I really hate to do this. (re: aggressive bunny)

[undergunfire]

Yeah, he has been doing the squeaking thing and stands up like "HEY YOU...YEAH, YOU!....LET ME OUUUUUT!!!". I need to bunny proof the living room before I can let him back out to roam the entire house (will just close the bathroom and bedroom door). Ryan has some computer wires out, so I need to make a NIC panel area to go around them.

I don't think he has eaten a handful of hay even yet, so I am going to place some in his litter box in hope that that temps him. Maybe he's just eating so many pellets that he doesn't want the hay....but they do say that unlimited pellets are good for babies, but I can't see how it is if they aren't eating hay along with it?

 

[Pipp]

undergunfire wrote:

I don't think he has eaten a handful of hay even yet, so I am going to place some in his litter box in hope that that temps him. Maybe he's just eating so many pellets that he doesn't want the hay....but they do say that unlimited pellets are good for babies, but I can't see how it is if they aren't eating hay along with it?

Yeah, I don't 'free feed', I give them as much as they'll eat in one setting. If they leave any behind, the bowl comes out for awhile and they get a hay refresh.

They need to develop good habits young.



sas (who failed miserably at establishing good hay habits for a certain small black dwarf).

 

[jcottonl02]

undergunfire wrote:

I'm just toying with the idea of calling him something different...sometimes I feel like it can help an animal because it's all apart of their "new life". The only animal we didn't change names on was our dog, but that's because he knew his name really well. If I do call Sheriff something else, his name can always be changed back if he goes back to you .

Just a pointer, I'm not sure switching an animal's name back and forth, back and forth is really good for the animal. I would imagine it would inspire some confusion.
Obviously rabbits can recognise their names like dogs and cats do, and would associate tone of voice/their name, with things they like etc. If I called any of my dogs by another name, they would just ignore me (not deliberately of course). So if you managed to retrain Sheriff, and Myia took him back, it would be a real set-back to Sheriff's training if he was being called a new name, I believe.

Consistency is an important aspect of an obedient and mentally healthy animal (not that I'm suggesting a bit of name switching will affect him greatly!!!), but for the purposes of 'rehabilitating' him, as it were, I'd either change his name and stick to it from now on (meaning Myia will have to accept his new name) or keep his name the way it is.

Jen

 

[undergunfire]

I'm sorry, but I do have to respectfully disagree with you, Jen. I think a new name for a "new life" is a good thing and it later being changed to something else (or the same previous name) is okay. We don't know what Sheriff's future holds and Myia has said she isn't sure she wants him back, so I don't see any issue calling him something else for now. I personally feel if you call an animal a name that you like, then it makes it easier to bond with the animal . "Sheriff" just doesn't roll of my tongue well and I've been calling him "Big Bun" because of that, so something else would stick better LOL.

 

[jcottonl02]

Yeah I definately understand what you mean about it having to be a name you like, because it just makes the whole process of bonding easier.

However, if Sheriff makes good progress with you, with a new name for his 'new life', and then goes back to Myia, and gets his old name back from his old life (which he would remember to be aggressive/stressful times etc.), perhaps this would set back all the good training you did for him, once he starts getting called a name that he would have associated with chasing and biting poor Myia with!!!

Obviously Sheriff is your responsibility for now, and whatever you feel best in helping him and Myia, is the right thing to do- you obviously need to do what you feel best for him.

I was just commenting on something that seemed a little 'hold on a mo...' kinda thing to me .

But absolutely do what you feel best, just me personally in that situation, I wouldn't want to run the risk of a)confusing him or b)undoing all the good work that you did by giving him back a name that he would associate bad things with, and perhaps bring back all that aggression etc.

If it was a permanent name switch then I would totally agree with you- scrap the name he could associate all those bad situations with (I'm not implying he was unhappy with you at all Myia, just that he might associate the name Sheriff with aiming for your poor ankles every day!!!), and begin with a fresh new one to start the fresh new attitude with.

Jen

 

[undergunfire]

Jen...that is also why I'd like to call him something else while he is with me - he might think of "Sheriff" as "No Sheriff!" (or something like that) from biting. Obviously when he goes to a new home (or back with Myia), then they can call him what they'd like because you can't force someone to keep a pet's original name.

