How should I punish biting?

[Lulubooboo]

Hey everyone, I have a kind of weird question today.
Lulu still occasionally rushes me for no reason and bites rarely. But when I hold her head down, to tell her that's not ok, she starts grinding her teeth, and not struggling. I guess it makes her happy? If I was doing anything that hurt her, she'd tell sure tell me. She's a little drama queen.
I was just curious if anyone else has experienced this, and what you've done. I'm running out of options, and don't want to make her hate me, or fear me.
She's been spayed, and she's going to be 2 years next month if that's helpful information.

 

[Hermelin]

Myself never punished my bunnies when they have bitten me, I just learned what was the cause and learned my bunnies that biting me wouldn't let them get away while I rewarded the good behaviors. Are you sure it's biting and not nipping you?

 

[Sam_]

push her nose to the ground with your finger and sternly say NO.
Brownie started biting a few months ago when he was about 2 years old and this worked.

(like trying to draw blood, not nipping)

 

[Lulubooboo]

Yes, it's biting, she draws blood. I can't figure out what she'd be scared of. Usually, she's just sitting in my lap happy as can be, able to jump down if she pleases, and she'll suddenly turn around and grunt or bite me.

 

[Lulubooboo]

push her nose to the ground with your finger and sternly say NO.
Brownie started biting a few months ago when he was about 2 years old and this worked.

(like trying to draw blood, not nipping)

I've been holding her nose down and saying, " No, Lulu " and she was just grinding her little teeth away, content as can be.

 

[Blue eyes]

Just push and hold for several seconds. No more. Then turn your back on her in an obvious way and do not look back at her (rabbit-speak for being offended).

 

[Lulubooboo]

Just push and hold for several seconds. No more. Then turn your back on her in an obvious way and do not look back at her (rabbit-speak for being offended).

Ok, I'll try next time. When she lunges at me should I do this too?

 

[Blue eyes]

Probably, but it might depend on the context. What is happening that is making her lunge? Is it just cage aggression or something else?

 

[Lulubooboo]

Probably, but it might depend on the context. What is happening that is making her lunge? Is it just cage aggression or something else?

Shes actually not over CAGE territorial, but she's trying to claim everything that she can crawl under, chairs, low tables, beds, all that. When she's out in the open she's usually fine.
When she lunges at me, sometimes it because I'm going to pet her, sometimes feeding her, and sometimes I'm just moving my hand to reach for something not even near her.

 

[emsbuns]

I’m not sure if this will work when it’s intentional biting of a territorial nature, but when Astrid bites me a little too hard, say, on my hand, I usually make a small, high-pitched (not too loud or harsh!) noise of pain and draw my hand away quickly. She seems to understand and stops biting, plus she’ll usually will lick the area and my nose afterwards which indicates to me that she recognises I really didn’t like it.

Just push and hold for several seconds. No more. Then turn your back on her in an obvious way and do not look back at her (rabbit-speak for being offended).

I also do the back-turning with this, which seems to work really well!

 

[Lulubooboo]

I’m not sure if this will work when it’s intentional biting of a territorial nature, but when Astrid bites me a little too hard, say, on my hand, I usually make a small, high-pitched (not too loud or harsh!) noise of pain and draw my hand away quickly. She seems to understand and stops biting, plus she’ll usually will lick the area and my nose afterwards which indicates to me that she recognises I really didn’t like it.



I also do the back-turning with this, which seems to work really well!

Oh ok, I'll try it!!! Thank you!!!

 

[nicolekline97]

push her nose to the ground with your finger and sternly say NO.
Brownie started biting a few months ago when he was about 2 years old and this worked.

(like trying to draw blood, not nipping)

Oh my!!!! Did he bite you hard enough to make you bleed?

 

[Miffythebun]

I wo

Hey everyone, I have a kind of weird question today.
Lulu still occasionally rushes me for no reason and bites rarely. But when I hold her head down, to tell her that's not ok, she starts grinding her teeth, and not struggling. I guess it makes her happy? If I was doing anything that hurt her, she'd tell sure tell me. She's a little drama queen.
I was just curious if anyone else has experienced this, and what you've done. I'm running out of options, and don't want to make her hate me, or fear me.
She's been spayed, and she's going to be 2 years next month if that's helpful information.

I would never advise on ‘punishing’. I think the best thing is to work out why she’s doing it to stop it happening. Also a stern (but not a loud) “no” and walk away to signal that’s a bad thing may help if it’s getting out of hand.

 

[Miffythebun]

Shes actually not over CAGE territorial, but she's trying to claim everything that she can crawl under, chairs, low tables, beds, all that. When she's out in the open she's usually fine.
When she lunges at me, sometimes it because I'm going to pet her, sometimes feeding her, and sometimes I'm just moving my hand to reach for something not even near her.

It sounds like she’s being territorial!

 

[Lulubooboo]

It sounds like she’s being territorial!

