Minion is a lovely rabbit but is under the impression he owns us rather than the the other way around.

Whether he listens to the words 'Down', 'Stop', 'No' and 'Naughty' etc etc depends on whether he feels like it. I do sometimes raise my voice if he does something that will lead to him getting hurt. I don't think you should use the same voice for something you don't want him to do and something that will get him hurt as he won't listen when it counts. He does know when he's doing wrong because he looks up at you with his ears perked waiting for you to say something. I couldn't help but just laugh the other day though. I caught him eating one of my shoes but when he looked up he had one foot in my shoe like he was trying it on.

Other things include, if we are sat where he wants to sit he will nudge and eventually give a little nip until you give up the spot, so he can sit there.

He's currently running as fast as he can back and forth from me to the door indicating he wants it opening. Not to go out, but so he can sit at the front door for 10 seconds letting cold air into the house while he goes and sits next to the radiator and if you close the door he goes back to wanting it open again... as he did 10 minutes ago

is he neutered? I find a loud "NO" or a clap always works for me.

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Clapping works as an initial shock but he carries on.

I have tried shouting NO at him but he runs around me in circles. Apparently it's what rabbits do to each other to say 'I love you'. Then he carries on. I put him in his cage when he's being naughty but he bites the bars and throws his toys at the side of the cage, which has been known to go on for an hour!

The main problem I have with him is chewing wallpaper. I've heard putting some double sided sticky tape to the bottom of the skirting boards helps but he ripped it off sand sat chewing it. Other advice I've been given is to spray a weak solution of vinegar and water on the area, but he eats salt and vinegar crisps.

I love him lots but I'm sure he's just a devil in a bunny outfit. The irony is I've always said I don't want children as rabbits are easier to look after and are less trouble... now I'm not so sure

As was asked before, is Minion neutered? The circling sounds like he could be courting you, which Honey did all of the time to me before I had him done...he would also make a little oinking noise at me as if singing me a song Since he's been neutered, that behavior has stopped because his hormones have gone down.

As for the chewing, that can also calm down a bit after neutering, though it won't go away completely. If he's going after one spot of the wallpaper, you may have to buy some sort of gate/fence to put up and guard the wall. There was one specific bookcase Honey would always go after, and I finally just had to block it off completely so he couldn't get to it. There was just no stopping him from going after it.

I think a lot of it may just be your rabbit's personality, too. I think some rabbits are "bossier" than others, even after they've been neutered. If I'm laying on my bed watching a movie and Honey decides I'm not paying enough attention to him, he'll jump right up, stick his nose in my face or tug on my blankets or sweater until I pet him. Then he settles right down for the attention. Sometimes he'll do something naughty just to get me to chase him away from whatever he's doing, and he'll binky and act goofy because he got me to follow him

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"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face."

sounds like hes trying to be boss to me like hes dominating you, it will improve if you have him snipped, most vets only charge £40-60 for boys you'll find he calms right down and turns in to a big softy.

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No he's not neutered but the appointment is booked.

The places he likes to eat the wallpaper are in the hallway and under every radiator making it hard to block things off. I've tried putting things infront of his favourite places but it seems to make him more determined. The word 'No' is just a challenge.

He does make a grunting noise as he runs round me and if I'm stood next to the bed will even jump on the bed in order to complete his circles. I'm not sure how loving he intends it to be though as he seems to always want to do it while I'm walking or carrying a hot cup of tea.

I hope neutering him doesn't change him too much, as although all the naughty things bother me, I love him too much to want to change him completely.

All my past rabbits have been outdoor rabbits and I've only ever had one neutered (after the vet got his sex wrong and my other rabbit ended up with babies), but he died shortly after the operation, as did another of my rabbits that had to have a cyst removed. Luckily, I've found a rabbit specialist so hopefully she'll keep Minion safe... and cut his claws while he's under. He's the only rabbit I've had that doesn't go into a trance when put on his back. He curled himself up so his head was touching his tail!

Thank you for all the advice

Neutering and finding him a friend will stop a lot of the unwanted behaviour including his sexual honking.
He sounds bored so that is why ripping wallpaper and such is fun because that gets your attention, he doesn't care that it is negative attention.
I am actually pleased that you can't trance him, it has been proven that tracing a rabbit is extremely stressful as their heart rate goes through the roof during this process, trancing should only be done in extreme circumstances not so it is easier for you to clip their nails.

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It was my vet that told me that laying a rabbit on it's back calms it down as rabbits don't like having their nails cut and it stops you accidentally hitting a nerve or vein.

As for boredom, he doesn't appear bored, we spend most of the day playing, other than when I'm doing work, but he usually just sits next to me and goes to sleep then or jumps on my laptop expressing his displeasure and adding words to my work. When he's bored he tends to tug on my top and stomp or climb on me. I do intend to get him a friend though but he needs his op first and some time to recover. I'm not sure how easy it will be to get another netherland dwarf-lionhead cross so he may have to have a netherland dwarf or mini lop friend... something of a similar size so he's not squashed or bullied.

Your vet needs to do more research I'm afraid, tracing is basically a rabbit playing dead to try to make the predator think they are dead so leaves them alone. A rabbits heart rate more than triples before they become tranced.
Have a look here Tips for handling your rabbit. I have written an article explaining how to burrito a bunny which is the best way to trim nails with a difficult bun (it takes time for both you and the rabbit to get used to so don't expect to just be able to wrap him in a towel straight away).

I can guarantee he is bored just by his behaviour, single rabbits make do with what they have. It has been scientifically proven that a single rabbit will only repeat 3 to 4 different behaviours, where as a rabbit in company will express many, many more.
You don't have to match size when it comes to bonding, you have to match personalities. A good friend of mine had a nethie bonded in with a conti, and the nethie was the boss, I have 2 nethies with a dwarf lop and a dutch cross (1.6kg) bonded with a 3.8kg german lop.
Once he is bonded with a friend I will guarantee you will see an instant improvement

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Dont worry about size differences as you can see in my signature, I have 4 rabbits around 5kg, 1 at 3kg and 2 at 1.5kg living together and my nethies are by far the bossiest!

*Heidi*

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