# Are Netherland Dwarf Rabbits natually mean???



## Arabiansnob (Dec 11, 2010)

when i was youger my brother brought home this little tiny grey bunny with a white nose...he was adorable!!!!  His name was Grey Baby and he was a netherland dwarf.......and he was MEAN!!  and i just thought it was him being him........we couldent stick our hands in the cage to get his ood bowl or clean him out with out him attacting and bitting me.  He would have to trap him in his hutch to get his food bowl and trap him in his run to clean him out. i thought mabey he is just not friendly.  Then a cupple weeks ago my friend said she had a bunnie she got and dident want her anymore.     and everyone know i would take in any animal that is free and she told me she would give me this rabbit. so i ovously to her.  When i got her i found out she was a netherland dwarf.  And she is mean!! grunts and trys to bite.......i am over "joyed" with this rabbit .......buut she is now best friends with my lonley meat rabbit cross that lost her sister this summer.....and i really don't want to brake them apart.  But ahh just wanting to know if they are natually mean??


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## Heartlandrabbitry (Dec 12, 2010)

I have three Netherlands and none of them are mean. I don't think they are naturally mean, it's kind of like people, some people are just rude and there are others that are very sweet. I have never had a mean rabbit and I think maybe it may be on how you raise them. I would not consider them just naturally mean, some just have that personality.


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## savingdogs (Dec 12, 2010)

I had a very sweet Netherland dwarf at one time. They can have wonderful personalities.

Rabbits can learn to be less mean and more tame, give your new bunny some time. Maybe it won't be as mean as you think.


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## Bunnylady (Dec 12, 2010)

Dwarfs' personalities (fursonalities?) can go all over the place. I have had Dwarfs that were fall-out-in-your-arms friendly, and I have had some that were real terrors. Some of my kids' favorite bunnies in my rabbitry are Dwarfs, also some they wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole!

I have a lovely scar on my wrist that was put there by one of the latter type the day before my daughter was born. Since I never, ever want that kind of thing to happen to a child (or an adult, come to that), any rabbit that displays that sort of behavior to me has zero chance of contributing to the next generation. A certain amount of temperament seems to be inheritable, so I insist that my breeders be at least docile, if not particularly friendly. Some bunnies are wonderful as babies, but when the ol' hormones hit 'em, they can do a radical shift in behavior. I have had a couple of does that, while reasonable themselves, gave birth to bucks that tried to eat me alive when they hit puberty. Those does went off the active breeders list.

When ARBA's judges were finally given the power to disqualify a rabbit for being vicious, I almost cheered! Nobody should have to put up with an obnoxious rabbit; there are too many nice ones out there to make it necessary. Hopefully, this will add incentive to other breeders to add temperament to the list of things they select for when choosing breeders. If your rabbits are gorgeous, but so cranky you can't show them, what's the point?


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## woodleighcreek (Dec 12, 2010)

I used to have a Netherland Dwarf and she was the sweetest rabbit ever. Her name was Cuddles. I never had any problems with her. I did have one though, Dandelion, who wasn't as sweet as Cuddles. She would bite and scratch me occasionally, but it was never to bad. So no, I dont think it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Netherland dwarfs are mean. I once had a New Zealand who scared up my whole arms, chest, and face. _That_ was a mean bunny!


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## Zephyr Farms (Jan 13, 2011)

Generally, Netherland Dwarfs are quite sweet.  I have to agree with Bunnylady, though. Sometimes they can be as mean as snakes.  I know some of my family's favorite bunnies are the Netherlands!


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## iajewel (Jan 17, 2011)

Yes, the smaller the meaner.. as a rule


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## MiniRexGirl (Jan 17, 2011)

I was told by a friend of mine who bred Mini Rex at the time that they are very mean and she didn't recommend them. Though I can't remember if that was from personal experience.


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## dbunni (Jan 17, 2011)

We have had many breeds over the 30 years ... giant to dwarf ... there is not one breed I would say is mean ... ... well I have heard from several ARBA judges that Brit Petites have teeth & attitude!

We treat all the buns, big or little, here like angoras.  They get kissed and spoiled.  Have never been met with teeth for the kiss!  I think it is more in how you raise, train, handle & cull (if necessary).   I would not keyhole any one breed into this catagory ...

