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Forum BEHAVIOR 8.5 week old mini rex, digging and nibbling on me?

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    • FuzzBun
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        We’ve had our mini rex for a week and one day. She came from a reputable arba breeder so even though we got her still at just over 7 weeks, she was good and fat  and weaned from momma’s milk. 

        Anyways we are so fresh to bunny ownership, and its a joy learning how she communicates. She was very comfortable day one when we got her, not at all nervous. Completely at ease, grooming herself, doing binkies while we floored played, flops although a lot of the time it seemed more like leave me alone I’m tired and disinterested in you flopping over, lol I could be wrong. But we’d call her name and she’d look at us and almost as if to say “meh! ” would flop over and stretch and ignore us lol. 

        She’s still very comfortable, will close her eyes in bliss during a head rub…comes up and climbs on us. But today, she came up to me on the floor, and was digging digging digging at my arm, and then was nibbling (not biting) nibbling moving around my clothes…kinda straighting the sleeve out. I wasn’t in the way, I was just laying there relaxing…so wondering what I means…did a quite google and some said that’s a domanice thing? Isn’t she kinda young of that?

        Thanks


      • Excript
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          I too had my mini rex when shes only 7 weeks old. When i got her she was like as u described. And shes fine with cuddling too.

          But ur in fr a surprise when their behaviour changes so fast in a short period of time


        • FuzzBun
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            Posted By Excript on 3/17/2016 2:04 PM

            I too had my mini rex when shes only 7 weeks old. When i got her she was like as u described. And shes fine with cuddling too.

            But ur in fr a surprise when their behaviour changes so fast in a short period of time

            in what way?


          • Bam
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              Digging and nibbling on her humans are baby bunny things. She’s exploring. It’s a lot like a young puppy-dog. Puppy-dogs don’t dig ON people mostly, but they tend to like to test their digging-skills. It’s the time in their life when the whole world is new and exiting and she wants to/needs to discover everything.

              This is not dominance. She’s way too young first of all. This is not aggressive, it’s curiosity.

              When she starts to hit sexual maturity she will become more wary of people, because all mammals have a stage like that, in dogs it’s called the period of fear, when just about anything can startle and scare the puppy. Then that stage passes and the bunny becomes more trusting again.


            • FuzzBun
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                Posted By bam on 3/17/2016 3:38 PM

                Digging and nibbling on her humans are baby bunny things. She’s exploring. It’s a lot like a young puppy-dog. Puppy-dogs don’t dig ON people mostly, but they tend to like to test their digging-skills. It’s the time in their life when the whole world is new and exiting and she wants to/needs to discover everything.

                This is not dominance. She’s way too young first of all. This is not aggressive, it’s curiosity.

                When she starts to hit sexual maturity she will become more wary of people, because all mammals have a stage like that, in dogs it’s called the period of fear, when just about anything can startle and scare the puppy. Then that stage passes and the bunny becomes more trusting again.

                This is why I love this forum, learn sooooo much!!  Thanks for the information! 

                Another question, so the breeder I got her from was against getting mini rex’s fixed, she said she had a few not make it. Reg rex’s she said she had no issues, but mini rex’s she advises against. I’d prefer to get her fixed cause I’ve read it improves their temperment, as well extends their lifespan. 


              • LittlePuffyTail
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                  I can’t see why the breed would make any difference on the safety of a spay. If the bunny is healthy (you can always have your vet do a pre-anaesthetic blood screen to make sure) and your vet is bunny experienced.


                • jerseygirl
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                    There really is no guarantee on how well an individual bunny will do with surgery and there is always an element of risk involved.

                    For your peace of mind, I’d have some bloodwork done and a thorough health check to try gauge if there’s anything like a heart issue etc.

                    It is best not keep rabbits on inappropriate wood bedding (like cedar, pine) as this can mess with the liver enzymes which in turn affects how they’ll do with anaesthetic. Often, new rabbit owners buy starter kits with bedding but it really isn’t necessary.

                    Shop around for a rabbit savvy vet who has performed many spays and make certain your bunny is given adequate post-op pain relief. Check the vet is aware of current safe dosages of analgesics.

                    These things will all provide for a better outcome.


                  • Mikey
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                      My mini rex does this when hes uncomfortable. Theres a few shirts we have that he does not like, so if we are wearing any of those shirts and cuddling, he will begin digging and nibbling, like hes trying to remove the shirt. If we change clothes, hes perfectly fine and happy loafs while cuddling with us again

                      Ive never heard of a breed messing up more than others during a spay or neuter. Its something to talk to your vet about. Dont go to a vet who has had many rabbits die on the table


                    • Excript
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                        I had my mini Rex neutered and it’s been a lot better since then. When she reached maturity she started humping my arm whenever she could and it hurts when she tries to hold on to my arm with her nails and nipping my arm All the time but it’s good fun to see her like that lol.

                        She also pee outside her potty area but that habit stopped agree getting neutered


                      • Bam
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                          I don’t think either that the breed has anything to do with how well a bunny handles being spayed. But since it was your breeder who said it, and she’d had some of her mini rexes not make it, one could perhaps suspect that there’s sth in her mini rexes’ gene-pool that makes a portion of them sensitive. Did she specify if it was the anesthesia or the spay itself or the healing-process they didn’t make? There are alternative anesthetics that can be used on sensitive bunnies. Definitely get blood-work done!

                          It is true that having a girl rabbit spayed is recommended for health-reasons, intact does are prone to uterine cancer at a fairly young age (3,4).

                          My (fully adult) bunny Bam digs and nips at my mother’s clothes probably because he loves her, so she must have a blankie in her knee when she’s giving him pets or there will be holes in her clothes before he’s done. He doesn’t try to get away, it’s like he gets into some mild form of nesting-frenzy. So the reason a bunny has for nipping/digging varies between individuals =) (It is not always easy for a human to understand a bunny’s reasons for doing things.)


                        • Beka27
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                            My old lady mini rex was once a young and wild and crazy and hormonal young teenager bunny. Her spay went fantastic! And her behavior improved IMMENSELY!

                            Do your research for a good vet in the area, probably not the one the breeder goes to since he doesn’t seem to have good luck with spays…

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                        Forum BEHAVIOR 8.5 week old mini rex, digging and nibbling on me?