Biting.

[Moro Ferret]

My bunnies keep biting me all over. They leave welts and bruises, and sometimes barely pierce the skin.

My five boys (the ones I have issues with) are all fixed. They bound over to me, love on me, hide in my lap, groom me, binky, then BAM! They bite me. It really hurts.

I have been truly bitten before by Joe when he got in a squabble one time and I had to break it up. It was a real bite, with blood and intent to hurt. But these bites I get at least 20x a day are not "mean" or a fearful reaction at all -- just obnoxious. I know they're trying to tell me something, but nothing I do makes it any better. Moving, petting them, leaving them be, giving them treats -- I always get nips. They're also very close to me, and obviously trust me. They come to me, lay flopped over next to me, and run strait to me if they're scared or worried.

Arg. What can I do to get them to be a little nicer to me? I'm not so bad.

 

[thatcrazybunny]

since rabbits can't say what they feel, they need to communicate through action. what i think your experiencing is love bites. yes it does hurt a bit, but they are just trying to express through action that they love you, and don't seem to realize that it actually hurts.

 

[Moro Ferret]

Ooooo I still don't like it. I guess it's just tough love then, and I have no choice but to tolerate it.

It's okay. They're still like 65% angels. (The biting is only about %1 of their devilish side! They're my lovable trouble makers, LOL!)

 

[thatcrazybunny]

lol i found that with shadow i would sit in his cage, and he'd nip my ribs, arms, legs, anywhere really. i guess it's also a way of figuring out what you are or what your doing, and trying to get your attention. they can also nip if they want something. i guess its just one big guessing game lol

 

[Moro Ferret]

It's a painful guessing game. Lol.

 

[thatcrazybunny]

lol yea, but i guess without a voice they don't exactly have a choice

 

[elrohwen]

When Otto was a baby he liked to bite at me and I think it was in play. I found that the best tactic was to stand up and walk away for 30s or so, then come back to the pen and sit with him again. He wanted me around and learned that biting made me get up and walk away. This might be something to try. I had tried saying no, making a yelping sound, and other tactics, but the only thing that worked was walking away.

Hannah also nips, but only when she is trying to nibble your clothes - are they going for bare skin or only doing it through clothing? I don't think bunnies realize sometimes that we have skin under our clothes, so Hannah at least will try to grab clothes and pull on them, and end up getting skin. She does the exact same action with a blanket or sheet on the floor. In her case, I use a loud yelping sound to let her know that it's not ok to do that. The sound is just loud enough to startle her and make her stop.

Hopefully my story gives you some ideas of things to try.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

When ours would bite--and I mean bite, not nip, I would pin them and say "NO". Once or twice seemed to work with most and we are pretty bite free now except for the holes in our clothes.

 

[Momto3boys]

Snickers has nipped me about 5 times, as soon as he did it, I would pin his head and say "NO"

*Knocks on wood* I haven't been nipped in weeks.

 

[Moro Ferret]

They rip at my clothes somewhat obsessively. But they also get my bare skin. They usually scratch my clothing before chomping (often getting me in the process) but there is no warning to a skin bite.

 

[Flash Gordon]

yes 1 of my neutered buns has made me very jumpy too .i constantly have to watch where his mouth is going..when i squeal it does scare him but he still does it..ive walked away from him but he still does it..and ive pinned him down and he will fight and push his heads up against my hand when i do this..so in order for me to "pin" him its a pushing game ..yes im stronger but how hard is too hard ya know...??... im sorry i know bunnies need to be bunnies but in order to have "out" time in this house they need to not inflict pain on me.so im with ya on this Denise i am...