whats the deal here

[thencamebun]

iorek aka pez dispensor has developed a behavior that we are not thrilled with. he was neutered  a few weeks ago and he stopped spraying and he’s doing great with the litter box. he still comes up to you and periscopes with his eyes half opened and face tilted all the way up towards you so you can reach down take one finger and rub it up and down his nose/between his eyes area (he LOVES THAT!) but when you sit down on the floor with him he comes over to you and starts digging at your leg and then nips you! there are 3 of us that interact with him and he’s done it to all of us. no one wants to play with him anymore because of this. i have started to push him away gently when he starts the digging so he doesn’t have a chance to get his nip in. but he is very persistent and after minutes of him coming, digging, my pushing, him coming back digging, my pushing etc. etc. i just get up and walk away. i’ve also tried to put things like his willow star, wood stick, toys etc in front of him as a “here chew this” tactic. but he pulls it out of my hand and tosses it. any suggestions or tips?

[charlie82]

Nipping is a rabbits way to try and communicate something. He could be saying ‘move out of my way’ or ‘pet me’. if you let out a short screech every time he nips he should eventually learn that this isn’t pleasant for you. Alternatively you could start petting him as soon as he comes over so it doesn’t escalate to the digging/nipping. Digging is just something rabbits like to do!! he isn’t trying to be nasty or aggressive, he’s just acting like a bunny

[thencamebun]

when he comes over we have tried just sitting there waiting to see what happens and when it first started he’d hop over and we’d pet him and he’d do it too. i dont’ mind the digging, but the nipping is not cool lol. i’ll try the screeching and see how that goes. i’ll tell my daughter and my mom to do the same.

[rabbitsmba]

Nipping can also be a show of dominance. My siggestion is, the next time he nips at you, put your hand ontop of his head and push it down to the ground with a stern “No!”. Hold it there for about 5 seconds. Of course, you don’t want to hurt him or anything, but doing this motion with him will help him to understand that YOU are the dominant bunn, not him. Repeat this everytime he does it and he should learn pretty fast and stop the nipping.

As for the digging, bunnies just do that. My bunnies love my pant legs and are constantly dancing around my feet as I sit at the computer or watch tv, tugging and digging at them.

[bunnytowne]

yes all buns love to dig. mine jumps up on me digs n digs on my shirt turns around smooths it out and I have a shirt with lots of holes in it means he loves me the more holes teh better at first he would bite picking up the shirt and hit my skin and oh did it hurt I would jump cuz it hurt and say ouch real loud. finally after many months he nibbles and doesn’t nip anymore unless I am wearing a real thin shirt then of course he cna’t help but get my skin so i watch what I wear lol. I have bunny clothes and outside clothes lol. so eventually teh nips may turn to gentle nibble licks on your clothing or skin is he getting your skin or are you wearing jeans or something? it is a sign of affection and sometimes dominance my other bun would look so sad when I would go ouch when he got me and he would get ever so gentle as if to say sorry he was a wonderful little gentleman. a doll.

[thencamebun]

he does it with whatever you are wearing. jeans, cotton pj pants, dress pants etc. etc. and it’s a hard bite.

i just wanted to add that i would never get rid of him for this or any other behavior so if he doesn’t ever stop doing it he’ll still have a home. but i’d prefer it if he didn’t do it lol.

[kimberleyanddarren]

aw bunny bites suck! i would try the saying OW! loudly technique and see how that gets on, good luck keep us posted

[LittlePuffyTail]

Stormy does this sometimes. He does a lot of bratty things. My technique with him, which he totally understands is “a hand clap and a stern “NO”. Rabbits don’t like loud or sudden noises so this works well to make him stop the bratty actions.

[MimzMum]

Mimzy nips my stomach after digging at my clothes sometimes when I’m holding him. One time I turned him around and looked him in the eye and gave him a firm “No!” and he just gave me the most pitiful face you could imagine. Big, liquid eyes and almost a pout! (I felt bad, but hey, that hurts and I don’t have to put up with that.)
He still does it occasionally, I think it’s his way of telling me, “I gotta go potty….NOW!” Usually I put him back in his cage and he heads right for the litterbox and goes. I also got some of my first grunts out of him the other day for cleaning with vinegar and water in his sleeping spot without permission. 0_o
Yes, he has me well trained. >.<

[rabbitsmba]

(raises hand) I have “bunny clothes” too! Clothes I specifically wear when I know I will be laying on the couch and Fluffy will jump up and start on his “I hate cotton!” tirade, digging and chewing like a madman…….!

[RabbitPam]

Spockie would lick my feet and get more into it until he nipped. I either said Ouch or NO in a sharp voice and he’d stop immediately. Then he would gently go back to licking only. It took some time but I noticed that he had learned to just set his teeth so I felt it, but he never came close to really biting. Never broke the skin. So I guess they don’t want to hurt us, just get all worked up and can learn to control it.

I had a digging game. I saw him going back to this big pillow I had on the floor by the bed (40″ x 40″) with a slippery surface and dig at it madly. I lay down on it on the floor when he was under the bed. I would dig on the pillow with my nails. He got curious, came over, jumped over my head (sometimes after tasting or digging on my hair) and start digging the pillow next to me. He’d scratch, I’d scratch. He’d do it again, I’d do it again. It was fun. Maybe you could dig something else with Iorek together on the floor and he would dig it instead of you.

Can you dig it? (Sorry. Just had to say it.)

[Beka27]

i like pam’s idea. you can also do this with an old blanket or comforter. when i lay on the couch i always cover up with an old comforter (1: b/c i’m a freeze-baby), 2: b/c Mead loves to dig me when i lay down, so this way she dgs the balnket instead. maybe for awhile when you sit on the floor you can lay a pillow or folded blanket on your lap.

[babybunsmum]

whenever baby / pinky digs at something i don’t want them too i throw a bunny fleece blankie over their head to distract them & divert their digging skills to the blankie.  tho, when pinky digs & nips at me &my clothes she’s looking for attention from me in the form of head pets.  if she nips i exclaim “EEEeee” which startles / stops her and then offer my hand for pets & it works well too.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

HAHAH Kokanee absolutely hates when you dig next to her (I have no idea why!!) My boyfriend was trying to play with her while she was madly digging and smoothing a comforter…She growls and then if you don’t bugger off, she’ll bite you-hard!! No idea why, we just don’t dig with her!! LOL in fact if you just get down and start digging, she’ll run over and start growling at you!!

[kimberleyanddarren]

omg i wonder why that is? the only thing that annoys hopscotch is whistling, if you whistle at hime he goes and hides i dont know why that is.. our weird bunnies huh? hehe

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I bought a dog wistle as they hear the frequencies that the wistle makes…they perked their ears, but that was about it!

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