Tbgb1912
Well-known member
I have a 7 month old doe, who has recently turned sour and I'm wondering why the sudden change in her.
She kindled two weeks ago (her first litter) - three kits, two whom died from inexperience on her behalf (lack of nest, fur pulling, etc.) and cold, and one I had to warm up to survive. I'm currently raising him alone, on a heat pad in a beanie. She has also been bred again.
I have her in an inside cage, so hopefully the second time round her kits won't be born and die from the colder weather we have at the moment. Anyway, her behaviour:
- Digging
- tearing/shredding newspaper
- chewing everything
- knocking things over and throwing things around, especially her water bowl, she finds amusement in pushing that down the ramp.
- digging in her pellets and scattering them all over the cage floor
- nipping me and digging-like/scratching behaviour when I put my hand into her cage
- lunging, and growling at me
Basically, I can only think two things in her sudden change in behaviour - either her hormones, as she's recently kindled and rebred again, or, she's holding a grudge against me for taking her kit from her?
I don't understand how a rabbit can be so nasty.. Especially since her sister, my other doe, is a total sweetie??
What can I do? She's at the point where I just want to get rid of her because she's so nasty. However, I can't do so until she has kindled and then weaned the kits (at least two months away) I can't sell her on, as nobody would want a pyscho pet rabbit. How can I calm her? Would putting her kit back in her cage help? *shrugs* I just can't put up with such an ill-mannered doe for the next couple of months if I'm having to wear gloves to put my hand in her cage to feed her and arming myself with a rolled up newspaper every time she bites or scratches.
Suggestions please?
Help is desperately needed!
She kindled two weeks ago (her first litter) - three kits, two whom died from inexperience on her behalf (lack of nest, fur pulling, etc.) and cold, and one I had to warm up to survive. I'm currently raising him alone, on a heat pad in a beanie. She has also been bred again.
I have her in an inside cage, so hopefully the second time round her kits won't be born and die from the colder weather we have at the moment. Anyway, her behaviour:
- Digging
- tearing/shredding newspaper
- chewing everything
- knocking things over and throwing things around, especially her water bowl, she finds amusement in pushing that down the ramp.
- digging in her pellets and scattering them all over the cage floor
- nipping me and digging-like/scratching behaviour when I put my hand into her cage
- lunging, and growling at me
Basically, I can only think two things in her sudden change in behaviour - either her hormones, as she's recently kindled and rebred again, or, she's holding a grudge against me for taking her kit from her?
I don't understand how a rabbit can be so nasty.. Especially since her sister, my other doe, is a total sweetie??
What can I do? She's at the point where I just want to get rid of her because she's so nasty. However, I can't do so until she has kindled and then weaned the kits (at least two months away) I can't sell her on, as nobody would want a pyscho pet rabbit. How can I calm her? Would putting her kit back in her cage help? *shrugs* I just can't put up with such an ill-mannered doe for the next couple of months if I'm having to wear gloves to put my hand in her cage to feed her and arming myself with a rolled up newspaper every time she bites or scratches.
Suggestions please?
Help is desperately needed!