Netherland dwarf rabbits common house pets due to their small size and cute appearance.
And they are also known for biting their owners.
They come in a variety of breeds and colors. The breed of Netherland dwarf rabbit should be chosen carefully because some breeds are extremely aggressive and stubborn.
They can be harmful to your children.
Why Do Netherland Dwarf Rabbits Bite? Netherland Dwarf rabbits can bite you because of boredom, in self-defense, to show dominance, stress, and anger.
Why Do Netherland Dwarf Rabbits Bite?
Netherland dwarf rabbits are unpredictable and they can bite.
They can get aggressive easily and can also be pleased with small things.
Sometimes during handling or cuddling this tiny soft pet, it bites you severely. It might be surprising for you if you’re unaware of this, but they surely can bite.
The bite of these dwarf rabbits can be painful and can also transmit infection.
The reason behind their biting varies.
We think that these dwarf rabbit bites without any reason. That’s not true.
The Netherland dwarf rabbit bites due to the many reasons, which I will discuss below, as well as how to prevent them from biting.
Boredom
The Netherland dwarf rabbits bite us when they feel bored.
These dwarf rabbits are super active creatures.
They love playing with you and your toys. They are always jumping and climbing in their cage.
But when they feel bored, these dwarfs cannot do anything interesting. Boredom makes these rabbits lazy.
Laziness makes them unable to enjoy their surroundings and even the company of their loved ones.
When Netherland dwarfs are bored, they feel agitated. This irritated behavior makes them bite you.
These dwarf rabbits, deprived of their favorite belongings like toys and places, start feeling bored. Biting is a sign they are trying to say that they are bored.
Aggression
Aggression is another vital reason Netherland dwarf rabbits bite.
As I have described previously that the mood of these rabbits can never be predicted easily.
These dwarf rabbits are very angry and aggressive when they find themselves uncomfortable. When you try to create their back or cuddle with them.
This unnecessary intimacy makes these rabbits angry. Children in these cute pets evoke this aggression.
Children love to play with this tiny a soft animal. But instead of playing, they can get injured. These rabbits bite your children in anxiety.
The Netherland dwarf rabbits, when feeling hungry, also become angry. Their biting can be a sign that these rabbits need food.
Problems in their cage and bedding also make them anxious. If the cage is too short and cannot play or run in this cage, they become aggressive.
Due to this anxiety, these rabbits bite you when you try to come in contact with them. The presence of any other pet in their cage can also distort their behavior.
Self-defense
The Netherland dwarf rabbits are very delicate. They get scared even with a slight touch.
Sometimes they cannot figure out either you are trying to play with them or attacking them.
When you touch these rabbits or try to feed them, they become conscious.
They have a gut feeling that someone is trying to harm them. In pursuit of defending them, these rabbis bite you. Their bite can be very painful this time.
Beware when you are putting your hands in their cage.
They are very possessive about their living area food water and toys. They bite due to your interference in their personal space.
When you are trying to clean the cage and these tiny pets, they feel attacked.
This feeling makes them defensive against you. Poking these rabbits with some object is perceived as a threat, and these rabbits start biting.
These rabbits when cannot escape from threat bite you in defense.
Trying To Get Attention
Attention is a basic need among all living organisms. The Netherland dwarf rabbits are also attention seekers.
They want to play with them and appreciate them when they are climbing or spinning around you.
They are not trying to hurt you. In your busy routine, it is difficult for us to give time to our pets.
Due to this, these cute pets get ignored. When it tries to achieve your attention, he bites in your arm or hands.
In this way, he is trying to convince you to spend some time with him.
When you stop accompanying these dwarfs, they become anxious and start biting. Good company and friends are the ultimate need for these rabbits.
Sexual Maturity
Sexual maturity makes Netherland dwarfs aggressive. When these dwarf rabbits become adults and sexually mature, then biting their owners is a common behavior.
Sexual maturity means that these rabbits are in heat, and mating is worse.
Biting due to sexual maturity is more common in male dwarf rabbits. The female rabbits show less aggression due to sexual maturity.
They become more stressed when in heat. They usually bite your hair due to sexual restlessness.
A Show of Dominance
Netherland dwarf rabbits want their dominance in their place and all the belongings.
They want to show you that they are the real owner of their cage and all the other things.
You have observed many times that when you try to clean the cage and refill the water, these rabbits start biting.
They do this to protect their cage and stop you from entering into their private place. Dominating over the owner is the main goal behind biting you.
The Netherland dwarf rabbits also try to dominate over other rabbits if kept in the same cage.
Medical Condition
The Netherland dwarf rabbits also bite due to some medical illnesses. You should check on your pet if he is suffering.
The illness could be of any type. Severe infections can cause these rabbits to become stressed. This stress causes them to bite people.