I tried to look up "devil" names or something fitting to go along with his "aggressive" (in quotes because hes not being that way with me right now) behavior. I was on the phone with Alicia and laughed at "Damion" (like from the Omen) , but then "Damon" popped into my head....like Damon (vamp with black hair) from the Vampire Diaries (who seduces women and then turns around and bites them !).

 

[luvthempigs]

Myia09 wrote:

that squekin noise was part of his 'nervous" behaviour. Like he wanted out, and if I did let him out, he would bolt, come back, and bite.

You may wnat to make it bigger..he had so much free time that literally the house was really his cage.

Just a thought (and maybe this has been discussed else where) If Sheriff had free range of the house maybe he felt the house was his? Kinda like when you have a bunny who is only aggressive in their cage.


It may be a better idea not to let him have too much space until he proves he can behave.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Amy I hop everything works out for you and Big Bun/Sheriff.

I hop either he comes around and after his neuter can go home or he can maybe even bond to one of your buns if going back home is not a option.

Either way he is in good hands and I can't wait for updates.

Kat :bunnydance:

 

[undergunfire]

I bunny proofed the living room earlier and he now has run of the laundry room, kitchen, living room, little hallway, and entry way (kind of where his cage is) and he has been really good so far. I wasn't going to let him do any running around and stuff until tomorrow, but he really wanted to come out of his cage, so I let him out in a pen off of his cage (about 5ft x 10ft) and he broke out and went running through the house, LOL.

I've been walking past him and he will sit up on his hind legs waiting to be pet and if I don't pet him, then he will follow me around the house. I was in the bathroom a bit ago doing my hair and he walked around in there checking things out, walked over my feet (had white socks on), and ran right back out into the living room.

He also puts himself back in his cage when he is done running around, so that is kind of nice.

I do realize, like Cathy said, he could just be behavior for now....but we will just have to see.


Oh....and I am 80% sure I have seen his little "man-bits" multiple times. I've been looking at that area as he runs away and I've seen little dark pink floppy things flop around from multiple angles. I bet the vet couldn't see them and thought they hadn't dropped yet because he was holding them up in there. I've seen bunny balls before and I am very sure that's what he's got back there and that it's not loose hair or stuck poop.


Ryan was coming out of the bathroom and Sheriff got in his way and just stood there, so Ryan bent down and started to pet him.....

He's also made himself at home on the couch....

And he KNOWS there are bunnies in this room because he digs at the door. I just make little "Ehhh! Ehhh!" noises and he stops and walks away....

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Amy how do you connect the gate to the door frame?

I need to figure out a way to connect them so i dont have to staple gun it

 

[TinysMom]

undergunfire wrote:

He's also made himself at home on the couch....

Oh my...he does remind me of Tiny in this photo.

This reminds me of a doe that we took in. She was a French lop doe and her name was "Scar". She wasn't showable. We thought she might make a good friend for Tiny.

We changed her name to Beatrice which meant "Bringer of Joy".

RIGHT....NOT!

She and Tiny hated each other and I think she hated us because she sensed Tiny was top bunny (even though I split their playtimes and stuff).

We had people drive 5 hours to get lionheads from us - and they fell in love with her (the mom was a dog groomer too Amy). The funny thing - was she was in love with them too - and all that week her behavior was even worse after she met them.

The following weekend the husband drive that distance all over again to come get her. They just couldn't get her out of their minds.

She went there - got renamed...and LOVED it. For a few months I got pictures every once in a while...and you could see from the photos that she was so much happier.

I think that not all rabbits are meant for all people. They have their own likes and dislikes too when it comes to people.

Since then...I've learned to try and listen to the rabbit and watch them to see what they want.

 

[Myia09]

So, if he doesn't act up with her..was it just me?
Was it the enviroment? Her house and my apartment are generally the same exact size.

I am getting upset because I keep hear the "I took in a rabbit who was agressive..his previous owners were abusive"

Well thats not the case. I don't know what I have down to him.

And its frustrating because I got a email saying "Your making it our worse than it is."

NO I am not..I am not even going to bother to reply to it.

The video isn't half of it; but imagine a rabbit tyring to bite you constantly.

I am writing this in tears becase I don't know what to do; I gave him to Amy because I thought that was the BEST for Sheriff.

