# Ankle biting...



## Ellie (Aug 9, 2012)

Hi there,
I have a question about biting... it is literally driving me insane.
When I first got Buster he liked to bite baggy pant legs. I never thought it was a problem because he was never actually biting us... But, then he started biting socks as well. Then, he started to bite toes (I think he could get his mouth around it easiest.) At first my boyfriend thought it was just him trying to play, but...
Now, he's started to just plainly bite my ankles. I was standing folding laundry and he came and bit the top of my foot really hard. I literally wasn't doing ANYTHING wrong. Wasn't in his way, or anything...

I have tried so much. Ever since he started biting socks I've tried yelling no, and pressing his head down... I thought eventually he would catch on, but now it's gone too far. Sometimes when I come in he'll circle my feet and I'm like aww yay he likes me again, but then... nope, a giant bite. 

He is 3 years old... is he too old to learn to stop? I'm wondering if that's the reason his previous owners gave him to the pound. He's also neutered so that's not the problem.

Does anybody have any suggestions...? It's started to really make me pathetically emotional because I'm so nice to him and then I get nothing but bites (not any licks or cuddles, EVER!)ssd:


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## MyBabyHasPaws (Aug 9, 2012)

I really dont know? Bugsy bit me once and I really think it was because of the toe nail cutting session we had.. it didnt go too well lol.

I'm not sure how I would handle this.. I would consider taking away his free roam though. Maybe only giving him xpen time.

I know how you feel. Its pretty upsetting when you do everything for these little buggers and then they're mean lol.


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## LakeCondo (Aug 9, 2012)

It sounds to me he's wanting attention. He's slowly escalating because the lesser measures aren't working.

Never think of a rabbit as being mean. Mean requires intention & thought to the future, which rabbits cannot do.


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## Ellie (Aug 9, 2012)

Yeah I read about them biting for attention... but it's strange because sometimes I'll be petting him and his face will be near my toe and he'll just go for it. Other times I'll be petting him, he'll run away, and then run back and bite me.

I might try taking away his roaming... he doesn't technically have 'free roaming' but he does just in our dining room. Do you think that would stop it?

I know he's not purposely being mean... It just seems that way. Getting so frustrated. :confused2:


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## Nancy McClelland (Aug 9, 2012)

We don't like being bit. When pinning them to the ground didn't work with a couple, Id snatch them up, roll them belly up and hold them cradled in my arms for a couple of minutes. I had two biters and that worked! No more biting and no more Larry bleeding!


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## LakeCondo (Aug 9, 2012)

Larry's suggestion sounds good. If it doesn't work, wear clogs.


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## silversky2668 (Aug 9, 2012)

When I'm sitting at the computer and Honey wants attention, he'll come over and nip at my pants/shoes/feet, whatever is easiest at the time. If I react, he binkies and runs away the little brat...so I've been trying to just ignore him. He doesn't nip hard, so it's not like it's too bad. I don't know what I would do if he bit me really hard!


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## Mariah (Aug 9, 2012)

Kiwi bites ankles too. I think it's because she wants attention. She also will take my finger in her mouth and push it away when she's annoyed. She never bites my fingers though. Just a gentle push away.


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## Ellie (Aug 10, 2012)

Hmm, interesting ideas. Larry, did yours squirm at all? I've never tried to flip Buster on his back because even when I hold him he freaks out... if he's calm he breaths SUPER heavily and I'm afraid he's going to have a heart attack or something. 

He's only bit hard a few times... those are the times I know I've done something he doesn't like though. One day I was on the phone and blocking off somewhere I didn't want him to go with my feet. He bit me about 10 times and I had huge red marks all over my feet. Such a brat.

Silversky, has not reacting helped at all? Maybe I'll also try just ignoring him and he'll start to think it doesn't do anything... This morning he started digging at my feet too because I was wearing socks. Such a strange bunny.


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## LakeCondo (Aug 10, 2012)

My guess is that ignoring will just make it worse, but that's just a guess.

Maybe he has a sock fetish. You could take some old socks & put one inside the other & roll them up & give them to him as a toy. I read somewhere to use an old sock as a hay holder as well.

I have not tried it, but turning on the back is supposed to put rabbits into a trance so you can trim the back nails.


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## littl3red (Aug 10, 2012)

Huh... that's funny. Teddy doesn't mind being held on her back very much... It never even occurred to me that it could be used as punishment. Then again, Teddy doesn't mind being held much at all, and I guess that in itself is pretty odd...


