Biting – for real

[Balefulregards]

Hi everyone – It’s been ages since I was on and have a ton of updates.

We lost Coco on the last day of June this year. I think she was around nine years of age and lived an amazing rabbit life. I could sense that something was not right with her and despite my best efforts with critical care and feeding, she died right before midnight on June 30th. 

I held her as she had the three seizures, then exhaled her last. She was grooming me until just about the end.

Jackson, her bonded husbun, has not taken this loss well. He is eating just fine ( nothing puts Jackson off his food) but has been extra aggressive towards me. I’ve done what I can – He spent time with her body post death so he knows she is no longer with us. I spend time on the floor trying to coax him to me for nose rubs. I bring exciting treats, which he snatches and runs away with. I talk to him all the time (Their litter pans are in my bedroom and they were always free range). I have summers off, as I am a professor, so I am with him lots.

Jackson was never a people person. We got him when he was @4 or 5 months and he was devoted to Coco from the time they bonded. Coco was my people girl – She loved me and Jackson tolerated me. 

So now I am left with a rabbit who doesn’t seem to like me very much. 

Every morning I greet him and scratch the rug next to his Maze haven to see if he will pop out for nose scritches ( answer, almost never).  This morning, he began to pop out..then lunged and bit my finger. Hard. Instant blood drawn.  I’ve never been bitten before – nipped by Jackson, or he does a scratch paw thing to say “Leave me alone”, but never bitten. I yelped and he moved forward again to smell me. 

Then he retreated. 

If I am lucky, he will allow me to groom him late in the evening ( @ 11 p.m) for a little while. He will come for some dried strawberry if I shake this container. Otherwise, he is like an angry hermit rabbit.

He does, ironically, like the cat. When Mischa is in the room, Jackson will come out and sniff him and offer himself for grooming. Mischa ignores that request. When I attempt to offer to groom, Jackson retreats.

Am I doomed for the next 8 years to live with a miserable rabbit?  And no, a new mate is not an option for us at this point.  My semester is starting and I do not have the time/energy/emotional fortitude to bond a new pair.  Plus, I must admit that I am heartbroken at the loss of Coco.  Is this just rabbit grief? Will a non human oriented bun ever decide that I am all right? 

[Bam]

I think he’ll probably learn that you’re an ok person. As of right now, it seems he doesn’t trust you. The cat may seem more “normal” to him, since she has fur and 4 legs and all that. My first bunny Bam took to my dog before he took to us humans. And even that took a long time, awhole year. Bam was a stray so I don’t know how he’d been treated by humans before I found him. He was never aggressive though, just aloof. He didn’t want to be touched. After he warmed up to us, he likes to be pet endlessly.

My other bun has charged and boxed and bit me, then instantly demanded pets. I think it’s insecurity, lack of trust. He doesn’t do that anymore but may growl if I startle him.

I honestly think what you need is time and patience and persistence. Rabbits can be very slow learners. Jackson is probably still adjusting to life without Coco.

[jerseygirl]

Im sorry Coco has gone on to the Bridge. I had a soft spot for her.

She was grooming me until just about the end.

So sweet. Thanking you for saving her all those years ago. I’m glad you were with her.

Do you think its possible there’s a health reason behind Jackson’s behaviour and the timing is just coincidental? Even loss of eyesight?
How old is he now?

Im sorry to hear about the bite!  I was thinking perhaps hang out with him when he eats and hand feed what you can to try bond with him more. Just nothing where you’re fingers get too close! 

[Balefulregards]

Thanks Bam, and Thanks Jersey.

I’ve been dedicating more time to hanging out near him and offering treats. He practically stampedes me down for dried strawberry now.

His personality is so different from Coco. I mean, it always *was*, but Coco was the buffer since she was so very, very people oriented. 

Jersey, Jackson is 6 now – so very middle aged bun. We have a check up in October, so I will inquire about his eyes. I don’t notice anything in terms of his behavior and sight, but it can’t hurt to ask.

A few minutes ago, I got a rare tooth purr….but I am being very deliberate about my movements and approach. His body language is infinitely more subtle than Coco, so I have to be careful that I haven’t moved from “Yes, give me nose rubs” to “I am about to bite you”. The difference between those two states can be rapid. I have to stay alert in order to not lazily move in for the next nose rub to find teeth waiting for me.

I suspect we will be all right, but he is going to be a long hard sell. He was five or six months old when he bonded with Coco, so we humans have lived on the fringe of his life thus far. Hopefully he will learn that it isn’t so terrible to allow the human to groom you. (Jackson has never in 6 years groomed me – he only grudgingly groomed Coco)

[Author]

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