Bunny biting me

[Sweetie]

Thank you Flashy.

Yeah I will be doing the same thing until the 12th of August when they both go to the vet to see if the ear mites have cleared up. But if this gets worse I will definitely get him in sooner.

Sweetie goes to the vet to see if her ear mites are gone and Prince for a check to see if he needs to restart the injections.

At what temperature do ear mites thrive? What temperature do ear mites die?

 

[Flashy]

I've personally not dealt with ear mites but this link might help. http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11954&forum_id=10

 

[Flashy]

I can't find any info on the web about temperatures, just some small bits about life cycles. Sorry.

 

[gingers_giants]

Have you tried just sternly saying "NO!" when he bites. Granted I know he is in a mood because of having to have his ears cleaned, but he still has to know that you are the boss and that biting is a no-no.

Also a tiny bop to the nose with your index finger while saying "NO!" would also work well too. Granted dont bop him hard enough to hurt him or knock him out, just to correct him and get him focused on you, and that you are the mommy and you are in charge.
My mom has a holland lop that kept knipping and kicking her when she would try to groom or work with him or even handle or pet him, and I told her that she really needed to correct him or it would lead to bigger problems. She didnt listen and said that I beat my rabbits and I was mean. Well about 2 weeks ago he latched onto her arm and wouldnt let go and left really deep gashes in her arm. It looked like a dog bit her..it was really scary looking.

Granted this is just my opinion... I just wanted to share

 

[Sweetie]

I will yell "NO!" to Prince each and every time he bites. Also I think that I will put him back in his cage without any treats after I clean his ears.

Thank you for sharing that with me. I will/do correct him all the time.

Today he bit me and the remote control, I bopped him one on the nose and told him "NO". He didn't bite me after that.

I can say one thing, Prince does not like his ears cleaned.

I will keep trying different things until I find something that gets him to stop biting.

 

[Flashy]

I wouldn't suggest shouting no. You can use a low toned voice and he should get what you mean and that you're not happy, but you don't want to stress him further during an already stressful procedure.

Also, if you are 'bopping' him on the nose then you are disciplining him after he's done it so putting him back with no treats, when actually he has done really well to get through that and tolerate it, is a bit unfair on him.

There is the potential that if you use 'bopping' against him that he might then start to turn on your more severely so you are better off working out a way to work around this behaviour and then praise all the good behaviour.

 

[gingers_giants]

Just to clarify, I didnt say to yell at him. I said to say it sternly.thanx

 

[Sweetie]

I do praise him for good behavior.

I always try to say NO sternly but it is like he doesn't even listen and I have to yell. I do, however, talk to him and let him know why I had to yell at him.

I think I have a stubborn bunny on my hands. I will stay creative and do all that I can to curb this biting behavior.

 

[Flashy]

Have you read lanugage of lagomorphs?

He is not a human so speaks a different language from you so you have to find a way that communicate with him on his level.

I don't think you have a stubborn bunny on your hands I think you have a bunny. This is pretty normal and in terms of the ear cleaning, expected behaviour, to be honest, which is why you have to work around it.

I don't think he is aggressive from what you say, he is just trying to tell you he doesn't like it. I mean, how else could he say?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Nipping or biting. Nipping is when the bunny "pinches" you--hurts but no damage done. Biting on the other hand or where ever means pain and bleeding to me. Had several that nipped when I was trying to do routine cleaning and feeding. The way I got them to stop was to treat them the way a "dominant" rabbit would. Reasoned that since you treat a dog like a dog for best results--need an understanding of canine behavior, then understanding rabbit behavior would go a long way. Dwarves seem a little more prone to biting and was the worst problem we had--took almost four years. Also have a part dutch mid size female that doesn't like women--she almost screams and then attacks--biting at any thing she can. Other than those two, everyone else came around quite quickly. Have only had three that would attack and it was only while they were in there hutch--now, they behave nicely, even grooming while they are in their hutches. You need to do some reading and then find which approach works best--very hard to care for a rabbit that has found biting to be the best course.

 

[Sweetie]

I have skimmed read the article Language of Lagomorphs. I think that I am going to try to do some bunny talking to him. Today when he nipped/bit me, I put him back in his cage after I told him NO very sternly.

I will keep trying different things and see what works with him.

 

[Flashy]

Is it that he is still nipping you when you clean his ears?

 

[Sweetie]

Yes he is still nipping me when I clean his ears. I am thinking that I may have to have the vet clean his ears.

If only there is some way I can get Prince to understand that I am trying to help him feel better. Then he may not nip me anymore. As I cannot stop cleaning his ears, what am I going to do?

 

[Flashy]

What are you trying, when you clean his ears, that works within his means?

As in, you know he nips, so you have to find a way around that, what are you doing?

 

[Sweetie]

Calmly talking to him. I have a blanket that I set him on and I let him bite that. I also tried setting him on my couch and cleaning his ears. He still nips me.

Yesterday I gave him a break from me cleaning his ears. I might do that again today. I will start cleaning his ears again this weekend probably or before this weekend.

Maybe my house is too dirty and he is trying to tell me that I need to clean it and the cages. I will be doing that today. Even if I clean his cage, he still nips me when I have to clean his ears.

 

[Flashy]

Do you have anyone there that could feed him treats while you clean him?

 

[Sweetie]

I could ask my neighbor. I will give it a try and see if that will work. I had a ball for him to chew on while I was cleaning his ears and he was not interested in that.

Could I try giving him hay to munch on while I clean his ears?

 

[Flashy]

You could try hay, but something more special might get a better reaction. Maybe try and clean his ears at pellet or treat time, and don't give treats for the rest of the day. That way he will not like what you do but see it as a good time because he will come to realise its treat time.

 

[Sweetie]

That might work, having treat time when I am cleaning his ears. I have always thought that if he was a good bunny while I was cleaning his ears then he would get a treat. But yeah I will try giving him some treats while I am cleaning his ears.