When Bunnies Attack: What To Do When Your Rabbit Bites
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Rabbits, whilst being incredibly cute, playful, fun little individuals, also have some tendencies that may be somewhat surprising to the uninitiated. Though they are prey animals, they can have a somewhat vicious streak at times, and those big incisors can make for a nasty bite if bunny decides that you deserve it.
People are often mystified about what to do when their rabbit starts behaving like a pit bull, but here are a few tips to get you through the hard times.
Here's what to do if your bunny bites:
STEP ONE: Do NOT hit the bunny, or toss it across the room whilst screaming wild curses. The desire for this sort of reaction is understandable, but is generally frowned upon in rabbit keeping literature. Gently encourage the bunny back to its cage, where it can feel safe and can decompress. Think of it as a bunny time out, if that helps.
STEP TWO: Clean and disinfect the bite. You don't want to have any nasty infections to be weakening you next time you have to do battle with the small, fragile, and fuzzy creature.
STEP THREE: Figure out why the bite occurred. Did you scare the bunny? Did you offend the bunny? Did you hurt the bunny? Did the bunny simply decide that you needed to be taught a lesson? All these reasons are valid ones in the mind of a rabbit.
STEP FOUR: Once you have determined the reason, take steps to avoid it again. Rabbits that are in pain, or are scared will often bite, and you don't want your pet to become frightened or perpetually hostile towards you. Bunny/human relations can often break down when these incidents occur, and if you don't stop and think about things from the rabbit's perspective, then you may end up with a situation less easily resolved than the conflict in the middle east.
STEP FIVE: Make amends. Or, as our Christian friends like to say, turn the other cheek. This doesn't mean you should shove your fingers down the bunny's throat, but you should spend some time interacting with it in a positive way, once you have both had time to calm down. Keep an eye on the bunny in future, and if it shows signs of trying to bite again gently dissuade it. Bonding with your rabbit in a positive way is the best way to reduce future bites.
To squeal, or not to squeal?
Some sources say that you should emit a high pitch squeal if the bunny bites you, letting it know it hurt you. This only works if the bunny didn't intend to hurt you, which in some cases, it did. After all, what do you think it was trying to do when it abandoned its herbivorous instincts and got a mouthful of flesh? Squealing may help, it may not. Try it and see what your bunny does. If it simply gets a pleased and sadistic look in its eye, you can assume that it didn't help.
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My bunny bites if you smell too much like food (and haven't offered him any) and occasionally to investigate me. The questioning bites are usually picking at clothes or blankets I don't normally have on. any tips on discouraging this? It doesn't usually hurt, but I want to discourage him from chewing on stuff that's not healthy for him....
Hi cookie's mommy...
The bites you're describing aren't really going to lead to chewing by the sounds of things. The nipping is perfectly normal rabbit behavior, with your rabbit attempting to discipline you, or get your attention. The way to discourage him is to squeal loudly when he does this, as it will surprise him, and let him know that he hurt you. (Of course, he may not have hurt you, but that is a great way to stop his ways.)
My daughter and I just got a bunny from a friend of mine and the first week we had him he was great, he let us pick him up and hold him and pet him and kiss him, now that we are on the 2nd week of having him well he is starting to nipat us but today bunny bite my daughter and she was bleeding. We have been trying to pick him up like we always would do and now he wiggles so much that he jumps out of our hands before we can take him out of the cage.
Can anybody tell me why all of a sudden his attitude is changing. I am almost ready to give up on the bunny and give me away...It's sad to say but I need help here. He's so cute and we want to spoil him with our love and toys and a clean cage.
Hi Maria,
There are a few possible reasons for his sudden change of attitude.
1. He was hurt by accident on a previous occasion that he was picked up, and now fears being picked up.
Solution: Patience, time, back off a little and reestablish the bond without handling him so intensely. Don't let him get in a position to bite you or your daughter.
2. He has suddenly hit sexual maturity, and his hormones are gong wild.
Solution: He should be fixed (neutered) by a vet.
3. He has a medical problem, and is in pain.
Solution: Take him to the vet.
I would take him to the vet anyway, as sudden changes in behavior should be checked out to see if they don't have a medical basis. If he is coming up around the 6 month mark, he may also be approaching sexual maturity, which will make him moody like any teenager.
