Rabbits; Terminator
Terminator earned his name when as a young rabbit, he killed a rat that came into his cage. At least, we think he did, we found a dead young rat with his throat bitten in his cage one morning. Unfortunatly, this event made him aware of the fact that he can use his teeth against any intruders, and since then he cann't be trusted not to bite us either.
Of course, he doesn't bite because he like to hurt us, he just doesn't understand he is not supposed to do it. Because of our "successfull" family planning, we had two litters in a row, and he was separated from his mother rather young because of this (and from his brothers and sisters, cause we gave them away quickly knowing a second wave was coming). So he was alone in a cage, and became possesive of his territory. And his signal for "you're invading my private space (something entering his cage or touching him)" became a quick bite.
So in a way, he is the victim of a neglected childhood. Of course, it is a nuisance that we have to be carefull when we feed him, or when we take him out of his cage we have to watch our fingers, but it's a minor inconvenience.
He lookes so much like his late father that we forgive him almost everything.
You can get to his soft side if you stick some grass through the wires of his cage, so he can eat from your hands (protected from his teeth). Then the rough guy becomes a responsive, affectionate annimal that seems to understand the concept of time, in a way that he understands that he is receiving your time, that you could also have spend with another rabbit. But you choose him, and he appreciates that.
Of course, he doesn't bite because he like to hurt us, he just doesn't understand he is not supposed to do it. Because of our "successfull" family planning, we had two litters in a row, and he was separated from his mother rather young because of this (and from his brothers and sisters, cause we gave them away quickly knowing a second wave was coming). So he was alone in a cage, and became possesive of his territory. And his signal for "you're invading my private space (something entering his cage or touching him)" became a quick bite.
So in a way, he is the victim of a neglected childhood. Of course, it is a nuisance that we have to be carefull when we feed him, or when we take him out of his cage we have to watch our fingers, but it's a minor inconvenience.
He lookes so much like his late father that we forgive him almost everything.
You can get to his soft side if you stick some grass through the wires of his cage, so he can eat from your hands (protected from his teeth). Then the rough guy becomes a responsive, affectionate annimal that seems to understand the concept of time, in a way that he understands that he is receiving your time, that you could also have spend with another rabbit. But you choose him, and he appreciates that.


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