# Naughty bunny- how do I discipline?



## kassidylangiano (Mar 8, 2014)

I need help, my little boy is doing my head in... He keeps being naught... Picked up some bad habits... Peeing on things he never used too. Climbing on things that he never used too he kicks the gerbil tank we have... 

He doesn't bite me but does have a nip every now and then if I'm not giving him enough attention... 

He tries to bite my toes if they are out... And as someone who hates socks I kind of want that one fixed haha... 

I give him so much attention and play time out of the cage. He has toys all over the place and a treat ball he has to work at to get anything... I am going crazy... I don't like shouting at him because he hides from me and then I feel evil... 

Is there anything you can do? Like with dogs you tap them on the nose or something?


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## whiskylollipop (Mar 8, 2014)

Is your bunny neutered yet?


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## BlueMoods (Mar 8, 2014)

Yes, there is something you can do. GENTLY push his head to the floor and tell him "No" firmly but do not yell at him. That's similar to what another rabbit would do to tell him he had done something wrong. Then release his head and immediately offer him something he can bite on, that will help him learn that biting human skin is not okay but, it is okay to bite a willow stick or alfalfa cube, or whatever you offer him to bite.


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## stitch&flopsy (Mar 8, 2014)

I agree on it could be that he isn't neutered. Also how old is he because if he is still young like around five months old it could of recently reached sexual maturity. The way to solve that is get him fixed. Sexual maturity would explain the sudden difference in personality hope this helps


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## lovelops (Mar 8, 2014)

You can't 'discipline' rabbits in any kind of manner like dogs or other animals. They are too small and actually if you hit them or anything like that, you lose their trust and also it will damage your relationship with them or worse kill them. 

I have two rescues I just got in November 2013. I've been bitten by them more times then Clinton had sex with Monica Lewinsky. I've never shouted at them, hit them, etc. One, they don't know what the hell we are saying. It's all blah blah, Rabbit Name here. NO No Rabbit name here. It's like talking to my husband. The lights are on but no one is home. 

Peeing all over the place? Is your bunnie litter box trained? Have you just given him more space to run around in?
Is he fixed? I think we need some more information on that one before constructive info can be given. If he is litter box trained, give him more than one litter box in a bigger area if you have expanded his area... once again, this is vague. Need a bit more info before I can give you really constructive feedback. 

Climbing on things he never used to? Is he doing a Houdini on you? Is he escaping because he is bored? How old is he? 
What is the difference in age between never climbed on stuff and now is going buck wild? My rescue Lop was acting like Russell Brand in the West End on a bender when I first got her in November in my bathroom. I thought someone broke into my house and was robbing us. She climbed on top of the toilet and obviously did not like my house keeping and thought she could do better. She tossed everthing on the floor. A few weeks later she stopped and now somewhat sleeps through the night. Has there been any changes in routine? Was this rabbit NOT climbing on anything before? 

Hum, My lop bit my toes the other night. I'm kinda like you. I walk around with no socks or shoes on and she saw my toes going past and thought it was a new flesh colored toy. She bit my toe and left a nice imprint on it. Guess what? It's my fault, not the rabbits. I know anything not nailed down is a toy to be thrown by a bunny and anything that moves is fair game to be bit or put in the mouth. How did I solve this? Simple one word. SHOES. I grew up in the South of the US. (Are you in England? Doing my head in is a phrase my first husband from England used with me over and over in fights..)
and we ran around barefoot all the time. Even in this -10 degree weather like an idiot I was walking around the house with no shoes or slippers ( I know stupid.. but a creature of habit..) I cannot retrain the rabbit NOT to go after my toes any more than I can retrain my dogs not to bark when the door bell rings. Wish I could. 

You are saying he hides from you when you yell at him. That is not good. Your rabbit is going to start shying away from you which is not the goal. You want to have a good relationship with your bunny, but the problem is he's not a dog or other type of animal that we can train easily. Thumping on the nose is going to hurt and make him not trust you and possibly hate you. That is not your goal either. Please read the article below and see if you can find anything in there to help you. I hope it can. It sounds like he is growing up and just sewing his wild oats a bit since you are saying he has not acted like this before. Anyway I hope you can get this worked out and the both of you are happy again! 
Vanessa 

Here is an article:

Biting
Remember: Yes, bunnies can get mad. And a mad bunny can grunt, box, and, in a few circumstances, bite. No matter how badly your bunny behaves, it is never a good idea to try to physically discipline your rabbit. Not only does it not work -- it can kill your rabbit. Rabbits have been designed to be easily frightened and broken; never physically discipline your rabbit. You and/or your rabbit could end up seriously hurt and your rabbit will end up terrified of you rather than your loving companion.

