Rabbit naughty behaviour help

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Rabbitlover2000

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My rabbit is a 10 month old dwarf lop eared rabbit. He is male and neutered.
When I first got him at 2 months and we had a good bond and he licked me and sometimes led down on my knee.
As he got older he started to become more well like a moody teenager sometimes turning his back on me and digging the floor when he was unhappy and things like that.
Now, it seems to be much more often. He never really licks me anymore.

First of all, playing with him, he will come over to me and jump onto my knee. Then he starts digging and scratching my clothes and biting them.

Also, quite often I try and stroke him (unless he is eating or something) he will turn around and nudge my hand and if I just keep stroking him he will nip me or grab my sleeve and push me away.

Whenever he tries to bite me I notice its always just my clothes unless he manages to get my skin through my clothes, for instance if he's sat on my knee he may go onto his hind legs and sniff my face, but he never bites my bare skin.


Also, we have another rabbit pixie, his 'girlfriend' and he hates it if I stroke her. If he's sat next to her and I stroke pixie he will bite my sleeve, or scratch me.


He seems to like being held and if I carry him somewhere he will sit there and wait patiently but then as I put him down he will stomp his back legs and hop away from me. I know stomping is supported to be of fear but he never shows other signs being scared. If it from annoyance? He's always so good when I hold him.

I am unsure what to do about his behaviour. I will be grateful if you could help with any of these problems I am having with him.


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So you have a neutered bunny, who is acting like a bunny who is maturing.... so I wonder if his neuter was total... or was he acting like this before he was neutered?

I'd give him a cloth to dig at (rather than your clothes) or a big old telephone book to dig in. I wouldn't be allowing him to dig at my clothes (I'd redirect him to the towel or phone book).

stomping is not always a fear thing...sometimes it's an "i'm annoyed" with you thing.

he overall sounds like a bunny who is working hard to be boss, and you are styming his efforts (good on you there).

Remember YOU are the boss, and you can manage his behaviours. :) If he's acting like a snit then remove him from the area.

He may not wish to be pet on his back...some male rabbits don't. Many will like head scritches or chin rubs or things like that. back rubs are akin to another rabbit wanting to do dominance stuff so he's saying CUT THAT OUT. So offer him pets that are non-threatening.
 
Thanks you that's a lot of help but with the stroking sometimes even when I stroke he's head he doesn't seem to like it I'm just worried its because he doesn't like me.


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When he acts annoyed when you are petting him, does it occur all of the time or just when he is active? I ask because my bun can lay for hours being petted during the day when he is less active. When he is active in the morning and evening he doesn't behave aggressively just doesn't stay still for pets. With your bun maybe he just doesn't want bothered when he is active and is more aggressive at telling you so.

I have heard of others saying their buns will stomp or foot flick them when they are put down after being held.
 
Well it's not all the time when I stroke him but it doesn't seem to have a pattern to it for the times during the day. He won't mind one stroke but if I keep going he will try and bite my sleeve or something. Last night, he was lying down under the table and I strokes his head a couple of times and stopped and he seemed to like that. It's normally like that but if I was to keep stroking his head he would put his head up to nudge my hand away.


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My rabbit Sheldon generally doesn't seem to like being picked up, he kicks if he is (sometimes hard to pick him up properly) but he tends to like exploring and coming to me and sniffing, like getting to know me (as havent had him long) but I see you have had yours for sometime. I am not 100% on the judging situation but mine comes up to me and nudges my foot even when I'm just leaving him alone. I think it's a territory type thing more so as their scent receptors are on their chins


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Well the nudging/biting is a sign of him sort of saying "out of my way" and when you don't move he gets frustrated and bites as in "I told you to move!" The digging might be a sign of boredom as well as the biting. Try giving him some more chew toys to try and control the biting and boredom. Also, having a girl and a boy may be the problem. Even though he is neutered, is the girl spayed? She may be having a bad influence haha. He may becoming more territorial because of her, females are often territorial unless spayed and this may be causing him to want to let you know he's the boss here. Hope this helps!
 
I would recommend seeing if his personality changes by seperating them temporarily, this may make a HUGE effect and have him go back to being sweet and cuddly, or he may become sad and depressed. If that happens, I would say put them back together, but only for periods of time during the day. Just to be sure, they aren't in the same cage right? If they are, I would get another cage for her and only let them see eachother during play time. I think the problem is mostly just being around a female. As for the stomping, stomping can be many things, my friends rabbit randomly stomps her foot in the middle of the night. It could be annoyance maybe? Rabbit language can be very confusing in certain cases :sigh:
 
Sheldonthedwarf, well he seems to not mind being picked up, he always lets me catch him easy enough and never tries to jump out of my arms its just as i put him down he stamps his foot.

PipkinbunRibb, he does have plenty of chew toys, I just seem to be one of them haha! And the female, that could be a good point as she is not spayed yet as she is too young. He's not much different when he's on his own, maybe better, but there's it much difference.


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Well rabbits thump when they are unhappy so basically it sounds like he is liking the attention you give and when you put him down he's unhappy he's not getting cuddles anymore, surely must be a good thing? sounds like he enjoys your company


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hi,
my bunny whiskers likes to do this to me as well when she is trying to boss me around. She tends to do this more when she is bored, so I try to give her challenging things to play with. I did design a digging box that I sprinkle snack mix in which helps keep her busy trying to get it all out. If you want to take a look at it you can go to my shop and check out what I designed to give you a few ideas!

Andrea
BunnyRabbitShop.com
 
Sheldonthedwarf said:
My rabbit Sheldon generally doesn't seem to like being picked up, he kicks if he is (sometimes hard to pick him up properly) but he tends to like exploring and coming to me and sniffing, like getting to know me (as havent had him long) but I see you have had yours for sometime. I am not 100% on the judging situation but mine comes up to me and nudges my foot even when I'm just leaving him alone. I think it's a territory type thing more so as their scent receptors are on their chins


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Click to expand...

My boys are like that. Bugsy is starting to get used to being picked up and will snuggle briefly. Groucho will run if I try to pet him while he is out of his cage. I can pet him and pick him up from the cage and he will cuddle for a while, and sometimes even go to sleep. Both will come up and bump my feet while they run around the apartment. Bugsy will sometimes follow the bump up with a gentle nibble on my toes or clothes. He also likes to nibble my son's pants.
 
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