Good luck ...


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## ksalvagno (Jan 17, 2011)

I'm sure you will find super mean and super sweet rabbits in all breeds. I had a Netherland Dwarf but she was very sweet. I did also have her spayed. Maybe hormones are playing a role. Also maybe they just don't like a hand coming in at them. I had a mixed rabbit that was very mean if she was in a cage because she hated having a hand coming in at her. When she was on the floor and in a 4x4 area, she was just fine.


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## terri9630 (Jan 17, 2011)

I had a couple of rex does that would go at anything that went through the cage door.  As soon as they were out of the cage they were great.    We also had to take them out one at a time.  They would try to jump out of your arms to attack each other.


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## momofonly (Jan 21, 2011)

dbunni said:
			
		

> We treat all the buns, big or little, here like angoras.  They get kissed and spoiled.  Have never been met with teeth for the kiss!  I think it is more in how you raise, train, handle & cull (if necessary).   I would not keyhole any one breed into this catagory ...


Don't you get a mouth full of fur?  That's the only reason I don't kiss my angora bunny.  We do rub noses sometimes, though.


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## dbunni (Jan 22, 2011)

Their lips & noses don't have wool!  The one spot that doesn't ... but if I could get it to grow there ... OH LALA!!  Now that would be a wooly rabbit!


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## RabbitMage (Jan 22, 2011)

I will say I've been bitten by more Netherland Dwarfs than any other breed I've handled.

I had a Britannia Petite for years. The poor thing was neurotic, but never bit anyone. I used to dare people to kiss him on the nose.


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## cattlecait (Jan 31, 2011)

RabbitMage said:
			
		

> I will say I've been bitten by more Netherland Dwarfs than any other breed I've handled.
> 
> I had a Britannia Petite for years. The poor thing was neurotic, but never bit anyone. I used to dare people to kiss him on the nose.


I had two Brits and they were the same way


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## gocrow77 (Apr 6, 2011)

The only rabbit that ever bit me was a Netherland Dwarf - however I also had plenty of that breed that were very sweet.  I never bred him, and sold him when I sold out of my show rabbits - he was truly aggressive, and none of my others were anything like him.  He would charge the cage door whenever anyone would just walk by, and beat up every doe that had the misfortune to be stuck in his cage.  After he bit me I never tried to breed him again.


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## a7736100 (Apr 15, 2011)

I get bitten mostly when I'm late with their pellets.  Hungry rabbits are mean.  My Netherland attacked my hand a few time till I realize he must have been very hungry.  Now I can pick him up and flip him to craddle and stroke him.


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## Ms. Research (Jul 14, 2011)

My observation after visiting numerous breeders, to pick a breeder we wanted to deal with, stated that all bunnies have their own personality.   But I was also told that you needed to make sure you were prepared and in the understanding of how to handle or gain their trust.   I found this very important to understand.  My "true" is easy to handle because he's small and he's so sweet.  My "Big Ugly" well he's the one that is hard to handle and he's the one that gives me attitude.  But I've learned patience and have worked every day handling him.  Though the first couple times he struggled because he didn't want to be handled, I've got him to the point that he now tolerates the handling (he's 3 months old) and hopefully I'm going in the right direction where tolerance becomes pleasure.   Same litter, two personalities.  

Sometimes a bunny might get frightened due to a "one time" handling fiasco, and they fall into a pattern of distrust rather than trust.   I think I was the cause of why my "Big Ugly" was a little distrustful.  I was a novice picking him up.  He struggled because he was scared by the novice handling.  He came from a pro breeder to a novice.  It takes time and if you really want to bond with your bunny, you must spend that time every day.    

Just a opinion from a novice.


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## hoodat (Jul 14, 2011)

A bun can be ruined when young by one bad experience and it can take a long time for them to forget it. Beginners often don't understand rabbits and treat them roughly. You can eventually overcome that but it's better if you get them before someone else starts them off wrong.


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## M.R. Lops (Jul 14, 2011)

No, I have some friends that raise Netherland Dwarfs and they are not mean at all.  Any rabbit can be mean if not raised in a good environment and if not handled enough when they're young.  Any rabbit of any age can become nice though with some time.


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