Rabbits do not typically bite for the fun of it. They have been known to bite if frightened or when attempting to defend either themselves or their belongings, including their space.

Rabbits prefer to be on the ground. A rabbit that isn't being held correctly will become scared and could bite in order to get the handler's hands to release them. This is why it is very important that small children do not handle or carry your rabbit around. Small children just do not have the dexterity to enable a rabbit to feel safe and secure and this could easily cause either or both to end up seriously hurt.

Cage protective behavior
Rabbits can become protective of their belongings, including toys, food and water bowls, bedding, etc. If you have a rabbit who bites when you try to clean his/her housing, then remove them before getting in there and cleaning things out. Rabbits like to have things a certain way; keep in mind their decor may not match your ideas.  After cleaning out their housing, try to put everything back in its rightful place. If your rabbit bites or charges when you are trying to feed (I have one like this) then pat the rabbit while placing fresh greens in their housing or food area. Distraction is a wonderful tool when dealing with a biter.

Another reason rabbits become cage protective is because their housing is too small and/or they are not getting enough play time out. Increasing play time and/or providing more spacious housing can really make a difference.

Raging hormones = raging bunnies
Rabbits can sometimes be aggressive because of raging hormones. Neutering or spaying your rabbit can help alleviate all sorts of bad behaviors. Just make sure you have the surgery performed by a rabbit knowledgeable vet.

Pay attention to me! (chomp!)
There are also those rabbits that will bite to get your attention. Bored buns get into all sorts of mischief. Being social creatures by nature, a friend could make a world of difference for your bun. It is emotionally and physically in the best interest of your rabbit. Many bad behaviors lessen in intensity or cease to exist once bun has a companion of his/her own.

How to stop the biting
Whatever the reason your rabbit it biting, there are several steps you should take consistently. Always give a loud eeeeep whenever they bite you. This is how rabbits communicate to one another that they have been hurt. Follow quickly with a firm "No Bite!" Once the behavior has stopped, be as quick to offer praise and love to reinforce their good behavior. Never use physical discipline in an attempt to correct your rabbit's unacceptable behaviors. You can also include a loud hand clap, stomp of your foot or loud whistle to get your rabbit's attention right before your "No Bite!" A soda can, with a few pennies tucked inside and the opening closed over with something like Duc Tape, can also be used to get bun's attention when the can is shaken. Consistency is an important factor when trying to get your rabbit to unlearn a bad behavior. This means that when your rabbit does a little nip that doesn't hurt at all, you follow the same steps as if it had been a hard one.

When approaching a rabbit that bites use a flat hand, palm side down, with fingers spread as wide as possible. Have the hand several inches above the head and bring it down gently onto the rabbit's forehead and nose from the front if possible. Pat and reassure bun that you mean it no harm and everything is okay with a loving, soothing voice. Never let anyone poke their fingers at your rabbit's face; they're very likely to get bit even if the rabbit isn't a known biter. Depending on the intensity of your rabbit's bite and your experience, you may want to use a pair of thick gloves at first to prevent any bites. When you become more comfortable, you can start practicing without the gloves. In time, the behavior will improve as the rabbit unlearns it with your help, patience and love.

http://rabbithaven.org/biting/


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## kassidylangiano (Mar 9, 2014)

Thank you all, iv only ever shouted at him once and that was because he scared me by putting himself in danger... He trapped himself under the wardrobe and I couldn't lift it.... 

I will try the nose to the floor thing. He is just about 3 months old and he has always had the same amount of running space.... 

He is a totally mummy's boy which I love, and his attitude becomes worse when my boyfriend is home... When it's just us two we play all day and cuddle when he gets sleepy... But the second I give any attention to my boyfriend I get nipped at or he starts peeing... Mainly next to me.... 
Is he marking me? 

I don't think he has reached sexual maturity yet... But maybe?!?


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## pani (Mar 9, 2014)

I agree with BlueMoods' suggestion.  Felix was a bit of a biter when he first arrived at my place, and after a few days of softly pressing his head down after he bit me, he learned to nudge for attention instead. Associating a loud, assertive noise (like a clap or a loud "NO") could also help. I haven't done it much yet, but if they're being terribly naughty or are in danger (like the few times Felix has escaped his pen) I'll clap because it immediately stops them in their tracks. 

