Have an English female rabbit 6 months old?

Question

have had tink since 8 weeks old, picked her up lots and gave strokes as instructed, let her have plenty of run in the garden. She started biting a few months ago and now no one wants to go near her. She has bitten all the family including two children aged 2 and 5, the only one she doesn't attack is the dog!!
Tink is no longer a pleasure and as you know chews all the wires where she can digs my garden up everywhere, looks like a bomb site. poo's everywhere. God she is worse than the dog!! What shall I do, give her to a new home or put up and shut up!!

Answer 1

This is classic hormonal behaviour. She is becoming mature and needs neutering. After her op it will take up to three weeks for the hormones to die down as they have a surge after the op. After 4 weeks go to your local shelter to get her a neutered male. This will help to calm her further and she will become less destructive as she has another playmate as a distraction. Bunnyproof any room they are allowed in and provide plenty of toys like loo rolls stuffed with hay, bunches of keys, wicker baskets and cardboard boxes to play with. Make sure her teeth are ok and she is eating ok. Give pellets in the morning and veg at night. Don't let them have the tun of the garden. they get scared and can be aggressive as a defence. Get a run 6' x 3' and make sure the hutch is a minimum of 5'x 2'. This extra space also prevents boredom. Rescues will give you advice and make sure a partner is suited to her. They will also do bonding for you to ensure they get on well and don't fight. Also try litter training her. Put her in a confined space, such as a kitchen with a litter tray. Place a piece of paper and hay in it. They eat and poo at the same time. Place any stray poos in the tray and any wee mopped up with a tissue in the tray. She will learn where to go. let her have more space when she learns where to go. Any relapses, restrict her again. This can take months but I have four buns and it is worth the effort. they now have the run of the downstairs and are brilliant at returning to the kitchen to use their trays. In her hutch place the tray near the hay rack. When you have you new bunny and your own at home. Allow them to come to you, have a small piece of veg. Also bend down to pick them up, don't tower over them. Clean hutch when they are out. They don't like us cleaning and can get aggressive if left in. some never like to be picked up, but support under their bum can help them feel secure. I'm sure she wil become nicer once she's had an op and got a hubby. Mine did. Local rescues are great for info and knowing you rescued a unloved bunny brings great joy. One last thing, wear gauntlets when you go to pick her up. if she starts biting don't remove your hand as she's 'won'. By keeping your hand there she will realise she can't intimidate you.Good luck and persevere, it will be worth it.

Answer 2

Bad behaviour at this age is more than likely hormones. A lot of rabbits are given up to shelters at 4-6 months because of behaviour changes. What was once a wonderful family pet turns into bunzilla from hell. Spaying will fix a huge amount of the issues. She'll become less agressive and territorial, less likely to burrow (though rabbits are burrowing creatures) and any litter training will more than likely return.

Do try to be patient with her until you can get her sorted as she doesn't have much control over this. I know it's hard, trust me, I still have scars from one particularly aggressive girl I had!

Answer 3

i have always had rabbits, but non of them have been like yours, what a shame, rabbits are usually lovable animals. Have you taken her to your vets, she may have a hormone in balance, getting her done might help. You have a one off rabbit. Is she bored or is she scared when you go to touch her? This may make her bite if she is scared or you make her jump, rabbits cant see very well from the side view, they have like tunnel vision, so talk calmly to her as you approach her. Good luck.

Answer 4

you should buy a cage and put her in there for awhile. One roomy enough for her. But when she's in the cage you need to play with her alot, pick her up, hold her, flip her on her back (sit down for that one, and put her on your knees once she's flipped). be careful though, or you may want to wait untill she's more enjoyable to play with because if you flip her over and she fights back, she break her back, and that leads to death. If she bites you while your holding her or anythign else, tap her on the nose or sprinkle her with water. a rabbit should be an enjoyable pet. just sometimes if you no longer play with them, especially that young, they tend to become like actual wild rabbits. hope i've helped.

Answer 5

your rabbit is lonely, and they do get depressed. has it been near other rabbits, as when a rabbit digs, it can be nesting because its pregnant. i would try and lift it more wrap it in a towel and stroke it and make it know your not going to harm it, and eventualy after doing this for a few mins every day, it will know people are not a threat to it anymore

Answer 6

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Answer 7

So what training did you do as soon as she started biting? If you really don't know what to do, talk to the vet - they might be able to recommend a course of action, or someone who knows how to re-train rabbit behaviour.

Answer 8

try getin her neutered she may calm down but at the minute sounds like she is showing her dominant side thre other option is to get her a boyf she could be sexually frustrated lol

Answer 9

Maybe it's hungry.... did you ever think of that?

Answer 10

Boil her.