Rabbits and Biting

[Rescuemom]

The bunny I'll be getting from that friend of mine, bit her the other day.

Apparently, she was tidying up the cage while Fluffy was in it, and Fluffy went and hid in her 'hide' and as my friend went near the hide, Fluffy bit her hand.

What reasons would cause a bunny to bite in this situation?

I really don't want her to turn into a biter when I get her..

 

[nc_bunnys]

Could be a territorial bun. Always tidy their cage while they are somewhere else. Has the bunny been spayed? Make sure your hands are clean- meaning they don't smell of a strong cleaner, lotion or chicken sandwich. If I handle Clorox, I stay away from the buns until I get the smell gone.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Some rabbits are territorial in their cage. Taking them out when cleaning is good and distracting them if you need to mess around also helps.
She's not spayed right? That can make a difference. Intact females can be more territorial.
Some rabbits might bite if they are not feeling well. A vet visit can be a good idea, especially if t is coming from a rabbit who does not bite and is not in a situation where they may feel threatened.

It sounds like Fluffy didn't want to interact with her owner at the time and was trying to get away. She may not have liked the stuff in her cage being messed with. There may have been other warning signs like grunting. The bite may have been a last resort and her telling the owner to go away and get out of her space.

Getting her spayed should help a lot. It is also important to know your rabbit and try to avoid doing things that really upset them. Taking her out of the cage to clean should help a lot (you can try letting her come out on her own). Having a level in the cage and putting something up there while you clean also helps (like giving veggies or a treat). It can take time for her to get used to you and you to get used to her.

Rabbits usually will not bite without some warning. There are signs if you know what to look for. When when they nip they are trying to tell you something.

 

[Imbrium]

yeah, cleaning the cage while the bunny is elsewhere is a must with many bunns. mine won't bite if I clean the cage/litter box with them in there, but they look a bit bewildered so I try to do it while they're out in the yard with my neighbor if at all possible.

 

[ldoerr]

Shiny Things is cage aggressive. She has bitten me and the broom a few times while I was cleaning it with her in there. I now try to take her out while cleaning. That or I do it when she is on her shelf helps. You could also try giving her a treat while you clean so she associates it with a good thing. (that reminds me, I should try this )

 

[Rescuemom]

Some background - she is a seven month old spayed Lionhead adopted bun. She has never bitten anyone before, charged anyone, nadda. Actually, she normally hops away when you go in to try to take her out to clean it. J(my friend) usually does take her out during clean up because her son usually handles Fluffy(albeit I think roughly).

But unless they're cleaning cage, they pretty well never hold her. And it's making me wonder if instead of her getting used to handling, they're making her more uncomfortable with it by doing it less.

It is highly likely there have been signs that J hasn't picked up.