3 months would be pretty early to have matured, but Felix's boys had dropped by then, so it might be worth looking into.


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## MikeScone (Mar 9, 2014)

It's important to distinguish between nipping and biting - if the rabbit isn't clamping on, breaking the skin and not letting go, or otherwise acting aggressive, chances are he's just nip-talking.

Nipping is one way that rabbits communicate with each other. A nip can mean anything from, "pay attention to me" to "get out of the way, busy rabbit coming through". It's perfectly normal for a rabbit to nip at first -they don't mean to hurt, they just don't realize that we don't have thick fur coats to protect us. Both my first rabbit, Scone MacBunny, and my current one, Natasha Rabbitova, nipped when they first came to live with me.

The way to get him to stop is to get through to him that his nips really hurt. A loud, sharp "EEEEK" will work. Not knowing any better, the first few times Scone nipped me I reacted by pulling my arm away and saying "NO" or pushing him away. He didn't understand, and kept coming back and nipping again. 

Then I learned the "eeek" method - he hopped up, nipped my arm, and I said "EEEEK" in a loud voice, then said "just kiss". He jumped back, then hopped up and nipped slightly less hard. "EEEK - just kiss" again, and so on, until on the third or fourth try he hopped up and licked my arm instead. I praised him - "GOOD boy, bunny kiss..." and gave him a nose rub. In a few days the nipping stopped, and that was that. It worked exactly the same way with Natasha. Once she realized that she'd get more attention by kissing than nipping, she never nipped again.

"Just kiss..."


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## kassidylangiano (Mar 9, 2014)

Ahh that's so cute! I'll try that! Thank you! X


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## lovelops (Mar 9, 2014)

kassidylangiano said:


> Thank you all, iv only ever shouted at him once and that was because he scared me by putting himself in danger... He trapped himself under the wardrobe and I couldn't lift it....
> 
> I will try the nose to the floor thing. He is just about 3 months old and he has always had the same amount of running space....
> 
> ...



OK now you have said something KEY, he is jealous when your boyfriend is in the house. That could be the cause of the peeing and everything else. It has nothing to do with him needing to be fixed. He is jealous of not being the center of your attention. I have this probelm with one of my other rabbits..

If he is chinning you then he is marking you and YES it could totally be due to your boyfriends introducting into your bunnies world!

Vanessa


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## kassidylangiano (Mar 10, 2014)

I thought so, because he is fine when it is just me with him, we play for hours and have no problems...

Is there anything i can do about this behavior?


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## JBun (Mar 10, 2014)

You could try having your boyfriend give your buns daily treats, so that your bun learns to associate him with good things.


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## bellaterra214 (Mar 10, 2014)

Omg, are rabbits jealous. Of each other, other humans. they are very emotional driven characters. Lulu loves to lick, but as she's licking she will kind of gnaw on a knuckle or my fingernail. But there are those times, she forgets I'm not a rabbit and starts to actually bite to help facilitate the grooming process. I usually let out a yelp and lets them know it hurts. She returns gingerly to proceed with her grooming process.

Disciplining rabbits don't really do anything, but make them weary and cautious of you. For mine, I use a time out method when all else fails. I will use a x-pen in the corner of their play area and have a progressing time out. 5 mins, 10 mins 20 mins.... Usually by the 20 min time out, they realize that a certain behavior puts them into a time out and it stops them, but mine are free roam so they hate being on time out. The key is being consistent. At first Sebatian would shake, paw and bite at the bars refusing to be in a 2'x2' jail cell. Its heartbreaking, but don't let them out until they settle down. If you take them out when they are fighting, it teaches them thats how to get out. Now I snap my fingers, which cause them all to look in my direction, and see who my finger it pointing at. Kind of a public shaming thing which works for my family. Learning how to communicate with your rabbits also helps. If they are doing something you don't like, go sit right in front of them and then immediately give them your back. 

All your bunny and boyfriend needs, it time and patience. Try having your boyfriend interact with your bunny slowly. The same process you used to gain your rabbits trust, it going to be what your bf is going to need to do, to be "accepted." When's he's over, have him hang out on the floor with you and hand feed treats, play their favorite games. Hopefully your bunny realizes he now has 2 people to exploit, not just one.


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