Hi ANEarly…welcome. My Shadow is a 4 pound brat as well. Bunnies tend to want what they want, when they want it. He has a whole room to run in all day, but when we are home, he pounds the baby gate and wants out. Lord forbid you don’t get up at the regular times on the weekends to give him his pellets. He will disconnect his wire hay rack and beat the cage with it. Moves his water dish around and throws so much hay you think a barn exploded. So you are not alone. That is why we are called bunny slaves.

He sounds like he just wants you attention, they tug your pants legs to get petted and groomed. Same for nipping. When he nips give a shrill yell and put your hand on his head arnd push down. That will tell him in bunny speak, you are the top bun and the nip hurts. Buns like to play tag and be chased. If he runs and stops to look back at you, that is an invitation to play. I “stalk” Shadow then allow him to chase me.

I am concerned with all the treats…crackers of any kind are a bad idea. And sugary fruits should be fed sparingly to avoid poopy butt. He should have a constant supply of timothy hay or other kind of hay (not alfalfa) I put it in various places , hay rack, baskets, boxes, so he can choose where and when to eat it. Buns graze so diffrent locations and ways to get it stimulate them and keep them occupied.

This site has great info and if you look in the bunny behaviour forum you will see all kinds of issues and solutions. We also love pictures so please post some if you got them!

My first question is, is he neutered?  I am also very concerned with the amount and quality of treats you are giving him.  Please check out Diet under Bunny Info above for a complete list of foods.

I have a super bratty bun too. (the little guy in my avatar). He’s 4 years old and has always been this way even though we neutered him. I have come to accept this is just his personality and I have to try to accommodate him and his brattiness. Hopefully someone will have some advice for you but you may have to accept this is his personality and love him for who he is.

ps. Your rabbit has his own tv???? Wow what a lucky bunny!!!

it sounds like boredom to me. i know that’s hard to comprehend b/c you think, well, he has a tv and he has toys, and how can he be bored…? does he get to run outside of his room? he might be feeling cut off from the rest of the family. in my experience, cage destruction is the bun’s way of saying, i want out of here, NOW! how much time do you guys have to actually spend WITH him. you work second shift, so do you play out with him after work, or before work? bunnies can usually adapt their schedules to fit those of their humans, so let’s say you spent a solid hour with him each night after work, he would soon get used to it.

I think you might consider getting him a (spayed) girlfriend to keep him company. He does sound lonely and bored.

I would also not give him the treats – they aren’t really good for him and it’s not working for what you want it to work for.

you know thats true he might like a friend have to do bunny dates to make sure they will bond.  there are articles on it here.

Yup, someone needs a girlfriend…..

I think he was just neutered right..you said within the past month…so how long ago exactly? Was he having this behavior beforehand too? If so, it can take a month or for the hormones to die down. If not, and this only started happening after his neuter then check his incision, and just make sure he’s not in pain.

Basically how long has he been biting you? And does it do it in a certain place only or anytime you reach toward him? OR?

Some bunnies don’t like you being in their space … he has his own room with his cage in it, toys etc … now he may consider that room his and no-one else’s. 

Can you bring bun out of his room and section off a space so you can interact with him .. somewhere completely neutral.

Maybe worth a try.

Remember that the kicking feet behind them is the bun’s middle finger to you.

It really sounds like your bun is just trying to get some attention If your bunny is following you around – that is actually a really great sign that your bunny likes you a lot. My buns generally don’t give a darn about me! I only have one that does the nose pokes at my feet and the nipping at my clothes, and he always stops when I lean down to give him pets.

How do you play with your bunny? Remember, it is very different playing with a bunny than with a dog or a cat. Bunnies feel less threatened by you if you are at their level, such as laying on the ground or sitting on the floor with them. One of my bunnies also bites my back like yours does, I just keep an eye on him when he’s over there We actually did get him a girlfriend and he calmed down a lot.

Also, general things that help a bunny calm down are feeding them on a regular schedule, playing with them regularly etc. Bunnies really like schedules! Also, take a look at your bunny’s diet and how it matches up to the necessary bunny diet, maybe he’s not getting the right food in his diet.

bunnies tend to potty while they eat their hay, so you might try filling the litterbox with hay, over a layer of bedding. if you put hay in the rest of the cage, he may use that as the potty instead.

My bunny is very distructive too. I used to have a male bunny along time ago and he was a bully too so when I decided to get another bunny now years later – I chose a girl but I am finding out – it doesn’t seem to make a difference. I didn’t neuter mine and it is disapointing to hear that even after neutering you are still having problems. Keep us posted. My bunny is only 3 months so I am still waiting and debating to get her spayed.

bad behavior after altering is the exception, not the rule. i think most people see an improvement in destructiveness, aggression and territorial behavior. you are right that it doesn not matter what sex you get, they both can have their own unique personalities. the problems ANEarly is having is not related to the neutering, but rather that he is likely lonely and bored, and in a new place.

yes… this behaviour is def not caused by the neutering.  however frustrating it may be, it’s just bun-talk for ‘entertain me hoooman!’

kellygirl97… spaying your bun will be giving your bun a huge advantage by greatly reducing cancer risks & hormonal behaviour.  take it from me… the bunny mom to one almost 8yr old unspayed bun and one 14 month old spayed bun.  my older gal is unfortunately too old to be spayed or else i’d do it in a heartbeat.  after the younger was spayed i noticed signifigant changes for the better inher behaviour.  while every spay is not the same you’re far more likely to have a calmer happier bun after a spay!

Only two weeks neutered-he should definitely calm down some more.

Toe biting-means they want to be chased! Try playfully chasing him when he nips your toes. He probably is lonely and wants to play with you. He might need a girlfriend. Even a stuffed animal (with eyes) about the size of a bunny might help in the interim. Be careful not to feed corn or crackers etc. It can make them quite sick!!

You sound like a great bunny mommy-good luck and Welcome here!