And now he isn't even being called Sheriff anymore and it bothers me. It bothers me that I tried, tried for WELL over a month..and what do I get? He got worse with me.

And now he is magic with Amy. I know its the email that really botherd me, and I am just ranting..

So I will just stop.

 

[Pipp]

Ugh, I was going to mention this before he left, especially in relation to my request to try out the Rescue Remedy. I meant to reply that the chances would be slim that he'd need it once relocated.

The problems are territorial issues (triggered or at least exacerbated by hormones), and that includes places and people he's been around long enough to put down roots. You've changed his territory. Of course he's not going to be acting up, it's all new territory, none of it is his yet.

Once he re-established what his territory is and decides what he needs to react too, he may start up again, but in his case and it his age, he may be neutered by then and that may be the end of it. (Although certainly no guarantees, he is an aggressive little booger).

I strongly feel that rabbits should not have their names changed. They are smart animals, they get to know their names and respond to them, and change is confusing. I've had way too many rabbits respond to their original names years after people change to think this is a good idea. It really doesn't help the rabbit/human bond. I've done a lot of experimenting on that one.


My :twocents


sas :bunnydance:

 

[Pipp]

TinysMom wrote:

I think that not all rabbits are meant for all people. They have their own likes and dislikes too when it comes to people.

Meant to put this in my post, but I'll add it on.

This is SO TRUE! Rabbits are the most opinionated pets. Just like bonding rabbits to each other is up to the rabbit because they may or may not like each other, ditto for humans.

And they do have long memories.

When I got Pipp, I was actually just bunny sitting her. I had given her to a friend of mine the same day I found her, around September 1st. She was a couple months old.

My friend took great care of her, but let her stay outside most of the time (running in the garden) and didn't bond with her. Sometime in December my friend went away for a few weeks and dropped her off for me to bunny sit. After the third day here, Pipp decided I was her mate.

When my friend came by to pick her up, Pipp took one look at her and split. She normally would greet people at the door (or at least check them out) and had never reacted like that to anyone else.

From what I remember, she went home with my friend but was incorrigible. She wouldn't come near my friend, she ran, nipped and was generally an angry little bunny. She was back here in short order (I think I was going to take her to the vet for my friend), and she was so happy to be here, I couldn't let her go back. So she became my bunny just like I had already become her human.

To this day she still hates my friend.



sas :bunnydance:

 

[undergunfire]

Well, don't feel bad because he bit me :laughsmiley:. No worries...it was totally my fault! I had JUST gotten home (just walked in the door) and notice he had spilled over his pellet dish, so my immediate reaction was to clean the mess up. NOPE....I wasn't paying attention to where he was and he got me right on the arm flub . I won't lie....OUCH! I have a nice little bruise and teeth scrap marks :dude:. Again....totally my fault! Reminds me of the time when I took in a know rat who was a biter (even though he was neutered) and I trusted him because he was doing really well with me...and then out of no where he nailed me right on the finger.....bled like a mofo and cried over it for hours. BUT...this is a tad different scenario, I was in HIS cage and wasn't paying attention. Maybe he wants his pellets all over the floor...fine by me .


I am calling my vet on Monday and getting him in ASAP for a neuter. I know I saw his little balls, so I will drop him off with my [awesome] vet and have him chop those darn gross little things off . I wasn't thinking he would actually need to be neutered already (I really thought maybe they hadn't dropped yet), but they are definitely there, so I'll just have to charge this one on the credit card.....Ryan agrees! Donations accepted :spintongue.

Oh...and I hadn't gotten around to putting the roof on his cage, so I just had to do that....after he bit me then proceeded to hop the 2 high NIC panels.


Oh man....this is such a fun little guy :bunnydance:.


[sup](maybe I'm crazy for thinking that? LOL)[/sup]

 

[JadeIcing]

Pipp wrote:

I strongly feel that rabbits should not have their names changed. They are smart animals, they get to know their names and respond to them, and change is confusing. I've had way too many rabbits respond to their original names years after people change to think this is a good idea. It really doesn't help the rabbit/human bond. I've done a lot of experimenting on that one.

