Bunny Biting.

FORUM

What are we about? Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules.

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 4sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 9 months ago by RabbitPam.

Viewing 4 reply threads

Author

Messages
- 07/04/2012 at 8:41 AM
  tanlover14
  Participant
  3617 posts
  Soo… I need ideas. I’ve read a lot about rabbit biting but all the articles seem to be geared towards aggression. My newest little bun (neutered male) is overly hyper and active. But the cutest thing ever… except for his affectionate biting. I’m pretty sure he’s not being mean about it because he’s a very lovable and cuddly bun with us but every once in awhile he’ll just walk over to us and take a huge chomp right out of whatever is showing and then hop away or look at us with his innocent little bunny eyes. I’m really confident it’s not aggression but he bites really hard.
  
  I also had another incident with him that was definitely aggression though — we were trying to trim his nails for the very first time and he’s not a cooperative bun in that sense at all so I tried to do a half burrito bunny and then hold him between my legs (like our vet did) so my BF could clip his nails… the next thing I know his bunny teeth are sinking into my hand. And he didn’t let go. I have a really good bite mark from the brat and I let him go so then we tried feeding him cilantro while the other tried sneaking in and grabbing a paw which halfway worked but he kept getting irritated and biting, once again really REALLY hard. Although, I kind of understand this 2nd one which I’m pretty sure was out of aggression and being mad for getting held down but the first paragraph I’m not too sure about.
  
  We got his brother at 2 months old and he would nip too but quickly stopped after a few dominance battles of yelping and holding his head down. He got the point and now his playful nips are small and not that hard. His sister has never nipped us even once. But this guy — for the life of me — I can not get him to stop. We’ve gotten into dominance battles with him over it (yelping and holding his head down) but he doesn’t seem to be getting the hint. Which is weird because he was so submissive when we first got him and he seems to be the bottom bunny in the group of 3.
  
  Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions to what I’ve already tried? I also tried turning my back on him but then he just bites me in the butt or back… so that technique doesn’t seem to be working either. Bah. Any thoughts or comments would be helpful!
- 07/04/2012 at 8:55 AM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17231 posts
  With the affectionate nipping, have you tried squealing when he does it?
  
  With the biting hard while clipping his nails, it is important that he doesn’t get what he wants from biting you. Otherwise he will think he can just sink his teeth into your hand and you will no longer try to cut his nails. Did you vet show you how to secure him so he doesn’t have the opportunity to bite?
- 07/04/2012 at 9:05 AM
  tanlover14
  Participant
  3617 posts
  He hasn’t had his first vet visit yet since we had to pay for his brother and sister to be spayed and neutered (he can neutered, thank God!) and his first bunny appt isn’t until early August but his nails are horribly long and every time he climbs on us it scratches. We got half of them done but not the other half. She showed us when we took his brother in and she clicked his but he didn’t even try biting (not sure if they had him secured a different way than we did or what) but I didn’t try holding his head or anything… so I’m not really sure. Since we’re kind of new to this — we haven’t mastered a way to really hold them down securely with any of them. So frustrating.
  
  We’ve tried squealing when he bites us affectionately and it worked with the first bun but hasn’t seemed to be working with him. He’s extra hyper than the others though and I swear he has ADHD bunny style because you squeal and he’ll look around and hop away. LOL. He’s so adorable and usually affectionate and I love the little guy to death but good Lord does he need to stop his hard chomping!
- 07/04/2012 at 11:17 AM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17231 posts
  What about putting him somewhere that is “scary” and unfamiliar? A lot of people will take their bunny and place them on a slick surface like a counter or on top of a washing machine.
- 07/04/2012 at 12:45 PM
  RabbitPam
  Moderator
  11002 posts
  Squealing is good because that’s the sound of a bunny that’s hurt, so he knows he is hurting you when he bites. (Even if he isn’t.)
  Some bunnies use their mouths much more for communication than others – mine is one of them. I found that the younger buns haven’t learned to totally control their bites so they often do it too hard when they’re young. Older, aka a year old, learn to nip but not come close to breaking skin. Drawing blood is rare when a bunny bites, and may indicate a more serious problem, like with his health. Doesn’t sound like he’s that bad.
  
  You could also put a bit of white vinegar on your hand before you go to do something so if he nips you he tastes it. Blech. He may find it a small deterrent, though you don’t want it on when you pet him.
  Just keep squealing, and pressing his shoulders for domination, and he may grow more careful though he might not stop. My mother was just marveling at how Sammykins can snatch a treat with her teeth without touching my mother’s fingers, though the treats are small. They can get very good at controlling their bites.
Author

Messages

Viewing 4 reply threads

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.