Nasty bite from Mouse

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 17sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 4 months ago by Beka27.

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- 10/24/2009 at 8:38 AM
  sally
  Participant
  170 posts
  so last night when i was doing my routine chase of mouse to get her back in her cage she jumped into our other bun’s cage, usually this means she’s pretty easy to pick up and put in her own. last night tho she lunged at my arm and bit me, so much so i bled. i still grabbed her and put her away as quick as i could. why would she do that? She hasn’t even attempted to even nip for such a long time, now in the uk its only 4.30pm and she isn’t due to come out for her run around until 6pm, when my son has gone to bed, but to be honest i’m worried of a repeat performance, any advice ???
- 10/24/2009 at 9:42 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  I guess I would just try to avoid the same situation. Maybe close the other bun’s cage while you’re rounding her up so that she can’t run in there.
  
  Otherwise, I don’t really know why she bit you. She probably just didn’t feel like being picked up and felt cornered.
- 10/24/2009 at 10:01 AM
  sally
  Participant
  170 posts
  It wasn’t a unusual situation for her, which is why I don’t understand it, am a bit more weary of her now, and so is the family, Just hope it was a one off.
- 10/24/2009 at 5:11 PM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22356 posts
  Hi Sally. Watch carefully for changes in her behaviour as it could signal a health problem. Perhaps she’s experiencing a false pregnancy? The can be come aggressive, territorial and anti-social during these experiences.
- 10/24/2009 at 5:19 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Also, she’s not spayed, correct? I’ve heard that females can get territorial due to hormones, especially if she’s expriencing a false pregnancy. So maybe she just felt that cage was her space (even though it wasn’t *her*) cage and didn’t want you in there.
- 10/24/2009 at 5:37 PM
  sally
  Participant
  170 posts
  She was okay today, went back into her own cage happily by herself, It was very odd, I mean it was a terrible bite i have her teeth marks as cuts on my arm and a bruise forming, its very tender. I was just very shocked.
  
  She Isn’t spayed as far as I’m aware, I got her in May when she was 7months so now around a year old, she often jumps into the other cage, they sometimes sit together in that cage and usually she is easily lifted into her own. Maybe she was having a bad day! I don’t know, but i’d like to avoid a bolt out the blue like that again!! Easier said than done I realise she is an animal after all!
- 10/24/2009 at 5:56 PM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22356 posts
  Likely it was her defense, she may have felt trapped in the cage when your hands came into get her. And she may have been claiming Dogs cage as hers too. In a simliar situation, maybe tilt the cage to get her to come out – or carry it over to hers and tilt the so the openings align. Did she give you a per-warning? A growl or flattening her ears? Whn I have the buns in a carrier, I try not to put my hands in to get them out and they feel trapped. Usually I open the door until they hop out or tilt the carrier so they head towards the door. Or just completely remove the top part.
  Do be careful about her with Dog also if she’s becoming aggressive. Hopefully it was just a one off.
- 10/24/2009 at 5:56 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Sally, I think I have the same type of bite from my young intact male, Neigey! LOL! Boy, did it hurt. Here’s why he did it: I have a wool sweater that all my rabbits are very interested in. It smells like rabbit all over by now. Neigey jumped on the sleeve and bit down hard and grunted. The more i tried to get him off the harder he bit down. This has happened twice now. I don’t wear the sweater around him any more, my arm needs healing.
  The scent of other rabbits can trigger a bite reaction in intact rabbits. I think the proximity of the other rabbit coupled with you reaching for her made her mad. A spayed female is a much sweeter bunny.
- 10/25/2009 at 2:21 AM
  sally
  Participant
  170 posts
  Money is the only reason she hasn’t been spayed yet, I’m even unaware if dog has been spayed, will have to try and get the money together quicker than I thought, because I can’t have her biting like that.
  
