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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR I need your total honesty on spay and neuter.

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    • ombunny
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        Before anyone DARES to assume I was unprepared, that I didn’t do my research, that I do not have knowledge of rabbit behavior… I have owned 2 rabbits in the past and I have fostered 1 and NONE of them were even close to how horrible my current rabbit is. I’ve been crying myself to sleep the past few days because I can’t take it anymore. I have no money. All of it goes to her, or replacing what she destroys. I can’t sleep because she keeps me up. My dogs live in fear because she attacks them. This is not a pet, this is a storm cloud over my life. I hope everyone who considers getting a rabbit is directed to this post because they DO NOT MAKE GOOD PETS. Some do, but chances are you will get one that will making every day of your life living hell, and it will be chained to you for many years, making destroying your future until the animal finally dies.

        This is a lengthy post. Do not feel obligated to read the entire thing, I just really would like to know if spaying fixes anything because all my research has pointed to the contrary. Spaying is for health reasons, it does not fix behavior.

         

         

         My rabbit Pumpkin was born November 2010. On one hand, she is my love. Every morning since the day I got her, I wake up, get my coffee, open up her pen, and lay on the floor with her until I have to get ready for work/go to school/whatever. Every night before I go to bed I lay on the floor with her again and love her up. She gives me kisses all over my face. She is extremely playful and interactive when she wants to be. She does crazy binkies and hops. She will mug you for a treat. She has absolutely no fear, she is the bravest rabbit I have ever seen. I really do love her, she is on the same level as my dogs. I consider her my baby.

        She is currently in a dog pen thats about 6 square feet, in my room. It is on top of old carpet that can be messed up. She has a large hooded litterbox with a door flap. She has another litter box filled with hay. She has MANY toys, some of wood, wicker, corn husks, paper bags, basically she has a huge variety of ways to entertain herself.

        Well, here’s my problem.

        She absolutely does not care for any of her toys. She only wants to dig, chew wires, and chew the bars of her cage. When the door to her cage is open, she will literally go back inside her cage to chew the bars. She has ruined the carpet in my room. She has cost me over $200 in phone chargers and computer chargers, plus cable box cords and many other cords. There is no way to keep it from her. All my wires are off the ground, but when I am not looking she will jump on the bed, jump on the nightstand, where-ever she can and will bite them up in less than a second. She has done it in front of me when I am running torward her to stop her. The only way to prevent this would be to not have any wires in my room. That is not going to happen. I have a right to have something enjoyable in my room.

        The digging is non stop. If she is awake, she is digging. She finds places I can’t reach her and she digs the carpet. Every day I have to pull furniture out and grab her and put her in her cage. She digs NON STOP in her litterbox. Never bothers with toys, she just wants to dig for hours and hours and hours on end. Litter everywhere. Every day. Every day of my life, several times a day, I sweep her litter into a pan and put it back in her box, just to have her do it again. Her poop flings everywhere. She has very good litter habbits but they are no good because she just dumps her nasty litter all over her pen. I have another cage in another room of the house that she goes in every night because I can’t sleep with all the noise she makes. And every day I clean up THAT litter that she flings all over the guest room.

        That alone is enough to make my parents hate me. They were not expecting my rabbit to be like this either. She is ruining the home that they are proud of, that my dad worked for years and years, every day of his life, to buy. And this rabbit is ruining it. I am embarassed.

        Being in a puppy pen, she has now began grabbing the panels of the pen and pushing them around. I come home and her cage is a foot away from where its supposed to be, her water bowl tipped over and soaking the carpet, her food and hay mashed into the carpet, good carpet ripped up, litter everywhere. Since she’s learned she can do that, she does it EVERY DAY. Yesterday I literally boxed her in with TWO DRESSERS that i can barely move and she STILL managed to move the cage around enough that she could mash her feces and water and hay into my carpet. She is determined. She can’t be stopped.

        My poor dogs live in fear. They no longer come upstairs. I have an elderly shih-tzu who is just trying to have a good last couple years and Pumpkin attacks him every time she sees him. All my dogs are good, trained dogs. They have never shown the slightest bit of aggression to her. They used to be able to come in my room and lay around with Pumpkin. I thought it was good for her, that she would have animal friends. My Chi-Poodle mix would even lick her ears and head. As of a couple months ago, it all changed. She is downright nasty. I feel so bad for my old dog. He is terrified to come upstairs. He stays downstairs alone all the time now because he is so timid and he fears Pumpkin.

        Pumpkin has had health problems that have cost me about $350. First, she had a runny nose that could not be corrected in one vet visit. I don’t know why. She was put on meds, it cleared up until she was off the meds and it came right back. I had to take her back and go through that whole motion again. Then, she had a face abcess. Took her to the vet, they still don’t know what it was. But every day, for two weeks, I flipped her over and gentley cleaned her abscess. My arms are scarred for the rest of my life from her. Pumpkin does not “trance”. Not all rabbits trance. Pumpkin is totally and completely conscious when she is on her back. Alot of things I do, from nail clipping to administering medicine, is IMPOSIBLE if he is on her back because she will cut me up all over my body. I have to use my body to flatten her to the ground, imobolize her, and do what I have to do. All while holding her face because Pumpkin does not hesitate to bite.

        I do not have alot of money. I am a full-time college student. I work in a pizza parlor. Thank God I can live with my parents for no rent, because I do not have enough money to take care of myself. I can’t get clothes, I haven’t had a new pair of shoes in 2 years. I have not been able to buy anything nice for myself since I got the rabbit. Almost every paycheck, 75% of it goes to Pumpkin, due to how much stuff she destroys and how often she needs to go to the vet. She is literally draining me. There is going to be a day when I cannot afford her. Counting her spay visit on Friday, if that happens, she will have cost me over $1000. For a $40 rabbit. I hope that puts it into perspective for all you people considering getting a rabbit.

        While I put on my make-up and do my hair, Pumpkin will hop up to my and bite me. I know they are “love bites” but it really is innapropriate. Any other animal (save for reptiles or hamsters, probably a few others) can be trained not to bite. Not Pumpkin. She will be a biter, a scratcher, and an attacker until the day she dies, it seems.

        My question is this:

        Is spaying her going to fix ANYTHING?

        After googling the question over and over, I find that no, spaying does NOT change behavior. It doesn’t not change destructive behavior, and it mildly curbs aggressive behavior.

        She has an appointment Friday but after crying all last night and all this morning, I can’t take it. I need money. If this is not going to fix her, then I need another solution to the problem.

