Aggressive and Boxing Female Bunny

[fitchik]

Hi. I've had my female bunny Wheezie and her brother Hefe since they were 12 weeks oldand they are now 9 months old, andgot fixed at 4 months old.

She has always been very independant, has no fear, and is definately the leader of her and her brother,and theyget along amazingly.She cleans him, mothers him, is usually curled up next to him, and is only aggressive with him once in a while (chasing him orlunging at himevery once in a while).

I have been holding them and loving them since the day I got them. Hefe is so sweet, mellow, likes being held, and has no mean bone in his body. About 2 months ago Wheeziegot more aggressive for no reason and nowwill lunge at and box me like a crazy crackhead 80% of them time I go to pet her, put food in their cage, etc. She never bites, but makes "the sound" (wheezie squeeky toy sound).

What is odd is that she will do that (boxing lunge with noise)and then put her head under my hand and stay there if I pet her. She will stay right there as long as I keep petting her. As soon as I move my hand she lunges and boxes my hand again.

I can hold her in my lap and she doesn't seem to mind, and is adventurous but sweet while I hold and pet her.

Why is my bunny doing this? Is thereanything I do to make her more loving like her brother (perhaps holding her more)?

Thank you for helping me out with my crazy bunny problem!

~kendra

 

[elrohwen]

Does she only do this in her cage? If so, it's probably her being territorial - you can try just leaving her alone while she's in her cage so she realizes that it's her territory.

If she does this out of her cage as well, then I' not much help ;-)

 

[fitchik]

She does this more aggressively in her cage but also does this at every other location (the floor during playtime, my bed, etc. when I approacher her). The only time she is NOT aggressive is when she's on my lap in a constricted area.

 

[Luluznewz]

I agree with the cage territorial thing. My rabbit, Lulu, is really really shy, and has never made a move to harm anyone. The ONLY time she will get mad is when you stick your hand in her cage and fuss with stuff for too long. Your rabbit is probably just getting a little older and flexing her ability to be in charge.

Keep your hands out of her cage for a while. It might help if the cage is on the ground so she can hop out herself. Once shes free you can do what you need to do. I think this behavior will go away as she gets more secure with her cage ownership and a little older.

 

[jcottonl02]

I agree with what's been said. Try and keep out her cage as much as possible, so she learns that that place is totally hers. Then maybe outside 'her' cage she won't be so territorial, because she already has her own space to guard etc.

Also, when she boxes and lunges, don't stroke her afterwards- ignore her, to try and show her she wont be rewarded by strokes if she acts aggressively. When she is quiet and calm near you shower her with praise and strokes etc. Hopefully she'll learn to associate the two.

Sorry I can't be more help

Jen

 

[fitchik]

Thanks for the help so far. I will try what you suggested and hope that helps! Hopefully something will work.

I do let her run around the bathroom every day for a few hours for exercise, and would love to have her run around my room for more space--however, it's hard because I havetons of chords (computer, music equipt, etc) and her and her brother chew them up.

I do have a question, though. If I open up their cage and they run around my room, will they get lost/scared and remember where they cage is to return to (and to go potty)?

~kendra

 

[jcottonl02]

If you want to let her have free-reign of your room that's a great idea, but make sure there are no cables, plants or food like chocolate etc. within reach of her. Cover any hidey holes so it's as bare of a room as possible, if your worried she might get lost.
You can quite easily litter train her (I'm sure there's plenty of threads on here about it), so every time she needed to go, she would go back to her litter tray.

 

[jcottonl02]

to add= I'm sure there are some kind of cable covers you can use to wrap round cables or something to stop her from being able to chew them? Anyone here use anything like that?
I don't because all my cables are out of reach, but I'm sure there must be something on the market?