Typical hormonal behavior?

[Manda and Loki]

So i’m not entirely sure how old Loki is being that I got him from a pet store and they gave me no information. He went to this vet this week and she couldn’t give me an exact answer other than he’ll be ready to be fixed soon. although she didn’t tell me HOW soon. anyways, Loki has been quite destructive lately. 

He is chewing and digging on my carpet so badly. he will not stop. I just made him a little home out of a box and threw some stuff in there that he can shred up. Let’s hope that works. Instead, he is just digging all around it. I even put some ceramic tiles down where he really likes to chew.. and he started chewing the tiles.   He will chew on my clothes, either the ones on my floor, or the ones that I am wearing, my mirror, anything. Literally anything. But mainly the digging has gotten so bad. He’s very smart i’ll tell you that. he has realized that my closet door opens, and if I don’t let him in, he digs in front of the door, and headbutts my door until I let him in. 

He also seems to be nibbling me more as well. it’s not a bite. but it does worry me that maybe he isn’t liking ME very much. When I try and pet him, he shakes his head around and bounces away from me.. So I know he isn’t scared.

so what I am wondering is, is this typical hormonal behavior? my vet said I could give her a call back if he starts to get destructive. but she wasn’t entirely sure if he was ready for surgery or not. 

[Tessie]

The digging and chewing all sounds hormonal.

Have you tried squeaking when he nibbles you? This will let him know it’s hurting you and he shouldn’t do it.

When mine aren’t in the mood for petting they just run away from my hands

[Megabunny]

Looks like you’re thinking he’s less than 3 months old, according to his bio so I don’t know if it would be hormones or being a destructo bunny.

[Manda and Loki]

that was just a guess me and the vet made. since we don’t know exactly. and she couldn’t tell me exactly how old he is either. she said to come back in in April and we’d see if he was ready to be fixed, but If he gets really destructive or starts spraying, to give her a call

[Megabunny]

Ohhh Well, is he pooping outside the box a lot? I suppose that’s a given at this age. Hard to remember as mine is a whopping (almost) 2 years old.You’re probably wise not to rush into getting him neutered too early. Good luck with that carpet digger!!

[Patrick]

Posted By Tessie on 1/29/2015 11:50 AM

The digging and chewing all sounds hormonal.

Have you tried squeaking when he nibbles you? This will let him know it’s hurting you and he shouldn’t do it.

When mine aren’t in the mood for petting they just run away from my hands

I tried the squeaking thing, it doesn’t really work, he digs deeper for the drawing blood effect. 

[Manda and Loki]

yeah he’s pretty bad with the digging.  I usually just say “ow” when he nibbles on me and move away a little and he backs right off. I feel like with him, it’s just his way of telling me “get out of my way!” when he digs, he knows it’s bad. I’ll look at him and just say “Loki, no” and he’ll stare back at me.. and as soon as I turn my head.. he starts doing it again. sassy bun.

Loki is weird, when he’s eating, laying down, or on my bed, he is fine with me petting him whenever. he seems to really enjoy it. but when he’s moving around on the floor.. he wants no part of me.. he can even walk up to me, and when I put my hand out he walks away like “no mom.”

[Manda and Loki]

no actually he is great with his litter box! he never pees or poops outside of his cage. he’ll occasionally leave some extra poops around his cage and not his litter box.. but he never goes out of his cage. he did all the time the first week I had him, but I imagine he was just scared and unsure of his surroundings. because If I do come at him too quick.. he will poop or dribble a little but that’s it.

but yeah his digging is insane. I just bought him some new toys, got some phonebooks for him to shred, made him a little house out of a box and put some stuff in there for him to dig and shred, yet he still prefers my carpet.  I’m assuming he’s just teething. right now he’s chewing on his log hideout. he woke me up at 5 am doing the same thing.  

[Megabunny]

Careful They never stop teething ha ha

[LittlePuffyTail]

Yup, sounds like the “terrible teens”. Some of these behaviors are reduced with neutering. Most bunnies decrease their destructive behaviors as they age. Both my male and female are pretty mellow now they are 7 and have been for some time.

[Beka27]

Males can be neutered as soon as the testicles descend… This is between 3-4 months usually. Once you see those things, I’d get him scheduled asap! No reason to wait until April if the surgery can be done much sooner.

[Kyrkogrimr]

Like Patrick, my Unholy Terror doesn’t respond to squeaking, if anything it provokes more of the same :/ I just firmly tell him no and move him away; he seems to respond better to “mum isn’t having this BS” than to any kind of “Ow! You hurt me!” He doesn’t respond well to anything my bf does.

For the digging, mine weren’t interested in boxes of paper, but I tucked a few sheets under the edge of the pen to keep it in place while they dig, and both my boys have gone ballistic for it. Any approach towards or disengagement from the approved digging spot must take place in the form of a binky, the higher the better. No exceptions, no excuses. You might want to see if there’s something you can use to hold down their digging materials and see if that helps?
Also, I love Loki’s name, I’m big on mythology, bordering on the obsessive Perhaps he’s just trying to live up to his namesake? Those are some pretty big shoes to fill

[Manda and Loki]

see… what happened is when I brought him to the vet, I didn’t know if I had a male or female. when she went to check, you could clearly see where his testicles are. he’s just got a crap load of hair, and he was freaking out, so she didn’t wanna go crazy and mess with him. but she said when they get nervous, they can kind of “bring in” their private parts when they’re scared, and apparently Loki was doing that. So she said because of not really being able to get a good look, she wanted me to come in April to get a better look hopefully when he’s more developed.

She wanted me to come even later but I picked the soonest date she had said. But by everyone’s replies.. I don’t know if it’s a mistake to wait! thankfully he’s behavior has improved. I got him many more toys, made him a dig box, all kinds of things and he hasn’t dug the carpet or chewed on it in a good week. Now he’s moved onto chewing my textbook while i’m doing my school work. 

other than that, he’s been a very good boy thankfully!

[Manda and Loki]

like I had said to Beka27, thankfully Loki’s behavior has really improved in the last week!

I got him a hay ball, couple cat ones with bells inside, couple of phone books, made him a digging house made out of a cardboard box and threw all kinds of stuff in there, and just other random things

He also has really been enjoying his log that I got him when we first brought Loki home. He never really cared for it, but i’m thinking now that he’s really filed it down.. he’s getting a taste for it. Which is good because that log is really good for his teeth. 

He hasn’t dug on the carpet or tried chewing on anything around my room lately. He’s moved onto chewing my textbooks and binders when i’m trying to get some school work done!

although what happened last time was I told the vet how good he is and then days later he started acting up!  so let’s hope i’m not jinxing myself!

and hahaha thank you! I couldn’t just give him a baby name even though he is absolutely adorable. he’s got a big ole mane and he needed a name like Loki! But that could be so!

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