        I cannot bare to waste $250 that I desperately need to school books. I don’t know what to do. If it fixes her, then it would be a miracle. It would be a cure-all to the situation. We could literally live happily ever after. But if it doesn’t work, there’s another $250 that I worked so damn hard for, just to waste it. I could have set it on fire and it would have been more useful to me. I could beg my parents for the school books, but what a damn shame that I cannot take care of myself because I have a rabbit that is literally sucking the life out of me. I don’t want to do anything but cry. I am tied to her. I am torn between being a good mother to her, sacrificing my entire life for her happiness, and running away from the problem, getting rid of her, saving myself. Finally being happy again. Being comfortable in my own room. Not worrying about the house burning down because she constantly tried to get loose to eat wires. A quiet night, with no constant digging.

        I can’t rehome her. I can’t stand her going somewhere where she will not get attention. I live in a country-folk, inbred, digusting county where people think its perfectly OK to shoot their dogs to put them to sleep. An indoor rabbit is unheard of. I don’t want her living outside, lonely, baking in the hot summer sun. I could not stand to have something so awful happen to her.

        The only thing I can think of to do is have her put down, or if anyone her lives in Maryland and would like to take her, I would get her to you. As long as you’re not one of those “hoarding rescues”. I saw one for myself and it was disgusting, cages and cages and cages of rabbits. You know that no one has enough time to give 50+ rabbits enough love and individual attention every day. Pumpkin is used to getting hours of free time and attention every day. I feel that a situation like that would be torturing her. That euthanasia would be so much kinder to her.

        I’m sure you guys get “My rabbit is ruining my life” posts all the time. Mods might just delete them as soon as they pop up. In the case that this thread survives, I beg for help. Please give me advice. I am at a loss. I need help so bad. My life really is ruined. One bad decision, to have a pet that I would love on every day, has turned into my biggest regret. The worst thing I ever did to myself. It really is.

        I hope anyone considering getting a rabbit reads this post and understand THEY ARE NOT PETS. They were never intended to be pets!!!

        And if you feel the need to mock me, talk down to me, embarass me, or otherwise call me a bad pet owner, go ahead. I can’t stop you. I can promise you that this is not the case, that I have tried hard after many people would have given up, that I worked long hours in a customer service job where people are downright rude and nasty to me for no reason, and took the little money I had and gave it all to the bunny I loved. That I have spent more time with this rabbit then my best friend or my boyfriend. She is the background on my phone. I love her more than anything but I am so desperate and stressed out. I can’t do it anymore. I really, really can’t do it anymore.


      • Monkeybun
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          Sounds rough!

          First, bunny proofing. Having wires up isn’t enough, as you have noticed. Get some clear rubber plumbing tubing or cord covers that are made of thick plastic. Works wonders for protecting those cords!! Get some NIC grids, those wire storage cubs, and use the grids to block off places you don’t want her going, behind dressers, under bed etc.

          Next, buy a litter screen for the litter box, it definitely helps the digging situation.

          She seems to like digging, so make her a diggy box Not all buns like store bought toys. Some just like to dig. So get a cardboard box and fill it with shredded paper, cloth scraps, whatever she would like to dig in. Phone books are great too.

          To stop the moving of the pen walls, I have an idea that could help. Get some wood 2x4s. Cut them down to size, nail them together to form a rectangle that will fit just around the outside of the pen. Voila, no more movement of pen walls

          Then, to address the spay issue… spaying isn’t for behavioural issues. It’s for her health. If you think an abcess is expensive, just think of how much cancer treatment would cost both you and her. Female rabbits have an 80 to 85% chance of contracting uterine cancer by age 4. Not good odds.

          Alot of what I have written will cost some money up front, but will save you headaches and destroyed possessions. Think on it

          And, all that said, rabbits make wonderful pets, if people take the time and money to get things prepared for them. They are not cats and dogs,t hey are all their own kind of animal, and we can’t expect them to be anything else. No, they aren’t for everyone, but I wouldn’t say they are not good pets.


        • Sarita
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            Excellent answers Monkeybun. I think Monkeybun addressed your concerns perfectly.

            Just relax and realize that she is just being a rabbit and you do have to rabbit proof – some rabbits chew everything and then once they age, they MAY stop and then again the may not. Your bunny is very young, not even a year old so she is going through adolescence and her behaviors can be very typical of a rabbit her age and some rabbits don’t outgrow the busy behaviors they have like digging.

            I do think rabbits are great pets as well and yes, they aren’t for everyone and our forum members will tell you that their rabbits just all have their own personalities and behaviors and not all rabbits are a certain way.

            I hope that you save up and do get your bunny spayed – it’s the right thing to do and you’ll find that our forum members really are pro-spaying and neutering.


          • Stickerbunny
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              My rabbit Stickers was like yours when I got her – digging, digging, digging. She destroyed my carpet in the laundry room where I keep her. She would dig and dig and dig and even if I was standing there, I would stop her, she would go right back to it. After her spay this behavior DID stop – it was hormonal completely. 3 weeks after her spay, the digging stopped being excessive. She still digs, but now it is to try to get under a gate or something like that. And she finally uses her dig box! Nothing worked before I got her spayed.

              As for the aggression females are very bad about that when they are hormonal. Again, all aggression in my female stopped 3 weeks after the spay. She stopped charging me, grunting, she only thumps when she’s really upset about something now rather than because I stepped into her area. And I no longer get her running up behind me and nipping me on the side/back/stomach if I am sitting in her area.

              In short, YES spaying should help. But it’s going to take serious bunny proofing and training as well.

              Some things that might help in the short term:

              For carpet, get some of those mats they sell for kids playrooms. They aren’t as tempting as carpet to dig up and you can easily put them down for playtime and take them back up to protect your carpet. If she’s digging specific areas (Stickers only did the corners where the carpet met the wall) you can place clear plastic down around the edges of the room and she can’t get to it.

              For wires, get some wire protectors – these come in a variety of sizes and designs, from clear to vacuum tube looking, to PVC pipes. Place wires into those, no more chewed up wires.

              A litter screen as Monkey suggests will help with the digging the litter box, or you could try a covered litter box like they sell for cats who have the same issue.

              For her medical costs, if she is costing that much in vet care get her health insurance – they will reimburse you a % of each vet visit. It’s a lot less than constantly taking her to the vet.

              For holding her, try a bunny burrito – you won’t get bitten and you won’t have to hold her down like that. Not all rabbits like being on their backs, a lot of them are scared to death to be flipped over. The biting and scratching is a fear response, not her trying to be mean.

              Edit: And I think buns make excellent pets with a little work – my boyfriend wasn’t into the idea of rabbits to begin with, now he says he’d rather have our buns than any other pet (including cats/dogs). 


            • Zap
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                Nicky was big on chewing cords, too, so for Remmy I just unplug all the wires and put them away when he’s running around. Monkeybun pretty much got it all, though, just if you can’t get a hold of the wire covers I would suggest to just put them away until you can get them covered. I’ve taken to charging my phone in the bathroom with the door closed so Remmy can’t get in and be tempted. The phone book is also really good, and when your rabbit rips it up you can put the shredded papers in the diggy box. I would also suggest putting some treats under the shredded paper so that your bun is rewarded for digging in the box as opposed to digging elsewhere. Good luck!