That is oneI don't agree. Some bunnies come in here with no names, but some dodoesn't mean we keep them for one reason or another. Most when adopted get name changes (ugh have heard the name changes not all are good) the bunnies adapt amazing. Most of our bunnies respond to so many names and nicknames that it isn't hard for them. At my moms house one of the bunnies has three names. The one my mom calls him, the one my dad calls him and what I call him. He responds to all and his nicknames.

I think sometimes a name change can be a really good thing just depends the case.

 

[Happi Bun]

Almost all of the bunnies that get adopted from the rescue I volunteer with and plenty that come in get name changes! As we all know, they are very intelligent and quickly come to learn their new names. It's tone of voice more than anything, I believe. This may sound weird, but Dunkin is so darn adorable that when I look at him I say random words in my high baby voice (think when people do it at babies) and he responds just as well.

It's a personal preference, some agree some don't. One isn't better than the other and I seriously do not believe name changing is that big of a deal. Animals live in the moment and will come to learn whatever you call them through repetition and association.

Amy- I can relate to what just happened to ya! At the rescue I will forget a certain rabbit is very particular about where their things go, move it, and be nipped for my stupidity. Bad human! Some bunnies have their cage just how they like and they don't appreciate the re-decorating.

Kiss them man-bits goodbye Sheriff!

 

[Pipp]

Happi Bun wrote:

Almost all of the bunnies that get adopted from the rescue I volunteer with and plenty that come in get name changes! As we all know, they are very intelligent and quickly come to learn their new names. It's tone of voice more than anything, I believe.

I used to think the same way because it holds true for my dogs, cats and other pets. The jury's still out but I've never had them react quite the way the rabbits do.

Most of my rabbits come here without me knowing their names so I have no choice but to change them. I never liked Pipp's name, my friend who had her for three months named her, but she responds to Pipp and that's that. I call her 'baby girl' or 'Pippster' a lot more than Pipp, and she certainly knows I'm calling her with those names (and the baby tones), but she's definitely wired to respond to Pipp, even in a monotone.

Dill and Darry's names were unknown, and they had been abandoned in a shed for a year or two and weren't called anything. After I had him a year, Dawn told me she thought his name had been 'Peter', and boy, did he ever respond to that! But he actually started getting agitated when I was calling him by both names as I was trying to decide, so I went back to just Dill.

Mister had been Mister for a month and I've kept that name the year he's been here, and he STILL doesn't respond to it. I recently tried some experimenting and discovered he paid a lot more attention to 'Bunny'. So now he's Mister Bunny.

One of Bunny George's bunnies came through here briefly after she was taken in by a rescue via the city shelter, and George (a homeless friend) had never told me her name. I sat in front of her pen and called out dozens of names, repeatedly, and the only one that got a reaction was 'Martha'. I forget now what her name was, but it was something pretty close.

Happi Bun wrote:

Almost all of the bunnies that get adopted from the rescue I volunteer with and plenty that come in get name changes! As we all know, they are very intelligent and quickly come to learn their new names.

I also think they're intelligent enough to know they name they grew up with. And I'm beginning to think they have memories like elephants, LOL!

Happi Bun wrote:

It's a personal preference...

I agree with this too, I just think its the bunnies' personal preference.

Of course it's not a big deal, I just get excited because of the above examples (and other ones).

I also think its a sign of respect to acknowledge their identity. To me they're not possessions, they're companions. Its like having a friend or adopting a kid who knows his name is Clarence and changing it to Eugene because you like that one better.

I was also under the impression Amy was helping out Myia by seeing if she can socialize Sheriff, I definitely think it would also be a sign of respect (and friendship) to confer with her on a name change.

My :twocents

sas :bunnydance:

 

[Pipp]

undergunfire wrote:

Oh man....this is such a fun little guy :bunnydance:.


[sup](maybe I'm crazy for thinking that? LOL)[/sup]

LOL! We're on the same page on this one. I remember when I got Scooter from Zooh Corner. I saw his profile and it read like he was Godzilla. He was in danger because he was such an aggressive rabbit.

And I was sold.

I don't know if it was that I loved the challenge or I loved the idea of a rabbit with personality-plus, even if it was all bad.

