Now She is Biting

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uofmtingley

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This will now be my third thread about my teenage rabbit. First I posted about her stopping use of her litter box and then earlier today about her digging.

Now she has bit my roommate (and drew blood) when my roommate tried to redirect her to stop digging at the carpet. My roommate did not yell or hit her. She was simply trying to coax her away from the digging and to her cage. After she bit her, she continued to try to coax her and the bunny continued to lunge at her.

Now what???? I do not know how much more of this I can take. She used to run the house 24/7 because she was such a good bunny. Once this behavior started the other day, we started putting her away at night. Today she has been in and out of there all day because we just didn't know what else to do. I really do not want to confine her and just let her out in a small area a couple of hours a day. I just don't think that is fair to her since she has been allowed to run 24/7 for the majority of her life. But it is also not fair for my house to be torn up or for my roommate to be bit to the point of drawing blood.
 
It sounds like you are a bit frustrated...

What signals did your rabbit give before she bit your room mate? What was your roommate's position before this happened? How was the rabbit approached?

Seems that your bun was feeling attacked (that's not your intent, but that's obviously how bun interpreted it).

This is a tough transition before spay. I'd suggest that you fence off a portion of your area (see my notes in your digging thread), and avoid trying to usher her home (it's a weird spot for her, as she's never HAD to go home before).

Also, use treats to entice, rather than shooing/coaxing. Could also follow behind her with a broom, rather than your hands if she's a bit snappish (not touching, just following).
 
Yes, I am frustrated. I am probably actually venting more than actually asking for help. I know that this is just her being a teenager.

She was digging and chewing the carpet (again) my roommate walked up and approached her from the side of her face and petted her to distract her from digging which she allowed her to do. My roommate stopped petting and then went back to digging and chewing. My roommate approached her in exactly the same way but this time attempted to nudge her out of the area and she nipped at her. My roommate backed up waited a few minutes and then tried again. This time she bit her drawing blood.

I know that this is all just teenage behavior. It is just so frustrating because she was the perfect bunny until four days ago. I am frustrated and I know the bunny is too since we have been locking her up. I am sure she bit my roommate because she probably thought she was going to get picked up and carried back to her condo for the umpteenth time today.

Tomorrow I am taking all of the NIC panels (two high because she can jump anything) that I currently have blocking off my entertainment center and her food/hay/litter and an old area rug and making an exercise area outside of her cage. Hopefully I will have enough panels to give her at least a 6x10 foot area. Hopefully this will help with our stress (mine, my roommates, and the bunnies) until we can get her spayed in May. Then we will cross our fingers and hope that the spay helps us all.

I would never consider getting rid of her but I have to say that today I really did wonder if I can handle this for 2-3 more weeks. I do not know what I will do if the spay doesn't help this.
 
I should also mention that a few minutes later my roommate did go to the condo and offer her a peace offering of a couple of raisins through the grids. She petted her nose a bit while she was eating the rabbits. So, I guess they have made up for now.
 
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