Need a change in this behaviour

[Andi]

it starts with……

“pet me pet me pet me”
Pet Bunny.
“pet me pet me PET ME!!!”
Pick up bunny snuggle, and pet him.
20 minutes of snuggle love…. then all of a sudden….
“BITE BITE BITE BITE! Let me go!”
Let bunny go, he runs away… 5 minutes later comes back sits at your feet…
“Pet me Pet Me Pet me!”

uummm… part cat? make up you mind dude! LOL

What’s a good way to discourage the biting? I want him to still tell us when he wants down, but not by biting.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I wouldn’t worry about the biting so much as reading your bunny….it sounds like your maybe missing a cue that he’s decided he’s had enough pets…and since you didn’t see the signal he’s now making it clearer by nipping. So instead of worrying about punishing biting, rather look to avoid it by paying *super* close attention to him while you pet for any change that might indicate he’s done. You’ll likely miss it at first and get nipped as before but if you repeat you’ll probably see some cue he’s giving you

[jerseygirl]

Is this Pitters?

Do you put him down when he bites, or wait until he stops? i.e. don’t let him think biting=getting put down.
When you’re holding him are you standing or sitting? I’m wondering if you’re sitting he’s able to come and go as he pleases then.

[Beka27]

Jersey’s on to something… if you’re sitting (maybe on a couch) and he isn’t physically restrained, he may prefer that.

[Andi]

Yup, my little Old Pitters.
My Hubby loves to snuggle him (he misses his doggy), and Pitters is very pushy with what he wants when he wants it, He’s even started nibbling toes if you don’t pet him, when he thinks you shoud be.
I’m not sure what Ryan does when this happens as it is when I am in bed sleeping. With me, I usually hold him away from me till he stops fussing some and then put him down. I try to never let him jump from me, unless I am sitting right on the floor. I don’t want him jumping off furniture with his age/size and all. Oh and he does this more with Ryan then with me. Maybe We should try time limits, 5 minutes of cuddles at a time then put him down?
I don’t want to punish him, because I know he’s just trying to communicate, he’s not really agressive.

Recently he does no other signs, it goes from teeth purring one moment to biting and scratching at your clothes. He used to try and get away first (a sign) but he’s skipped that part recentlty and goes straight to biting now.
I can see him being restrained by us at this point, b/c of our fear of him hurting himself, so maybe this is where this behaviour has now changed/escalated some. I will ask Ry how he is holding him at night, and see if we can change soemthing there.

Oh, and it’s always sitting, I can’t recall a time he did this when I was standing holding him (That’s Ani’s thing lol).

I’m going to try and get a video of him and his begging at the Fridge, you cannot open it or go into the Kitchen without him knowing and getting there to jump and beg infront of the fridge. …. He get’s so treat crazed these days he will nip at your hands if he thinks you have something, he’s bit the diamond on my ring a couple times.
Geeze, we’ve probably brought this onto our selves with to much over-loving of one little bunny LOL, I really know what “Bunny Slave” really means now.

[jerseygirl]

I will ask Ry how he is holding him at night, and see if we can change soemthing there.

Thats a good idea. If he’s holding him to his chest or across the arms, Pitters might feel secure enough initially to lap up the lovings, maybe even eyes closed. But if he then becomes aware of his surrounds he might become unsettled real fast.

[RabbitPam]

I’m astonished that he will stay as long as 20 minutes, so I agree with the idea of just putting him down well before he bites you. He probably has had enough after 10 minutes (5 is not long if he stays for it) and would rather be off, run or use the litter pan, then come back. Try it as somethign that isn’t punishment but just anticipating his need before he alerts you.

If he nips, ignore him. If he stops, then wait a few seconds of him not nipping at you, then exclaim he’s a good boy and give him pets and what he had wanted (but didn’t get from you by nipping.) Punishment doesn’t work. Ignoring does. Walking away from him doing bad behavior does. You can even, if sitting, turn your back to him. That is how a bunny says “I am done with you” when they’ve gotten mad or had enough. But it sounds like he doesn’t need to get to that point.

also, any time he nips you can let out a short, high pitched scream (just squeal really). That is how a bunny cries out in pain. He will understand that his bite hurt you. My bunnies all learned to control the strength of their nips as they got older, setting their teeth like an extra hand but not biting at all. They communicate more forcefully with their mouths if you aren’t getting the message sooner. He may be doing that, but be clumsy so far.

[jerseygirl]

*Andi gets woken by hubby’s high pitch squeals and saves him from the ferocious rabbit*

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