Ok, but why would she be territorial when she's sitting on my lap? With her already fully marked up blanket I use for when she's sitting with me in case she pees? I'd think she's already pretty much said that's hers.
If this sounds like I'm being a know-it-all, I'm sorry, I'm not, realized this may come off that way.

 

[Miffythebun]

No it’s oky! M

Ok, but why would she be territorial when she's sitting on my lap? With her already fully marked up blanket I use for when she's sitting with me in case she pees? I'd think she's already pretty much said that's hers.
If this sounds like I'm being a know-it-all, I'm sorry, I'm not, realized this may come off that way.
[/QUOT

Ok, but why would she be territorial when she's sitting on my lap? With her already fully marked up blanket I use for when she's sitting with me in case she pees? I'd think she's already pretty much said that's hers.
If this sounds like I'm being a know-it-all, I'm sorry, I'm not, realized this may come off that way.

no it’s okay!! I have a bun that’s like it too! It just means they think they own EVERYTHING so you can’t touch it (buns often think they own us rather than us owning them!!) so it might just be that she sees you going to touch soemthing and she doesn’t want you to have it!

 

[Allen Wrider]

Shes actually not over CAGE territorial, but she's trying to claim everything that she can crawl under, chairs, low tables, beds, all that. When she's out in the open she's usually fine.
When she lunges at me, sometimes it because I'm going to pet her, sometimes feeding her, and sometimes I'm just moving my hand to reach for something not even near her.

It sounds almost like she doesn't recognize your hand or movements. How long have you had her?

I would recommend making sure you're in her field of vision and moving slowly. Rabbits don't really see in 3D, because of how their eyes are, so fast or unfamiliar movement can set them on alert. If she bites, do what is suggested. Head down, say no, and walk away. She seems slightly food territorial, as well (many rabbits can be). When feeding, I would get like a work or garden glove from home depot. This sounds like overkill, but in reality, rabbits hate the taste/smell of these gloves, so it discourages biting as well as protects you during feeding time. (This was how I got my rabbits to stop biting me during bonding sessions).

 

[Lulubooboo]

It sounds almost like she doesn't recognize your hand or movements. How long have you had her?

I would recommend making sure you're in her field of vision and moving slowly. Rabbits don't really see in 3D, because of how their eyes are, so fast or unfamiliar movement can set them on alert. If she bites, do what is suggested. Head down, say no, and walk away. She seems slightly food territorial, as well (many rabbits can be). When feeding, I would get like a work or garden glove from home depot. This sounds like overkill, but in reality, rabbits hate the taste/smell of these gloves, so it discourages biting as well as protects you during feeding time. (This was how I got my rabbits to stop biting me during bonding sessions).

I've had her for almost 5 months. She's was probably mistreated at the shelter she was at, because she was super ragged looking ( she probably hadn't been brushed in literally a year ), scared of everything, and bit or nipped me about 10 times a week. I am so glad I rescued her though. Poor little girl.
She's always loved food, and gotten mad if she doesn't get food when she wants to, or I take a treat away, when she's eaten too much. She's probably food territorial. If she continues biting badly I'll look into a glove, like you said you use.
Thank you for your suggestion!

 

[Allen Wrider]

I've had her for almost 5 months. She's was probably mistreated at the shelter she was at, because she was super ragged looking ( she probably hadn't been brushed in literally a year ), scared of everything, and bit or nipped me about 10 times a week. I am so glad I rescued her though. Poor little girl.
She's always loved food, and gotten mad if she doesn't get food when she wants to, or I take a treat away, when she's eaten too much. She's probably food territorial. If she continues biting badly I'll look into a glove, like you said you use.
Thank you for your suggestion!

Mistreatment and starvation can often go hand in hand. If she was mistreated at the shelter, it's possible they took her food away to punish her or didn't feed her regularly. That could be source of trauma and a cause of the biting. If it is, it will take a while for her to get used to you and realize that you are not a threat to her food supply. Try to focus less on punishment and more on rewards. Petting when she doesn't bite, treats in a healthy dosage, that kind of thing. Also, you could perhaps (if it doesn't put you in harm's way) sit and pet her while she's eating.

 

[Hermelin]

I think if it's trauma it's better to focus on positive reinforcment, if it's dominant behavior myself focus on ignoring and not do what the bunny wanted me to do while rewarding the good behaviors. Bunnies later pick up what is good and how you get yummy treats. You can use the daily pellets ratio as treats throughout the day and use it to inforce good behaviors.

I would say use gloves already now, so you don't get scared. Myself is still a little scared of my buck and he no longers bite. Just a little lunging and feeling his teeth grace my hand until he notice it's me. He would bite me nearly every day for a year, attacking when nearing his food bowl and so on. I can now take his food bowl and touch him everywhere, I can be an annoying owner that pick him up and give him kisses and he will just tolerate me. But it took time and a lot of drawn blood to get where I am with him :3