Is my rabbit mad at me

[UsagiBunny7;)]

I have some questions. I’ve had Momiji for 2 months now and unfortunately his cage isn’t on the floor and his pen is separate, so I have to pick him up everytime and he even used to be a show bunny. He tolerates being picked up to go in but flicks his feet at me some and thumps about once a day. Is this normal behavior? He isn’t neutered and I don’t know if he’s trying to be the boss or what. He will climb and tug at my clothes if I’m just doing my own thing. Is my rabbit starting to hate me, or what can I do so he won’t look so ticked at me? He hasn’t bitten, grunted, kicked, scratched, or growled at me, but given the circumstances I feel he is starting to be more pissed than pleased with me. Also I can’t find any information about this other question: sometimes when I put my hand near his head he’ll stick his nose under my hand, almost like he’s gonna push it away. Or the other day when I gave him a carrot he put his head over my wrist and moved it some, and I was scared he was ready to bite! I can’t figure out why he seems to be hating me! Please help!

[Mikey]

Normal, yes, because he is telling you that he does not like you picking him up. Feet flicking and thumping are how rabbits can communicate that they really do not like something you just did to them.

Tugging on you is one of two things: he is mad or he wants your attention. It could be that hes mad and wants your attention.

How do you make him happier with you? You will need to find a better cage+pen set up for him so you are not picking him up constantly. Also, pet him more often and spend more time with him just sitting or laying by him and talking to him

Him putting his head into your hand means he wants to be pet, not that hes trying to bite.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Rabbits generally don’t hate people as such, they hate certain sensations like being picked up and other discomforts and they’ll react to that. If a human is constantly putting them in these situations, they may start to avoid you or lashout at you when they feel threatened. Really hating a human and attacking him/her on sight happens, but only in extreme cases where people have done things that can be considered as animal cruelty. (My brother in law learned that trying to kick a bunny will make a bunny hate you. He was attacked on sight and had to put in a lot of work to be accepted again.)

I doubt your rabbit really hates you, but there are certain things that can be improved about his living conditions to make him feel safer and happier. His behaviour towards you will improve with a better environment.

The first thing I’d address: find a way to give him free access to his cage. This is one of the basic steps of bunny safety: a bun must be able to get into his safe space on his own. Think about a way to lower the cage to the floor or build a ramp so he can get in and out at will. Rabbits are a prey species and for their mental health they need to be able to run to safety whenever they think they need it. Apart from free access to the cage it’s also important that he has hidey-holes throughout his living space. A cardboard box with a hole on two ends will mean the world to him, especially if it’s in a safe and quiet space where people won’t be likely to trip over it (like underneath the coffee table). A rabbit who feels safe is far less stressed and more outgoing than a rabbit who feels like he needs to be on guard all the time. (Yup, they’re paranoid little buggers)

The second thing would be to read up on rabbit body language, this is a really helpful website: http://language.rabbitspeak.com/
Foot flicking is a sign that a rabbit severely disagrees with something you’ve done. Try to remember when this happens and what you did right before the foot flicking started. Rabbits are easily offended if they feel that they or their opinions are ignored. If a rabbit asks for attention, give it to him.
Understanding eachother will lead to better communication.

The third thing I’d address is his hormonal status. Unless you tend to breed with him, we’ll always advice people to get their pet bunnies neutered/spayed. An intact rabbit, especially males, will have a lot of stress because his hormones tell him to mate all the time. If he can’t find anything to mate with he’ll become really frustrated, stressed and possibly agressive. You’ll get a happier rabbit who’ll be more open to bonding with you, and also will have better litterbox habits.
Also: if you work or are away from home often, a rabbit will likely want a companion. They’re very social animals and need a lot of interaction to be happy. You can only find a companion if both rabbits are neutered/spayed, because hormones will cause fights.
My advice would be to find a specialised rabbit vet, you can find one on this list: https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/116849/afnp/276220/Default.aspx
Regular cat&dog vets usually don’t have enough experience with rabbits, rabbits really are a specialism in vet care. For your rabbit’s safety, please only visit a vet who has specialised in rabbits and treats them regularly.

[UsagiBunny7;)]

Thanks for the advice! His old owner had the cage and pen separate, and she said I shouldn’t need to worry about neutering him. He doesn’t act aggressive like ready to lunge or box me. Also I’m afraid that I can’t put the cage on the floor for now and the cage is on a desk. I give him a treat after putting him down to encourage him that I’m not trying to hurt him. I just didn’t know if unneutered Bucks will try to be bossy. One of my friends owns 2 buns with the same situation and she has to pick hers up too and said hers always flicks and thumps some, and both and her babies love her! I also read it’s common behavior that I guess does happen, I’m just scared he’ll get to the point I can’t do anything with him without him hiding. He’s only nipped me when I was carrying him back to his cage. I just really don’t want to sell him when I’ve barely known him.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

His old owner sounds like someone with not a lot of experience, neutering is very important for your rabbit’s well-being and his ability to be a good pet. On every website about rabbits you’ll find the advice to neuter rabbits for several important health reasons.

Also: being picked up is a thing nearly all rabbits hate. Picking them up unless strictly necessary is stressful for the rabbit. Having to pick them up because their living quarters aren’t adequate does not fall under “strictly necessary”.

You do need to make changes to give your rabbit a better life.

