My rabbit is nasty.

[Shael Utah]

I have two rabbits, one girl (Carrots) and a boy (Nibbles) 

There both about 5 months old. I’m having problems with the male.

At first i thought they were both males (cos that’s what pets4home sold them to me as) so they were together.

But nibbles kepts raping carrots, and she did not like it at all. When i took them to the vet, they confirmed that carrots was a female. So now there split up. (Iv’e split there play pen it two)

Now nibbles…

-Bites me if i don’t drop his nuggets straight away

-Constantly thumps his feet

-tries to fight and mount carrots constantly

-drinks carrot’s urine

-hates being handled, he will just bite me if i try to handle him. I had to try to give him antibiotics once. it was impossible.

There is just literally nothing to like about him. And he clearly doesn’t like me at all, Seems like he thinks i’m just something that feeds him when he needs it.

Carrots on the other hand is a lovely bunny. I felt really bad that i kept her in the same run as the male for so long.

Any thoughts on what i should do?

[radiatorbunny12]

Are they both spayed/neutered? Neutering the boy will probably help the aggression, and spaying the girl will massively reduce her risk of cancer. Also once the have both been spayed/neutered for a month or so bonding will probably be easier.

I’d say that’s the first port of call. I would try to stroke nibbles on the head (whilst wearing a thick gardening glove or something since he bites) so that he gets used to being touched and will see that it’s enjoyable. Possibly giving him a nugget or two whilst stroking/massaging his head might also help him to associate touching as a good thing. Keep at this until he isn’t aggressive about you touching him, and then you can work on handling him. Drinking her urine isn’t much of a problem, although you should probably try to clean up her urine quite quickly. Are they both litter trained? 

[12345ABCDE]

Posted By Shael Utah on 2/07/2017 12:09 PM

I have two rabbits, one girl (Carrots) and a boy (Nibbles) 

There both about 5 months old. I’m having problems with the male.

At first i thought they were both males (cos that’s what pets4home sold them to me as) so they were together.

But nibbles kepts raping carrots, and she did not like it at all. When i took them to the vet, they confirmed that carrots was a female. So now there split up. (Iv’e split there play pen it two)

Now nibbles…

-Bites me if i don’t drop his nuggets straight away

-Constantly thumps his feet

-tries to fight and mount carrots constantly

-drinks carrot’s urine

-hates being handled, he will just bite me if i try to handle him. I had to try to give him antibiotics once. it was impossible.

There is just literally nothing to like about him. And he clearly doesn’t like me at all, Seems like he thinks i’m just something that feeds him when he needs it.

Carrots on the other hand is a lovely bunny. I felt really bad that i kept her in the same run as the male for so long.

Any thoughts on what i should do?

Wow, okay firstly at 5 months old, your bunnies are full of hormones and the need to mate is top priority. The two of them may also be feeling territorial, hence the desire to fight. You need to make sure your bunnies are unable to touch each other. They can fight and mate through bars so you need to make sure that there is a significant gap between both pens.

Secondly, most rabbits dislike being handled. That does not mean your rabbit is nasty. It’s the way it is. Yes it makes some tasks difficult  (clipping claws, giving medicine etc) but a bunny that doesn’t want picking up is normal. Some will learn to tolerate it. But it takes time. Even if your boy was happy to be handled before, his hormones can essentially ‘change’ him for the time being. 

Thirdly, rabbits can thump for several reasons. You’ve got to realise that buns cannot use vocal sounds so they need other ways to communicate. Thumping is one of those ways. 

Drinking urine of the other bunny is a little odd. If you’ve separated them,  how is he doing this?

[Bam]

First of all, buns can mate through cage bars, so you should have at least an inch between their cages.

Second: I agree with Forgot and Sarah. Nibbles is probably very sexually frustrated right now. Boys become sexually mature sooner than girls. Are you planning to have them spayed and neutered? I think that would make a world of difference for the three of you.

I don’t think Nibbles dislikes you -but he’s a teenage boy right now and you’re his parent. From his point of view you’ve “stolen” his girl and you’re treating him like a baby.

Adult buns as a rule really hates being picked up. It makes them feel extremely vulnerable.

[Krista]

May want to make sure carrots isn’t pregnant… If they have been trying to breed he may have already gotten her pregnant. The others have already covered that your issues will be fixed once your rabbits are. All of the behavior you aren’t liking is hormonal mostly. Rabbits thump when they’re unhappy or displeased so Nibbles is probably upset that he can’t have babies with Carrots.

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