Crazier after desexing??

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ape.soldi

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Vernon, Connecticut, USA
Hi everyone I need help. I neutered my rabbit about a month ago and he is driving me crazy to the point where he can't come out of his house as often because of his behavior. He is absolutely OBSESSED with digging and ripping up the carpet under my dresser. Everytime I let him out he goes right under there and I have to immediately yell noa thim him and push him out of there because of the damage he is doing. Then he'll go right back he is very persistent or he'll just go back in his house. I don't know what to do? Has anything like this happened to anyone else? and will it get better? He never was so obsessed with it before he did it occasionally but it wasn't the only thing he was interested in. I used to be able to boot him out of under neath the dresser easily but now he plants him self to the ground and wont move until i push hard enough to where he has to. I feel bad because I don't normally keep him in his cage so often but I can't have him ruining everything in my room. Also I think he is more aggressive than he was before. He never used to nip me and if he did it was never hard but now I think he gets angry with me and he will try to. I miss my nice bunny! =(


 
How old is your bunny, and how long ago did you have him neutered? It can take up to a month for the hormones to leave the system. I am thinking he sounds like a typical teenage bunny--even minus the hormones they can be... a bit willful. I would block off the area so he can't get to it (a pain, I know, because how do you block off the bottom of a dresser?) while he's out. Bunnies are very persistent, so good luck!
 
I agree with piperknitsRN. Sounds like a typical teenaged bunny. You're going to need to show him who's boss and not put up with any of his attitude. Block off the bottom of your dresser. You can use NIC panels or plywood to create a wall around the base of your dresser. Do a search on bunny proofing for other ideas. Because once you cover up the dresser, he's gonna find something else to "entertain himself". :p

As for the nipping, there are various techniques for dealing with that. The main idea is to NOT let him push you around with it. Screech when he nips you. Tell him no. Put him in his cage for a time-out. Wearing gloves whenever you handle him also helps, as he eventually learns that nipping doesn't effect you anymore. Whatever works to let him know you're the boss, NOT him!

Also, I actually recommend letting him out of his cage MORE, not less. I've found locking them up actually makes them even naughtier. He needs to get out and expend some of that teenaged bun energy! Try setting up a bunny playground out of boxes and tunnels. Or offer him some toys that require some thinking. For instance, Gus seems to enjoy trying to figure out how to get the last raisin out of a box of raisins. ;)

But most of all, give him time. A few more months and he should start to mellow out again. Within a year, I bet he's the same sweet bunny he was when you got him. :)

Hope that helps!

Rue
 
One thing we did to block off the "dig in the carpet" fetish was to place a large litter pan filled with shredded newspaper where ever they tried to dig. This gave them a place to engage in the behavior without damaging our house.
 
LOL! Been there! and I agree with all replies; hormones subsiding and typical teenage behaviour; my home is covered with bunny protective pen peices so that can't get to that wire, cord, furniture they liked to chew on; but a couple of years later - they really do not have that much interest in it; I just keep all "gates" up so that I do not have to worry.

I think Rue was right, do not lock them away more, keep working with him/her more and within the trouble area with toys might work - and always keep in mind - you are the BOSS.
 
Gonna have to go against everyone and warn you this may be permanent...

I neutered my first rabbit((my only one to be neutered)) FOUR YEARS ago, and he is the worst behaved male I have ever owned. He will chew on everything, he will dig at everything, he'll mark his territory if there's another male, and he'll get hissy and lunge at you. We checked, too, it wasn't a botched surgery. He just never got back to the sweet bunny he was before even with training and reinforcement. :/

Give him something to dig in, and reward him when he uses that.
I use timeouts when he lunges((he's never actually bit)), and I use an oven mitt to discourage my girls with biting((they'll learn biting won't stop you, and stop biting)).
And let him out a lot to exercise him, just maybe do it in a bunny-proof area like in a playpen or something.

Also, discourage all bad habits before they get bad. Don't start them either. My boy will rattle his playpen if he wants more hay, because ONE TIME he did it I came in and gave him hay-just because I realized he was out of it.
 
thanks for the advice. my room is gonna look even more crazy when i block it off. i already blocked off my bed with 2x4s because when i 1st got him all he would do is go under there and the opening is so small it was a pain to get him out! I hope he goes back to normal.
 

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