  As for pre warning there was none, the cages are next to each other, and they are the type that open on top, Like I said usually not a problem putting her in her own, Maybe she wants to with dog ..?? I did put the cages purposly close together so they are close to each other because I don’t have the money to get a bigger set up for them to share. Could that be why?? I guess there could be many reasons, but she even allowed me to sit with her last night and pet her a bit none of that aggression in sight!
- 10/25/2009 at 5:41 AM
  RabbitPam
  Moderator
  11002 posts
  Sounds like she felt cornered when she didn’t want to be caught, and she’s much more aggressive until she gets spayed.
  
  Have you had a tetanus shot within the last ten years? It’s a good idea for all humans to get one if they may be bitten through the skin by any pets.
- 10/25/2009 at 11:17 AM
  sally
  Participant
  170 posts
  I’m not sure if my tetanus is up to date will have to ask my mother !! Coz i’m 23 so I don’t know when last one was. I was thinking that myself whether I should call the doctor or not, because she has never been outside so i’m not sure if she will have anything, I don’t even know if she neds any shots having never been outdoors?
  
  I so need to them both sorted, am hoping to get a loan to sort it out because I don’t want her to get worse!
- 10/25/2009 at 2:26 PM
  sally
  Participant
  170 posts
  Checked with my mother, she said I was around 15 when last had one, so got 2years until next one!!
- 10/27/2009 at 1:18 PM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  I had a bad bite from Rupert once-I took that bite so my other bun didn’t have to; it was during a bonding session-nasty bites they can give.
  
  Two things jump to mind:
  
  1) Horomones, THis could get worse and not better-this is a GOOD time to spay. THey have a huge incidence of sex cancers (breast, uterine etc) if not spayed so I’d book her in soon!!
  
  2) She’s sick or hurt somehow-that causes defensive biting in almost all animals. I’d keep an eye-make sure she’s eating/pooping. Give her a good rub down/massage and look for bites/injuries
- 10/27/2009 at 2:36 PM
  Desma
  Participant
  182 posts
  I agree also that it is due to her hormones, otherwise, I don’t think there would be any other reason why. She didn’t mean to do it. You probably felt bad that she did that to you, after all, you love her.
- 10/28/2009 at 12:53 PM
  sally
  Participant
  170 posts
  Yes I do love her, she’s a sweetheart normally, and I’m 100% of the view it’s hormonal, she has been quite over friendly since, so maybe she knows what she did was a bit mean lol !
  
  Thanks for all suggestions I jst need to try and get a loan to get her sorted, Does anyone know if a vet can tell if she has already been sorted? Only asking as she was 7months when I got her, so I don’t know if she already has been !
- 10/29/2009 at 1:53 AM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22356 posts
  A sure fire way for them to tell would be a sonogram but perhaps they can feel for a scar? Even then, would that ensure she has been done correctly? Mmmm…. not really sure what other ways they could tell. I think they can palpitate the abdomen but you have to be a reallt excellent rabbit vet to be able to tell from just doing that. Maybe sonograms is way to go because if she isn’t done it’ll also show up any other abnormalities if any.
- 10/29/2009 at 5:01 AM
  Lintini
  Participant
  3329 posts
  Bun and Mouse need to hang out and watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail together. *looks at battle wound*
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch
  
  ^Monty Python scene! ITS BUN!!!!! I SWEAR ITS HER!!!
- 11/01/2009 at 7:00 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Chances are neither have been spayed. Females are not usually done until about 6 months old, if you got her at 7 months, she would have still been shaven on her belly and have a visible incision. I’d suggest you contact the places where you got each bun and ask them directly for vet records… if they don’t have any, I’d say it’s safe to assume it still needs to be done. There really isn’t a way to tell if a bun has been spayed, incisions are normally not visible, and if done correctly, they don’t protrude from the stomach. You pretty much have to open the bunny up to determine. A sonogram might work, but you’d spend a lot of money doing that, and then still need to go ahead with the surgery afterwards. Some vets or shelters will ink a small tattoo on the ear, but if you haven’t noticed that already…
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