Gandalf doin?
Stewie is back to biting me evry five minutes..Urg it is fustrating too..I can't seem to do anything to make him stop..Everything i try he thinks it's a game ..He's got to the point now he will sneak up to me bite me then run...Grrrr lol
Might have to consider getting him fixed also but i really would like to avoid it as he is the only bun and probably will be so i would hate to see the neuter change him ..He has such as sweet personality other than the biting...And he grunts when he does it..Is that hormones?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

I've always said you can't get mad at a bunny for being like a bunny. We are babysitting Peanut while Larry is having his condo gone thru. He holds her facing out or she'll bite him. I can hold here in my arms and walk all over and she settles right down. She recognizes me as the alpha but thinks she's the boss of everyone else. When I open her hutch, she will come over and groom my hand an then I will rub her head and jaw--no groom, no rub. Rabbits are excellent at training humans, for sure. Also, whether male or female we have neutered all of our bunnies--easier to put up with and they become much better citizens of our republic--we aren't a democracy however. But we have read up a whole lot on bunny behavior cause we love the hairy little poop machines.

 

[Magick_mogwai]

LOL..How's Gandalf doin?
Stewie is back to biting me evry five minutes..Urg it is fustrating too..I can't seem to do anything to make him stop..Everything i try he thinks it's a game ..He's got to the point now he will sneak up to me bite me then run...Grrrr lol
Might have to consider getting him fixed also but i really would like to avoid it as he is the only bun and probably will be so i would hate to see the neuter change him ..He has such as sweet personality other than the biting...And he grunts when he does it..Is that hormones?

Gandalf was at the vets today for his check up and he is healing really well, they are very happy with him. I was worried about it changing his personality like you with Stewie but he is just the same loving sweet bunny. It takes a while for the testosterone to leave their system but early signs are he seems a bit less challenging of my alpha status.

The first day he was rather subdued and a bit down, only doing little hops so I think it was discomfort but a bit of banana made him happy. Now he has his sweetness back, loved the long cuddle and grooming time I had with him earlier and is still a cheeky rascal.

Hope Stewie's vet check up goes okay. I'm sure you and your vet will be able to figure out the best thing for him.