Why is my son's new rabbit biting?

Question

We just got our son a rabbit for his birthday. Occasionally the rabbit will take little nibbles of my son's arm. She hasn't broke through his skin...yet.

How do we stop her from doing this?

Also, which are more affectionate? Males or females?

Thanks. :)

Answer 1

I would suggest going to the House Rabbit Society's website to read up on Bunny Behavior. They have some really great information on rabbit behavior in general, and have a troubleshooting guide to help deal with unwanted behavior. How old is the bunny, and did you get her from a petshop, a shelter, or a breeder? Different breeds have different temperaments (some will nibble more than others, some will scratch more than others). Sometimes, it can be a problem with the teeth--for some younger bunnies, the teeth can get in the way of their tongues sometimes, so while she meant to lick, she might accidently nibble instead. She could be trying to tell you that she needs more minerals (human skin is very salty in taste, so if an animal is constantly licking or nibbling, it can be helpful to add extra minerals to see if it cuts down on the behavior)--while I do not recommend salt licks (salt wheels, etc.), I do recommend mineral wheels (usually sold right next to the salt licks (white), the mineral wheels are usually a brown or green color. You can also get mineral treats (there are all kinds of different ones out there--they will say that they are mineral treats though) to put in her cage--not only will these give her more minerals, but a lot of them also serve as toys to keep bunnies entertained (a very important thing for bunnies!). When ever I get a new bunny, I put him/her in the cage that I have ready and waiting, fill the food and water dishes, and leave them alone for the first 3 days--I don't touch them, I don't take them out of the cage, nothing. The only thing I do is sit next to the cage and talk to them, usually while holding my hand against the cage bars. This gives them a chance to get used to the new surroundings and to my voice. It also gives them the chance to see that I'm not a threat, and they are the ones in control. Once they start coming over to my hand to smell me, I start offering them bits of hay or veggies out of my hand. Once they're taking food from my hand, I start letting them out of the cage daily for at least 2 hours at a time (usually 2-3 times a day). Slowly, I start working on litterbox training, coming when called by name, going back into the cage when told, etc. When I'm dealing with a habitual nibbler, I will do two things. Every time I get nibbled, I screech loudly (this is what rabbits do when in extreme pain--usually causes them to freeze like a statue), and put them immediately back into their cage. They do not get to come out again for at least 2 hours. It can take a little bit of time, but usually works within one or two times.

As for which sex is most friendly, that depends on a few things. Females when they reach sexual maturity will go through a difficult phase of being extremely stubborn. To avoid the problems that come with this (believe me, there are too many to list), get her spayed! Not only will it curb the aggressiveness, but it will also guarantee her a long, happy, healthy life. Females are extremely prone to developing cancers of the reproductive tract if not used for breeding, and most will develop cancer by the time they're five years old. A spayed bunny can live 10 years or longer. Males also can become very aggressive once they hit sexual maturity, and they will also begin marking their territory by spraying urine everywhere (really not fun to clean up). Neutering will put a stop to it. Males, once they're neutered, tend to be more mellow than females, but a lot of it depends on how they're cared for too. Both can be equally mellow and lovey as long as they're treated that way. Always be gentle with bunny, and bunny will always be gentle with you.

I hope this helps, and the link for the House Rabbit Society is: http://www.rabbit.org/

Answer 2

I have a young male rabbit and he is about a year and a half old now. When he was very little he nibbled a lot. It can be a sign of affection, or a sign of frustration, like a 'stop doing that'. If the rabbit is male it should be neutered, just like a cat. This will keep it from being agressive. As my rabbit has grown older the nibbling has cut down. Sometimes if he comes in contact with fabric he likes, like denim he will nibble on my jeans. Rabbits naturally chew and burrow, and they will try and duplicate that as pets. Just make sure that the rabbit is socialized well, handle him and let him out of the cage every day for at least an hour, preferably more and the nibbling should go down. In the beginnig though, it is to be expected.

I would suggest 'Rabbits for Dummies' also, there is is a lot of information in there.

As for which is more affectionate... I only have a male so I can only comment on them. My rabbit is very socialized, he will nudge my hand to pet him, lie on my chest over my heart, and curl up next to me if I lay on the floor. Either gender can become very affectionate and attached if you put in the time and effort.

Answer 3

Know bunny body language, and know what behavior is helpful to the match and what is not. Positive behavior in the beginning stage may not involve contact with the other rabbit but occur in his or her presence. It includes all relaxed behavior: resting quietly, stretching out, flopping, happy mouthmovements and purring. Grooming, eating and drinking are positive, even if the o ther rabbit is not (continued) participating. Mounting the other rabbit is positive, unless the other rabbit has an extreme reaction to it (squealing or attacking). Generally, mounting means "I want you." This is a good thing.

As it states above grooming is a positive gesture, (I'm going to use rats as an example) when rats groom each other not only do they lick each other but they nibble groom each other. If the bunny is nibbling it's not going to be a huge deal but if she's actually biting to the point where it's painful then (according to this .org site) when it occurs you need to spray her with a water bottle. I'm sure there are much better ways to do this but I'm not a bunny owner.

The bunny may enjoy having another bunny friend, one that's the same sex, so that way she has someone else to socialize with and that could possibly help out with her nibbling on your son. If she's just nibbling, it's not bad but if you really want to discourage it you can. If she's biting and hurting or breaking skin then discourage her.

Answer 4

Rabbits nibble because it's what they do; there's not a lot you can do about it. I will say, though, that you might have been better off giving your son a cat or a dog or something. My family kept rabbits when I was a kid, and they tended to get sick easily. Also, the smell might be a problem, as the first respondent said.

Answer 5

Rabbits are like people each has its own personality. She is new so she is still nervous about her surroundings give her time. Don't pick her up. She can squirm and break her back. If she nibbles say EEEEEE in a high pitched voice. I know this sounds dumb but it works. This is the noise other rabbits make when in pain. Don't hit her.

Answer 6

We had one rabbit....it always "nibbled" on us, never broke the skin open. I could not deal with the stink of it and after it wasn't "new" anymore, the kids ignored it. So we got rid of it.

Answer 7

does the rabbit have adequate chew things in its cage?? they need to have stuff to chew on for their teeth...
probably she likes the taste of the salt on the skin - does she have a salt lick in her cage?

you can buy harness and leashes for rabbits so she can be given more excercise..

meeting her mental and physical needs will help stop negative behavior

both males and females are affectionate

Answer 8

I would put them in their own hutch now, they are old enough to be away from mum and there may be trouble between them all if you leave them much longer. Mum has obviously decided they are big enough to look after themselves