Thank you for the advice, my cute yet vicious bunny is very frightening! He attacks out of nowhere. When I tell people about him they all laugh, and say they never heard anything like that. I have scars on my hands and feet to prove it. His favorite play toy is my dog's bushy tail. He smells for him and then attacks him as well. Could this be a male thing? Do you think he wants to mate?
If your rabbit isn't neutered, and is over 6 months, I would reccomend that you have him neutered as soon as possible. Agressive rabbits are not at all uncommon, however you shouldn't have to bear the scars of his attacks.
Hey Bunniez,
i got a few questions;
i really want a rabbit for my birthday, but my mom won't get it for me because she says they can smell, and their bites are horrible. Yes, i know that bites can hurt and that they can tend to smell. But isn't it true that if you clean their cages, they won't smell? I also know that if i were to get one, and it bit me i would be terrified to pick it up again. That's actually a definite negative. I don't know if you have any tips on the good side of getting a rabbit. so, if you can...HELP! i need to put up a good argument with my mom. And anybody else's opinion is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Sincerely,
I wanna get a pet bunny!
Hello BunnyforBirthday,The best thing I can reccomend for you to do is to do much more research. There are at least 40 other articles here on the topic of bunnies, and there are many other great sites on the Internet as well. I should warn you that there is a high chance that your bunny will not like being picked up, most all bunnies hate being lifted off the floor and held. There are exceptions, but they are not the general rule. Bunnies can have a nasty bite too, but if you handle them properly you lessen your risk of being bitten. Having said that, my own rabbit gave me a nip or two in the early days simply for being so bold as to groom her.Bunnies can be awesome pets, but your mom is right. If you want to keep a bunny from smelling, their cage will need to be cleaned out at least once a day, and more likely twice if you want to keep it clean. Also, a bunny may take over a year to really become friendly. Do you have that much patience? People with cool bunnies are people who have spent a lot of time with their rabbits, who have been patient and kind. Rabbits also have a teenage stage where they get moody and irritable, and your bunny will also need to be spayed or neutered. A female bunny will most likely get cancer if you don't.
That probably wasn't what you wanted to hear, but the truth of the matter is, how suitable a pet rabbit will be does not depend so much on the bunny as it does on you. Are you prepared to spend months taking care of a creature that may very well not care if you live or die.. but then eventually will run up to you and demand a head rub? I am painting a negative picture I know, but these are the realities of bunny keeping. If you are a good bunny keeper, then you will have a good and non smelly bunny. If you are looking for an immediately affectionate pet then a kitten or a puppy is a better idea.
Yeah, it is kind of a negative picture, i know.
But i guess i could be better off without a rabbit.
I really really really want one, but even my sister said, "you know, the very first time it bites you, you'll never want to pick it up again."
Truth is, THAT IS THE TRUTH. i would be petrified of picking it up, and those are really the small prices you gotta pay to have a fuzzy, jumping companion by your side.
Thanks for your help, but i really don't think a rabbit's right for me.
Bye Bunniez, your help is definitely appreciated.
Thanks for the useful information. My bunny, Felix (a new zealand white) usually nips me whilst licking my hand (he loves licking my hand after I pet him) or when he's running around my feet when he sees me coming home. First I didn't know why he always nipped me that way, until I found in a website that nipping softly(considered by the bunny) is also the way for bunny to express his/her love to us, especially if he nips when he's grooming our hand/face. One thing that the bunny doesn't know is: the nip really hurts! Yeah, I did squeal and Felix stopped his nipping action, but just for a while....next time when he's terribly happy or licking my hand again, he'll nip me again too... However, I can say that I'm pretty lucky as I got so much love from my bunny....
I just got a new bunny yesterday 4 months old and fixed, he was real friendly in the pet store but this morning I tried went to talk to him and try to give him my hand to smell me and get to know me and hi was kicking alot telling me to leave,, so I put a few carrots in the cage. is he just scared being in a new house will he calm down?
HELP! my friend has a bunny. I go to her house all the time. her bunny hates me! it nips me all the time. any reason why?
my rabbit always bites me but i don't khow why sometimes he jumps on me and bit my head! it really hurts. his only 1 years old and 5 months! i don't khow if i can't stay like this all day.
my rabbit is 8 weeks old we have had him a week and is sooooo friendly he does binkeys all the time and licks us too so we know he loves us all very much BUT when we go to see him in the morning he tries to bite this seems to be if we put our hands anywher near the part of the cage that he likes to peee ! HE HAS ACTUALLY BIT ME ONCE BUT TRIES IT EVERY MORNING PLEASE HELP i am only 8 and it really hurts he is very very friendly the rest of the time .
