Rabbit Behaviour Help!

Hey guys!

I have a 5 nearly 6 month old bunny, who honest to God has been the sweetest and most pleasant natured animal I have ever come into contact with. However in the past two weeks he has become incredibly cage possessive. I can no longer put my hand into his cage, (either from the top of side doors) to take his bowl out for refilling without him 'honking' (sounds like a goose) and charging at me.

Nothing in his environment has changed, I am not wearing any new scent, etc. Everything has remained the same, as I am unsure what has triggered this behaviour. He used to let me enter his cage with no problems at all.

However, one thing that strikes me very odd about this behaviour is that when he charges/lunges at me, he wont bite me. Instead he pauses under my hand for moment (I don't touch him right away, in order to allow him to leave if he wishes) before he begins to lick my hand senseless.

He receives over 3 hours a day exercise out of his cage, which he is adorable and loves attention and will often sprawl out beside me watching tv with no problems.

Could it be the season making him aggressive? I don't really want him castrated, but his unruly-in-cage-behaviour is becoming a nuisance.

Sounds like it's time for the snip! I'd consider it, I think he'd make a much more pleasant roommate that way

It's hormones I think the only way to stop it is to have him neutered, and honestly I think you should do it soon because some behaviors can become habitual and even after a neuter they might stay!

Could be hormones, but not necessarily. I have a cage aggressive rabbit, got her spayed, and she is still cage aggressive. So a snip may or may not help. No way or knowing until it's done.

Based on his behavior of licking you after he realizes it's your hand, other possibilities may be that he has eyesight problems and doesn't realize it's your hand until he gets close. Or possibly something spooked him that is causing him to feel immediately defensive of 'his' area, until he realizes it's you. Talking to him as you approach may be helpful, so he realizes it's you coming into his area.

ETA: Just reread your post. Is he honking or grunting when he charges at your hand? Each sound will mean something completely different. If it sounds more like honking or buzzing, that is a sound rabbits make when they are excited, hormonal males in particular. If it is grunting you are hearing, then that is a defensive sound.

If he's presenting his head under your hand, I'd be inclined to think that he's also asking to be petted. Try petting on the top of his head between his eyes next time he does it (providing you think it's not going to cause him to bite). It is a little strange that he does lick you straight after, so it doesn't seem like the normal sort of cage aggression, quite possibly linked to hormonal changes.

JBun said:

Could be hormones, but not necessarily. I have a cage aggressive rabbit, got her spayed, and she is still cage aggressive. So a snip may or may not help. No way or knowing until it's done.

Based on his behavior of licking you after he realizes it's your hand, other possibilities may be that he has eyesight problems and doesn't realize it's your hand until he gets close. Or possibly something spooked him that is causing him to feel immediately defensive of 'his' area, until he realizes it's you. Talking to him as you approach may be helpful, so he realizes it's you coming into his area.

ETA: Just reread your post. Is he honking or grunting when he charges at your hand? Each sound will mean something completely different. If it sounds more like honking or buzzing, that is a sound rabbits make when they are excited, hormonal males in particular. If it is grunting you are hearing, then that is a defensive sound.

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Hey JBun,

It's certainly a honking noise, almost exact to what a goose would make. He honks once, then charges with his ears down until he skids to a halt. He then pauses and will allow me to pet him on his head. It's very odd! I've not heard any buzzing from him (yet!).