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## silversky2668 (Aug 10, 2012)

*Ellie wrote: *


> Hmm, interesting ideas. Larry, did yours squirm at all? I've never tried to flip Buster on his back because even when I hold him he freaks out... if he's calm he breaths SUPER heavily and I'm afraid he's going to have a heart attack or something.
> 
> He's only bit hard a few times... those are the times I know I've done something he doesn't like though. One day I was on the phone and blocking off somewhere I didn't want him to go with my feet. He bit me about 10 times and I had huge red marks all over my feet. Such a brat.
> 
> Silversky, has not reacting helped at all? Maybe I'll also try just ignoring him and he'll start to think it doesn't do anything... This morning he started digging at my feet too because I was wearing socks. Such a strange bunny.


 With Honey it works; he hops away if I don't react, because the reaction is exactly what he wants--it doesn't matter if it's a good or bad reaction, he just wants one. Idk how it would work with your rabbit, though, if he's actually leaving marks and biting really hard. Probably hard to ignore when it's happening! That's something that some discipline would probably be good for if you can figure out a way that works for you.


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## MyBabyHasPaws (Aug 10, 2012)

i have had no such luck turning Oreo on her back. trance my butt, it makes her a kicking demon I have the scars to prove it!!!


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## SweetPeasMom (Aug 10, 2012)

Sweet pea started at one time to bite ankles and binky or hop off. I was confused to no end to understand what she was doing; then I read that rabbits when in a group like to play.

I now chase her after she has nipped me and does she binky...lol

She has calmed down, but what she was trying to tell me was give some of my time to her, which I do and she doesn't bite unless...she wants my time cos she is a jealous girl wants all my time.

:rabbithop


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## cwolfec (Aug 10, 2012)

My bunny digs on my socks and grabs them in his mouth when he wants something. Mainly he does this when he wants to get in the bedroom, where he isn't allowed. 

Does he lunge at you, or make any noise when he does it like he's angry?


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## Hyatt101 (Aug 11, 2012)

"It sounds to me he's wanting attention. He's slowly escalating because the lesser measures aren't working.

Never think of a rabbit as being mean. Mean requires intention & thought to the future, which rabbits cannot do."



I'm not so sure that its because he wanted attention, some rabbits just bite, maybe because they weren't socialized well enough, etc.


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## Hyatt101 (Aug 11, 2012)

Trancing a rabbit is a good way to calm them down. I can put my 4 20 day old baby bunnies in trances easily (a trance is when you place them on their back and stroke their heads to calm them) and it works great!!


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## Ape337 (Aug 11, 2012)

I think it could be habit too. Humma used to nibble (not bite to draw blood) on my feet, it pinched. I pushed his head down and said "no", tried walking away and ignoring him too but he was not deterred. So I put on a big fluffy pair of slippers, and jeans whenever I was going into his area. I definitely restricted his play area bc I didn't want to have to watch out all the time. Anyway, the slippers and jeans worked bc I was not afraid to be bitten, and could correct him immediately if I saw those choppers getting ready to munch my jeans. I used to yell "hey!" in a really low tone voice at my dog, and one day it came out with Humma. I was caught off guard, but it sure worked! He froze in place right next to me, then decided to just nose bonk my leg. Then he carried on being Humma. He never bit the slippers and never touched my feet after that except to nose bonk. That's why I think it can be habit. It's almost like he needed the habit broken by not being able to get to my feet. He actually groomed the slippers a few times too bc they were furry (tigers). He was 2.5 years old when we got him so I dont think your bun is too old to learn. He never responded to the high pitched squeal either. Just that low tone "hey". Maybe I was more convincing with my low voice?


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## Ellie (Aug 11, 2012)

So many more ideas to try, thanks so much everyone! 

I want to try putting him in a trance some day, but it sounds so scary... I know he's just going to end up kicking like crazy. Do you keep him on his back and let him kick away if he does that or will they eventually calm down?

Definitely going to try the sock idea! That's really creative, thanks!

He's never lunged at me... at least from what I can tell. He just kinda runs up to me and will lie near me while I'm sitting cross legged and then may eventually bite me (even if I'm petting him). Such a strange bunny! Gonna try yelling hey every time he does it though  Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between a little nip and a head bump when you're wearing socks though.

I tried the playing thing last night... except I'm not really sure "how" to play with him? A lot of the time I just throw around paper rolls like he does and move his little car towards him to push away. Last night I tried chasing after him but he just ran away and went under the table... I couldn't tell if it was because of fear or if he enjoyed it. :confused2:


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## Hyatt101 (Aug 11, 2012)

They do calm down after a few seconds when you put them in a trance. Just be a little more forceful, if you act like you're in charge, the rabbit will calm down


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## Ellie (Aug 11, 2012)

Hmm will need to try that then... was just petting him and sitting on the ground and tried to pick him up to give it a try. Like always, he got away before I could barely put my hand under him. Sneaky little bugger


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## Hyatt101 (Aug 11, 2012)

Haha, yeah it takes a few tries, but once he settles down, it makes life easier for you and him!!


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