              • Zap
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                  I also second the spaying.  In girls rabbits especially, spaying is important for her health, so long as you find a vet who knows rabbits.


                • Arthur'sMom
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                    Everyone pretty much hit the nail on the head with the bunny-proofing and in regards to the spaying. I’m new to having a bunny as a pet and I’ve been lucky enough that Arthur is pretty good. He is scheduled for neutering in the next couple of weeks and I’m looking forward to it because his hormones are rampant (teenage boys, ugh).

                    Getting her fixed, however, won’t solve all your problems and you should anticipate more bills. Any pet is going to be costly. You’re a college student and that’s when finances are especially tight, and clearly you want to do other things and have the opportunity to buy yourself things. I don’t blame you for wanting to do so, but pets are costly and sometimes it’s hard to choose your priorities but I think that’s what you need to do. I know you didn’t expect all this with your bunny and I’m sorry you are going through it. I’m hoping that if you do get her spayed, things settle down. You clearly love her and want the best for her.


                  • LBJ10
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                      My rabbits LOVE their phone books. They get such a delight out of the ripping sound it makes when they tear the pages. I agree with all the suggestions made above. She sounds like a typical teenage rabbit. It’s true that all rabbits are different and some are just more destructive than others. But most do calm down after their spay/neuter, especially if the behavior is largely hormonal driven. By the way, my Leopold does not hesitate to bite me either. And he really means business too. He will draw blood and leave a nasty bruise.


                    • longhairmike
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                        Posted By LBJ10 on 08/21/2011 01:36 PM
                        My rabbits LOVE their phone books. They get such a delight out of the ripping sound it makes when they tear the pages.

                         

                         

                        that explains all the veggie pizzas that keep getting delivered here.


                      • LoveChaCha
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                          Despite the price tag of a ‘small animal’ they can be as expensive as a regular dog or cat. Rabbits are indeed not cheap animals to keep. I have fallen victim to a chewed phone charger. I left it there and she chewed it. So I got another one and I keep it out of her way.

                          NIC grids + zip ties literally save every rabbit owner’s life when it comes to rabbit proofing. It is cheap and convenient for keeping things out of the way that should not be bothered.


                        • Zombie-Sue
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                            No offense, OP, but you sound almost unstable. o.o Take a really, really, really deep breath. Owning a pet, especially one that you do not understand, is really, really stressful, but you’re really kind of freaking out, which isn’t good for you or her. It sort of sounds to me like you got a pet that you didn’t do any research on, so now would be a good time to take a step back and learn about keeping rabbits as pets.

                            This site is a good place to start, as is this: http://www.rabbit.org/
                            Even if you did do some reading, more can’t hurt.

                            Yes, rabbits make great pets for certain people, but they might not be for you. I’m sorry if you feel that way.

                            but I think you should absolutely get her spayed. This is one of the costs associated with owning a pet, and if you just can’t swing it at this point in your life, rehoming her might be your only option. It’s sad, but it’s still a possibility, no matter where you live. The houserabbit society site can help you with that too, I think.

                            Good luck, I really hope this works out. You sound very troubled. =( Deep breaths!


                          • Tate
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                              Wow! I do have to laugh at the beginning of your post. I feel the frustration and aggravation! I seriously think everyone on this board has had a moment (even if it was short lived) where they sat with a chewed phone charger and big giant holes of missing carpet below them and just thought, “what the hell did I get myself into?!”. Just breath, relax, it gets better.
                              Have you researched wild rabbits at all? Domestic rabbits are so… odd. They could never be put back into the wild and survive for more than a few days and yet they retain all of these wild behavioral characteristics. Digging is a totally normal thing, because in the wild it ensures survival. Many dog burrows or they carve out dirt and make a mound they can sleep behind- safe from predators.
                              One of my rabbit chews on his xpen bars incessantly! I’m convinced that he’s unhappy with something and it’s almost like an anxiety reaction. When I get anxious, I fidget with my hands and jewelry. When he gets anxious, he chews the bars. I’m trying to redirect his attention at the first sign of it… even if it means getting my butt out of bed at 5 in the morning.
                              I think everyone else really covered the bases on bunny proofing, so I won’t go into that. Lol.
                              I believe that spaying will help with everything. It’s SO worth the money! She will relax a bit more. Also, take age into consideration. Not only is she going through a massive hormone attack right now, but she’s also a TEENAGER! I was a horrible teenager, so I sympathize.
                              I can really relate to the vet expenses as well. 3 days after I got my rabbit, Velvateen, he slipped on the linoleum and smashed into the fridge and broke his leg. The first vet didn’t even set the bone, he just put a cast on it and that cost me $230. When we found out that he didn’t set the bone 3 weeks later (through more xrays) we went to another vet and it was a $1000 orthopedic surgery. Velvateen was like, 20 bucks or something. So I feel ya! I’m also a starving college student and I always hope that if my boys DO get sick, they get sick at the beginning of the month when I have some extra money so I don’t have to choose between food (for me!) and vet care.
                              I think that you really love this rabbit… your just frustrated. Forget the frustration as much as you can and just go with it. Focus on how much you love her. She really sounds like she has a wonderful life, so please don’t cut it short. Remember everything that you absolutely love about her.
                              Have you checked for lower cost spays in your area? $250 is totally reasonable for a spay and I think that’s about what everyone pays, BUT the vet I go to is very cheap. Neuters were $65 and spays were $85. I would just get a phone book and start calling vets. Granted, you want some one good with rabbits, so don’t compromise that but I LOVE my vet. He’s cheap and awesome!


                            • ombunny
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                                Thank you everyone for the advice <3

                                She is still getting spayed. I have made the appointment, the money is already saved up. I am well-aware of cancer rates in unspayed females. I also know that having all those hormones has got to be maddening, to have this instinctual urge to build a nest and have babies but have no outlet for these feelings. No, I do not want my rabbit to get cancer. But could it wait until after I got my textbooks was more of the question I had. I wanted her spayed ASAP because I wanted her to stop attacking my dogs, and to stop the constant digging. If she is going to have the behavior for the rest of her life, then what is it to wait a few more paychecks? She is under a year old, I don’t know the facts for when they develop the cancer but I believe I am still in the window of time where she is safe.

                                The digging I don’t understand… I don’t know what could be so entertaining about it. To me its scary, like she is possessed. Or has some kind of compulsive behavior. Kind of like dogs that lick/chew themselves to the point of bleeding. She’ll have free run of the entire upstairs and she still feels the need to go in her cage, bite her cage bars, and dig in her litterbox. She’s got toys to play with, I’m laying on the floor trying to love on her, and she does the same thing she does when she’s in her pen. It doesn’t seem right.

