KatzNetherlands
Well-known member
I raised this Netherland buck until he was around 5 months old. I had kept three bucks out of the litter to grow them out. Mandarin had the best personality the entire time. A friend of mine who has boughten 3 other rabbits from me(over time) and one from someone else, just adored him. Long story short, she did something for me with another bunny I had, and I told her that I would just give him to her as a thank you... her mom took Grizzly, his brother and I kept Orion. Orion just passed away last week, but he was always just a total sweetheart. Grizzly is another spoiled sweetheart. For some reason, Mandarin has turn psycho on everyone. My friend messaged me on Facebook and asked if I could help her. He has bitten up and down her arms, legs, neck. It is terrible. So she brought him back to me to run him through "bunny bootcamp" and I don't know what else to do with him.
I have tried treats and bribing, talking calm, going slow. Taking him to a scarier place and reassuring him, so he would learn he could trust me, I have swatted his nose, I have swatted his butt. He pretty much raped my cat :x and so I thought maybe he just needs bred. So, he is out with a fairly intolerant doe who won't put up with his crap. He is being put into a carrier because he is now going after my hand when I reach into grab him.
He does not give a warning he is going to bite, no ears back, no teeth bared, no grunting, just lunge and bite. His body is stiff and tense whenever I pet him and he is just not a happy bunny.
She really doesn't want to give up on him, and I want the rabbit back that I had originally gave her. He was so nice. I don't think it has anything to do with the way he is treated there because all of her other rabbits are just so sweet. And his littermate brothers never developed this behavior... I am so confused on what to do...
Does anyone have any other ideas? If I cannot get him to get along or at least just relax and stop biting, I can't give him back to her.. and I can't keep him. I just can't figure out what changed at 5 and a half months to make him so aggressive...
One other thing about him, he "pops" alot... When you pick him up, his legs will pop, like if you pop your knuckles. It is strange... none of my other rabbits are like that... Think that could be doing it? I am just getting so frustrated with his cute little bitey butt... and my friend wants her baby back...
I have tried treats and bribing, talking calm, going slow. Taking him to a scarier place and reassuring him, so he would learn he could trust me, I have swatted his nose, I have swatted his butt. He pretty much raped my cat :x and so I thought maybe he just needs bred. So, he is out with a fairly intolerant doe who won't put up with his crap. He is being put into a carrier because he is now going after my hand when I reach into grab him.
He does not give a warning he is going to bite, no ears back, no teeth bared, no grunting, just lunge and bite. His body is stiff and tense whenever I pet him and he is just not a happy bunny.
She really doesn't want to give up on him, and I want the rabbit back that I had originally gave her. He was so nice. I don't think it has anything to do with the way he is treated there because all of her other rabbits are just so sweet. And his littermate brothers never developed this behavior... I am so confused on what to do...
Does anyone have any other ideas? If I cannot get him to get along or at least just relax and stop biting, I can't give him back to her.. and I can't keep him. I just can't figure out what changed at 5 and a half months to make him so aggressive...
One other thing about him, he "pops" alot... When you pick him up, his legs will pop, like if you pop your knuckles. It is strange... none of my other rabbits are like that... Think that could be doing it? I am just getting so frustrated with his cute little bitey butt... and my friend wants her baby back...