Why Does My Rabbit Bite Me? How To Stop It
INTRODUCTION
Many people have rabbits for pets and may be wondering why their cute little friend bites them. While most rabbits are friendly enough with humans, some can become aggressive and attack owners. Rabbits have a reason for doing this, however, and it’s not because they’re trying to harm you! Below are a few explanations as to why your rabbit is biting you.
1. Hormonal changes
First, it might be that your rabbit is just feeling hormonal. There are times during the year when rabbits will be more playful and affectionate with their owners than others. In these instances, they may suddenly snap at you. This is what’s called “rabbit puberty” and is characterized by your rabbit displaying more aggressive behavior.
2. Frustration
Rabbits may also bite you if they are feeling frustrated for any number of reasons. For instance, if your rabbit is over-stimulated or scared, he or she might bite in defense. This happens especially to younger rabbits that haven’t been socialized yet – so be careful when handling them! In addition, rabbits that don’t get enough exercise often become frustrated, which is why proper rabbit care is important. It’s not just healthy for your rabbit – it can also prevent biting!
3. Fear
Rabbits have a tendency to bite if they are scared of something. For instance, if you make sudden movements or noises near them (but not directly at them), they may assume that you’re up to no good and bite in defense.
4. Curiosity
In some cases, an owner may be the cause of a rabbit’s biting. For instance, if you pet your rabbit and abruptly stop, the rabbit may feel confused. If it feels threatened by your sudden stopping or has been scared beforehand, it could lash out in fear. On the other hand, if your bunny has been over-stimulated and needs time to calm down, it may become frightened at you suddenly stopping and bite in defense.
5. Poor training
If your rabbit has received poor training in the past, he or she may bite although the behavior stems from other causes. For instance, if you let your rabbit run free outside and don’t let them come back in when they’re done, they may associate coming inside with fear and thus bite in fear.
How to stop rabbit biting
1. Get help from a rabbit-savvy friend or family member
One of the easiest ways to stop your rabbit from biting you is to get help from someone who has experience with rabbits. This person can help you by teaching you how to respond to your rabbit’s behavior in an assertive manner. You can also purchase dog and cat training books that specifically deal with rabbits, as well as support groups on a website such as Yahoo! Groups for people with pet rabbits that have had similar behaviors.
2. Keep the rabbit calm
It’s best to keep a rabbit in a cage or on a leash during any scary situations. If your bunny is running around free, it may get over-stimulated and bite if it feels threatened. Your rabbit won’t know what you’re trying to teach him if he’s too high-strung to grasp your commands!
3. Introduce rabbits slowly
Sometimes, new owners of rabbits will bite them after they have been introduced slowly to their new bunny owner. If you do this and don’t provide adequate reassurance, your rabbit may bite in fear.
4. Take off as much as possible
Bite-prone rabbits will tend to bite when owners don’t remove layers of fur and their clothing. In addition, it’s recommended to take off a rabbit’s collar when he or she is biting in fear. The scaramanga bunny is often used as a modeling thread for these types of collars.
5. Control the environment
If your bunny jumps up at you when you give your attention, scares him by petting him or even kicks him, let him calm down and take off his collar. You can then decide what you want to do with him. You can try to teach your bunny to use a dog or cat training collar or a bungee leash, and you can also try “time outs” in which you take the rabbit out of his cage for a few hours. If you’ve tried all of these things and your bunny still bites, it might be best to get another rabbit.
6. Control the rabbit
Rabbits are naturally curious animals, so they will often bite in fear if they’re not properly controlled. In some cases, your rabbit might be biting because you don’t have a leash on him or because you aren’t holding him firmly enough. These are behaviors that can be corrected through positive reinforcement and training.
7. Give bunny attention in a positive manner
While it is important to give your rabbit love, it’s also important to do so in a way that makes him feel safe and secure. In other words, you should try to avoid making sudden movements when petting your rabbit. Furthermore, if you keep your hand still at all times when petting your rabbit, he will learn not to bite because of the consistency of the behavior that you’re demonstrating.
8. Be patient
If your rabbit is biting and you don’t know what to do, it’s best not to panic. Instead, try taking a deep breath and count to ten. This can help you collect your thoughts, calm down and have a better chance of finding the right response.
9. Loosen the collar
Rabbits may bite because of the collar that they’re wearing. If your rabbit is biting, try taking off the collar. Also, be careful to keep the collar loose – this will allow your rabbit to move his head freely and bite less.
10. Reward for good behavior
Because rabbits are naturally curious animals, they may bite when they feel threatened in a situation that you’re trying to get them used to. Reward your rabbit by petting him after he’s done a good job. This will reinforce the correct behavior and make your rabbit want to bite less.
Conclusion
If you’re considering adopting a rabbit, you should take the time to research proper rabbit care beforehand. In addition, you should always consider your rabbit’s health and personality when choosing an age-appropriate, compatible bunny for a family member or close friend.