                                This morning I lost another cable, the 2nd one this week, and along with her houdini antics and attacking my poor elderly dog I just can’t understand for the life of me why this rabbit, who is has all these toys, all this space, all these things to chew, does not respond to any of the efforts I am making to redirect her energies.

                                When I said rabbits don’t make good pets, it was because I feel that wild animals belong in the wild. Yes, you can raise it from birth with people, imitate its natural habitat, and provide a better and more steady diet, but is it any happier in a house? Would it be happier running free, digging its burrows, making a colony with other rabbits? Is it fair to take an animal meant to run through open fields, and put it in a cage, or to even put it in between four walls? I’m starting to believe rabbits are not domesticated. They are different breeds, different colors and shapes, but they are still a wild animal that, if it had a say, would have nothing to do with civilization. What makes me sad is that some rabbits will never have a chance to run. I have half an acre fenced in and if its below 80 degrees I take her out there when the sun is setting and let her run. She can run in the house, yes, but she’s avoiding dressers and tables and chairs and doors and everything else. Outside, she can run like a crazy lady and binkie and dig and chew on clover and its like… she’s so much happier outside. She will run from me when I try to bring her in. I just feel like thats where she should be. She shouldn’t be a pet, she should be wild and free. (I know domesticated rabbits have no instincts, they eat poisonous plants, they do not survive in the wild. I don’t mean that we should let them go, that would be cruel. I just feel like it was cruel to domesticate them in the first place.)

                                I actually have a screened litter box from the store coming in the mail from the website’s store. I’m not getting my hopes up on that because I feel like she’s going to figure out how to pull the screen out. She figured out she could get out of her pen by pushing one side of the pen off her carpet (so the door to the pen is on uneven ground, one panel higher than the other), then grabbing the bottom of her pen and pulling it up (pulling the ‘hinges’ of the pen out of the holes). Then she just pushes it open (easy fix, just clip the panels together). If the litterbox doesn’t work, I’m guessing I’m just going to find some kind of non-toxic adhesive and put those cat mats at the bottom of the litter box, the ones made of straw. Maybe she will feel like she’s getting somewhere and will choose to only dig in there, or it will satisfy her enough to be ripping out chunks of it that she will spare the carpet. Or I was thinking, get one of those wire-bottom cages, put it in her pen, and leave the door open. Thats yet another cage I will have bought her (cage #4) so that is my last ditch effort.

                                Putting wood around her cage is a good idea. I appreciate that too. I’m thinking putting heavy metal door-stops on the corners too. The wood alone, I doubt it would stop her from moving the pen but it would be a good start. I don’t know how she’s doing it, but I came home from work tonight and she somehow managed to move the tupperware drawers (its got to be like 30 pounds, but its on wheels) a couple inches. I thought about putting bricks around the pen too.

                                Pumpkin has never shown any aggression towards people or our big dog (she cuddles our Lab). Its the small ones that she’s been terrorizing. At first it was when they walked by her pen, then it was my room. Now it is the whole upstairs. I really do mean terrorizing, she absolutely HATES them and they’ve never done anything to her. If she is upstairs anywhere and she sees a dog, she stiffens up and then RUNS at them at full speed.

                                I’ve tried the spray bottle when she attacks the dogs, she literally does not even notice. Even for the carpet chewing, she’ll look at me and go right back to ripping it up. I’ve sprayed bitter barrier on everything in my room. After doing a second coat, I witnessed her licking the still-wet bitter barrier off the dresser and realized that this was not going to work. I don’t think she has any clue of what “discipline” is. I’ve just kind of been dealing with her behavior, trying to give her paper towels when she chews the carpet, or putting myself inbetween her and the dogs, or pushing her pen back into alignment when she shoves it around. I don’t think she is capable of knowing that there are things that she is not “allowed” to do. These distractions work for the moment, but then she goes on her merry way and does it again. They are not fixes by any means.

                                I will look into wire covers. I have never heard of those, I’m hoping they are thick/tough enough. I still cringe at the thought of her chewing on wires, cover or not. I wish there was some kind of way to keep them out of her mouth entirely. On her back legs she is tall enough to reach the outlets, so keeping them up high helps a little but she could still mouth them if she stretched high enough.

                                “No offense, OP, but you sound almost unstable.”
                                I’ve been told the best way to handle a troll is to not address them at all, but I think you sincerely feel this is an appropriate way to “give advice”. Any time you have to say “no offense”, usually the intent is the offend. People like you make me not even want to ask for help. I’m going to opt out of your flame-war though. I have had rabbits. I have been through the teenager stage. I have done my time in the local shelter. I have been exposed to several unspayed females. You may think you know who I am, but you’d be sorely mistaken. I highly doubt Pumpkin is as stressed as you are ‘assuming’ she is. I spend more time with her than some people spend with their children. She is stretched out like a slinky by my side at the moment. What a horrible life she has.

                                The reason I bolded/enlarged text was for people who didn’t want to read my entire post. It is LENGTHY. I am aware of this. Not all the details are needed. I just wanted HONEST opinions about spay and neuter. I’ve read that it fixes behavioral problems on several rabbit sites, but when I look for real people’s individual experiences, spaying does not change any kind of behavior. I was looking for more real-life experiences, particularly from people who don’t keep their bunnies in hutches but keep them in the house and treat them like pets instead of a hobby. You should be kinder to people who come to this forum looking for advice, and not cast your judgements on them. Your opinion on a person’s mental health, their personality, or who they are is not needed and was not asked for. Even if you are a top psychiatrist, your opinions on who I am is off-topic. I know its the internet, but you’re still talking to people so a little tact would go a long way, especially if you’re trying to make a point. It gets lost in the nastiness of your scorn.


                              • ombunny
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                                  Also, I’ve tried the phone book thing and she totally dismisses it, even when I flip it open for her, play with the pages in front of her. Paper towels are the best bet because she will actually shred them before she eats them. She still eats them afterward, and it scares me because I don’t want her intestines to get impacted. She loves paper bags, but when she digs them, she also eats them. I mean, not nibbles. She really is eating them. I’m uncomfortable with her eating paper, its chemically treated and it can’t be good for her tummy. Seriously, she loves the taste of paper, any kind of paper. She will go to town on book like its a sandwich. You would think its made a timothy hay. So I can’t really give her too much paper, she just snacks on it and doesn’t really play with it.


                                • jerseygirl
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                                    Hi ombunny
                                    You asked in your last post-

                                    But could it wait until after I got my textbooks was more of the question I had. I wanted her spayed ASAP because I wanted her to stop attacking my dogs, and to stop the constant digging. If she is going to have the behavior for the rest of her life, then what is it to wait a few more paychecks? She is under a year old, I don’t know the facts for when they develop the cancer but I believe I am still in the window of time where she is safe.

