Going to foster a new Bun, first time foster, bite issues lots of questions

[The Rabbit]

I am so unbelievably excited. I mean i’m practically hyperventilating here. I’ve gotten in with a *great* group of people at my lcoal shelter. They totally take care of the bunnies. The rabbits have everything, where as a couple of years ago, when I went in they had their food bowels upsidedown, no litter boxes, no toys.

 

any how, I’ve been volunteering. I took the shelter volunteer training class. My mom had driven me (I don’t drive) and she stayed and fileld out some paperwork too. Surprisingly, she’s actually been volunteering too. She’s really busy, but she’s gotten into it. I think she’s wanting to wean herself from it a bit though.

 

Anyway, We’ve met amazing people. We get updates every day on how the buns are doing, and what to look out for when we come in.

 

Long story short: We’ve fallen in love with and decided to foster the most Handsome Lop Bun. He’s absolutely gorgeous. (I think secretly, my mom wants to adopt him. she denied wanting to foster him at first too).

 

One of the other volunteers is making us two really excellent bunny houses/cages. One for our current buns, and one for the foster.

 

Only problem with the Foster bun: He bites. hard. He has a super playful personality, but if you pick him up, or pet him in the wrong place, or even trun away from him, he’ll get you. and you’ll bleed. he’s been estimated at just under to just over a year, and was neutured two weeks ago. The biting has dissipated some.

My biggest question is, when we get him home, how can I work on him with biting? Might a rabbit decoy puppet work? or..? I really want him to be able to find a loving home. Everyone, loves him, and everyone wants to pet him. But they fnd out he’s a biter and they run.

 

also, he *loves* to dig. during playtime outside at the shelter he digs big holes. Any Diggy box ideas? I’ve never made one.

 

also, how do you deal with feeling sad when the Bun gets adopted?

[Sarita]

When does he bite? Is it due to fear aggression?

[BinkyBunny]

I just posted and it got erased. Grrr. I was wondering the same thing. It sounds he can be playful and friendly?? Yet he has gotten into a habit of communicating displeasure with bites…like if you pick him up, or pet him in the wrong area— what is his “wrong” area. (I know sone bunnies don’t like their backside touched). You said he bites if you run away….so if you are moving fast away from him (actually running), or if you just pull away?

Is he territorial aggressive? Meaning, if you move stuff around in his cage?

I know, lots of questions, but this will help us figure out what his biting is really about and then we can help you help him.

Edited to add: I have had biters/and or aggressive bunnies.  Jack used to be a fear based aggressor mostly, while both Rucy and Vivian had/have more territorial bossy aggression which is how they expressed what they wanted.   it  may have started as fear earlier on before I got them as they had some rougher beginnings, and then just became part of their behavior later as it worked for them.  I approached Jack differently then I did Rucy (though there are some similarities) 

This will soon be moved to the Behavior section.

[The Rabbit]

I’ve never noticed him be territorial about his cage, but at the shelter, He plays outside whe we clean his cage. I’ve even sat inside the x-pen outside with him, and he doesn’t mind if I move his toys.

 

Yup. It’s his backside. He doesn’t like to be petted there. And, as for the other question, I meant if i turn away, or get up leave and he isn’t done with seeing you, he’ll bite. I went to see him yesterday at an adoption event at the petstore, and I sat near the x-pen and I looked away for a moment and he got my leg through the cage bars, I wanst even that close so I’m not sure how. Luckily it didn’t break the skin this time, but I do have a nice bruise.

 

They also mentioned someone had risked picking him up, and they got bit too.  he seems to love people to watch his antics, and doesn’t much like it if they stop watching, or do what *they* want, not him.

[RabbitPam]

If he’s biting hard and breaking the skin, or close to it, then when he bites you let out a high pitched squeal as if in pain. That’s the sound another bunny would make if hurt. It seems to communicate the message clearly that you have been really hurt. He may not want to go that far, and if it bothers him that he’s actually hurt you (he will think) then he may learn to pull back enough to just set his teeth. Bunnies are very good at learning, and at giving a message by setting their teeth but not actually hurting you intentionally. If he can learn to do that, you’re making progress with him.

My Samantha sets her teeth and growls, and doesn’t like certain areas of her body touched. She’s always been that way, but can be affectionate seconds later, so with patience he’ll learn he can trust you.

[LizzieKnittyBun]

RabbitPam makes a really good point. I think a lot of people underestimate bunny intelligence. He may not even realize he’s hurting you. Bunnies sometimes nip in playfulness or to make a point (that’s MINE, don’t touch that, I’m scared, or this is my territory and you’re screwing it up!).

If you squeal or cry in pain when he does it, he will likely learn that he’s actually hurting you.

Also, I believe that almost every animal can be taught with patience and time. Most bunnies that I know of don’t enjoy being picked up or held. It’s just a (sometimes frustrating) truth. If you need to handle him, wear gloves so that his biting doesn’t hurt you. He’ll then learn that biting is not the way to get results.

[jerseygirl]

It really does sound as if biting is a communication tool he likes to use and has never been taught to modify. So some work on that will certainly better his chances of adoption obviously. Didn;t you do some clicker training with your 2? Perhaps the foster bun could benefit from it.

Good for you in fostering! I hope you can update us here about this rabbit. One little piece of advice I have is do be careful after handling him then going to your pair. His scent on you may cause some upset. Also vice versa, their smell that he picks up on though he may be a little more accustomed to other rabbits scents having been in a shelter.

[Jenna, Chubs & Comet]

Chubs bit me once when I first got him home and didnt give him enough space before trying to get to know him (way before I found binkybunny). His was a fear based reaction and he has never done it since. BUT he does nip at you if he wants attention or if you pick him up and he wants down (usually he nips clothing not skin) but he once, on accident I think, got the skin. The high pitched scream worked and he has been much more careful since then. The neutering will also probably help. If it was very recent, his hormones may still be a bit haywire. Yay for adorable loppies

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