These rabbits also bite or chew their cage in illness. The enlarged tooth also causes these rabbits to bite people and cages.
Pain and dental issues are the main factors in this biting behavior in Netherland dwarf rabbits.
Parasite and mites attacks can be a reason for biting. You should vaccinate your pet rabbit.
Nipping Behavior
Nipping behavior is somehow different than biting. Nipping is just putting the teeth on the skin.
Nipping does not hurt you.
The Netherland dwarf rabbits nip you when you feel excited or upset. The rabbits sometimes miscalculate the nipping force and instead of nipping bite the person.
The Netherland dwarf rabbits nibble you without any reason.
How to Stop the Netherland Dwarf Rabbits from Biting?
The bite of these dwarf rabbits can be very painful and even draw blood from the skin.
These Netherland dwarf rabbits can transmit various diseases through biting. We need to prevent this sweet and delicate animal from biting.
Following are some basic points you can follow to prevent them from biting
Desexing the dwarf rabbit
Spaying the Netherland dwarf rabbit is very important. These dwarf rabbits, especially male rabbits, become aggressive when sexually mature.
The sexual tension can be reduced when you neuter your pet.
The Netherland dwarf rabbits should undergo spaying surgery at the age of 4 months. If you forgot to spay your rabbits till the age of 4, then try some other technique.
First, you should visit a professional veterinary doctor and take all the information regarding the procedure.
The doctor will examine the rabbit for surgery.
Appropriate surgery can neuter your pet without any complications. Spaying the dwarf rabbits make them calmer and gentle.
Show affection
Affection and love is the best remedy to prevent biting in dwarf rabbits.
The Netherland dwarf rabbits tend to be friendly and caring companions if we show them love and care.
You can achieve the attraction of your pet by giving him time. You can play with him and join him during exercise time. When you are playing with them, hold them carefully.
Do not be bossy in front of them. Always notice their behavior towards you. Do not try to approach that cutie pie as you are threatening him.
Once these dwarf rabbits start believing in you, then they will never bite you. They come to you automatically.
Then this biting behavior will turn into gentle nibbling. A happy and healthy relationship will develop between both of you.
This takes some time to fully get the confidence of your sweet bunny.
Give them food
They become aggressive and stressed when they are hungry. Biting is a sign that your bunny needs food.
These rabbits are very picky at their food. If they do not find their favorite food these dwarfs show odd behavior.
Biting you is a way of communicating that these rabbits need food. Always try to keep their food bowl full of food.
There should be plenty of water in their cage.
Eating their favorite food makes them happy. Some sweet desserts or buns are among their favorite treats.
A happy bunny never tries to hurt you.
Once you start treating this cute creature with a delicious meal, their behavior toward you will change. Furious biting is easily reduced by using this trick.
Treating the illness
The Netherland dwarf rabbits biting can be caused by some illnesses. These rabbits, when they become sick, suffer from anxiety also.
Dental problems and mites attack is the main reason for your pet biting behavior. Infectious diseases make them aggressive.
You should take your pet to some professional doctor for a complete checkup. The doctor will examine the rabbit and treat the underline causes.
If you feel that your pet is biting, you frequently then examine it for any injury. Injuries or infections should be treated promptly.
Proper cage
The area of the cage should be large enough that they can run and play easily.
When the size of the cage is short, and it is suffocating the rabbit, they feel stressed.
The bedding of the cage should be soft and thick. If the cage has wire bedding, it can hurt your pet.
Use wooden or wax paper bedding to comfort the pet. Give them all their toys and plenty of food so they can eat and play freely.
The location of the cage should be proper. Keep their cage in a less crowded place. But within reach of your eyes. These dwarf rabbits should not feel lonely.
Cleanliness makes these rabbits very satisfied. Keep their cage clean and neat. Make sure that you daily wipe out all the dirt from the cage.
This will prevent unnecessary infections and boredom. Hence your bunny behaves more rationally.
Give Them Freedom
If the Netherland rabbits spend most of their time in their cage they will feel bored. Life without any activity and entertainment will make them lazy.
Bored and lazy rabbits bite for no apparent reason. Try to give them some space by letting them out of their cage.
Give them some time to take a stroll in the surrounding.
This will make their mood fresh. Take them to a playing area where they can freely play and exercise.
Never try to groom or train the pet in haste. Your orderly behavior will make them scared.
This trick will work best but you need to be patient. Keep taking your bunny for a walk and exercise. Once they learn your affection and love, they stop biting you.
Approach Them Wisely
They always feel the threat of predators. The aggression in these rabbits is a defensive mechanism towards predators.
Firstly observe what actions make them scared. Never approach them in their cage.
Always open the door of the cage so that they can come out of the cage. This will increase their trust in you.
Furthermore, these rabbits can smell the fragrance of predators like dogs. Keep them away from predators.
You should also be free from any fragrance that might threaten them. Try to coax them gently.
