he's nipping

[LittleBunnyBooBoo]

We have a new bunny, had him about 2-3 weeks now, He is only about 10 weeks old, just a baby. He is beautiful and loves to play, comes to his name he binkies all over the place it's great. Problem is he started nipping to get attention, and I mean undivided attention, if i am petting him and talking to someone he will nip as if to say "hey I am here and I should be put first, I am the king" I say "no" and put him in his cage right away and leave the room for a bit to teach him not to. It's not hard biting but I have two little ones and he drew blood on my 9 month old, he was licking her and she didn't respond so he bit her. I have grown to love him. What do i do?

 

[elrohwen]

I think your current technique is a very good one - since he wants attention, purposefully ignoring him when he's bad is a great idea. How long have you been doing it? Sometimes it can take quite a few repetitions for them to get it but it eventually worked with my bunny. I would also sit right outside his pen with my back turned so he understood I was there, but not paying attention to him because he hadn't acted appropriately. Then a minute later I would turn around and give him attention again.

Another option is to make a high pitched yelping sound when he does it. Animals use this sound with each other to teach bite inhibition so he might respond to it.

Finally, I find baby bunnies are just nippy sometimes. They want to taste and explore and they use their mouths because they haven't learned that people skin is very soft and sensitive. As he gets older (and gets neutered) I think he'll grow out of it if you continue with the technique you're doing or the yelping technique.

My boy did the nipping thing quite a bit when he was 10 weeks old, but he grew out of it in 2-3 weeks max and hasn't nipped ever again. Now he's so good at inhibiting his bite that he can put his teeth on my finger (when he's really annoyed that I'm petting him when he wants to be alone) without actually biting down at all. Your guy will learn too! He doesn't sound scared or mean or nervous which is great - he's just a little too excited about spending time with you.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

I concur. Some of ours used to nip, but a loud "OW" and putting them up for awhile cured it. However, rabbits will act like Rabbits.

 

[LittleBunnyBooBoo]

thanks I don't blame him he is just a baby I can't blame him any more than i blame my 9 month old when she bites me, but just as I need to teach her not to bite I need to teach him too. It's encouraging to know I am on the right tract training him he is really the most handsome lil bunny I have ever seen and so lovable I would hate if he became a biter (I wouldn't get rid of him but I also would not let him spend any time around my girls either and that would be a shame because he enjoys playing with my older daughter. he chases her around and her him and if she gets distracted he will wait for her to continue chasing. It is so cute.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Like Nancy said, the old school screeching "Eeeeeeee" works very well.

 

[Sweetie]

Another thing that you can do is when he is doing good behavior and not nipping is tel him "Good boy". Works for my male rabbit, Prince. When Sweetie nips me I put her in timeout in her cage for a bit. She gets the idea that I don't like getting nipped.

 

[PerpetualAnimalLover2011]

Thanks for this post. Tim is biting my ankles for attention (I think) when i am doing things, mostly for him (i.e. cleaning his dishes, changing the hay, etc!). I have been yelling and trying to ignore him, but he seems to know it works to get my attention!

I will try some of these other suggestions, thank you.

 

[featpete]

Aggghhhh my Waffle used to rarely nip when I got him two weeks ago. He's about 10 weeks and he's now nipping a LOT more often. It's never too hard and he's never broken skin, but it's still nerve wrecking every time he starts to sniff me. I've been doing the "AH!" every time he nips, but I'm not that loud of a screamer. Should I be loud about it? I've also tried some time out kind of stuff as well as leaving the room, but I don't think he really gets it.

How long has it taken for your rabbits to stop nipping? I feel like this is a HUGE thing for me because I'm starting to get fearful every time he wants to lick me and I'm still trying to bond with him.

 

[featpete]

Oh also, is there any way to get him to stop nipping WITHOUT having to have him nip on me in the meantime? (as in, I can teach him to stop somehow without having him nip me, and then give him a time out/yelp)

 

[jcottonl02]

Laura said it all.

Just be patient and persistant with the techniques and I'm sure you'll see results

Jen

 

[MiniLopHop]

I had a gerbil that liked to nip. I think in the past he learned if he bit he was put down (didn't end up as snake food). It worked for him in his past situation, but with me I yelped and wouldn't stop petting him until he was calm for at least 10 seconds. He learned nipping got him no where other than startled. Good luck.

 

[Sweetie]

I agree with keeping up with the techniques, being persistant is what got Prince and I through his nipping. Sweetie only does it when she is scared or in pain and I don't read her signals very well. I still tell her that I don't like being bit and put her in time out. Prince has stopped nipping me, which is really nice. Now if only I cna get him to lick me all the time. Sweetie already licks me all the time. She loves me!

 

[juliew19673]

Loved this post - my almost 3 year old bun will wake me up by nipping me if I don't wake up quickly enough! Its almost like he's saying "Hello - I'm hungry, bored, need to be cuddled"

But young buns are just like small children, they cannot make enough noise on their own so they've figured out away to get your attention - you must appreciate them for being so smart. Enjoy!

 

[jcl_24]

If you can train your bun out of nipping do.

Perhaps I should have trained Guy this way as occaisonally he will nip ankles if in the company of standing humans who are not giving him lots of attention. Most recently, he has taken to getting nippy with my Dad's new slippers - he gets put away when that happens now.

 

[kuniklos]

I have found whistling as my way of saying, "No," works well. Of course, this isn't useful if you can't whistle!