Rabbits getting "meaner"

[Czarina]

idk what to title but here's my problem, these days they've been kind of a mean where when i try to pick them up they'll bite me or scratch me just to jump back to their cage. It's sad because their first days in my house they loved my cuddles plus they would always jump on me every time for treats or to sleep but now they're just kinda distant. Can you guys please give me tips? I'm only 14 and i'm trying to be responsible so i'm the only one taking care of them without my parents )

 

[Niomi]

How old are your rabbit? How many do you have? Are they all in the same cage? Do you know the *** of your rabbits?

 

[JBun]

You need to stop trying to pick up your rabbit. Picking up a rabbit that dislikes being picked up, will damage your relationship with your rabbit, which is what is happening. Rabbits are a prey animal. Picking up a rabbit stimulates a prey response of them reacting to a predator grabbing them to eat them. Most rabbits dislike being picked up, this is normal rabbit behavior.

If you continue to try and pick up your rabbit, your rabbit will continue learning not to trust you. So you need to do things differently now. You will need to build a trusting relationship with your rabbit if you don't want your rabbit to be scared of you anymore. This involves spending time with your rabbit and no longer trying to pick up your rabbit, to allow your rabbit time to learn to trust you again. If you need to move your rabbit or do grooming, there are other ways to accomplish this.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-with-your-bunny.html
https://flashsplace.webs.com/bondingwithyourbunny.htm
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/
Also, if your rabbits were babies when they liked you picking them up and cuddling, and now they're adults, that can also explain why they no longer like being picked up. It's normal for babies to not mind it, but it all changes when they become fully mature rabbits. Plus you also have hormones causing issues when they become fully mature.

If you have more than one rabbit and they aren't spayed/neutered, make sure to keep them separated or you could end up with either a pregnant rabbit(if you have a male and female) or you could end up with rabbits having a vicious fight, particularly if you have two male rabbits.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Are there noises in your house that would scare them? Other pets? Noises they can hear through the windows? Scents on your hands that would cause a defense reaction? Environment in general? What changed besides the youngsters reaching puberty?

(p.s. one of our spayed street babies gouged my skin each time I smelled pretty or differently from shower gel scent, hand soap, sanitizer, etc. This behavior occurred for 13 years.)

Hormones can cause aggressive behavior. I agree with JBun that a rabbit may not like being handled or picked up. // Although shelter experiences and our rescue transitions have shown that numerous rabbits, when they feel safe and secure, will not react and be "mean."

Our experiences with shelter-transitioned rabbits and the 19 that arrived in our home (3 adults whom hub captured after they were dumped outdoors, and soon after 16 babies the 2 unspayed girls gave birth to) provided different reactions to being held and picked up.

Building a trusting relationship, so true, as JBun typed. And separate QUICKLY before more enter this world that may never find a loving forever home.

 

[Czarina]

they're 5 months old, I have two and they are boy and girl, as of now, they stopped doing it and I caught a glimpse of them mating(?) or smtg

 

[Czarina]

yes yes, these past few weeks I only spent playing with them and didn't pick them up so thank u for the advice.

 

[Czarina]

yes, I took Jbun's advice, not the separate cages though since they are getting along and sometimes sleep beside each other, and there are no other inconvenient loud sounds except the monthly garbage collectors.

 

[Moonshadow]

Are they neutered and spayed? If not and you saw them mating, the female may already be pregnant.

 

[FuzzyBunny ph]

hi @Czarina I just saw this thread now and I noticed you're from the philippines as well.
You mentioned you're 14 and you're trying to take care of them without your parents help and thats good. But bunnies are expensive to care for especially in our country and vet bills or their food aren't really cheap So you might need a bit of financial help from your parents to be able to give them a good life

Sorry if that was a bit out of topic, I just have to throw that out there as there have been a number of minors who have messaged my page asking for help with their bunny and it saddens me that the parents were not willing to help them or pay for the vet bills

So to answer your original question, I agree with @JBun in keeping them separated, its good that you've done that already! But, like what @Moonshadow mentioned, there is a chance that your lady bun is pregnant already. If she is, be prepared for 5-7 more bunnies to care for. If not, then please please save up to get them spayed and neutered. This maybe a bit pricey for you but maybe offer to pay at least half of the bill. Or if you're lucky, maybe ask for the procedure to be your parents christmas gift to you

 

[FuzzyBunny ph]

If she is, be prepared for 5-7 more bunnies to care for. If not, then please please save up to get them spayed and neutered.

sorry let me rephrase this. Pregnant or not, please save up to get them spayed/neutered

 

[Czarina]

Ah yes, I don't worry about money since I am financially stable and my parents pay for food and mine would be other expenses. And in our area, my Father said that veterinaries won't accept rabbits unless they have a medical record in the same Veterinary Clinic plus it's expensive when just going inside the veterinary for a checkup so I don't really know what to do if my girl bunny gets pregnant. And yes I think I really might get them spayed/neutered once I find a veterinary that also specializes in rabbits. Our area is in Central Signal Village, Taguig City, Philippines and I don't know if there are veterinaries here so I am gonna ask to my fellow Filipinos where can I get them spayed/neutered?

 

[Czarina]

Yes, I am kind of scared since I don't know where to get them spayed/neutered

 

[FuzzyBunny ph]

Yes, I am kind of scared since I don't know where to get them spayed/neutered

You are very near a vet that can get your bunny fixed! You can get them fixed in Vets in Practice fort branch.

Here's an album about spay and neuter which can help you prepare for it
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3214462841939477&type=3
You may also message me there if your parents would want to know there breakdown for the procedure

 

[Czarina]

Could you give me the exact location of this Fort branch?

 

[FuzzyBunny ph]

Could you give me the exact location of this Fort branch?

you can check their website vetsinpractice.ph