# Biting or nipping



## muffin66678 (Apr 22, 2018)

My rabbit is really cute and fun, but sometimes when shes curious about my hand, she will come up to it, and lick and then I can feel her teeth about to nip or bite me. I dont know how to stop this behavior. She isnt aggressive at all, shes 11 weeks old and i dont know why she does this. Help??


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## Sue (Apr 22, 2018)

She's so young. I think she's probably exploring her teeth. As long as she's not aggressive I wouldn't worry about it. Have fun with your baby!


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## JBun (Apr 22, 2018)

She's probably trying to groom you. Rabbits will lick and also nibble the fur of another rabbit while grooming them. You'll just need to teach your bun to lick and not to nibble. Sometimes this can be accomplished by letting out a loud 'eek' and pull your hand away when she starts to nibble. Repetition is key, so if you don't want your hand nibbled on, you can try wearing gloves to protect your hand. Though she may not try and groom you with a glove on, and if so then using a glove won't work.


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## ava_loves_rabbits (Apr 22, 2018)

She is just young and curious. My rabbit does that sometimes when she is bored or mad .


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## chlocbfkgj (Apr 25, 2018)

My dwarf bun does the same thing. He’ll notmally just nibble out of curiosity then keep licking. He likes to do it when he wants attention.


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## LoveBun (May 31, 2018)

Hi. I am having the same issue with my little girl. She is a very gentle Mini Lop and we just celebrated her 1st Birthday on May 1st. She is very well trained and loves to cuddle but lately she is licking and suddenly will start nipping. I have tried to discourage her with a loud NO but she just looks at me like what is your problem and does it again. Eventually it is necessary for her to go back to her pen since if I put her down she just jumps back in my lap and does it again. Does anyone have an idea what I can do. Will it help if I get her spayed. I have been a little nervous about doing it but realize it must be done.

I have enjoyed reading all the advice from you guys and gals that understand more than I do. I have never owned a rabbit before but always wanted a Mini Lop and I couldn't be more in love.


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## JBun (May 31, 2018)

She's trying to communicate something with the nipping. With my rabbits it means they usually want me to put them down, but since your bun is running back to you when you do put her down, my guess would be that's not what she's trying to tell you. Hormones are a possible cause, and if so spaying can help. But if it's not hormones it could be she wants you to give her head rubs, she wants treats, she wants you to play rabbit games with her, she wants you to move out of her way or somewhere else. Sometimes they want down because they need to pee, but it doesn't sound like it's this with your bun. When my rabbits are trying to tell me something I'll just start going through the list of possibilities until I hit on the thing they are trying to tell me.

But even though you are trying to figure out what she is trying to communicate with you, you still don't want to encourage the nipping. So I would give a loud 'yelp', then if she continues 'yelp' again and put her down, then try and figure out what she was trying to communicate with you. Unless she wants you to put her down, then I would shoo her back into her cage for a timeout.

Reading up on rabbit communication might be helpful too. 
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

For spaying, just find the best rabbit vet you can. Though there is always risk with any surgery, having an experienced rabbit vet do it can reduce those risks. If they do pre surgery blood work, intubate, do an IV line, these can all help reduce the risks as well, though it does also add to the cost.
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/opcare.html


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## colebunbun (May 31, 2018)

mine does that when he is grooming me. He stops when I yell out ouch! in a high pitched tone, and then he licks instead. He has turned into a lap bunny which is a bit odd, but he will jump in my lap for pets, so it could be that yours may just want pets?


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## LoveBun (May 31, 2018)

I actually hold her and pet her everyday and she loves it. When she is out of her pen she prefers to cuddle with me. My problem seems to be that she wants me to pet her continuously and it gets hard to do. That is when she starts licking and nipping. I am guessing that she is grooming me. The loud ouch does not work. She just looks at me like I am nuts and continues. I will try the spray bottle of water and see if that works. She is a very smart little girl but very stubborn.


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