Why does my doe nip me when I hold her?

[Sarah&lions]

Hey everyone

So I just recently got two baby lionheads. One doe and one buck.
They seem to like me and my family all right. I have them together for now in an indoor pen 36"x24" for now. Only until the buck is four months old, cause I know after that hes hormones start raging :wink

Anywho, so they've been typically letting us take them out of the pen and hold them. Sometimes they run but thats expected I've only had them for like two days .
But I was just wondering when I hold the doe sometimes she nudges my hand and nipes me. Not extremely hard, so it doesnt hurt to much. I've just noticed it.
What does it mean?
Is she mad at me?
Showing affection?
I read that sometimes they'll do it if they want down and want me to leave her alone. I think that might be it?
Cause sometimes I let them run around the room but they like to hid under the bird cage so its kind of hard to catch them again. And a lot of the time I wont let them because the dogs are in the room. The dogs usually ignore them, they slightly stare in curiosity but thats it. But I would rather not push my westies instincts of hunting small animals if they jump down and run lol.

So my point is I wont let her down all the time.
So do you think shes just telling me to back off?
Or what?
Do any of your bunnies do this?
The buck hasn't done this, only the doe.
Let me know what you think!

Thanks,

Sarah

P.S. I will only call them buck and doe until I have for sure names. Might call the doe Lea, but not sure. And was thinking about Aslan for the buck but not totally in love with it.

 

[elrohwen]

She's probably telling you to put her down. Make sure that you don't put her down when she nips - either put her down before she nips, or wait a few minutes afterwards. You don't want her to try to control you with her teeth.

When she nips, make a high pitched yelping noise to let her know that it hurts you (even if it doesn't hurt).

Also, I would separate them by 3 months. It's not the raging hormones you have to worry about so much as the pregnancy.

 

[Sarah93]

Hey,

So this is actually Sarah&Lions.
Its not letting my sign into that account for some reason, and when I go to change the password it says error everytime?
I dont know.

But anywho, yeah I think you're right. And I'll have to try that.
But yeah I dont want her thinking niping me when make me do something, for sure lol.
Its just interesting cause the little buck doesnt do it, only the doe. lol

And I know, I mean raging hormones because the buck will try to mate her.
But can a three month old doe get pregnant?
I know they're not supposed to until six months...but they can that young?

 

[jcottonl02]

I agree with Laura- I would keep them separate until they have both been speutered. I think a buck can impregnate a doe before 4 months in some cases, so you want to be careful.

I also agree NOT to put her down once she nips you- she'll associate this as her way of getting her own way, and may persist, and get even worse if it works. How do you hold her? Perhaps she doesn't feel safe in this position?

Jen

 

[Sarah93]

Well I'm not going to spay them.
I want them as pets but I also want to breed them in the future.
I know those two kind of clash...but I'll try to make it work .

And yeah, I agree.
Well I just hold her on my lap on the couch or on a chair or something. And I pet her and kind of let her explore the couch area but I dont let her go to far or jump down.
So I think thats what she doesnt like.
I dont think she doesn't feel safe, because she she fine until about ten minutes.
Then I think she gets frustrated lol.

So should I eek?
In a high pitch voice or something?
Or screech?

 

[TinysMom]

Sarah93 wrote:

Hey,

So this is actually Sarah&Lions.
Its not letting my sign into that account for some reason, and when I go to change the password it says error everytime?
I dont know.

But anywho, yeah I think you're right. And I'll have to try that.
But yeah I dont want her thinking niping me when make me do something, for sure lol.
Its just interesting cause the little buck doesnt do it, only the doe. lol

And I know, I mean raging hormones because the buck will try to mate her.
But can a three month old doe get pregnant?
I know they're not supposed to until six months...but they can that young?

They sure can. I had a 9 week old buck get his mama pregnant and I never knew about it till she had a surprise litter.

That was when I was first breeding - I now take my bucks away by 8 weeks just so that doesn't happen again.

Definitely keep them separated until both are neutered - or at the very least - the doe.

 

[TinysMom]

Sarah93 wrote:

Well I'm not going to spay them.
I want them as pets but I also want to breed them in the future.
I know those two kind of clash...but I'll try to make it work .

And yeah, I agree.
Well I just hold her on my lap on the couch or on a chair or something. And I pet her and kind of let her explore the couch area but I dont let her go to far or jump down.
So I think thats what she doesnt like.
I dont think she doesn't feel safe, because she she fine until about ten minutes.
Then I think she gets frustrated lol.

So should I eek?
In a high pitch voice or something?
Or screech?

I just now saw this. IF you insist on breeding them (and I used to breed lionheads) - still separate them till the doe is 6 months of age. While she can get pregnant before then - you don't want her to as it isn't healthy for her.

I learned that one the hard way - with a pet doe that I wound up losing largely due to health complications that came up after she had her litter. I've always regretted breeding her ... I miss her so much.

 

[Sarah93]

Aww really?
Bummer.
Thats unfortunate.

Well they're a little over eight weeks now...I don't need to separate them now do I?
I have some neighbors who are going to give me some hutches but, I think I said this in another post, I want to try to just keep them inside.
But I dont know when we'll make it up that way again?
Its about 185 miles...so until we go up to Denver again =/
And I dont want to get a cage some somewhere else cause hers are really nice 36"x24" indoor cages with a great tray underneath and only $60....
So yeah =/

 

[TinysMom]

If his boy bits drop now - she can get pregnant in a month - possibly less.

Then you are putting her life at risk.

 

[Sarah93]

if the boy bites drop now?
And I plan on getting a new cage in less than a month.

 

[elrohwen]

I would separate them now. The boy bits can definitely drop by 8 weeks on small buns. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Sarah93]

Well I would love to separate them now but unfortunately the person that has the nice big indoor cages for $60 like the one I have them in now is almost 200 miles from me...
if she was just down the road I would get one in a heart beat.
but its not that easy...I wish it was, lol