                                    I may be unpopular in saying this, but Yes I think it can wait just a bit. It sounds as if you are commited to getting her fixed (which I definitely do encourage!) but I don’t believe there is a guarantee that her behavior will change overnight. So yes, I think your priority right now can be to get your text books. Perhaps you can stick around here on the forums and we can try help you with Pumpkins behaviours until you can reschedule her spay if that’s what you do. We may even be able to help find a more affordable option – though the price you’ve been quoted is within the normal range.

                                     ETA: Or if you do want to go ahead on Friday, then why not ask your parents for their help just this once?  I don’t think there is shame in that. You could arrange it like a mini loan. I just don’t like that her appt is causing this much stress and grief for you right now. It’s important you be feeling better about all this when she does have the op as you are her caregiver and she’ll be convalescing. You don’t want to be resenting her at such a time. Plus, sending your pet off for surgery can be stressful in itself. So, in summary I’m advising wait until you feel better about it all and don’t associate it with your being denied something important OR do go ahead now but get yourself some support from your parents. Hope that makes sense.

                                    Another thing I wanted to mention is Care Credit. A lot of members have recommended it here on the forums. It can really help with those veterinary fees. Though it won’t with pre-existing conditions such as her abscess unfortunately. I wish you’d known of it before and it could have given some relief. http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/     I do commend you for sticking by her and seeking the treatment when it was required. Not many would bother with an animal they were not enjoying having. I truly hope in your future that can change and you and Pumpkin can enjoy each other as companions.

                                    To answer your original question “Is spaying her going to fix anything?” I believe yes, but it will likely not be 100% everything. More like it will tone down some of the behaviours. As she gets older they should tone down even more. But taking the hormones out of the situation is certainly going to help. So it might be a combination of things: A spay along with some adaptions at home to help problem solve some of her most troublesome behaviours.

                                    Hang in there!


                                  • Michelle&Lolli
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                                      I know she’s one of your babies, but there is nothing wrong with restricting her space until she’s spayed and healed from it. As long as she is not in a small cage (and it doesn’t sound like she is) she will be fine with a few hours of run time just in your room or in another room. That way you won’t have to worry about her attacking your dogs or doing more damage when she’s out.


                                    • Tate
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                                        Posted By jerseygirl on 08/21/2011 08:46 PM

                                        Another thing I wanted to mention is Care Credit. A lot of members have recommended it here on the forums. It can really help with those veterinary fees. Though it won’t with pre-existing conditions such as her abscess unfortunately. I wish you’d known of it before and it could have given some relief. http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/     

                                        Oh I forgot about CareCredit! I have it! 

                                        Jersey- It’s actually not insurance-y. It’s really just a credit card and you can pay any medical expenses on it. Most vets accept it now and any pre-existing conditions don’t matter. There is a HIGH interest rate though… I give them money every month and haven’t been able to use the card since one of Velvateen’s surgeries. But, hey… it’s an option! 


                                      • jerseygirl
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                                          The digging I don’t understand… I don’t know what could be so entertaining about it. To me its scary, like she is possessed. Or has some kind of compulsive behavior. Kind of like dogs that lick/chew themselves to the point of bleeding. She’ll have free run of the entire upstairs and she still feels the need to go in her cage, bite her cage bars, and dig in her litterbox. She’s got toys to play with, I’m laying on the floor trying to love on her, and she does the same thing she does when she’s in her pen. It doesn’t seem right.

                                          Sometimes behaviours are known as displaced behaviours. So while digging is an instinctual thing for rabbits, don’t rule out it could be a means of stress relief for her, a way to get out some frustration or even distract herself from a something ailing her. This is also true of aggression.
                                          I remember a vet telling me of a couple that were at their wits end with their rabbit. They had done a myriad of tests and got to the point that they thought the only thing they could do was have her put to sleep. This vet decided just one last time to do another check for mites. They’d already done this but she just felt it was worth another look. I think it was mange mite they found, the rabbit was treated and did a complete turn around.
                                          Not saying this is what your girl has, just giving an example of how a health issue can really effect behaviour. I did want to ask, with her face abscess, was it determined as to why this developed?

                                          Sorry about my disjointed replies!
                                           


                                        • jerseygirl
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                                            Oh thanks for clarifying Tate. Care Credit might still be an option then with the abscess care. From what I understand, they are troublesome and do recur unfortunately.


                                          • luvmyhunybuny
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                                              Ombunny~
                                              I am so sorry you have such a rambunctious bun! It sounds like you have done quite a bit to redirect and curb her behavior, but they are instinctual animals and definitely driven my hormones. Get her spayed (and I feel waiting a bit won’t do any harm) and if the behavior continues then you can honestly say you gave it your best shot. There has got to be a safe resource for you to explore if you DO need to rehome her. I can tell you love her, but you can’t live stressed out and sleepless because of her.

                                              Hang in there and keep us posted!


                                            • luvmyhunybuny
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                                                ROFL!! That is too funny longharmike!!


                                              • LBJ10
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                                                  Perhaps the presence of the dogs is part of the problem? You said she hates them and freaks out when she sees them. Could it be that some of her other behaviors are her way of coping? Maybe you could try working on her relationship with the dogs? Or prevent her from seeing them altogether?


                                                • KatnipCrzy
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                                                    Domestic bunnies in the US are not wild animals- they have been bred from European rabbits lines for such a long time and have been domesticated to be totally unsuitable for living in the wild. I can’t even imagine what a winter of living in the wild would do to my English Lop- he is not a wild animal and his breed has been carefully bred and domesticated for traits that make him totally unsuitable to not have special care. They do NOT have natural wild insticts- other pets certainly do- like Bob Cats, wolf or wolf hybrids- but you can’t even compare those to a domestic rabbit.

                                                    I understand your frustration- But bunnies do make great pets. Just not great pets for everyone. They are more high maint than a cat- that is for sure. And if someone is unable to change housing/bunny proofing to adjust to their bunnies behavior I can see why they would be a not so fun pet to have. I think you will find there are very few members on here that have the original set up for their bunnies. I long ago sold Cotton’s- “pet store cage”- and my bunnies are in pens that have been adapted to their habits of jumping out (covered top 4 feet high) and pushing the pet around.

                                                    Other members have given great advice and I hope it works out well for you. I certainly remember the days when I would reach into my first bunny’s pen (Cotton) and she would growl and lunge at me. People think it is hilarious that a rabbit can be scary- UNLESS you have been scared by a rabbit. Now, she is nicely settled and still a Diva but I can look back at that time and laugh.


                                                  • luvmyhunybuny
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                                                      Another example of a domisticated rabbit vs wild (ie cottontail). The rescue I got Tillie and Toby from also rehab wildlife, cottontails being one. They get a LOT of babies (days old) cottontails, eyes still shut, feed them, care for them and when they get to a certain age they are still terrified of humans. Even despite being “raised” by humans. So, yes “house rabbits” are just that …

                                                      I cannot imagine what a hot, drought induced summer, would do to my furry ole Lionheads! They would certainly die very quickly.


