How many minutes a day?

[Nicole01]

I’m just curious on how many minutes a day should I be working on taming and biting behavior with Bambi? I have a bunny replacement that looks like cinnamon that I’m slowing introducing. Today he chomped into the stuffed bunny in the face and I made a screeching noise(the same as when I get bit) and he immediately let go. Then he let the stuffed bunny groom him for about a minute before he moved. I quit after that. It was nice not getting bit today. I have scars from his previous bites. These are not nips, but full blown nasty bites. They hurt! I get bit a few times, but I am learning when hes about to strike. He lunges before he bites. Would it be a good idea to eventually put the stuffed bunny in cinnamon’s cage to get his scent on it? I’d like it for those to be friends if possible. Next week is their month mark of both being neurted.

Bambi is letting me pet him inside his home for a few seconds on the head closing his eyes before walking away! This is a big step. I do this several times a day, then he gets a treat.

I have to get my middle child to earn his trust by giving him treats. He bites her too. Bambi does not bite my 10 year old(Bambi is hers). I think part of this is fear. I can see Bambi shake at first. Once he’s in my arms he melts in my arms and falls asleep. Bambi is making progress. I spend quite a bit of time with him daily, then cinnamon gets his turn after.

I take Bambi out of his home when I clean it out. He has 2 levels and he’s shedding. If I’m just cleaning his litter box, I will leave him in there. Sometimes he will poop outside his litter box, but not often. He’s doing very well with litter training.

Thank you!

[tanlover14]

I’m a little confused – you’re using the stuffed bunny to get him to not bite you?

Some things you can try for him biting you are:
– Shriek loudly which it sounds like you have been doing and turn your back on him. Aka. Shun him.
– When he bites, push his head down towards the floor. Not hard but it tells him you’re the boss and head of the house.

If you’re looking to get your other rabbits scent on the stuffed animal to help get him used to his scent then that’s a great idea. One of the great things about a stuffed animal having it’s scent is that the aggressive behaviors the rabbit experiences when he smells the scent in his territory is he can take his anger out on the stuffed animal rather than the other rabbit. So let him attack, bite, lunge, growl at that stuffed animal all he wants with the others scent! The theory is he will take the aggression out on the stuffed animal and slowly become used to the scent in his area so when you finally introduce he hopefully won’t experience such aggressive anger about the the other rabbit because he will be used to his scent.

[Nicole01]

Thank you for your reply. The stuffed bunny is to get him to interact with our other bunny. I won’t let them together since Bambi is aggressive. I just got Bambi 2 months ago, had him fixed a month ago. Our other bun has been with us for over a year and is very gentle, sweet and loves to be pet, the polar opposite of Bambi. The two bunnies came from very different environments. Bambi was in a tiny wire cage with wire bottom and living in a very hot shed. He lunges, bites very very hard and I do think he’s afraid.

I emailed a rescue group for help and they directed me to this site, which everyone is extremely helpful. Someone suggested the hand puppet bunny, so I could introduce Bambi to cinnamon without issue. They can see each other, but are in different xl dog kennels with 2 levels. Both buns get play time, but separate. I’d like to have play time together if possible. They both live inside our home.

Every time Bambi lunges at me, I put his head down like you said. I had no clue I was doing the right thing and I am so glad it is.

I don’t have experience with rabbits, but I’m learning. I read somewhere that it’s not uncommon to get aggressive rabbits and its most likely able to tame.

[tanlover14]

I have three rabbits that were VERY prone to biting when I first got them. With a lot of work only one of them now bites and only when he gets really stressed and upset. Aka, if I pick him up and handle him it really stresses him out.

In regards to the stuffed bunny – keep doing that with the stuffed animal and switching it back and forth but let him take his aggression out on the stuffed animal. It will help get rid of some of the aggression with the other bunnies scent.

The number one thing is to be slow, gentle, and calm with him. Push his head down but don’t raise your voice or yell. He may just be frightened by quick movements (one of mine will lunge and growl if you move too quickly). Be slow around him and let him come to you for attention. Sit down in his area with a book or your computer and just ignore him. Maybe put a bunch of treats following up to you. Anything to help positively reinforce him coming up to you. He acknowledges you, give him a bite of treat. Teach him that you=something good like a treat. Negative reinforcement and punishment doesn’t work with rabbits so help to encourage any positive behaviors he may have. If he approaches you without lunging, give him praise and a treat, etc. He really just sounds like he doesn’t trust you or your movements yet. There’s typically always a reason a rabbit bites – whether it be nervous reaction or fear. So be patient and calm with him!

[Author]

Messages