is a rabbits biting normal behavior?

[bunnytowne]

I am referring to aggresive biting lunging and such. as you know my bun when he smells another bun on me grunts lunges and leaps to bite my face from his spot on my stomache. so do they normally bite? and when I go to brush him he does the grunt bite lunge thing. I am giving him a what for on that one it just started th is month. I am bound and determined to teach him not to bite me. if I  hold him down when I let up he gets even more angrier and grunts lunges bites thing again. am I not holding him down long enuf.   when he nailed my face from my stomache the other nite I held him by the scruff and got up and then put him on his back. when I let him up from the push down do I keep holding longer n longer til he stops the behavior when I let him up? I am getting tired of it and my hubby is angry with the bun for it and wants him gone too. I finally found out why cuz hubby saw what he did the other nite and he left a mark on my face. again.    the little brown bunny is very submissive he wants that one and not the other 2. well I have to teach cotton cuz he is such a doll at any other time. if I let this behavior go it can get worse. and I love my bun bun cotton my little boooo. kissy kissy.

it started when he boxed me for being in his cage with my hand the same tiem he was in it. well this morning I didn’t let it go. he has to learn I usually don’ tput my h and in there when he is in his cage but this morning he wouldn’t come out and I wanted to go soemwhere with him so in I went. he is very funny and loving otehrwise. as he sits by me when I am at computer.

[Sarita]

Has Cotton been neutered?

[rabbitsmba]

Altering will help. Is he altered?

Other than that you must remember the things that trigger this. If it is because he smells another bunny on you, you must make every effort to make sure you don’t smell like another bunny around him. Change your top or use a lint brush to remove all stray fur. Don’t hold him against your chest if that’s where you just held another bunny. If you are lying with him on your stomach and he tends to lunge at your face, don’t do that anymore. This will prevent facial scratches and your husband from getting upset when he sees them on you.

Don’t put your hand in his cage when he is in it – rabbits can be VERY cage territorial. Wait until he isout of the cage before cleaning it.

I have a little bunny who is VERY aggressive as well and I just adapt to what she likes and doesn’t like. She is not cuddly like my other bunnies, doesn’t like people touching her, etc, so I pretty much keep my distance. I will still interact with her and shower her with love, but it’s more on her terms. Whereas with my other bunns, I can lay on the floor and snuggle and give them a treat, with her I will find her hiding in her tent, talk sweetly to her from the opening and offer her a treat from there that she will come and get. That’s just the way she is and I love her that way.

It can be a real give and take. We can teach our bunnies many things but there are also personality traits about them that we also need to respect, understand and accept. Every bunny is different.

[Sarita]

Rabbitsmba – I totally agree with you on this! Great advice.

I have an aggressive rabbit and some shy rabbits and well, I just accept them for what they are.

[bunnytowne]

yes he is neutered very very young i got him that way  and thanks for the advice. he is a great little guy and loves traveling with me so he has his strong points I can love him on the floor and such and he snatches his fav treats from my hand lol. any advice is appreciated bunny lovers

[Lion_Lop_Lover]

You know, it’s strange… I have 4 unaltered males in my apartment, 2 unaltered females, and I’m sure that at times I smell like one male or a female or whatnot, but my boys never ever lunge at me or growl. Maybe they are used to all the smells?

[Sarita]

I don’t think all rabbits are sensitive to the smell of other rabbits – there may be some more sensitive. The sanctuary I work at we many times have altered and unaltered rabbits in the same room (not together obviously) and some are fine and some are not (but that could be for many many different reasons).

At my place when I have unaltered with my altered, my rabbits don’t seem to care at all either. I wonder if it’s because they are all older rabbits.

Anyway, I don’t find that to be a problem with my rabbits either.

[Beka27]

Posted By bunnytowne on 04/17/2008 6:25 AM

yes he is neutered very very young i got him that way  and thanks for the advice. he is a great little guy and loves traveling with me so he has his strong points I can love him on the floor and such and he snatches his fav treats from my hand lol. any advice is appreciated bunny lovers

where did you get Cotton?  when you say you “got him that way”, was he from a pet store and sold as a neutered rabbit, or did you adopt him from a rescue?  the only reason why i ask is b/c other people have had experiences with pet stores telling them the rabbit is altered and they turn out not to be.  did you get a neuter certificate or vet paperwork with him?

[JK]

Beka makes a very good point.  I think that most pet shops DO NOT neuter their animals.  It’s way too expensive and they want to make the biggest profit they can. We have all heard the stories of the ones that say that they are when in fact they are not.  I think it’s worth checking out with your vet.

[Sarita]

I do know that Petco does spay/neuter if that is where you purchased him from. And I might add, it is at a very young age.

[Beka27]

purchase price would be a good indication also. the altered buns sell for about a hundred bucks or more. the vet costs money so that price is reflected in the cost of the rabbit. unaltered buns will only be 20-40 dollars. i know Cotton has been to the vet before, did he get a thorough examination when he went?

[bunnytowne]

he was a boutique bunny from pet supermarket 100.00 and he has 2 green dots in his right ear indicating a neuter 1 green in left is a spay. and a bun would have been pregnant if he wasn’t neutered I used to foster when people give me their buns cuz well too bzy got bored etc. I did 2 females and he was good with 1 of them but I didnt’ bond them  however they didnt’ fight and she was there for 1 week. and he isnt’ and hasn’t mounted anything or anybun. I don’t foster anymore had a bad experience for a poor bun and is time consuming for I want them to have equal attention and wsn’t possible. cotton being the permanent and fav. I gave that up last year. turns otu my friend ate 1 of the buns. wasn’t very happy about that. if a friend would do that when I insist she is inside and great litterbox habits and honks adn hums when you pet her  adn they said no problem then they eat her then I am not reliable for fostering. sides where I live i can’t do it. adn thats ok cuz cotton likes being the only spoilt bun in the house and hubby makes 2. I knwo what you mean tho about pet stores saying oh yes neutered. I did get the papers stating such when I got him. and yes he was quite young must poor thing. I didn’t realize was too young to alter I wasn’t a rabbit smart person at that time lol.

[Sarita]

Yep, those tattoo’s indicate he’s been altered. I’m not sure who the “distributor” of these rabbits are, I think Marshall Farms, that also does Petco’s bunnies because Petco does the same tattoo’s on their rabbits.

How old is Cotton anyway.

[Beka27]

i’m glad you have the papers. that’s great… i didn’t want to sound mean when i replied… it just sounds as if he’s bahaving like in puberty. just an idea.

[bunnytowne]

he is 1 yr 4 mos   and a tiny little thing a  lionhead   doesn’t get very big has thick thick coat of hair almost stands up unlike other lionheads I have seen whose coats lie flat except for their mane and skirt.

[Author]

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