Behavior Immediately After Neutering?

[Deleted User]

 My bunny will be 6 months old on June 16th, and I just got him neutered on June 1st. He displayed territorial and sexual behavior (i.e., “chinning,” “circling” and “lunging”) before the neuter and he was a little skittish, but he never intentionally bit me. Since the neuter, he’s started biting me quite a bit. Is this normal? I’m hoping this is just a temporary immediate effect of the neuter and that he’ll soon stop… I always read a neuter was supposed to calm down a bunny, not make him more aggressive! 

[Elrohwen]

Sometimes all of those hormones that are still raging through their system can reach a peak after neutering. He should calm down.

Also, nipping is a very common young bunny behavior that might not be related to hormones at all. Teenage bunnies are still teenage bunnies. Does he nip when you’re sitting down and playing with him? Or does he do it as a way to control you (get you to put him down, move out of his way, etc?)

If he does it while you’re playing, I would just tell him no or make a high pitched sound, then get up and leave while turning your back on him. If he’s just playing, he’ll learn that playing with his teeth is not ok.

If he’s trying to control you, you need to do the opposite of what he wants. If he wants you to move our of his way, say no, do the high pitched yelp, or whatever works for him, but don’t give in or he’ll keep doing it.

I hope this helps! He’ll calm down with age and as his hormones dissipate.

[Deleted User]

He only does it when I’m holding him, so I guess that’s good? I know that many of you guys don’t even pick your bunnies up, which, in all honesty, surprised me to read. I don’t want to *force* my bunny to do something that he hates, but well, it would really suck if I could never hold him…

I’ve been saying “no” and squealing when he bites me. He usually acts surprised and stops for a second but then just finds another place and does it again. Before the neuter, he didn’t like being picked up (mainly because I was doing it incorrectly at the time), but when he was in my arms, he usually didn’t mind in the slightest and would actually purr quite a bit when I pet him.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens… Thank you so much for your help, Elrohwen. I was really relieved to read this:
Sometimes all of those hormones that are still raging through their system can reach a peak after neutering. He should calm down.

[Balefulregards]

Teen Boys are Teen Boys! It can take up to a month for all the hormones to work themselves out of their systems – and I have to believe that he was being super flooded before the neuter.

He may be heavily testing dominance issues too – I know I had a dominance struggle with my Girl before her Spay ( and still occasionally do!) with each of us claiming our stake as Top Bunny. Sadly, she always kind of wins, as she uses urine and I simply have to clean it up to de-scent the spot.

Also too he could be exploring ( with his mouth) and fairly surprised he is getting such a reaction. Sometimes, Jackson will nibble my toe and I always give a mighty shriek. I often thinks he doesn’t really “get” that the feet belong to me – The weirdly shaped creature who brings the food.

[Elrohwen]

It sounds like he’s trying to get you to put him down. Just make sure you don’t set him down when he nips – it sounds like you’re doing the right thing.

As far as us not picking up our rabbits – if you met mine, you wouldn’t pick them up either. lol

[Beka27]

It’s a misconception that rabbits like to be held. Quite simply, they don’t. The sooner you realize this, the better your relationship with him will be. The main problem with “forcing” holding on your rabbit, is after awhile, they want nothing to do with you. Try to stop holding him for awhile and interact with him on the ground on his terms. Some of our rabbits will sit next to us, or even on us, but it’s important to don’t restrain him to keep him there. Baby bunnies are often somewhat tolerant of being held, but as they near teenage/adulthood, they will stop putting up with it. You wouldn’t hold a 13-year-old human teenager on your lap, your bun is no different.

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