Nibbles_the_French_Lop
Member
So I was on here before when I first got my French Lop, Nibbles. I haven't been on in months or months, though. Sorry guys, I'm just not much of the forum type. But I am here, when I am, because I have issues with my rabbit, and rather than give up on him and "get rid of" him, I am trying to learn from you guys to make everything harmonious again.
So, a little background. I got Nibbles from the state fair last year in the first days September of 2009. Stupid me I was so excited I forgot to ask for his birth date, but he was a junior buck at the time so I figure he's around one year right now, maybe going on a year and a half. Earlier this year we were having a lot of issues with him humping the dog (a basset hound, the dog bred to hunt him, though she doesn't act like it) and going to the bathroom all over the carpets instead of in his litter box in his cage. Eventually I learned about spraying diluted vinegar on my carpet and that coupled with getting him neutered in January did the trick to correct the behavior.
We've also always had a slight biting problem. He's bit me a few times on accident, I think, but he bites my boyfriend every chance he gets. Nibbles comes up to us both and sniffs our feet and ankles, but he knows the difference between mom and dad because he only bites dad. I've always thought this happened because my boyfriend's always been the one who has to pick him up and put him in a box or cage or whatever for the vet and what not. (He lets me pet him, sometimes, but has never gotten close to voluntarily letting us pick him up.)
Now, Nibbles is biting me, and not on accident. He has a fresh supply of hay out all the time if he's hungry. He has chew toys out that he never uses. He has the walls and doors he likes to chew. No reason to start biting me now all of a sudden.
And now he's urinating and pooping all over the carpet. I did move his cage, but he knows where it is, and it's only a few feet away. I've cleaned up his messes and sprayed vinegar down, but it's not working. (Putting his cage back is not really an option. I don't want him to "win" and it was in an "in the way" spot.)
He's also throwing hissy fits thumping and dumping his litter box everywhere. My solution in the past, and what I've tried this time, is locking him in his cage. Nibbles has free roam of the living room, kitchen, and bathroom. His cage is always open and that's where he goes to the bathroom and eats, but he's free to run around the house all day and night. He's a big rabbit, about twelve pounds. I don't like to lock him up, especially not when everything inn bun proof or at least good enough that he won't get hurt and I won't cry over any losses. So when he starts being a real butt head, throwing tantrums or going to the bathroom on the floor and what not I lock him in his cage. I know people say not to do this with any animal because you want him to feel like the cage is a safe place, but trust me, Nibbles gets the memo that he's in time out. (I even talk to him and explain he's in trouble.)
So I lock him in his cage and depending on how much of a hissy fit he throws in the cage I leave him in there for a few hours to a day. If he calms down right away, I let him out after a few hours. If he throws fits for a while or ongoing I leave him in there for a day. Then, after he's had enough time to reflect on his actions and calmed down, I let him out. If he acts up again, I lock him up again. Then he realizes he doesn't want to get locked up so he should behave.
Well not this time. And the biting me is the biggest issue I have. It really seems like he's getting aggressive. I don't want to put up with it anymore. I want the issues resolved, including his biting my boyfriend. Although funny for a while that he only bit my boyfriend, it's not anymore. He doesn't draw blood but it still hurts. And now we're expecting a child. It wasn't planned, but we're thrilled. I'm in my fourth month, so his behavior needs to start changing soon. I don't want to have a problem bunny around my child. What do I do?
So, a little background. I got Nibbles from the state fair last year in the first days September of 2009. Stupid me I was so excited I forgot to ask for his birth date, but he was a junior buck at the time so I figure he's around one year right now, maybe going on a year and a half. Earlier this year we were having a lot of issues with him humping the dog (a basset hound, the dog bred to hunt him, though she doesn't act like it) and going to the bathroom all over the carpets instead of in his litter box in his cage. Eventually I learned about spraying diluted vinegar on my carpet and that coupled with getting him neutered in January did the trick to correct the behavior.
We've also always had a slight biting problem. He's bit me a few times on accident, I think, but he bites my boyfriend every chance he gets. Nibbles comes up to us both and sniffs our feet and ankles, but he knows the difference between mom and dad because he only bites dad. I've always thought this happened because my boyfriend's always been the one who has to pick him up and put him in a box or cage or whatever for the vet and what not. (He lets me pet him, sometimes, but has never gotten close to voluntarily letting us pick him up.)
Now, Nibbles is biting me, and not on accident. He has a fresh supply of hay out all the time if he's hungry. He has chew toys out that he never uses. He has the walls and doors he likes to chew. No reason to start biting me now all of a sudden.
And now he's urinating and pooping all over the carpet. I did move his cage, but he knows where it is, and it's only a few feet away. I've cleaned up his messes and sprayed vinegar down, but it's not working. (Putting his cage back is not really an option. I don't want him to "win" and it was in an "in the way" spot.)
He's also throwing hissy fits thumping and dumping his litter box everywhere. My solution in the past, and what I've tried this time, is locking him in his cage. Nibbles has free roam of the living room, kitchen, and bathroom. His cage is always open and that's where he goes to the bathroom and eats, but he's free to run around the house all day and night. He's a big rabbit, about twelve pounds. I don't like to lock him up, especially not when everything inn bun proof or at least good enough that he won't get hurt and I won't cry over any losses. So when he starts being a real butt head, throwing tantrums or going to the bathroom on the floor and what not I lock him in his cage. I know people say not to do this with any animal because you want him to feel like the cage is a safe place, but trust me, Nibbles gets the memo that he's in time out. (I even talk to him and explain he's in trouble.)
So I lock him in his cage and depending on how much of a hissy fit he throws in the cage I leave him in there for a few hours to a day. If he calms down right away, I let him out after a few hours. If he throws fits for a while or ongoing I leave him in there for a day. Then, after he's had enough time to reflect on his actions and calmed down, I let him out. If he acts up again, I lock him up again. Then he realizes he doesn't want to get locked up so he should behave.
Well not this time. And the biting me is the biggest issue I have. It really seems like he's getting aggressive. I don't want to put up with it anymore. I want the issues resolved, including his biting my boyfriend. Although funny for a while that he only bit my boyfriend, it's not anymore. He doesn't draw blood but it still hurts. And now we're expecting a child. It wasn't planned, but we're thrilled. I'm in my fourth month, so his behavior needs to start changing soon. I don't want to have a problem bunny around my child. What do I do?
