Need help with my monster child!

[SugarFox03]

Hey everyone...I need help with Teek. He gotneutered about three weeks ago, I thought by now he would have calmeddown a bit..nope. He's gotten worse since the neuter. He has beenterritorial for awhile, but never aggressive. He now bites me everytimeI stick my hand in his cage to clean the litter box or give him food. Icant give him free reign of the room anymore because he gets up on thebed/couch and uses that as his toilet. I dont know what I did wrong inraising him, but he's out of control. I do not want a rabbit that I amafraid of, and right now, this is the case. I cant even pet him! I donttry to pick him up, I know they hate that, but I'll open his cage doorand try to pet him and he bites me! Can anyone help please? I hate togive him up, but I have my young cousin (8 yrs), and even younger niece(2.5 yrs), over frequently, and I dont want anyone getting bitten if Iam not here to supervise. Thanks in advance!

Melody

 

[JimD]

Hello Melody,

Our Benji was aggressive and territorial before we got him. When we gothim fixed he seemed to get worse for a while and then he eventuallycalmed down quite a bit. His litter habits improved as well. We wereactually able to put him with all of the buns to get some pictures theother day. He still like to express his "alpha" personality by mountingsome of the others, but he's much better than he used to be.

I'd give Teek a while longer to get over his experience. Hopefully he is just holding a grudge for now.

Jim

 

[Stephanie]

Maybe, until he calms down a bit more that is,try not to pet him at all. Try to keep your hands out of his cage also,clearly that is "his territory" and he doesnt' want you in it, even tofeed him.

You could try a food bribe, such as a raisin. Just feed it to him, butdon't pet him or make any sudden movements. This could also be a way tolure him out of the cage to clean it.

Buck has some very good advice on handling these typesofsituations, he'll be able to post it better than I can, as he has hadhands on experience.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

someone told me to let the bunny come out on hisown if you can. Don't reach in for them because it IS theirhouse and they need to know the difference of what is theirs and whatis yours. Encourage him with a treat.

Peeing on the furniture is an issue with Bo also. It is ONEloveseat he believes to be his and he has a "corner" he was trying touse. I did two things..... I got a cheap plastic showercurtain liner, put that over it, then I threw a blanket over that.....and I put a litterbox in that corner when he's out playing in that room Problem solved.

How old is Teek now?

Males can have residual hormones for a time after they areneutered. Someone told me that their bun took 13 weeks tosettle down afterward! :shock: Bo did get a bit more angry orsomething after (I mean, think of what they had done!) but he's beensettling down more and more. It's been about 5 weeks for himand I am just now noticing a good behavior pattern emerging.He was AWFUL for a time..... pee on this and that.... he would nip meif I didn't pet him EXACTLY how he wanted.....

Teek will improve, just try to help him learn and do things to protect his environment from him and him from his environment

 

[SugarFox03]

I have no problem at all getting him out of thecage, I dont grab him to get him out, he jumps out on his own. I donttry to grab him at all! (He'll bite me! lol) I just dont want him goingpotty on my bed! I have already had to bleach my sheets three times andflip my mattress. Its not in one corner either, its over the entirething! He's also chewed completely through his litter box (he stilluses it though), even though he hasplenty of toys and chewstuff in his cage. (his cage is a large dog crate, so theres lots ofroom for everything!) Thanks to everyone for your advice, I will giveit a couple more weeks and see if anything improves. I dont want to goawhile and not pet him though, I dont want him to revert to beingcompletely wild (if thats possible). Thanks again!

Melody

 

[Stephanie]

Hmmm... one of my bucks, Chompers, used to pee on my couch and bed. Now he's not allowed on either one.

If I were you, I'd keep a water bottle on hand (the kind used to mistplants), to keep him off both. A water/vinegar mixture works well toclean up after they've peed someplace too.

 

[Buck Jones]

Agree with all the posts advising giving him moretime. Try to "approach" him from above,rather than at his eye level. Warn him verbally that you arecoming, so it is not a surprise that you are entering thecage. I've read that rabbits don't see thngs close up veryclearly and a hand reaching in at eye level might appear to be anaggressor. Have you been petting another animal prior toreaching in the cage, like a dog, cat, ferret, anotherrabbit? Have you changed personal soaps, perfumes, laundrydetergent? Any actions or changes of those natures couldtrigger aggressive behaviors.

If, after a couple more weeks, he still is aggressive, you might trypinning him around the neck down to the cage floor until he stopsstruggling, all the while telling him you are the"boss" andthe"alpha rabbit." It is heart wrenching to dothat, but having a "biter" is no fun, either. Once he stopsstruggling and, therefore, accepts your superiority, left him go, petand praise him. Give him a treat.

If you worry about grabbing him, get a good pair of welder's leathergauntlets which should provide adequate protection for yourhands.

Buck

 

[SugarFox03]

He is the only rabbit, but I do have two dogs.The dogs are always near him anyway, they lay next to his cage which isnear my desk, the dogs always lay next to me. No purfumes/soap changes.But thanks for the input, I didnt know that could causeaproblem, good to know for future reference! I always keep a waterbottle close by! (I have dragons that get frequent mists) Thanks somuch for everyones input!I had no idea bunnies were so muchtrouble. I read a lot about them before I got one, and have been doinglots of research since I got one, but nothing like what this guy doeswas stated in any book or magazine I read!! Thanks again everyone!!

Melody

 

[JimD]

Buck Jones wrote:

Agree with all the posts advising giving him moretime. Try to "approach" him from above,rather than at his eye level. Warn him verbally that you arecoming, so it is not a surprise that you are entering thecage. I've read that rabbits don't see thngs close up veryclearly and a hand reaching in at eye level might appear to be anaggressor. Have you been petting another animal prior toreaching in the cage, like a dog, cat, ferret, anotherrabbit? Have you changed personal soaps, perfumes, laundrydetergent? Any actions or changes of those natures couldtrigger aggressive behaviors.

If, after a couple more weeks, he still is aggressive, you might trypinning him around the neck down to the cage floor until he stopsstruggling, all the while telling him you are the"boss" andthe"alpha rabbit." It is heart wrenching to dothat, but having a "biter" is no fun, either. Once he stopsstruggling and, therefore, accepts your superiority, left him go, petand praise him. Give him a treat.

If you worry about grabbing him, get a good pair of welder's leathergauntlets which should provide adequate protection for yourhands.

Buck

Go with Buck's advice. He has given me a lot of good advice and supportthat helped us with Benji. I had a bad moment with Benji not that longago and after following Buck's advice he has become a rather gentlebunnie of sorts. He still has his oink or two, but no more charging andbiting.

I want to take a moment to thank Buck. Benji is turning into quite a gentlebun of late thanks to you.

Jim

 

[Buck Jones]

JimD wrote:

...Iwant to take a moment to thank Buck. Benji is turning into quite agentlebun of late thanks to you.

Da nada!

 

[Stephanie]

Yes, Buck can be like a life preserver when it comes to dealing with bunny attitudes. He's helped me out more than once!

 

[edwinf8936]

Call Nanny 911!!



Ed

 

[blueyes65]

That's it, I have decided not to get Shadowfixed, I'll put up with the occassional hormonal rage.:? But, I am sureTeek will go back to his happy self. Good Luck