                                                    • luvmyhunybuny
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                                                        BTW ombunny .. I just had my female spayed. She has been a bit destructive as well as lunging, grunting and nipping. It has only been 4 days, so we have a little more than 2 weeks to see how she calms down. But I have been told by a very experienced bun mom (25 yrs of owning bunnies) that it does calm down a rabbit considerably. So there IS hope for Pumpkin and you!


                                                      • BinkyBunny
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                                                          It’s obvious Pumpkin is frustrating you to your limit and your original post can give the impression that you are coming out swinging—feeling a bit defensive before things even get started. That in itself can cause the very reaction you are trying to avoid. Sometimes too when things get so frustrating, ya just need to vent.  But then just take a breath, and try and stay cool so that you are not so wound up you end up creating a verbal battle ground.   

                                                           It ‘s obvious you love Pumpkin but are at your wits end. I’m sorry you are so stressed out. I think for the most part people have been helpful, though because of the intensity and tone, I am not surprised by certain reactions.  I think it’s best for those members that are offended are angered by certain aspects of ombunny’s post, or feel this is a troll, then please don’t respond.  Just keep your cool too otherwise your post or the thread will be deleted if it gets heated. 

                                                          Okay, so onto the important stuff (not going to address stuff like the wild vs domestic, as that can get off topic fast and wouldn’t be helpful for your situation now. )

                                                          Your bunny sounds energetic and if you find she loves exploring outdoors, then i would create a safe outdoor play pen that she can play in with supervision.  We actually are creating a section in our gallery for that — it’s still under construction, but you check it out. https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/Rab…fault.aspx  (scroll down to “safer outdoor runs”).   She may need to work off her extra energy.  Since she is a digger, you will need to make the pen dig proof. (there are ways to do that by creating a barrier under the ground too with chicken wire or some other type.   

                                                          I had a bunny, Rucy, who loved to dig and I created a diggy box for her: . http://www.youtube.com/binkybunnydo…VNboq9sNeQ

                                                          Jack used to love to tear up the rug in a certain area. This is what I did: 

                                                          Be prepared for a mess though to clean up but better that than your valuables. http://www.youtube.com/binkybunnydo…LqHo_WQxjw    Yes, he would eat some of it but as long as the ink is soy based, it is digestible, unless your bunny isn’t eating enough fiber (hay) or eats so much of it that normal food would be ignored.   For the most part my bunnies will eat some, but normally they just leave a huge mess behind — easy enough to clean up. 

                                                          As far as neutering/spaying goes — Though I do think spaying and neutering can help curb some behavioral issues, it can’t solve all problems as there are many different personality traits that are individual and is just part of a particular rabbit. ….and there can definitely be something else going on as well healthwise as well. 

                                                          Also, the intensity of what is going on with your bunny may be health related.    An aggressive bunny can sometimes mean that they are uncomfortable or in pain.  When my bunny Jack started chewing on stuff more than normal, (This was later in his life when he mellowed out and wasn’t destructive), I asked my vet about this and she said that he could be in pain (he had cancer and arthritis).  So I gave him pain meds.  But maybe there is something that your vet missed.   You said Pumpkin had a runny-nose and abscess.  All of that can make for a feisty bunny too.  

                                                          I would also try clicker training!  A good way to bond while offering positive reinforcement while training.

                                                          Rabbits being companion animals:  You are right that they do not make great pets for everyone — they are one of the most misunderstood animal companions around because they just look so cute.  Part of the reason this website was created was to inform people of the challenges.  Some pages like,  Bunny Gone Nutty” or “Bunny Proofing”  or Cost of Bunny“.  were created for good reason.  They are the perfect animal companion for me and our household and lifestyle,  (and I’ve had destructive and aggressive types), but that doesn’t mean they are right for everyone that is for sure, otherwise shelters wouldn’t be filled with them. 

                                                          Again, I would double-check with the vet just to rule out anything physical that may be causing the behavior (have her teeth checked). And then just start trying different things one at a time. 

                                                          Good luck!

                                                           


                                                        • Zombie-Sue
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                                                            “No offense, OP, but you sound almost unstable.”
                                                            I’ve been told the best way to handle a troll is to not address them at all, but I think you sincerely feel this is an appropriate way to “give advice”. Any time you have to say “no offense”, usually the intent is the offend. People like you make me not even want to ask for help. I’m going to opt out of your flame-war though. I have had rabbits. I have been through the teenager stage. I have done my time in the local shelter. I have been exposed to several unspayed females. You may think you know who I am, but you’d be sorely mistaken. I highly doubt Pumpkin is as stressed as you are ‘assuming’ she is. I spend more time with her than some people spend with their children. She is stretched out like a slinky by my side at the moment. What a horrible life she has.

                                                            The reason I bolded/enlarged text was for people who didn’t want to read my entire post. It is LENGTHY. I am aware of this. Not all the details are needed. I just wanted HONEST opinions about spay and neuter. I’ve read that it fixes behavioral problems on several rabbit sites, but when I look for real people’s individual experiences, spaying does not change any kind of behavior. I was looking for more real-life experiences, particularly from people who don’t keep their bunnies in hutches but keep them in the house and treat them like pets instead of a hobby. You should be kinder to people who come to this forum looking for advice, and not cast your judgements on them. Your opinion on a person’s mental health, their personality, or who they are is not needed and was not asked for. Even if you are a top psychiatrist, your opinions on who I am is off-topic. I know its the internet, but you’re still talking to people so a little tact would go a long way, especially if you’re trying to make a point. It gets lost in the nastiness of your scorn.

                                                             Wow, sorry. I’m not really a nasty person, I don’t know why you’re so upset about ‘being judged,’ which I promise is not what I’m doing o.o  

                                                            You shouldn’t be worried about asking for help, though, because trolling and unkindness of ANY SORT is absolutely not allowed here. If you’ve read the forum rules (I AM NOT SAYING YOU HAVEN’T, just that you should IF you haven’t) https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/10084/Default.aspx you’ll know that this is really a safe place.

                                                            Good luck anyway…


                                                          • LizzieKnittyBun
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                                                              ombunny, I don’t think Zombie-Sue meant to offend you. My first reaction to your post was a feeling of surprise at the combative nature of your words. It may not be the most prudent action to go to a rabbit lovers’ website and type in bold, large letters about rabbits making bad pets and that you hope everyone who wants a rabbit will read your post and reconsider.

                                                              Rabbits are like dogs and cats in that each one is different with a different personality. Some dogs will chew every shoe in your closet, and some cats will pee on your pillow every time you leave them alone. That doesn’t make dogs and cats “bad pets,” it just means that some individual animals have behavioral problems, many of which can be fixed with time and dedication. It sounds like your rabbit is a handful! That doesn’t make rabbits bad pets…

                                                              I realize that rehoming her is an upsetting option for you, considering your feelings for her, but I strongly feel that euthanizing an animal simply for bad behavior is an extreme and radical move that should rarely even be considered. It’s an option for dogs who injure people, because dogs like that can be very dangerous, especially around children. But bunnies aren’t exactly equipped for dealing mortal wounds.