It’s also your responsibility to inform yourself about what a rabbit needs. His needs are not met at the moment, and this visibly stresses him out. It’s not okay to handle a rabbit like this. He’s communicating to you that he’s not happy with the situation. Don’t ignore these signs.
You ask if your rabbit is mad at you and why. This is why: you’re not giving him a proper treatment. Don’t shrug it off by saying: “Some people I know do it like this too.” It’s your responsibility as a pet owner to inform yourself about proper pet care and to give him the best care available.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By UsagiBunny7 on 11/09/2017 12:42 PM

Thanks for the advice! His old owner had the cage and pen separate, and she said I shouldn’t need to worry about neutering him. He doesn’t act aggressive like ready to lunge or box me. Also I’m afraid that I can’t put the cage on the floor for now and the cage is on a desk. I give him a treat after putting him down to encourage him that I’m not trying to hurt him. I just didn’t know if unneutered Bucks will try to be bossy. One of my friends owns 2 buns with the same situation and she has to pick hers up too and said hers always flicks and thumps some, and both and her babies love her! I also read it’s common behavior that I guess does happen, I’m just scared he’ll get to the point I can’t do anything with him without him hiding. He’s only nipped me when I was carrying him back to his cage. I just really don’t want to sell him when I’ve barely known him.

Firstly, how big is the desk? Because if it’s a standard size desk, it’s concerning that a rabbit cage fits on it..Secondly, he clearly doesn’t like being picked up so I’m afraid you’ll have to find a way to avoid doing that, I. E. Find a way to have the cage on the floor. It isn’t fair to him to keep picking him up. Thirdly, why on earth are you thinking of getting rid of him??

[UsagiBunny7;)]

The previous owner was a rabbit Breeder with like 10+ rabbits. She said he never bit her and was a sweet little guy.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Good for her, yet vets and rabbit lovers everywhere will advice others to get their pets neutered for the benefit of the animal.

Why are you asking for help and advice here if you’re not in the least bit willing to listen to any of it?
Your post basically says “Thanks for your advice but I think I’m doing the right thing.”, yet you ask about why your rabbit is showing signals of discomfort.

We’re here to help, but I’m not wasting time on people who stick their fingers up their ears and are completely unwilling to learn. Mind you, you need to inform yourself about proper rabbit care for the sake of your rabbit’s well-being.

[UsagiBunny7;)]

The desk is pretty big so the cage isn’t like hanging over and it’s like 3 ft up. And I considered a ramp but my mom won’t let me do either floor or ramp. The only reason why I thought about giving him up is because of the living situation and I can’t afford an apartment right now. I really want to keep my boy but I don’t want him to learn to fear me all because I have to pick him up to put him in his pen. I don’t want him to see me as a lousy owner. If I can’t work it out, then I’d rather have him in a home he’ll be more comfortable in.

[UsagiBunny7;)]

I’m just trying to see if there was other ways. As I said my mom won’t let me put him on the floor or use a ramp, and I can’t afford an apartment right now. I tried using his carrier to tote him to and from, but I have to replace it. Also I’ll admit my mom is a bit stiffer with him (she doesn’t yell) but I guess isn’t as gentle as she should be, and he doesn’t really like her. I mean when I’m chilling with him and she comes a lot of times he hides behind me lol

[Mikey]

Be aware that if he starts to associate people as “bad” because of your mom, you will have an even harder time training him to trust people (you) again. Its best you try to keep your mom as far away from his as possible. And you really need to look into alternate ways to get him to and from the pen that do not involve any carrying. Can his cage go in the pen?

[sarahthegemini]

How old are you? (If you’re a minor, you don’t need to specify) I ask because you say your mum won’t let you do this or that. If you’re young, then your mother needs to take some responsibility for looking after your rabbit. Which means providing adequate living conditions, I.e. letting you install a ramp.
And she absolutely needs to stop scaring him. When you say she’s stiffer but doesn’t yell, what do you mean?

How big is the cage?

[UsagiBunny7;)]

I am college age. My mom doesn’t scare him but is a bit firm in a gentle way. I mean he doesn’t squirm when she’s just holding him. I’m living with my parents and they said I could keep him in a office my dad uses some. The desk is an office desk and as I said the cage is sitting securely. My parents won’t let me have the cage on the floor or use a ramp. I know he isn’t scared of me because when I open the side door to visit he nudges my hand just to get petted. Also he softly nips my finger sometimes, is he tasting it to see if it’s a carrot, or grooming me? As I said he doesn’t grunt, growl, scratch, does kick the dust at me sometimes, and doesn’t look ready to lunge or box; the only time he’s done something was when I used to put him back through the top he’d nip me to say he definitely didn’t like that. Otherwise I sometimes think because he’s not neutered, he may trying to be a bit bossy.

[Mikey]

Nips are how rabbits say “I dont like what youre doing”…. It does sound like your rabbit is not happy, and to be honest, your mom probly is scaring him which will only teach him not to trust humans. If yours comfortable with your mom teaching your rabbit not to trust or like humans, fine, but realize that he will eventually see you the same way he sees her, which is not very good for you if you want a connection with him.

[Wick & Fable]

One of my most guilty experiences is the passing of my first rabbit. I lived with my parents and while they were not abusing the rabbit by any means, they were definitely not researching the best care for her, and I defaulted with agreeing or caving into what they decided. The rabbit had a miserable life now that I can reflect and compare the care she had in comparison to Wick. If I could back, I’d tell my old self to suck it up and tell my parents that my rabbit needs this, that, should be handled moreso this way, etc.. If you find information on these forums or elsewhere that goes against your current setup, I highly encourage you, at the utmost, to speak with your mom and adjust so he can have the best life possible. It may require a lot of purchases, money, house rearrangement, but your rabbit is a legitimate pet, like a dog, so do your best to make things as wonderful for him as you can!

I do recommend the neutering. Wick is one of the most docile rabbits and it was not until 8 to 9 months old that he started circling and spraying me. A rabbit’s behavior can change suddenly for a variety of factors. If he does change and become more destructive and less “pet like”, you can imagine that your parents may be even less giving to lending you room to have him go around and explore. You should discuss neutering with a vet and your parents if they are funding it.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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