My rabbit was nuetered a month ago. everytime im in his x pen and move the slightest he growls then nips at me. i usually say no and depress his head down to the floor softly but firmly. i just want to know why he growls and bites should i not introude on his space and let him come to me? i am trying to bond with him and read it can take months. i am patient but something inside me just wants my little bunny boy to be kind. i also was contiemplating bonding him however, i am not sure if i should wait till he bonds with me. the funny part is he is bonding with my cat!
by the way bunnies do not stink. my bunny goes potty in his litter box i clean the box every other day and there is no odor at all from him!
Hi there,
I do have a pair of dwarf rabbits. They were very playful and sweet at first. But this past few days the male started acting very aggressive and started attacking me everytime i put rabbit pellets inside their cage. I was bitten once and its really painful. Since then i got scared of him. He even attacks the female rabbit. I think the other one's pregnant im not sure if this is the cause of his wierd behavior lately. Any advise would be greatly appreciated:) thanks
my bunny just went totally nuts at me a few minutes ago. i was picking bits of newspaper out of his cage and he suddenly lunged at me and started grunting and squealing, mouth wide open ready to bite (he did, he just didnt succeed in hurting me), while throwing its arms and legs around madly, trying to scratch me. so i smacked his bum (we've always done a gentle tap and that gets them settled) and he went away into his box part of the hutch, but came back out and lunged at my hand some more. He's been this way for around 9 months now, ONLY around me. around my 22 month old son, he's like cotton candy... he rubs up against him and lets him pat him, he licks and nibbles him but only ever attacks me. My husband says its because they act the same as dogs when someone is pregnant (they feel weird around you so bark/attack because theyre unsure), im currently 6.5 months along, would that have any affect on how he acts around me, anyone?
are rabbit bites infectious? we borrowed a rabbit from my son's nursery school and now my children have several bites on his hands. Besides cleaning the cut out so we need medical care?
my bunny used to bite and chew my finger all the time, but it did not hurt at all
My rabbit is very aggressive and in the last few months he's bitten me and my mum. He hasn't been neutered but my dad's looking into it. He scratches me when i pick him up and I am scared to go near him now. Do you have any solutions on how to fix this?
Our family has two dutch bunnies almost two yrs old. At first they would play with my kids and I quite nicely. We would take them with us to pet stores and anywhere we went that allowed our bunnies to be with us. Lately our bunnies (sisters) have been fairly anti-social with all of us. My daughter tried giving them a snack and one of them bit her. Is there any way to work with them to become social again?
lol my rabbit bit me and i bit him back gently lol he never did it again, i did take him to vet to see if everything was ok and hes perfect lol
hi, my rabbit bites sometimes but i think he is tellin me to leave him alone.
also can any one tell me is it a good thing to bring the rabbit into the house when its really cold out side. some people say it is where as some say it isnt..help.
For the most part, my 2 bunnies seem to Not have an odor. However, I noticed that after running from me (when I am trying to get them back in the cage), when I finally catch them, there are times when they have an Bad Odor. They Did Not have the odor prior to running from me. Can the let off a bad odor if they are scared? It's a nasty smell that just seems to come during those times.
i bunny likes to nip at my toes or pants when im at the computer. it is totaly for attention. i usually just clamp his mouth closed with my hand and say no in a loud and deep voice.
Do rabbits bite when they are having babies? She bit my sister.
I need help I got my daughter a bunny & he attacks her every time she gets near him. she is the only one he has bitten. she loves him ane even though he has made her bleed more than once she dosent want to get rid of him what can I do ?