                                                              If you’re truly miserable, then rehoming your rabbit may be your only option. Or, you can try the operation and see if things get better. In my experience, and in learning of the experiences of others, I’ve found that spaying and neutering can do wonders for both health and behavior.

                                                              I hope things get better for you soon. Crying every night is no good, and we don’t want you to end up with depression because of this difficult situation.


                                                            • Beka27
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                                                                I’m not going to re-type what every one else has suggested, I will just say that I agree with everything brought up to this point.

                                                                I want to Welcome you to Binkybunny. This is a great site for people wanting to share their love of rabbits as indoor companions, and we have seen countless situations like you have presented. In other threads, the poster is usually more desperate, rather than angry… but we understand that this is not an attack on US, you are just THAT FRUSTRATED. The mods DO NOT delete threads in which people are asking for help, but we will delete threads that break the rules. Zombie-Sue was kind enough to post that link for you, so please check it out if you have not already. So far, no one has broken any rules, but things can escalate quickly, so let’s all step back and relax. I hope you will see that the majority of the responses you received were SINCERE attempts to HELP you with your situation. All we want is to talk this thru with you and see what we can come up with.

                                                                As I read your initial post, I thought about my dear, little mini rex Meadow (she’s the pretty girl in my avatar and she’s in my signature with her husband Max). She was the sweetest little thing when I adopted her at about 4 months. By 6 months… she was a HOLY TERROR. It got to the point where I could barely let her out for her exercise time. She was too aggressive, too destructive, it was a mental and emotional nightmare for me. Her litter habits were always perfect, so that was never an issue… but that 6 month mark was a disaster. The soonest she could get in to be spayed was at 7 months, and I was literally counting down the days. Her behavior improved immediately after spaying. There was no month-long waiting period while hormones settled. It was as if someone had “flipped a switch” and my darling baby girl was back.

                                                                Sure, she’ll dig from time to time, or chew on something she isn’t supposed to. That’s normal rabbit behavior. If you haven’t seen the Language of Lagomorphs site, check it out. It details rabbit behavior so you know why they do what they do and what they are telling you by their body language. http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

                                                                You mentioned in your original post that you have had two rabbits and you fostered a third. Can you tell us about them? What was different about them as compared to your new rabbit? Were they a different breed, were they adults or babies when you got them, were they ever spay/neutered, did they ever have health problems, were they strictly indoor housepets, did they have the same type of habitat as your new rabbit, what eventually happened to them (did they pass away or were they rehomed?)

                                                                I want to know what your previous experiences were like. If your other rabbits were, in a word… “perfect”, that will only make the contrasts between them and your new rabbit more obvious. But if they were not afforded the same living conditions (indoors with exercise space), that could be why you never saw these undesired behaviors. Or… if they were already spay/neutered when you got them, that could be another contributing factor.


                                                              • Beka27
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                                                                  To answer your question about doing the surgery now or waiting and getting your schoolbooks… If you need your books, get your books. You don’t want your education to suffer. You can wait another month to get her spayed and focus on trying to move things around to better bunny-proof the space. If I were in your situation (I was… with Meadow), I would want her spayed AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, but I also understand that you need the funds to cover it.

                                                                  I am also curious to know what your rabbit expenses consist of. You mentioned the health issues, but what are you using in terms of litter, food, hay. We might be able to offer suggestions to help you cut costs.


                                                                • Stickerbunny
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                                                                    You can wait so you can get the books – surgery should help curb the bad behaviors, but you need the books NOW, whereas you can work on some simple and cheap things to help keep her from escaping and limit her a little bit until you can get her spayed. Cancer is the most risk at 2 years + so you still have time, though I wouldn’t want to wait more than a few months with her current behavior.

                                                                    Could you post some pictures of the cage? Perhaps we could offer some tips on fixing her houdini acts of escaping. We’ve all been there with rabbits who we THINK can’t get past our barriers and then… we find a rabbit where it’s not supposed to be. So maybe some of those tricks we have learned could help. Mine actually lifted up his x-pen once to crawl underneath it ! lol


                                                                  • BinkyBunny
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                                                                      Posted By Beka27 on 08/22/2011 07:03 AM
                                                                      I’m not going to re-type what every one else has suggested, I will just say that I agree with everything brought up to this point.

                                                                      I want to Welcome you to Binkybunny. This is a great site for people wanting to share their love of rabbits as indoor companions, and we have seen countless situations like you have presented. In other threads, the poster is usually more desperate, rather than angry… but we understand that this is not an attack on US, you are just THAT FRUSTRATED. The mods DO NOT delete threads in which people are asking for help, but we will delete threads that break the rules.

                                                                      Great post Beka.  Thank you. 

                                                                      And thank you for clarifying the information above about what we delete.  My statement could have created some confusion.

                                                                      And though we don’t want the thread to get out of hand as it has the potential, I also failed to mentioned how impressed I am at the moment with everyone’s responses so far.   And so I should also be saying THANK YOU to everyone for seeing through the anger and frustration as you reach out to help.  You are an amazing bunch really.  

                                                                       

                                                                       


                                                                    • Jaguara
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                                                                        I wanted to bring up a possible alternative to the $250 spay. Now I know that getting a rabbit fixed, either male or female, can be vary draining on monitary funds. I don’t know if there is one in your area but, I actually found a low cost spay/neuter clinic that is very experienced with rabbits who does it for less than $100. Is there a possibility that there might be one in your area to help you with the cost? I know that it may not be the ideal solution but its an idea so that you can try and afford your school supplies and also have her spayed to possibly help with some of her behavior problems.

                                                                        In the event that she doesn’t get better and you just cant take it any more I would highly agree with re-homing her. I had to do it with a cat that I loved, he just didn’t like my daughter when she was a baby and nothing I did helped or changed his behavior. My aunt and grandma ended up taking him in and he still has the behavior issues, but they handle it way better than I ever would have been able to long term. Some times giving your pet a new home is the best option for you and them. Just a few things to think about.


                                                                      • Elrohwen
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                                                                          You’re clearly very frustrated by everything you’ve gone through, and I understand that – having a pet who destroys your home and takes up all of your time and money is very frustrating!

                                                                          I think there are still a lot of simple things you can do to make life with Pumpkin better. First is getting her spayed – I agree that you can buy your books first, since that’s an immediate need, but she does need to get spayed and it will probably help her behavior. Bunny people are always cautious about promising that a spay will cure all bad behavior because if it doesn’t, the owner is mad about getting the advice. Still, I think you can search through the forums here and find numerous cases of female bunnies who have been holy terrors around 6 months of age and then become lovable after being spayed. It’s not a sure thing, but I would say it’s likely to take care of at least some of her behavior issues, or tone them down at the very least.

