First rabbit is a Biter!

[Milby]

We got our first rabbits today. Two New Zealand White does and a NZ buck. One of the does lunges at my hand and tries to bite whenever I try to stick my hand in her cage to pet her. The others are gentle and let us pet them no problem.

Is this biting behavior normal for NZ's? Will she ever calm down once she gets used to her new home?

 

[Celice]

um, it could be fear if this is her first day with you.

But, Yes, NZ are prone to biting. You can find some breeders that care about temperament and others just feel they will be butchered anyway so they don't pay that much mind. It's one of the reasons why I'm wanting to replace my NZ with Am.Chinchilla and Palominos.

 

[akane]

Wait a little while. Some rabbits don't handle change very well or get stressed over something others don't. We've had a few go nuts around our dogs while others came up to sniff them. A few times it was rabbits from the same rabbitry, raised there, having such different responses.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Some does get that way when they want to be bred, are bred, or have a litter. :roll:

Do you know her age? A lot of NZ's are ready to breed between 4 and 5 months, so you might want to see how she responds to the buck.

 

[Zass]

The aggression is most likely rooted in anxiety. The move could be part of that. Not all rabbits like being pet, and your hands in her cage can be very threatening.

Also, don't try to physically discipline or dominate her, as anything that increases feeling of insecurity can only make her fear of you worse.

If you need to handle her, be firm, but gentle. Let her find out that you are in control and that nothing bad will happen to her in your hands.
Also, see if you can bribe her with treats.

I had one who grunted and boxed at me, I bred her and she starting biting and drawing blood. I didn't keep her after that. :evil:

 

[Milby]

Some does get that way when they want to be bred, are bred, or have a litter. :roll:

Do you know her age? A lot of NZ's are ready to breed between 4 and 5 months, so you might want to see how she responds to the buck.

She is about sixteen weeks old. The breeder said we should wait till the first of April to breed them.

 

[Marinea]

I also raise New Zealands. I don't tolerate biters. But, I also get my rabbits to look forward to me going into their cages. When I get new stock, I don't try to pet them right away- I offer treats in my hands. Let her learn to associate your hand with treats, then with pets.

I think you could try breeding her the first of March. I breed my does at about 4 1/2 to 5 months of age, assuming they are at a good weight and condition.

Congrats on the buns! And we love pictures here

 

[akane]

My rabbits will kill for pieces off some types of horse cookies like manna pro "snax" that come in a few formulas and chunks of their peppermint nuggets. Just not butterscotch flavor for some reason. Mint, apple, barley biscuits.... but no butterscotch.

 

[Miss M]

A lot of it probably is fear and anxiety, since you just got her.

But there could be some hormones mixing around in there. At 16 weeks, it's possible she's ready to breed even now. I wouldn't wait past the first of March to try her with a buck, and I'd probably try a little earlier. Many members on here have found that breeding does early results in does that are much better mothers. A bit counterintuitive, but true.

 

[EnglishSpot]

My NZR has been anxious since I brought her home last month. She had cage aggression when I would go and change her food and water and to add hay to her cage. I figured a couple things out--she hated being pulled through her door so I was able to modify her cage so I can go through the top panel instead. Now the door is for food, water, and treats. Another MAJOR difference was that I switched her cage door from opening inward and up to OUTWARD and down. Now she doesn't have a cage door "attacking" her when I mess with her. She has a love for fresh greens and lots of hay to play in. I do my best to accomodate her and with these changes her anxiety is much less and I'm able to gently pet her on the back and hindquarters withouther trying to nip or box at me. She's also on ACV which has made a difference healthwise--her pee is normal for a rabbit and her fur is so soft and rich feeling now!

She did give my buck a run for the money and wore them both out without a successful breeding, so I'm goin to try and brew up the Raspberry Zinger tea I bought last week. ***on a side note--how often does one feed the tea to the rabbit? Do you give the contents of the used teabag also i their food?***

Give your lovely the benefit of time and observation, she'll probably return it with interest.

 

[grumpy]

Zero tolerance for aggressiveness. Buck or doe. I'm giving one the "Snake
Train" eye...right now because of her attitude. But..BOY!! she's a dandy mama.
She's been nasty since day one. I don't see her changing.

Grumpy.

 

[Zass]

There are some types that are genetically high anxiety, and some who just have had unpleasant experiences and can learn to get over it with patience and care.

There have been studies on other types of livestock that displayed how some animals will calm down with repeated exposure to a stressful experience (where they come to no harm), and some simply never do. Those ones feel the same amount of stress every single time they are exposed to something "scary."

If I have a doe from birth to 5 months and a she attacks me or flies to the back of the cage to hide, when her sister (and every other doe) hops to the front and asks for treats.... I don't bother to breed. I just accept that I grew out a good roaster and will have a nice pelt to tan.
I know there there are good mothers who were never "hormonal" in the lines, and I also know that there is a high anxiety tendency from the silver fox blood. I want it gone as quickly as possible.

Besides, a high anxiety animal wouldn't be as happy in my care anyway. I'm too touchy-feely with them.