if your bunny bites you, all you really have to do is flick them in the nose and that tells them not to do it again. but if they are biting constantly and making you bleed, it is a good idea to listen to this. and also, if u get a rabbit, let it relax in its cage for a few weeks. let it get used to its surroundings and let it get comfortable. do not cuddle or pick up your rabbit too much because u are pretty much a stranger to them and they will probably bite you. and also dont give it treats the first week. u can start to pick up ur rabbit and cuddle it after it looks comfortable which will probably be two weeks after u got ur rabbit
i hate bunnys i have one and it scatches me all ova the face it hurts soooo much
dogs a really good mice r really good but rabbits i hate them well i think im hurtin the bunny thats y its made but anyway i loveeeeeeee dogs and mice
My rabbit is the sweetest bunny ever. He has never bit or hurt anyone. He is 4 1/2 yrs. He is free to go in and out of his cage, our house and roam the yard. He is very happy. My daycare kids chase him, play with him and try to hold him and occasionaly pull on him. He is best friends with my boxer, they play and cuddle, but... he attacks my exchange student! It is the craziest thing I've ever seen! we didn't believe him at first, He told me Machiato hopped into his room and bit his leg. and again during dinner he said the rabbit bit his leg. Then last night, our student waked into the dining room, my rabbit was chillin in the living room with the family and dog, Machiato jumped up and charged the student, followed him everywhere he went, scratching, bumping into his leg and trying to bite! I was laughing because I could not believe it! Machiato was seriouly attacking our student! Why would a sweet, gentle rabbit act this way towards one person? Any ideas? He uses our same laundry detergent, shampoo and body wash. We have had many other exchange students and there has never been a problem!
i want a bunny SO badly but........I'm afraid of all the things that could happen like it running away, biting me, of just not liking me.....What should i do about this?.....GET OVER MY FEARS OR NOT GETTING ONE AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!
Love your article! LOL I have a bunny I bottle fed and it bites only if in it's cage. It doesn't like you in it's space. Some times it will bite alittle if your holding it and it wants down. You can usually tell when it's about to happen. It has nibbled on me since it was a baby. I hear it is actually a sign of affection. (Hopefully!)
hi, iam catarina i just had a rabbit i just wanna ask if can know what they like mos
i reallyy reallyy want a bunny but reading all of these comments is making me scareed of them... i just went to the pet store today and held the sweetest one ever but now im scared to get one.... what should i do?? just get it, or listen to what people are saying and get a dogg???????????
hi wannabunny.i don't know about you but rabbits like me a lot.
i just got a rabbit 2 days ago and this morning he licked me and then in the evening he bit me and blood came out and he always sniffs me and then bites me really really hard and i don't know what to do!!!!!!!
(please give me edvice!!!!!)
-Maya
some people say that certain bites are submitted as a sign of love but i found squealing very usefill when i rescued my aggressive bunny she soon learned. i also gentally pinched her bottem as thats a way of telling them that your the boss.
some people say that certain bites are submitted as a sign of love but i found squealing very usefill when i rescued my aggressive bunny she soon learned. i also gentally pinched her bottem as thats a way of telling them that your the boss.
yeah its bad if bunnies bites us like my dog he once bite me my lips its a little bouching
my bunny just bit me! it bleeds! i shouted so loud..
reason? i took him to bath ^__^
i already cleaned my wound and washed with soap..
i think i just have to make up with him and offered a peace offering=)
for me, i still choose to be bitten by a rabbit rather than a dog.
a dog may have rabbies, but bunnies? not.
any animal may hurt you if you don't treat them good.
in my experience, its my first time to see my bunny act this way, maybe he doesnt like to be bathe =)
@Eliya, maybe you did something wrong? maybe you scared him? or hold he's hungry?
try researching about how to take care of bunnies.
so you will know what you must do, and what you must not to to a rabbit. =)
or visit your vet =)
hh
I've had my bunny for about 5 or 6 years now i think. He's a male and he isn't neutered and he's never bitten me in all these years. He doesnt really like being held but he will let me pick him up without being agressive. He's only ever bitten one person - my boyfriend at the time. He would be fine until my boyfriend tried to get near me, my bunny would charge at him biting his ankles and kicking his back legs at him. Do you think it was jealousy?
