Bunny bites when held

[poxsevod]

Hello! My bunny is a total sweetheart…when he is on the ground. He snuggles and loves being pet. I can even trust him to not bite me if I pet/scratch around his mouth. But the second I pick him up, all bets are off. He viciously bites every time he is held. I know bunnies aren’t usually keen on being held, but unfortunately I need to pick him up on a regular basis. To get him in and out of his hutch ((working on a fix for this so he can come out on his own)), to bring him in and out of the house, and if he starts wandering off too far in the yard. Any advice?

[Yilina]

Hi @poxsevod!

Unfortunately, as you said, most bunnies hate being held. Mine is also very snugly and loves to be pet, but he can be a total nightmare when we have to pick him up, only the vet manages to do it without him freaking out. I can give some suggestions, though.

The first one comes from our vet. She said that bunnies hate to have their paws in the air, so you must hold his legs with your palm when you hold him. Maybe that will make the experience more comfortable.

Second, reward him after you have had to hold him with food or extra attention. My friend -a long time bunny lover- mentioned this to me a few weeks ago. Her bun still hates it but he doesn’t scratch her anymore. You will need to be patient, though…

Finally, try to limit the amount of times you have to pick him up. Lure him into the house with food instead of picking him up (we do that with our bunny and it works). This may take more effort but the rabbit will feel more at ease around you and probably bit less next time you pick him up. Also, it makes for hilarious situations: I have a few pictures of my husband on all fours dragging a huge pellet bag through the corridor .

[tobyluv]

Be very careful if your rabbit is out in your yard. Predators can come out of nowhere, and a fence won’t stop them. I know of more than one instance where a rabbit was out loose in the yard, and people were even close to it, but a predator attacked it. It’s much safer for a rabbit to be inside.

[sarahthegemini]

He’s probably terrified – bunnies don’t like being picked up, not just because they are being fussy but because they don’t feel safe. So of course they do whatever they can (in your case, bite) to get down. I think it would be best to sort his hutch out ASAP so he doesn’t need picking up to get in and out. Then you can start building trust again.

[Yilina]

Hi there! Why can’t he get in/out of his hutch? Is it too high? Maybe we can suggest some ideas. Tambor’s cage is too tall, so I put a little box inside for him to use as a “stair” to get in/out.

[sarahthegemini]

That’s a great idea ^ Perhaps you could make a (grippy) ramp or stairway?

[sarahthegemini]

That’s a great idea ^ Perhaps you could make a (grippy) ramp or stairway?

[poxsevod]

I totally neglected this site!! To update: his hutch door was about three feet off the ground so it wasn’t safe for him to get in or out on his own. We installed a second door below that one and have a moveable ramp so that he can get in or out on his own.

This helped a ton with avoiding bites because I have to hold him a lot less!!

I do not have a fenced yard, but I am not worried. I keep a close eye on him. He is outside more than he is inside.

[Author]

Messages