New Bunny Peeing On Owner

[christajoe]

Hello! I just recently got a bunny as a pet. I've had him for about a week now and he is approx. three months old. Netherland Dwarf. He was good for the first few days after I got him. I was able to hold him and pet him no problems. Now for the last four days straight every time I hold him he will sit for about two minutes and then pee on me. Like I said this was not the behavior he had when I first got him. I was able to hold him for twenty minutes or more easily. Now we can't make it past five minutes without having a accident. I'm not sure what to do to correct this. Maybe he just hates me? I let him have "playtime" twice daily where he runs around and plays with various obstacles for a about an hour each time. He has had no accidents during this time. I know I need to hold him and bond with him but him peeing on me is becoming a problem. Even when he is out for playtime I try to touch him and he runs from me. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank You!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Instead, let him come to you. Most don't like to be picked up and held. He's discovered a way to get you to let him go, so I guess you could say he's trained you. Rabbits will also used urine and fecals to mark their territory--how they say "mine". He has to get used to handling so nails can be trimmed, but it is more difficult to get one to like being held if they aren't already of that persuasion.

 

[lagomorph]

You might also want to consider the possibility of a urinary tract infection. Watch and see if he is peeing very small amounts frequently. If so, it might be worth a trip to the vet.