Behavior question- I am at my wits end here...

[CKGS]

I don't understand totally what is going on here...I have had Abby a couple of months now and have never been bitten or hurt by her other than scratching me when she wants down and when she wants down-that means now. She did become ver territorial over her cage for awhile there but that has also calmed down massively. I love Abby! I adore all her little mannerisms and her fun loving personality. Honestly nothing makes me relax or laugh more than seeing her happy to be alive.

I bought a male lionhead a month or two ago because I love her so much, thinking he would be at least somewhat like her but he ended up being very shy from lack of socialization and would bite out of fear. I understood this behavior as dogs are the same way when fearful. I just placed him with someone who would understand his needs.

Now I get this lil white fluffball who is as gorgeous as the day is long but have found over the past couple of days that he is extremely untrustworthy. He acts fine when being held but will bite without any warning. He lunged at my son a few minutes ago when he put his hand down to pet him. I stepped in between quickly and he grabbed my pants' leg instead. He has lightning quick reflexes and I am unsure when his 'moods' will happen. sometimes he seems very scared as he will shake and cower in the corner. At other times he will come to the front of his cage and seem unafraid.

I hate to say this but I may contact his old owner and see if she would be willing to take him back as I cannot have this behavior around my children especially with my youngest son who is having enough problems without getting bitten by a rabbit.

I am quite unsure as to what the problem could be and am at a loss. I talk to him softly and make no threatening gestures as I have always made sure to watch my body language around new animals in particular. My son was sitting by him on the floor and reached over to pet him when he attempted to bite today. My son cried and doesn't understand why the new bun doesn't like him. Thank god Tony was ready and willing to comfort him.. (I love that big guy).

My first ever rabbit (years ago) was a holland lop and he hadn't been held at all apparently when we got him but he tamed right down and was a wonderful lil guy. I don't understand this huge difference in the lionheads... with the exception of Abby.

I hate to rehome this guy and not know what has happened with him or to him. My vet said maybe my household is too loud for him. He lived with a adult couple before and has never been around kids. Could this honestly be causing this behavior? :?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Bunny is pretty shaken up.. totally new environment, with weird tiny versions of humans. Hostile smells and glances from other buns, and this weird hand reaching towards him...

ON pure speculation, perhaps this bun thinks of your child as a predator? His body size and hand size would be far smaller than the adult sizes he is used to.

Personally, I think young kids also smell a bit different than grown ups. THeir voices are also comparatively shrill, which may be grating on bunny nerves. How loud is your home? Running around, shouting, having a good time? Sound of fishtanks burbling?

How does the rabbit react when at a height above the child?

Spayed/neutered?

I would keep him & your kiddo separated for the time being. Likely, the rabbit is pretty overwhelmed just by the settling in period... maybe a high-strung animal.

Have you been bit yet? What were you doing when you got bit?

(Need to figure out what's triggering it in order to stop.. not saying you're bad or anything crazy like that )


Hopefully someone with children who's experienced a similar scenario will join the convo soon

 

[CKGS]

He bit my arm the other night when I reached in to get his food bowl. I had just petted him and then reached past him and he nailed me. He did break skin and am sure he would have today also had he connected with my son instead of my jeans...
I have 3 boys who at times can be very rowdy, running and playing. I have a 7 month old baby who has learned to 'squeal' loudly. These are the things that I've noticed make him jump. When I say jump I mean hit his head against the top of the cage. I live in a home with my children, my elderly parents, and my elderly grandmother who is sickly. I help care for her. The buns can't be kept upstairs as my father has asthma and allergies extremely bad and can't be near them. We(my kiddos, myself, and fiance) live in the basement with the buns. We have 3 bedrooms down here. One for me, my fiance, and the baby. One for the 2 younger boys, and a small room for the oldest as he prefers to be alone now. What I am trying to explain with this is that I don't have any options of where to keep him and there is no place where there are not children. He would always be around them. I can't stop that.
He definetly is a flighty lil fellow but more so during the day when the children are awake. He lets me hold him at night and pet him. That is when he gets his run time. I can hardly do it during the day with the kiddos all up and him being so strange then. I don't trust him to leave him out near the kids. His bite hurt. I have a butterfly bandage on it to help keep it closed.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Hmmm...

Well, if he's jumping high enough around kids to smack his head, and there's no where without kids to keep him, I think rehoming would be a good idea.

He sounds stressed out to the absolute max... poor guy. There's very few rabbits that I've met so far that are perfectly chill with high volume noise and constant little person attention. Guess you are very lucky to have two such bunnies.

You could give it a few weeks to adjust, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's ultimately uncomfortable at your place... just simply too dissimilar from his old home.

I'm not trying to discourage you... but you do need to be able to provide him with a calm environment to adjust in (which you don't have at this time). I don't personally feel he can successfully transition without that security.

Would your oldest boy (how old)be able to keep him in his room, door shut?