I remember his rescuer, Alex, telling me that Scooter chased her across the house biting her on the legs, and she had to jump in the bathtub to get away from him (and bleed somewhere easy to clean up), and he jumped in after her! And I wanted him even more.

When he got here, he got settled in and started to feel at home -- and of course tried to bite me. A lot. But we reached an agreement -- I'd behave and he'd be my friend. He chose to sleep right outside my door, and we were getting along famously. Unfortunately he proved to also be incredibly aggressive to my cats, attacked my old blind 21-year old, and in the process got a bite on his ear which in spite of immediate Vet care, went septic. I really loved that little rabbit.

But I digress.

Hard to say what the attraction is. Maybe in another time or place Scooter wouldn't have been the right rabbit for me. Darry is an unfriendly biter and that's done nothing to endear herself to me. We tolerate each other.

But some of these trouble buns just call out. I had two Flemish rescues through here, Zac was a perfectly behaved bunny while Mikel was nothing but trouble. Guess who I'm keeping? Our sucker lights must have a certain hue. Or somethin'. :huh


sas :biggrin2:

 

[jcottonl02]

Pipp wrote:

Happi Bun wrote:

Almost all of the bunnies that get adopted from the rescue I volunteer with and plenty that come in get name changes! As we all know, they are very intelligent and quickly come to learn their new names. It's tone of voice more than anything, I believe.

I used to think the same way because it holds true for my dogs, cats and other pets. The jury's still out but I've never had them react quite the way the rabbits do.

Most of my rabbits come here without me knowing their names so I have no choice but to change them. I never liked Pipp's name, my friend who had her for three months named her, but she responds to Pipp and that's that. I call her 'baby girl' or 'Pippster' a lot more than Pipp, and she certainly knows I'm calling her with those names (and the baby tones), but she's definitely wired to respond to Pipp, even in a monotone.

Dill and Darry's names were unknown, and they had been abandoned in a shed for a year or two and weren't called anything. After I had him a year, Dawn told me she thought his name had been 'Peter', and boy, did he ever respond to that! But he actually started getting agitated when I was calling him by both names as I was trying to decide, so I went back to just Dill.

Mister had been Mister for a month and I've kept that name the year he's been here, and he STILL doesn't respond to it. I recently tried some experimenting and discovered he paid a lot more attention to 'Bunny'. So now he's Mister Bunny.

One of Bunny George's bunnies came through here briefly after she was taken in by a rescue via the city shelter, and George (a homeless friend) had never told me her name. I sat in front of her pen and called out dozens of names, repeatedly, and the only one that got a reaction was 'Martha'. I forget now what her name was, but it was something pretty close.

Happi Bun wrote:

Almost all of the bunnies that get adopted from the rescue I volunteer with and plenty that come in get name changes! As we all know, they are very intelligent and quickly come to learn their new names.

I also think they're intelligent enough to know they name they grew up with. And I'm beginning to think they have memories like elephants, LOL!

Happi Bun wrote:

It's a personal preference...

I agree with this too, I just think its the bunnies' personal preference.

Of course it's not a big deal, I just get excited because of the above examples (and other ones).

I also think its a sign of respect to acknowledge their identity. To me they're not possessions, they're companions. Its like having a friend or adopting a kid who knows his name is Clarence and changing it to Eugene because you like that one better.

I was also under the impression Amy was helping out Myia by seeing if she can socialize Sheriff, I definitely think it would also be a sign of respect (and friendship) to confer with her on a name change.

My :twocents

sas :bunnydance:

Amy- I am most certainly not saying that a name change can't be good for an animal. What I am saying, is that changing a name back and forth, back and forth is not good.

I believe that changing from Sheriff, to a totally different sounding name, then back to Sheriff, or a new name, again and again will be confusing for him. He is having his total identity completeley wiped and renewed- I think he needs a lot of work, so adding things that could make the process more stressful or complicated for him probably isn't the best idea.

I also agree with what was said previously- it's clear that if Sheriff does well with you, Myia will want him back (I thought this was just a bit of rehabilitation for him, that Myia felt she could not provide at this moment?), so if he is still Myia's bunny, and if she feels a name change would confuse him etc. or she doesn't like the new name, then surely she should have a say?

I'm late for work and I typed that so fast that my little fingers feel like they've run a marathoN!!!:run: hahaha

Jen