Bindizilla – She attacked me!

[Bindilicious]

I’m pretty new to this board and have not posted in a couple of weeks.  I have now had Bindi for 2.5 weeks and she is definitely coming out of her shell.  Every night, I let her run around in our bedroom and play and binky and walk on our backs, etc.  I sometimes just read and let her run around.  I pull her cage, which is on wheels, up to the bed and open her little ramp and she hops onto the bed and then races around for 45-60 minutes.  Then, I have been waiting until she gets back up on the bed and I herd her back into her cage.  Well, last night, she got under my dresser, which isn’t a big deal, and I had some things to do and I thought Bindi time was over.  I know what I did wrong – I should not have tried to get her out when she was backed in a corner.  I kind of thought I would herd her out of the corner, but she wouldn’t budge.  Then I got a baby carrot to try to lure her out and she lunged at my hand (thankfully with the carrot in it), bared her teeth and made this loud grunt/growl sound.  I was stunned.  She weighs 3.8 lbs and she actually kind of terrified me.  Bunnicula!!!

Anyway, I got back on the bed and waited for her to come out and get on the bed and then I herded her into her cage and she was fine.  Is this how I was supposed to handle this by letting her come to me on her own terms?  My previous bunny was a large breed (mixed) and she would have never even thought about biting or lunging at me.  I’m told Netherland dwarf bunnies are a bit more aggressive and moodier than other breeds and I think Bindi is a mixture of this breed and whatever else. 

I know people say when you spay/neuter them, they are not as aggressive, but my first rabbit was not and she was never like this.  Do you think spaying would help? 

Look at that sweet face – she doesn’t look like a killer!!

 

[Elrohwen]

She’s adorable!!! So very cute.

I think spaying may help – and it’s always the way to go since it can extend your bunny’s life by 7+ years! How old is she? Many female buns seem to start the pubery period around 5 or 6 months.

Otherwise, it may just be a trust thing. Sometimes my bun grunts at my husband if he sticks his hand in to get him, but he doesn’t do this to me. Some bunnies are just more territorial than others and this can change as they get to know you better.

[Monkeybun]

Spayign woudl definitely help,a s well as remove the 80% chance of uterine cancer. HIGHLY recommend it!

[Elrohwen]

Uh, spell check much, MB? 

[katiep]

She is gorgeous! I had some rabbits who grunted and lunged. I think she may have felt threatened as she was literally backed into a corner. I wouldn’t recommend trying to grab at her in that situation but I know in some situations, like you having to go or do something, it is hard to get around that. One thing that helped me was knowing that my bunny wouldn’t actually bite or break skin, she just acted aggressive. Now I know she was capable of it…but she only bit a few times. The way I stopped that was when she would lunge, I would not pull my hand away like I was scared I would leave it there, and then when she would back up a step I would put my hand on her head and neck and gently hold her down to show her I was dominant. Now, I’ve seen this on several other websites and my own experience it worked with that bunny. I had another bunny (both were female by the way) who lunged, grunted, and bit. This was a foster. When I did this technique to her she flipped out and “fought” my showing my dominance. I guess what I’m saying is, you know your bunny. This is one technique that helped me and it may help you!

[Bindilicious]

Thanks, everybody, for such helpful posts!  I have a vet lined up to spay her, but I am in WV and we have been snowed in for a week so I am unable to make any appointments right now.  I know about the uterine cancer thing, so I definitely want to spay her and maybe this will help, but I’m sure it is a trust thing.  Since we’ve only had her 2.5 weeks and she has had such a hard life, all one year of it , I will give her all the time she needs to trust me.  Thanks, again!

[bunnytowne]

Wow she is beautiful.   I would bun nap her in a sec.  Boxing grunting and all.    

Ruby grunts and puts her teeth on me without nipping  when I approach her face from her level.  If I approach her with my hand above her head she is fine.   Took me a bit to learn this and I made the mistake last nite.   Hadn’t done it in months.  Guess I forgot to approach with my hand above her.   

