Hi everyone!

[Nessa1487]

Hi everyone! My name is Vanessa. My husband and myself just recently bought a lop ear rabbit. He's a 10 week old, blue, buck. He's a sweet little bunny,for the most part. lol

I do have a few questions. We've had him for almost 3 weeks. He's very comfortable in the house. The main issue I have is he likes to chew, on me and my husband. It's more than a nibble, he bites pretty hard. How do I stop him from chewing on us?
Another question is, just today he started making a kind of..grunting like noise, not really a loud grunt, but a very quiet one when he hops. He's never done that before. He still binkies, and he still plays like nothing is wrong. Should I be concerned?

~Nessa

 

[TinysMom]

I would guess that the grunting noise is his way of "talking" as several of my rabbits do this. Some like to do it when they eat - some like to do it when they groom - some just like to do it. Some of my other rabbits are just quiet. I'd say he's probably feeling comfortable and so now he's talking to himself (maybe memorizing his route?).

As far as the biting - I would say NO! in a LOUD voice and withdraw your hand or whatever he bites. I have been known to lightly <VERY LIGHTLY> tap a biting rabbit on the nose and say "NO" loudly - but that was only after lots of warnings and trying to work with them. I don't recommend it as a first step. Another option might be to keep a small spray bottle or gun near you (very small one - no super soakers here!) and say "NO" and lightly spray the rabbit on top of the head or something...enough to help him associate the fact that a bite brings actions he doesn't like.

Good luck with your bunny. As a breeder, I have several rabbits right now at that age and they are so much fun.....enjoy it!

Peg

P.S. You didn't say if your rabbit is a Holland Lop, Mini Lop, French Lop or English Lop (or some other kind). Do you know what kind he is or how big he'll get? Also - what is his name?

WE LOVE PICTURES TOO - feel free to start a "bunny blog" in our blog area of the forum to have your own thread of his pictures and stories!


EDITED to add: WHOOPS - WELCOME TO OUR FORUM! WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE!!!!

:groupparty:

 

[Nessa1487]

From what I've read, I think he is a Holland lop...and if the webpage was correct, he'll be about 4 pounds? His name is Skippy. Thanks for the advice! I greatly appreciate it. ^_^

I hope to get better pictures soon. But,that's Skippy! ^_^

 

[bunnydude]

:helloand :welcometo Rabbits Only

 

[Pipp]

Awwwwww!!! He SO cute!!

My bunny chews on me all the time too, but that's my fault. She's a little dwarf and they love to dig and chew... and dig and chew and dig and chew and dig and chew and...

I just bought a 'throw' I keep my lap and she digs that. (Heh!)

(If you do that, best if its a natural fiber, though, in case he eats some of it).

Pippalso likes giving me a manicure, and that can get a bit rough when she gets into it. But she responds well to a gentle 'no!'.... for awhile.:rollseyes:

I've got her lots of toys and sticks to keep her occupied. Her fav is the toilet paper roll stuffed with hay. A cardboard box is heaven. People build forts out of pop can cartons, they seem to be a big hit.

If he's a chewer, check out some of the threads on 'bunnyproofing.'

And hey,:welcome welcome to the forum!

SAS:wave:and PIPP :brownbunny

 

[TinysMom]

Nessa1487 wrote:

From what I've read, I think he is a Holland lop...and if the webpage was correct, he'll be about 4 pounds? His name is Skippy. Thanks for the advice! I greatly appreciate it. ^_^

Oh how cute.....we currently have a little black lop ... and we have a Holland Lop named "Puck" from Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream". Puck fits his name as an instigator so well...

Anyway - welcome to the forum - that weight sounds about right...

Peg

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Welcome to the forum Nessa1487! :welcome



Pipp wrote:

If he's a chewer, check out some of the threads on 'bunnyproofing.'

Check out the many linksthat are PINNED here.... http://rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=3

Rainbows!

 

[nose_twitch]

My rabbit will grunt when he's happy and hopping around. I just love it.

Your bunny does look like a Holland lop...so cute!!

Welcome!

 

[rabbitgirl]

Nessa1487 wrote:

Hi everyone! My name is Vanessa. My husband and myself just recently bought a lop ear rabbit. He's a 10 week old, blue, buck. He's a sweet little bunny,for the most part. lol

I do have a few questions. We've had him for almost 3 weeks. He's very comfortable in the house. The main issue I have is he likes to chew, on me and my husband. It's more than a nibble, he bites pretty hard. How do I stop him from chewing on us?
Another question is, just today he started making a kind of..grunting like noise, not really a loud grunt, but a very quiet one when he hops. He's never done that before. He still binkies, and he still plays like nothing is wrong. Should I be concerned?

