Biting bunny?

Question
Hi,
    He did have have a scrotal neuter and no the vet did not give him any pain meds. His biting is like a hard nip when I try to pet him I havent picked him up since the nueter. Today is the first full day since his nueter that he is up and around. I tried to pet him several times and he turns his head and nips. I have only been petting his head and back.I have not tried to even look at his tender areas or tried picking him up. He just nips at being touched.
I feel like the vet assistant being rough on his ears maybe the cause.
I just hope his non trusting behaviour is temporary because before he was very sweet and loved to be held petted and kissed.
Thank you for your reply.
       T & Salvaje(The bunny)
Followup To
Question -
I have a male about 6 months old. He is very pampered and a very loving pet he even sleeps with me. I took him to the vet 2 days ago to be nuetered because he was showing signs he wanted to mate. However he never tried to bite me.
When I got him to the vet the vet assistant took him from me, roughly grabbed his ears to hold him up for the vet. He made a loud squel which he has never made before. I felt she hurt him because I could see she had a hard hold on his ears.He has also NEVER been handled that way.
I brought him home from the vet the same day and he hid and wouldnt come out for a whole day or let me touch him. Today 2 days following the vets he has bitten me twice rather hard just in normal petting. He walks up to me and I lean down to pet him as usual and he bites my hand. This used to be the sweetest cuddliest bunny. I could hold him and kiss him. What can I do? Why would he suddenly be mean after nuetering?
Answer -
Dear TJ,

I'm so sorry about the horrific experience you had with that idiotic vet who mishandled and abused your rabbit.  I am quite sure that the trauma has a LOT to do with his sudden change of behavior.  Poor little guy.  I feel so bad for him and for you.

From your description, it sounds as if that vet team has no business treating or doing surgery on rabbits!  

Can you tell me more about the circumstances of his biting?  Does he break the skin, or just grab?  Does he do this if you move suddenly, or when you're just lying still.  Does he bite if you touch him in certain areas? Try to see if there's a pattern, because this can tell us a lot about his motivation.  It could be just that he's still in pain, and is warning you not to touch tender areas.

It may be that he is so traumatized that it will take some time for you to regain his trust--but you will.  Just meet his every aggressive move with love and crooning and cuddling.

Did the vet at least give you some pain medication for him?  Banamine (flunixin meglumine) is excellent for this type of pain.  

Did the vet do a scrotal neuter (cutting open the scrotum to remove the testicles), or a pre-scrotal neuter (leaving the scrotum instact and making a small incision just above the prepuce)?  The former is very painful, and if that's what your poor bunny got, then he might benefit from a sitzbath in lukewarm water with Betadine (added to the color of weak tea).

In some cases, the very handling of the testicles in a neuter seems to promote a "surge" of testosterone, and a few, rare rabbits temporarily become more aggressive immediately after a neuter.  No one is sure why.  But it generally calms down in a while, as long as the human is patient and loving while the hormones settle.

I hope this helps.  Please write back with the answers to my questions if you need more help.

Good luck,

Dana

Answer
Dear TJ,

Aw, poor bunny!  I feel so bad for him and you, again.  :(

If this is only his first day post neuter, then give him some time for the pain to subside.  Some rabbits become very touchy and aggressive when in pain, and you can imagine how much this area hurts right now.

If there is a way to give him a sitzbath and examine the surgical site for problems, it would be good to do.  It will make him feel better.

Please keep me posted. I hope you never have to go back to that vet again!  Please use the www.rabbit.org/vets list to find another one.  Your bunny deserves better.

Take care,

Dana