[Bindilicious]

Thanks, Bunnytowne, I’ll have to remember that.  I knew I wasn’t approaching her correctly the minute I started doing it.  She definitely has rabbitude!  (See, I’m learning the language of this board, too).  Tonight, she was jumping and running and binkying, up and down off the bed and having a grand old time.  After about 45 minutes, she jumped on the bed and I put my hand on her back like I was going to pet her and she just jumped right in her pen.  I guess I need to start using a word when she does that so hopefully she can learn it as a command.  Although I’m not sure she wants anyone to command HER!  She is definitely a Princess!  It’s late and I have to go to bed.  Thanks everyone for the help!

[Monkeybun]

Posted By Elrohwen on 02/11/2010 06:54 PM

Uh, spell check much, MB? 

 

Psh. Spell check is for noobs.

I have a bad habit of typing to fast and not paying attention… at least most of the time people can still understand what i type lol.

[wendyzski]

Sounds like a combination of both of you being out of sorts plus hormonal grumpiness.  Everything you say makes sense, and for a new bunny owner making that leap from “why did she do that” to “what might I have done to set her off like that” is crucial in building a relationship.  You’ll hit some bumps but you’r off to a great start with her

[Bindilicious]

Thanks, Wendy!  And you’re probably right about us both being out of sorts.  Being snowed in for a week is pretty stressful, especially when the hospital I work at decides to change policy in the middle of this mess, stating any time we missed would be counted against us and there would be no “excused snow days” or something like that.  But that’s a whole nuther topic.  Anyway, thanks so much for responding.  I’m feeling better about it already.

[MarkBun]

It may not be a hormonal thing at all, just as an FYI. She maybe just didn’t think Bindi time was over and was hiding under the dresser and grunting at you so that you couldn’t put her to bed – like a kid hiding in the closet so you can’t put them to bed. You may want to work on training Bindi though. Every time she hops into her cage at night, say “Bed time!” or “Nite nite time!” and give her a small treat. She’ll then learn that the phrase means that when she gets into her cage, she’ll get a treat and you can actually call her to bed. It’s important to use the phrase AFTER she’s hopped herself into the cage.  Otherwise, she’ll associate the phrase with you trying to corral her and she’ll either go there if she feels the time is up or run away if she doesn’t.

[Elrohwen]

Posted By Monkeybun on 02/11/2010 09:55 PM

Posted By Elrohwen on 02/11/2010 06:54 PM

Uh, spell check much, MB? 

 

Psh. Spell check is for noobs.

I have a bad habit of typing to fast and not paying attention… at least most of the time people can still understand what i type lol.

Lol. It’s ok. Sometimes I have my hands in the wrong position and type a sentence or two of totally wrong letters (thinking they’re right) before I notice.
 

[Bindilicious]

Thanks, MarkBunny!  (I thought I replied to your post, but evidently forgot to hit submit).  Anyway, from reading here, I have stopped picking her up and putting her in her cage.  I lean the little ramp on the bed so she can hop on the bed and then I herd her into the cage.  Now I just have to add “bedtime” and I think we’ll be well on our way to getting along better.  

It’s amazing to me how sensitive and easily offended she seems to be.  My other house bunny years ago was so laid back, wasn’t afraid of anything or anyone, jumped in visitors laps to say hi and I had no idea that all bunnies were not like her.  Oh, well, Bindi is teaching me well.  Thanks everyone for helping me see the light! 

[Elrohwen]

She looks like a dwarf or a dwarf mix – female dwarfs seem to have the biggest personalities and rabbitude! Haha. Just look at MB’s Monkey – she’s 1.5 lbs of pure attitude. 😉

[Bindilicious]

Elrowhen, after looking at tons of bunny pics, I agree with you.  One of my friends on my horse forum also thinks she is a dwarf mix and she used to have 2 of them.  She says hers were not real cuddly and had a lot of “rabbitude”.  Oh, well, at least Bindi is with me and not someone who would not do the research, not understand and give up on her, as I am sure this is why she ended up at the shelter in the first place.  Thanks for the input!

[Elrohwen]

And she’s so cute that you couldn’t stay mad at her 😉 That’s how dwarfs get away with so much – they’re just too cute!