 

[CKGS]

If his allergies would permit that would be great but he can't hold the buns hardly at all even though he'd love to and the longer hair tends to bother him even more. He does well as long as he doesn't have too much contact all the time. I don't think he could sleep in the same room with one. He has to use an inhaler after playing with Abby but wouldn't have it any other way. He would love having this guy in his room and even suggested that himself but I think this would end up putting us back at square one in regards to his allergies....
I feel horrible.... I hate to rehome this guy. He haa been passed around alot and he is so beautiful and so young. I miss Binx xo much... He was the gentlest soul.

 

[SweetSassy]

I'm sorry Janet that your having trouble with your new bunny. I would definately give him - (the bunny) some down time, alone for awhile. Or you could rehome him. He needs to get use to a different environment. May take a couple weeks of you just giving him space to get use to sounds and smells. ray:



Keep us updated......April






edit: I wonder if he was like that and the last owners didn't tell you. Hhmm

 

[CKGS]

I have wondered that myself April. I don't know. I sure hope not. I think that's pretty low to send any animal home with someone who has kids, that bites.

 

[Maureen Las]

Is he neutered?

 

[CKGS]

No. The past owner didn't ever have it done and I haven't had him that long. I left a message for his past owner and they haven't answered it yet, if they do. She seemed to love him but never had time for him. I thought maybe she could lend some insight. I have noticed too that his back legs shake alot when the kids are anywhere within range of his line of vision. I hate this. I feel terrible for him. Of all the pets I've had in my life I do believe I feel more pity for him than any of the others. Abby and Tony are both bold animals and noise doesn't seem to bother either of them in anyway. Tony stands up on the kids legs and stretches out while looking at them as if to say, "What are you guys doing?" Abby will jump over them and run across them all day.
When it is just us- me and him-he is much more relaxed. He lets me pet him but does tend to jump at the slightest sound. My daughter woke up for a second last night during his free time and he jumped.

 

[Maureen Las]

Neutering will often help a rabbit stop biting if it is hormonal biting behavior.

I had a rabbit that began to bite me so bad (after he began to develop) that I wore gloves, long sleeves, socks and long pants to deal with him,

it was hormonal behavior and when he was neutered it stopped completely.

In your case I do think that it is situational, dispositional and hormonal.

I would have to agree that if you don't have a quiet area for him that your home may not be the best one for him.

Then again you have to think about what you will do with him if you give him up; in time he could calm down some with your family ( and with neutering)

I would give it a little time and try to think out some spot that would be quieter

(how about about your bedroom?)

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Here's a semi-wretched idea, depending on how you look at it...

(if your bedroom doesn't work)

What about the bathroom? No one hangs out in the bathroom for very long...

How long have you had him with you? Days, weeks?


Maybe your closet in your bedroom, where no kids go?

 

[paul2641]

I really don't want to see him leave RO I love the little guy maybe get rid of the kids! How about you just tell your children off limits! And then after him getting used to you for a few weeks introduce them to the little guy. Oh and who were you talking about when they wanted to keep this guy in there room? Your father?

 

[CKGS]

I can't have him in a bathroom either as both of those are upstairs. Honestly I can't see a way around rehoming him. It isn't fair nor can it be healthy for him to be so stressed all the time. I have alot coming up to deal with pertaining to my sons' problems and lord knows that is going to be rough enough without adding worries about something else in the mix, re: taming down this guy....Sigh... I just don't know what else to do. I don't know how to go about finding a home for him that will fit his needs. I do know that he loves cats and has been around other rabbits before here even and has supposedly been good with them also. He hasn't been around Abby and Tony here. He is kept in seperate room from them.

 

[CKGS]

My son wanted to keep him in his room but he has pretty severe allergies so that can't be done. My kiddos haven't handled him and don't hold him. He has only had them pet him a few times under my supervision so the hands off thing is pretty much already enforced. there isn't a room here that my children aren't allowed in. With 4 kids it is nearly impossible.

 

[Maureen Las]

You could take his pic (maybe it's posted elsewhere ) post it and describe the situation in the rescue section of the forum
Ihave 8 rabbits...many of which were considered not very adoptable by my shelter ; many rabbit lovers will take a rabbit like this ;I would if i didn't have 8 but the inn is full.
Ipersonally would take a rabbit like that in a heartbeat but I do understand with children that it isn't a good situation...

if you describe everything as you have described it here in the rescue section it's very possible that someone from the forum will want him..poor thing

 

[Flashy]

This is such a sad situation. He reminds me of my Roger who with intensive time and effort I was able to bring around, and also my Cloud who was neutered and it changed him completely.

If you were in the UK I'd have him in a heartbeat and work with him closely.

It might be that bonding him with a very confident rabbit might help him, and I agree a neuter would too.

I just feel so very sorry for him Poor, poor bunny.

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

ahhhh i am so sorry this rabbit sounds just like my Charger, that is where he got his name from too , i am hoping that it subsides after i take his manly parts away,lol. I have four kids, one of which is 8 months old,lol. hope things get better or you are able to rehome him.