geekchic 
Posts: 8
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| 03/11/2010 08:34 PM |
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Hi again all! Pandora has finally fully recovered from her spay, which I'm super happy about. What I'm NOT happy about is her behavior recently. It seems to have come out of nowhere. Last week, when I reached into her cage in the morning to give her food she lunged at my hand.Ii've had her for eight months and this is the first time she's been protective of her cage like this. And when I came home from work that day, I reached in and she didn't even notice. A complete switch. But then she did it again yesterday morning! It seems so random.
Another thing is that she's been digging and lunging a lot more lately. She will jump on the coach and start digging into the blanket...unfortunately, the blanket is on me and so she's digging into me! When she's doing this she'll also nip at my clothes. I will shout or make a noise, so she knows it hurts me and she shouldn't do it, but that doesn't seem to stop her lol. Yesterday, she was on the couch with me and I caught her chewing on my pillows. One of the beads fell off, so I reached over to grab it so she wouldn't try to eat it, and she bit me! I mean I wasn't right in front of her face, she had to turn around to bite me!
Outside of these incidents, she still lets me pet her and pick her up. Tonight she was laying on the floor chilling for a bit, but then she continually kept jumping up to dig on the couch. I've heard it takes some time for the hormones to completely leave, but it's been over a month since her spay. Could this bad behavior really still be hormones? Is there something else going on here? Is she just a naughty bunny? Is it because she's still not quite a year old? Is there anything I can do to stop this bad behavior? Help!
PS: I've never put pictures up of Panadora before, and even though she's been bad lately she's still cute, so I'm sharing  This pic is a little old--she's already so much bigger!
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RabbitPam
 Forum Leader
Florida
Posts: 5545
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| 03/11/2010 08:51 PM |
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She's a cutie, and bears a resemblance to my mischievous bunny, with some mini rex markings thrown in.
I think the hormones could take several more weeks to calm down. I didn't notice a huge change in behavior after only 4 weeks, so a bit more time will help. And also, she is young and strong and growing so her behavior is at its most active. She will mellow with age in general.
Digging is fun. Digging on you is fun. rearranging the furniture, ie. the blankets and you, is fun.
You might try making a diggy box for her as an alternative play space.
You'll get used to her, but I'd suggest bunny proofing your surroundings a bit more. Beaded pillows are potentially quite hazardous, and all it takes is a minute when you don't see her that she can pull one and chew off a bead. It could be bad if she swallows one. |
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rabbitpam
Samantha Bunnykins - my Halloween baby {& Forever in my heart, my sweet Spockie} |
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MimzMum
Interior Alaska
Posts: 5524
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| 03/11/2010 08:53 PM |
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How long ago was the spay? Sometimes it takes a month or so for hormones to deplete fully.
Awww..what a cutie...even if she is a bit nippy at the moment.
She's not having any pain issues that you know of? No other signs of illness?
Also I have a male lop who has been neutered for over a year and if I move into his personal cage space, he will still lunge or nip at me simply because I'm in his spot. They still have territorial issues, it's just not supposed to be as bad after speutering. |
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My dear ones: Mimzy, Pip, Fiver and Forever in my heart, Shadow |
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jerseygirl
Australia
Posts: 7488
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| 03/11/2010 09:55 PM |
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Beautiful girl!
It could be that she's just opinionated. Teenager or becoming an adult with rabbitude. It seems pretty normal, this can be their true personality which can differ alot from what they were like as babies. It's more with males you can get big changes post neuter like reduction of spraying, urine smell and humping. For the females it can help but the big factor is you cut out risk of uterine cancer.
Shedding can bring about a cranky bun, as can any physical discomfort so watch for normal eating/pooping patterns. Also, female can be real territorial and protective about their cages. If you do find this is just part of who she is, you just have to persist and get familiar with each other. I recall at 5 months when my rabbit started hiding and growled & lunged at me when I went to get her. I quickly organised her spay. Her fiestiness never did completely go away...but it's ok. She's pretty social, just very opinionated. |
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Karla
Posts: 1220
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| 03/12/2010 01:26 AM |
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Just want to back up on what Jerseygirl writes! A heavy shedding can definitely change their behaviour and mood. If she loves digging, then give her all the opportunities that you can to let her do that. It is great when you have bunny that so clearly shows what kind of entertainment and toys you should go for. Make sure she has plenty of chewing toys as well. She needs to chew and dig somewhere, so if she doesn't think she has the appropriate toys, she will find her own  And also, she might be a teenager with issues...in that case, she will grow out of it. But honestly, enjoy it while it lasts. I sometimes miss having a teenage bunny looking for constant trouble in the house. It is actually a lot of fun once you accept it as teenage hormones. But as MimzMum said, make sure you rule out that she is not feeling unwell and that might be the cause of it though. |
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Beka27
Forum Leader
Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
Posts: 10132
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| 03/12/2010 05:44 AM |
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She's a mini rex. A beautiful one!
^^^Was that helpful? Lol!
But seriously, my female mini rex (who has been spayed forever) still chews, still digs, still will lunge on occasion. She rarely bites anymore, but if she feels like it... she will. She's about 3 years old right now and has calmed down IMMENSELY over the time we've had her (and since her spay at 7 months), but she is just a feisty girl. She was horrible before her spay and it was like a 180 turn immediately after in regards to territoriality and aggression, but she retained her mischievous behavior. Bonding her to Max almost 2 years ago has also helped calmed her down. But she still loves digging and chewing on soft fabrics, especially the couch. That's just her personality.
So some of it could still be hormones, some of it is going to be her being young and still in the "teenager" stage. Some of it is just HER. You'll figure out the best way to bunny-proof and other allowable exits for her less desirable behavior. |
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Max & Meadow |
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Sarita
Forum Leader
Farmers Branch, Texas (Dallas)
Posts: 7687
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| 03/12/2010 05:48 AM |
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I don't think that digging is a hormonal thing, I think it's just a rabbit thing.
I think the biting is possibly a teenage thing too. I think the best thing to do is to be cautious around her and don't get into her stuff.
She's lovely. |
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RabbitPam
Forum Leader
Florida
Posts: 5545
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| 03/12/2010 06:47 AM |
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LOL. That's true. In bunny language she's saying "what part of 'Get Out of Here?' do you not understand from biting, growling and lunging?"
They communicate well. We just don't always like what they have to say. You are now officially a member of the Slave of Diva club. |
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rabbitpam
Samantha Bunnykins - my Halloween baby {& Forever in my heart, my sweet Spockie} |
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Elrohwen
Danbury, Connecticut
Posts: 2854
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| 03/12/2010 07:18 AM |
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I'm probably repeating some other members here, but many bunnies will exhibit age related behavior in addition to hormonal behavior. So a speutered bun from 5 months to 1.5 years can still be a pain in the bum :-P They can be very much like teenagers. |
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| - Elrohwen |
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Balefulregards
Montreal
Posts: 633
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| 03/12/2010 09:07 AM |
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And I can concur with the EXTRA rabbitude during sheds. Holy Tomoly. My gal gets unstoppable, bossy, diggy, and all around a Diva Dutch. |
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Denise12
Astoria, NY
Posts: 203
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| 03/17/2010 09:34 AM |
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I am going through the same thing...but i'm only less than 2 week out of spaying. Buster keeps attacking my feet & hands and grunting everytime I move around her in the kitchen...its getting very unsettling.  |
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