i got the sweetest little bunnt the other day and i love her way more than i figured i would.i love her little licks she does it constantly
I have a dwarf Lop, he is 5 months old and such a sweety.He loves attention and lives inside day and night, although he is let outside to run around during the day.He has a whole room to him self that he sleeps in (lives in). I am confused by his behaviour at times though. He often nips on my pant legs and at times even my legs. It doesn't seem that he is doing it to hurt me more that he is bored or wants attention. I give him so much attention and don't know what else he wants or if he is just doing to let me know he is happy? I am also unsure as how to disapline him when he does something I do not like I tend to just take him away but he just comes back and does it again. I am not sure if I agree with getting him neutered, I know that it is highly recommened but I just feel as though its a little harsh as he has no choice! Also he runs around my legs all the time, I have read conflicting opions as to what this means...can you advise me on what this means. Thanks
my rabbit has all of sudden gone really vicious with me, she will not let me anywhere near her cage and def not anywhere near her things. she grunts at me. i have already had one nasty bite and she bit my neighbour to who was looking after her. I am considering taking her back to the pet shop to be rehomed, i have lost all confidence with her and am not finding her a pleassure anymore. This makes me really sad. Can she be tamed
dear juel,
maybe your rabbit is going through a teratorial fase like when there in the wild when they dig borrows there very teratorial and maybe thats what your rabbit is doing its like female humans can be grouchyer than boys and thats what might be happening but all you need to is when you go to her cage dont scare her like moving really fast or saying stuff really loud because rabbits have got very good hearing so maybe whisper and then after about a week and a half she will be back to her loverbul self! :-)
hi, we have two rabbits their both used to been handled, their called jack and george, george is fine when you put him on your shoulder but jack bites everytime you put him on your shoulder, and dont know why! it hurts when he bites and get frustrated but dont harm the bunny.
Hi, I got my bunny a while ago from a friend. She was the only one handling it and sparadically at best, with two younger brothers that didn't know how to treat a rabbit. After a decent sum of time, I've helped her to lose her extra weight (put her on timothy hay regularily and timothy pellets instead of the alfalfa hay and pellets that were given to her, and few greens) so she's at a normal weight and she allows herself to be picked up on most days and is overall really good now, but she's still biting whenever she feels you're "in her way" or not giving her enough attention, and she won't hesitate to attack if you reach into her cage for her food dish to change her food or litter box even. Some days she's fine, others she's not, and I know she was biting, attacking, chewing on everything and generally running away from everything at her old home. How can I help her to stop the biting completely and show her that she has to respect me the same way I give her the space she needs? I never hit her, always giving her a time out in her cage, spending time with her regularily, but she's still having problems. I just don't want her biting or attacking, the nipping at things when she's exploring and digging aren't really a big deal but I can't have her sparadically attacking whatever she feels like.
My bunny likes to bite my feet, i thougt i'd maybe stood in something tasty, turns out its not me he likes but the leather sandals i'd been wearing that are now somewhat nibbled at, dont know if he knows theyre made of cows or not, but i suppose thats a hazard of keeping a house bunny, worth it.
Hi there, my bunny Miffy is about 13 weeks old now and when we first got her she loved to lick people and sit on your lap, now when she comes up to you she will nip your skin. I know its not a proper bite because it doesnt draw blood, I've tried touching her on the head and saying no but she does a binky and comes back again!! She must find my punishment amusing! Why is she nipping me and how can i stop her from doing it?
Hey, i got a rabbit months ago and hes well behaved round everyone except my sister. he only has to hear her coming and hes on guard ready to attack. hes taken chunks outta her legs, and shes usually left with him swinging on her legs trying to fight him off. she can even put a foot on the ground and hes ready to fight.
Have you got any idea why he will only attack her and noone elase hes ever met, not even strangers are subjected to this.
my little bunny girl named Lucy was sitting on my lap, and being all curious, she is a young bunny after all, but she was biting my jacket zipper. then, she was just wandering around and bit me in the finger. it sliced me pretty deep and I bled everywhere. It was pretty intense, and I went and put her away. Why would she do this? was it just baby behavior testing things out?
my rabbit just bit be for no apperant reason. My hand was about a foot away from her and she leaped at my hand like she was going to attack it. I dont know what got into her but she has NEVER bitten me before and Ive had her for about 8 1/2 months and she is about 9 months old. she for some reason always has an agervated look on her face and she not really the snugglie type of buuny. I would like her to be though but I dont know how I can get her to trust me I really need help with both of these questions!!!!
thankyou,
desperate for awnsers!!!
This afternoon my mums friendds rabbit came around for a play (Because i have a rabbit too) because we are planning to breed with her, but when she was breeding the boy was on it's back screeming and had fur in its mouth. I know this isn't abou biting but we didnt know what to do. Does anyone know what could of happend?
Bunniez says:
2 years ago
carri ann says:5 days ago
helpful and humorous! one note under step 3 - my bunny bit me a couple times and it confounded me... until i realized it was right after I came home. And one thing I do when I get home is pet the neighbor's dog. So i did a little test and pet the neighbor's dog then put my hand near my furry friend and she went right for the bite. so then i pet the dog, came in, washed my hands and she didn't attack at all! it was something in the smell...