Never poke them with some hard object. This will also make them scared. When they are not in a mood to play, keep the children away from them.
All these simple tricks will prevent them from biting you. These rabbits can also eat the wall.
Make Biting Undesirable
This is the most important trick to play with your pet. This trick will make the pet biting a hateful act.
First, observe the thing he bites usually. Then keep them out of sight. If he wants to chew something, give him chew toys.
These chew toys will protect you from the harmful biting of these dwarf rabbits. You can spray some sour or unpleasant taste on these objects.
This unpleasant taste will prevent the rabbits from biting. Their biting habit can be reversed by these tricks over time.
Making them busy and happy is another factor in making biting undesirable. When they have favorite people and toys around them, they will change their attitude.
The biting will stop and turn into a happy squeaking and licking your hands in joy. This can prevent the grunting of rabbits.
Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Are a Result of Dwarf Gene
The extremely small size of these rabbits is due to the presence of the dwarf gene (hence the name).
The interesting thing about this gene is that this gene is present as a single gene in Netherland dwarf rabbits.
The dwarf rabbits of appropriate size and shape should contain one gene only. They are also called true dwarfs.
These rabbits were first discovered by Holland breeders in the 1940s. The Holland breeder used a Netherland dwarf rabbit to produce a small rabbit.
These rabbits were produced by crossing polish rabbits with some tiny rabbits. Netherland dwarf rabbits containing one gene are appropriate in all aspects.
If these rabbits cross the resultant rabbits may contain two one or no gene at all.
The rabbits containing two genes are not too small in size and rabbits without genes are unable to survive. Netherland dwarf rabbits arrived in America in 1965.
After many years of successful breeding, Netherland dwarf rabbits were produced in many colors and varieties.
Now they have gained popularity due to their unique colors and cuteness as household bunnies.
General Characteristics Of Netherland Dwarf Rabbits
The following are the complete description of the characteristics of Netherland dwarf rabbits.
All these characteristics make them unique from other rabbits.
Size
The Netherland dwarf rabbits are cute due to their small size.
As their name indicates they are tiny creatures. The average length of dwarf rabbits is up to 35 to 45 centimeters.
The average weight of these dwarf rabbits is between 2 to 3 pounds. The Netherland dwarf rabbits can be small to up to 1 pound.
Due to their small size, they are kept in houses or indoor settings.
They should be handled carefully due to their small size. False dwarfs are longer than true Netherland dwarfs.
Body shape
The body of the Netherland dwarf rabbit is round and small. The appearance of their body Is thick and chubby.
These dwarf rabbits have broad shoulders with a compact body.
The ears are small as compared to other rabbits. The nose and jaws of these rabbits are small.
The face of these rabbits is flatter than other rabbits. The teeth of these rabbits are large.
Front legs are usually short and straight. The ears of the Netherland dwarf rabbits are 45 to 50 centimeters.
The ears are rounded at the tips. The head of these rabbits is round and has a broad skull.
These rabbits have bright and round eyes. Eyes color is according to the color of the fur coat.
The whole body is covered with fur of different colors. The fur is highly conditioned.
Color
They are found in a variety of colors and shades. All these colors are accepted by ARBA.
These rabbits have different colors of their fur and eye color. These rabbits are found in pure white color with blue or red eye color.
They can also be found in the black color of different shades with grey color eyes.
Blue furred rabbits are also found with medium to intense blue color. They have chocolate color, Opal rabbits have the body and tail of pale blue, eyes and underside belly is off white color.
Black silver martin chocolate silver martin and blue silver martins are different color schemes found in these dwarf rabbits.
Some dwarf rabbits of these breeds have mark on their coat. These markings could be of a different color.
Average Body Temperature
The Netherland dwarf rabbits are very energetic and active animals.
They are always involved in physical activities.
Therefore the average body temperature of these rabbits is high. They have their body temperature somewhere between 100 to 103 Fahrenheit.
Temperament
The Netherland dwarf rabbits are active and aggressive animals. Sometimes they show shy and skittish behavior.
They tend to be angry animals when they feel scared. Due to their small and cute appearance, they feel themselves in danger in a crowded place.
But these rabbits can be very friendly and loving if trained to live some social life.
They should be introduced to their surrounding t an early age. This practice makes them comfortable with people.
Then they can be proved very delighted household pets.
Netherland dwarf rabbits are full of energy and like wide-area cages where they can climb.
Climbing or spinning around may show that these rabbits are aggressive or restless. They even can bite you when you get angry or feel any threat.
Lifespan
The life expectancy of these rabbits is extremely large than normal rabbits. They can live up to 10 to 12 years.
The lifespan of other rabbits is only 1 to 2 years.
These rabbits live a long life. Due to their high life expectancy, they can be proved the best companion for you.
Other articles you may also like:
