Buck Biting After Neutering

My rabbit Banzaii was neutered last Wednesday and since the procedure his temperament has completely changed. Before last week, he'd give you a loving nibble when being petted, but he'd never lunge or latch on to you.

Then on Thursday evening, when I was putting his food into his bowl, he lost his temper and bit me hard on the hand. The food bowl wasn't quite empty but I was going to bed so I wanted to make sure he had pellets overnight. He's usually possessive about his hutch, lolloping around if I'm interfering too much, but that's the first time he's ever attacked. I've put the food in his bowl when he's off exercising since then, to minimise the risk of it reoccurring.

Then on Saturday we were cuddling and he suddenly latched onto the sleeve of the hand I was petting him with and started attacking it. I had to hold him facing forward and place him back in his cage. I don't know what could have triggered such anger, we always hang out up on the couch and he comes over to me to be hugged and petted.

He's been mostly moody since the surgery with a few happy periods interspersed between the grumpy behaviour. He poos outside his hutch more, he's been more dominant with the lady bunny and he doesn't want to socialise with me much at all this week. I'm kind of worried he'll bite me again but I don't want to ruin the lovely friendship I had with my bunny before.

A bunny's hormones doesn't dissipate until 6-8 weeks after the neuter. So right now he is still hormonal, and probably very grumpy and sore from the surgery! Give him time to heal. Aggression can be a sign of pain. Have you checked the suture site to make sure he hasn't ripped it or gotten it infected?

Yeah, I've been careful to keep his hutch clean and it looks like it's healed up nicely even already. I hope it's not habitual crossness as he was such a sweet, friendly bunny!

I have a friend who went through this with her Guy after a neuter. What Whiskey says is true. It can take up to 8 weeks for hormones to dissipate. My friend unfortunately didn't give their bunny that long and rehomed him after he bit one of her children. It really depends on what age the bun is and how high the hormones were raging. Also, before your bun is at least 6 months old, its hard to determine his adult personality. Try giving him some space. Its only been a week. Let him come to you and treat him often when you're having a good session. He may still have some pain. Was he given any pain meds and antibiotics to go home with? All it would take would be for him to bump his tush wrong to feel the ouch. Hopefully in a couple more weeks you'll have your sweet man back and better than ever.

I'm glad to hear that, thanks for the advice. He's still lunging occasionally but I can predict the situations where he'll do it and avoid them. He's really acting like a teenager! The main thing is that he's all healed up now after the operation. I'm hoping to start litter training in two weeks time, when he'll probably be in better form.

Thanks again!

He may be hormonal, but that doesn't mean you have to "wait" to litter train. Especially since all there is to litter training is setting up the litter box and making sure there isn't anything soft on the rest of the cage floor (during training). Training doesn't involve any actual interaction. It is just a matter of providing a large enough box and putting hay on top of the litter. He'll go in on his own.

Since confining bunny in his cage is the best way to start with training, now could be the ideal time (if you are limiting his movements now). Here is some more info on litter training if you'd like to take a peek.

He's all trained up now, thanks for the help and advice!

Are you still having aggression issues or is his friendly temperament restored?

He ran to bite when I was filling his food bowl the day after being neutered but that's the last instance either of us recall. He's mostly seen frolicking around the house and being a little cutie these days. I think his biting will stay away, he's so much more approachable since we moved him and the doe Biggi in together. He's such a lovely little rascal now!