Max has started nipping...

[wendymac]

Alright, I love this little bun. I spend hours just sitting in his 3/4 part of my den, letting him jump on me, sleep on me, etc. However, something new has begun, and I'm not a fan. LOL When you walk in his area, he starts running around (as usual). Last night, as he was running, he came flying (well, as fast as a clumsy Frenchie baby can fly) over to my feet, and charged them. Then, when I was sitting with him, he was doing nothing but trying to bite my clothes. So, I was like, "Ouch!" and left his area (because he got some of my skin, and it didn't hurt). When I went back later, to give him food and water for the night, he stood up on my legs (his usual sign he wants a raisin, or petted) and he bit me. :-( It didn't break the skin, but did leave a little bruise.

He's not quite 4 months old. Is this because of not being neutered (which he won't be) or territorial? And, most importantly, how the heck do I stop it now, before he gets any bigger?

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Could be some hormones, could be part territorial. Neutering would help (is there a reason you won't be neutering him? Will you breed him?). Either way, you gotta train him out of it. Rabbits are smart enough to figure out nipping a human is not acceptable. We trained Gus using bunny time-outs. As soon as he nipped, he got a "NO!" and put straight into his cage for 15 minutes or so. Whatever you do, don't let him drive you out of his space (like when you got up and left his area). That's teaching him nipping works. If it gets bad, start using long sleeves and gloves.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[MiniLopHop]

Typical bun phase. I think all rabbits have to be taught not to nip the nude buns (people) because it is typical bunny language (pay attention to me, move it, I want....). Yipping is a good start to tell him it hurts. I also put my hand on top of the rabbit's head (not hard, you don't want to hurt him, just to cover) so he knows you are the boss bun. It gets the nipping to stop pretty quickly, but if Max is stubborn like my Houdini you may need a refresher once in a while.

The hormones do make it worse, but they can still learn manners.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

It does sound like hormones, but also just some teenage bunny stuff.
The hormones can be dealt with by getting him neutered when he is old enough. But since he is not quite 4 months, it could be a bit longer before you may want to get him done. If you are not going to get him neutered, you will have to deal with the hormones. Intact males can still be sweet and loving, but can be a bit more nippy and can want to be with you more.
For the general teenage bunny stuff, you need to let him know that the behaviour is not acceptable. When he does it, tell him no in a firm voice (you don't need to yell or anything, just enough that he pays attention to it). Push him off you (gently), you may need to do it a few times until he stays off for a little bit. Leaving the area also helps as you and not giving him what he wants. He will learn that the behaviour will not get him what he wants and might mean you leave him alone.

 

[wendymac]

Rue, yes, he's my future herd buck. And he only moved inside because of losing his half sister (so I could keep a better eye on him). Before I left his enclosure, I stuck his butt in his cage.

When he actually bit me, I was filling his food bowl and getting a raisin. He stood up on my leg (which he normally does) but when I didn't reach down to pet him or give him a treat, he nipped.

Brandy, when I'm sitting and he tries to nip me, I do put my hand on his head. He immediately stops moving, and I pet him. But when I stop petting, he's back to trying to chomp my pants, or my bare arms. LOL He starts out all lovey-dovey, sniffing, and then a lick. Then the teeth. The charging at my feet was a new thing. My daughter said, "It's because your feet stink." haha

I hope this is just a stage and not due to hormones.

 

[wendymac]

Kate, thanks!! I have my pet lop, Romeo. He's not pedigreed, and I was told he was a mini lop. But I think he's actually a holland lop (it was a 4-H rabbit, and I think they just stick them in any class they might resemble, not actually are). Anyway, he's intact, and is the first one to greet you when you go to the barn. He comes right over, wants picked up and petted. He'll nuzzle my arms (when it was warm enough for no sleeves), lick, etc...but has NEVER attempted to even nip.

All the other times he's stood up on my leg (while I'm standing), he's never even attempted to bite. I think he was saying, "pet me now, darn it!". Which didn't work for him OR me. haha

Well, back to sit with Mad Max (previously known as Max the Magnificent). LOL

 

[funnybunnymummy]

It sounds like hormones with some teenaged angst thrown in. He can still learn manners, it's just going to be a bit more challenging than if he was neutered.

Okay, now that you've explained it more: Putting him in his cage after he bit you was a good move. It shows that you're the boss and he can't tell you what to do. Hopefully he was a little remorseful afterward?

With regards to the treat, he was telling you to hurry it up with the treat! The best way to handle that is, you guessed it, bunny time out and no treat!

When he's in your lap and he nips, don't pet him afterward! By nipping he's demanding your attention for more pets! Put him back in his cage and give him a time out. Petting him is rewarding him.

Basically, you just have to figure out what your rabbit is trying to tell you by nipping, then do exactly the opposite. If he's trying to push you away, push him away and then put him in his cage. If he's trying to get your attention, yup, back in the cage where he gets no attention, etc.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Oh, and Romeo sounds like an absolute sweetheart. If he goes missing from his cage, I know nothing about it.

Rue

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Since neutering is out, you could try what I used on Peter when he thought he could control me by biting--not just nipping. I'd grab him and pin him like an alpha rabbit would do. I also would pick him up and flip him so his belly was up and talk to him for a couple of minutes. It took about five times and we are good buddies now--he even grooms me.