~Nessa

Hi and welcome,

The chomping is something I also noticed when mine were somewhere between--roughly--3 and 4 months old. Does yours also dig at your shirt, especially right before biting? Babies and teens bite out of curiosity and testing the limits. They do grow out of it, almost always. My 2 yr old (see avatar pic) liked to chew on me at that age, but rarely a nip now. When he hit puberty he started chinning and spraying instead! (lovely, isn't it!) One way to discipline that works for me is to put a hand over his head and gently push it to the ground, saying NO in a low voice. Hold it there for a second to showhim he has to submit, then let him up and distract him with somethign else to chew.

The grunt is most likely just him talking to himself. Bucks are very prone to this, but usually after puberty--which brings me to the second possibility, since yours probably hasn't hit it yet. One of my Hollands, a doe, gets asthma attacks from time to time and it ranges from soft grunts to wheezes. Listen to his lungs to see if he's breathing smoothly, especially after running--if all sounds normal, it's just "talking". I wouldn't worry too much about that second possibility, it's just something to rule out.

Good luck--he sounds fine!

Rose

 

[Nessa1487]

Yep,He scratches and then bites. He chins things a lot too. I'm having an issue with him, and my husband. lol He's jealous of my husband I think. If I even say My husbands name he'll bite at me. He bites at Nate(My husband) a lot, and he chins everything that Nate owns. He throws fits when Nate comes home. I think honestly once Nate sits down and plays with him, he'll stop. But, Nate doesn't have much time because he works 55 hours a week. So, it's been a slight issue.

But, no, he doesn't spray things yet..thank God for that. lol

 

[rabbitgirl]

Sounds like classic puberty. The little monster will go away soon.It's odd, though, that he seems to have hit it so early: how sure are you of his age? Have his testicles descended? His behavior with you is definitely jealousy (my buck is horribly jealous!). Bub will also chin anything that smells like another male, whether horse, rabbit, or human.

The spraying often starts a bit later, but it seems that smaller breeds are less likely offenders than big ones like my Palominos! You might get lucky, but with an indoor bun--I'd think about getting him neutered and not take the chance of him nailing your carpeting.Mine is not because he's breeding stock, and he's super high-maintenance and OBNOXIOUS!

Rose

 

[Nessa1487]

rabbitgirl wrote:

Sounds like classic puberty. The little monster will go away soon.It's odd, though, that he seems to have hit it so early: how sure are you of his age? Have his testicles descended? His behavior with you is definitely jealousy (my buck is horribly jealous!). Bub will also chin anything that smells like another male, whether horse, rabbit, or human.

The spraying often starts a bit later, but it seems that smaller breeds are less likely offenders than big ones like my Palominos! You might get lucky, but with an indoor bun--I'd think about getting him neutered and not take the chance of him nailing your carpeting.Mine is not because he's breeding stock, and he's super high-maintenance and OBNOXIOUS!

Rose

The owner of the pet shop we bought him from said he was 8 weeks when we bought him, and we've had him going on 3 weeks..so,he's 10 weeks now. I haven't noticed his testicles dropping yet. I called the vet and asked about getting him neutered, she said I had to wait until he was about 16-18 weeks old, and then I'd have to bring him in to have him checked.

But, yeah. Seeing as I'm renting an apartment? He's definetly getting neutered as soon as he is old enough. lol

I think, because Skippy is such a smart animal..(like all animals..) he's linking the fact that everytime Nate comes home, we go to bed, and I don't play with skippy. When Nate's home, we run errands, and I make sure to feed him on time, and when I get home I let him out of his cage to play. But, I think he's realizing when Nate's home, I'm not around him as much, and Skippy gets jealous.

 

[rabbitgirl]

Nessa1487 wrote:

I think, because Skippy is such a smart animal..(like all animals..) he's linking the fact that everytime Nate comes home, we go to bed, and I don't play with skippy. When Nate's home, we run errands, and I make sure to feed him on time, and when I get home I let him out of his cage to play. But, I think he's realizing when Nate's home, I'm not around him as much, and Skippy gets jealous.

Could be, and also don't underestimate Skippy's ability to tell the difference between male and female: specifically "his girl" and "THAT GUY".I've found that often opposite-sex pets work well--for example, I have a male horse too. The little extra attraction/flirtation instincts can work for you when it comes to bonding.

Rose

P.S. not that I don't have and love female critters too, but I've noticed that those crazy malehormones can really come in handy when you want them to pay attention to you!