                                                                          Second, better bunny proofing is definitely in order! The NIC grids are great – I have a network of them set up around my house and I make sure to keep wires behind them at all times. I also use plumbing tubing from the hardware store to cover wires – it won’t last through a lot of determined chewing, but if you’re there to supervise it will hold out until you can notice what your bunny is doing and get there to stop her. It’s not always possible to teach a bunny to do what you want (it’s not always possible to teach a cat either) so often the best method is to just keep things out of their reach by covering up wires as well as possible – just putting them up, where she can still reach them, isn’t enough.

                                                                          I think the reason bunnies can sometimes behave badly is that they were not domesticated to be pets. Dogs and cats (to a large extent) were domesticated to live as our companions and bred for traits that made them easier to live with. Rabbits have mostly been bred as livestock and just like letting a goat into your house, they don’t always have the best innate behavior around our prized possessions. This doesn’t mean they are any less domesticated than any other species or that they only want to live outside and we are torturing them by keeping them in (just look at my pair – they’re terrified to go outside and think their place in the world is sprawled out on the living room rug). Because it’s not necessarily in their genes to live in houses and respect our things, we do have to make some concessions for bunnies with better bunny proofing, large cage areas for when we’re not home, etc.


                                                                        • TriBun
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                                                                            Hi Ombunny, welcome to BB.  I wish it was under better circumstances.  I too can relate to your bunny woes.  When I got my Rosy, it was out of desperation and lonliness.  Here I thought I would get a cheap pet that would love me unconditionally.  Ha!  Turns out I picked out the ONE bunny (generalizing for effect) in the WHOLE world that needed hundreds of dollars of medical care and had special-needs for the rest of her life!  And after that medical care, she was my WORST nightmare.  She hated me.  Runnig away when I came near, biting my kiids, peeing on anything and everything!  I could go on, but that’s not going to help you.

                                                                            Again, spaying can wait, but… I truly think your little girl’s behavior would improve with spaying.  She sounds VERY territorial.  She attacks the smaller dogs because she views them as competition.  She’s protecting what’s “hers.”  The more space you give her, the more she thinks is hers (ie, the whole upstairs). Digging can be hormone driven, but she’ll likely always dig a little.  Also, like some BBers already said, she could have more health issues (Rosy was defensive cause she was in pain).

                                                                            A lot of bunnies aren’t interested in store-bought toys.  Making toys is cheaper and more rewarding.  It sounds like you probably don’t have a lot of spare time for making toys, just do what you can and the rest can wait.

                                                                            I also believe Zombie-Sue wasn’t trying to offend.  Just like she doesn’t know you, you don’t know her and we can get a little sarcastic with eachother… and you were definately “not in the mood.”  You’ve got a lot going on with school and work and the-devil-in-bunny-form.  I can understand your need to vent (in fact, I think my whole introduction post was venting).  Please, vent TO us, not AT us and we’ll try to take some stress off.


                                                                          • bwild
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                                                                              Hi Ombunny. Just a suggestion for the vet cost – I was lucky enough to find a vet in my area that takes payments. As long as I make some type of payment each month nothing is said. You could try calling around and seeing if any vets in your area would do the same thing. I know most vets don’t but it wouldn’t hurt to make a few phone calls.

                                                                              I’m also sorry you’re having so many problems with your rabbit. I hope things get better for you and you pets! Good luck!


                                                                            • luvmyhunybuny
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                                                                                I want to applaud everyone in this thread. Makes me so proud to be part of such an awesome group!!


                                                                              • Beka27
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                                                                                  Posted By bwild on 08/22/2011 03:20 PM
                                                                                  Hi Ombunny. Just a suggestion for the vet cost – I was lucky enough to find a vet in my area that takes payments. As long as I make some type of payment each month nothing is said. You could try calling around and seeing if any vets in your area would do the same thing. I know most vets don’t but it wouldn’t hurt to make a few phone calls.

                                                                                  Bwild might be on to something.  Since you have already established a relationship with your vet during her illness, you have demonstrated your ability to pay your vet bills.  Seeing as they know you are a responsible pet owner, if you are upfront with them, they may agree to allow you to pay for the spay in 2 or 3 payments.  It doesn’t hurt to ask.  They can see your payment history and they know that her illness early on was unexpected and caused a financial drain.


                                                                                • jerseygirl
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                                                                                    Example of low cost spay option in Maryland.
                                                                                    http://www.spaynow.org/services This one looks reasonable and seems familiar with rabbits in my opinion.

                                                                                    Some other listings: http://www.petrescueofmd.org/info/display?PageID=1613
                                                                                    Not sure on which of these offer the services for rabbits though. Anyway, there are some options and even if one had to travel. It’s a one time thing and still might be the better financial option even with the travel costs.


                                                                                  • Sage Cat
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                                                                                      Hi OmBunny and welcome to Binky Bunny.
                                                                                      You have already gotten loads of advice from a lot of people.
                                                                                      I’m sorry you are having such a hard time.
                                                                                      I really hope the folks here can come up with something that works for you.
                                                                                      Keep us posted on what you decide to do and how things turn out.


                                                                                    • Poppyann
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                                                                                        Hey OmBunny! Im really sorry to hear of your experience. Having this situation with any pet is really difficult, especially when you love them so.
                                                                                        I’m afraid I can’t give any advice directly related to your issue here, because my rabbit is a boy, so obviously their hormones and their behavior is different.
                                                                                        However I am with you on the carpet digging! Pickle (my bunny) LOVES. TO. CHEW. CARPET. It’s a pain. He just digs at the floor insanely, and bits of fluff from my carpet just come out. It’s really annoying because this is an expensive, THICK carpet (which is probably why he likes it). He also really likes to chew my darn wallpaper. I have HUGE patches of missing wallpaper in my room now which looks horrendous, but luckily most of it is under my bed anyway.
                                                                                        He digs at night too, sometimes waking me although it doesn’t sound as bad as your bunny’s. He has a little house thing which he stands on to eat his food, which is attached to the cage. I’ve woken up to him in the middle of the night by him making a very loud racket because he had somehow detached it and was underneath it moving around his cage… he looked like a pack horse! Silly thing.

                                                                                        One thing I will say though – I got him neautured about a month ago, and I think his aggressive tendencies towards my room have died down a little. I don’t know how much use this is to you though, as yours is a girl.

                                                                                        I just thought I’d share my experiences with you. I really hope you can get your bunny sorted because I can imagine how much she means to you!

                                                                                        Whatever you decide to do, I hope it turns out well. Goodluck with her, and your studies at college.

                                                                                        You can always PM me here if you need someone to talk to!

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                                                                                    Forum BEHAVIOR I need your total honesty on spay and neuter.