 

[MiniLopHop]

If he's leaning up against your leg when he nips you can also stomp, then turn your back on him. Bunnies hate getting the back too

 

[wendymac]

You can have Romeo! I've been trying to find him a pet home, since he doesn't fit into what we're doing with the rabbit breeding/showing. I actually thought about turning Romeo into a house bunny, when Max goes down to the rabbitry. The only thing is, he knows what a doe is now, and sprays horribly! I was hoping if I took him away from the barn (which is over 600 yards away) he wouldn't spray without a doe to spray for. But, from what I read, that doesn't seem likely. :-(

He hates being picked up. With a passion. Anyway, I was just in there with him, things were going fine. I was sitting on the fireplace ledge and picked him up. He didn't seem to mind, until I put him down. Then he charged my foot and bit my ankle. I pushed his head down, and when I let him up he didn't do anything but lay there. I walked over to the door, to exit, and he came charging at my feet! I picked him up, and into the cage he went. I think he's telling me he's the boss, and he's about to get a rude awakening.

I don't think using the cage as punishment is going to work. He has a HUGE area of my den, runs around a bit through the day and night (like a few minutes at a time), then spends most of it in his cage (eating or sleeping...mostly sleeping. lol).

At the rate he's going, it'll be the new coming of Christ before he sees another raisin, much less gets to taste one. :-(

 

[wendymac]

Brandy, if I did that, he'd end up biting me without me seeing it coming. LOL

He comes when you call him. He sits up and begs for a raisin. And he used to just stand up on his back feet, with his front feet on my leg, until I would either pet him or give him a treat. Now when he stands up, he's biting my leg. Or charging my feet/ankles.

If he were a horse, I'd have opened a big ole can of whoop a@@ on him. But, alas, he's just a baby bunny. Lucky for him!

 

[wendymac]

Larry, that sounds like a good idea! However, just the act of picking him up has him thumping his feet and charging me when I put him back down. Wouldn't flipping him over (which I do now, because the judge will be doing it in another month), really push him over the edge?

 

[funnybunnymummy]

If he values his playtime outside the cage, it'll work.

There's a fine balance, though. He needs to learn to respect you, not fear you.

Out of curiosity, was he very young when he was separated from his mom?

I'd love to take Romeo (heck, if I had my way I'd have a dozen bunnies!), but I'm on the otherside of the country, don't have space for another male, and hubby would kill me if I brought home another bunny.

Rue

 

[wendymac]

Well, he's been out and we've been in with him and no problem. He definitely doesn't fear any of us, and not showing any respect, either. I'm not a fan of the terrible two stage with rabbits. LOL

He was only 6 weeks old when I got him, and I brought him inside the house 5 days after bringing him home (when I lost his half-sister, Ruby, who was only barely 5 weeks old...which sucked!).

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Ugh. Sorry to hear about Ruby. Did she get mucoid enteritis (diarrhea)?

I'm not surprised you said he was 6 weeks, though. I have a theory that babies rehomed before eight to ten weeks tend to show more dominant and even aggressive behaviours than babies who stay with their mom (and/or siblings) longer. They don't learn manners the way they would with other rabbits. I've got no scientific data to back it up, however, it's just something I've noticed in the years I've been here on RO.

Hope he starts to giving you a little respect soon. Little turkey.

Rue

 

[wendymac]

Yep. There was an excellent article in the DR magazine this time about the different diarrhea causes, what they looked like, etc. I can rest easy knowing there wasn't anything I could do for her, though.

I'm just shocked that he's doing this, because up until a few days ago, he was fine. This just came out of nowhere. I wonder if it's because he can smell the other rabbits on me, and it's bringing out his hormones? I wash my hands, but don't change clothes. Then again, when I'm down at the barn I have a winter coat on, and don't in the house.

I (hopefully!) have a litter of French babies and 3 litters of Californian babies due pretty much at the same time. I don't plan on weaning them until 7 weeks (depending on the babies and the mommas), and no new homes until 10. I had planned on that when I lost Ruby, and now I can give your hypothesis a test.

What would be really cool would be to turn one of the 14'x16' stalls into a HUGE bunny playroom, and put all the babies in there together. After they all have tattoos, of course. LOL

Anyway, I'm planning on keeping some of them, so I can see what their attitudes are, compared to Max and Adeline.

 

[ZRabbits]

I'll let you know also. Neville was 6 weeks when I got him.

Also Dobby and Kreacher were 8 weeks when I got them. When they hit that 4 month mark, aggression showed it's ugly head because they were going into Teenage phase. Took a lot of my time and attention, but they are all now sweet as can be and at 10 months maturity level is coming to fruitation and they are sweet and lovable and very active.

So I'll like to see how Neville matures. Should be interesting after reading about lack of manners and pulling babies at 6 weeks.

IMHO, it's how you as humans raise your bunnies. How you interact and build on your relationship with your rabbits. But that's just me. I've been observing my bunnies from the very start and they have taught me a lot.

Wishing you all the best with your Hormonal Teenage Bunny.

K

 

[wendymac]

I hate the 4 month mark! I wish I could skip this stage and go into the 10 month mark. lol

I think he has a foot fetish, because that's the body part he wants to go after. haha He didn't do it as much yesterday, but only because I had read all the responses and used the majority of them (except flipping him upside down, because holding him at all really makes him mad).

 

[ZRabbits]

Those teenage months can be frustrating. Truly glad I made it to 10 months with my boys. Can actually see the maturity level sinking in.

I have a question. Regarding flipping a rabbit to show your dominance. As someone who will be showing and training my kits to show, would it be unwise to use that flip as a way to dominate since you are need to train your bunny to be flipped by a judge? I wouldn't want my bunnies to be confused thinking a judge is flipping them because they are being naughty. This just occurred to me. I do flip Dobby and it does calm him down. But should I with Neville when he hits 4 months? It's really something to think about. Especially training for shows. I don't want to start giving mixed messages.

K