[Bindilicious]

Yep, looks ARE important, especially if you are a bossy bunny or a Jack Russell Terrorist (used to be owned by 2 of those little monsters).

[Elrohwen]

Aw, Jack Russells are so cute! I used to dog sit for one all the time before I got my bunny (she would absolutely try to eat the bunny, so she can’t come over anymore 🙁 ) Sweetest dog ever – a little hyper, not fuzzy animal friendly, but really really sweet. A huge cuddle bug too!

[Elrohwen]

Oh, and you mentioned a horse forum – do you have a horse? I for one would love to see pictures in the lounge area *hint* *hint*

🙂

[Monkeybun]

Posted By Elrohwen on 02/12/2010 11:40 AM
She looks like a dwarf or a dwarf mix – female dwarfs seem to have the biggest personalities and rabbitude! Haha. Just look at MB’s Monkey – she’s 1.5 lbs of pure attitude. 😉

 

Her Majesty Monkey would like a word with you….

lol

[LittlePuffyTail]

Just want to say welcome to BinkyBunny!

It’s so weird….your Bindi looks a whole lot like my Olivia, especially that first pic (same attitude it sounds like too…) and I have a Bindi too! (he’s a male REW lop)

Olivia grunted, honked and lunged before I got her spayed. Now she grunts, honks and lunges…maybe a bit less, depends on the day. Some rabbits don’t change much even when they get spayed, especially if they are older.

[Bindilicious]

Elrowhen, I would love to post pictures of my horse, but I sold him when I moved from FL to WV.  I guess I could still post pictures, but I have not been in competition (eventing) in 9 years and Ihave only ridden sporadically.  I am trying my best to get back to it – life sometimes gets in the way.  But the people on my horse boards let me hang out anyway – they are cool that way .

LPT, yeah, I’m just figuring out that Bindi is Bindi (cool that you have a Bindi, too!) and I will learn to adapt my life to the way she thinks it should be  . 

[Bindilicious]

Bindi obviously has been reading this forum and assumed that 3 hours of free time is what all bunnies are entitled to because that is how long it took me to catch her!  At one point in the first hour, she ran under the dresser – AGAIN – and stayed under there.  So I thought, I’ll just leave her in my bedroom and come back and get her after she comes out (my room is bunny proofed).  About 15 min. later, I went in and she was hopping around on the bed, looking like a child bouncing around after their bedtime hour.  She took one look at me and scooted under the dresser. I finally was able to block off the dresser and the last time I went in there, she was on the other side of the room and I dove over the bed to stuff something in the one hole left under the dresser.  Then I was able to herd her into her home repeating “bed, Bindi, bed”.  Talk about patience.  I was very proud of myself, I didn’t cuss her at all – well maybe under my breath and always in a sing-song sweet tone .  Well, I guess I need more Bindi-proofing under the dresser.  

[Elrohwen]

Hehe, she’s got your figured out! “Oo, mom can’t get me under the dresser because I can grunt and lunge at her!”

I’d love to see pictures of the horses you had! I rode jumpers for years and years, but never got to try eventing. I really want to find a barn here to take lessons, but none of the evening barns I’ve found seem to have school horses.

[Bindilicious]

Wow, I’ve done low jumpers and what a blast!  We used to go to local H/J shows just to get out and jump different jumps and practice our stadium jumping.  I, too, am in the same boat.  Looking for a place with decent school horses.  I’ll have to scan pictures because this was before the digital age or should I say the affordable digital age. 

And to stay on topic, Bindi definitely has my #.  It was hilarious when I would walk back in the room, she was like a little girl in her PJ’s jumping on the bed and the second she saw me, scoot under the dresser!  But who could stay mad at that face?!  

[MirBear]

hehe i know those faces.. mine look identical you yours… and apperently they work on my mom to because twix gives her the big not puppy dog eyes but the big bunny wabbit eyes… needless to say, she has been secretly getting extra pellets

[bunnytowne]

i wonder sometimes if cotton has nethie in him he has so much rabbitude

[Author]

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