Aggressive Baby

[whaleyk98]

I had someone give me a baby bun...hes probably about 8 weeks old and hes a chocolate magpie harlie...cute as a button. He was a cull because of his markings and was going to end up as dog meat =(. My one question is why does he growl and lunge at this early age? Hes cage aggressive already. What can I do to fix this? I take him out all the time and hold him quietly. My ELs are so sweet natured that this comes off as a shock and I am taking it personally. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

i hope those shavings are aspen,or non scented-if it is-the harmful/fatal cedar or pine-get rid of it immediately!!,.as for the aggressive-nature,we have a pure bred hymalayin which is loving,unless you violate her space,she doesn,t bite,just lunges and rears up,.don,t take it personal yet as this young,one has room for growth and training provided shall prove a challenge,let her get used to her surroundings before expecting her to be ready,the learning has already started,she may have already had many bad experiences in her short life,.sometimes you can not compare behavior of one rabbit to another ,sincerely james waller

 

[whaleyk98]

Nope, its aspen =)

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Sorry I don't have any advice, but he sure is a cutie! Wow! Does he have a name? Also, is it possible he was mistreated before you got him so he's sensitive to people putting their hands in his cage? How does he act out of his cage and how long have you had him?

 

[whaleyk98]

I have only had him for a day. I got him from a couple that was at the show I was at yesterday. He doesnt have a name yet as Im still deciding if Im going to keep him. He is fine if Im holding him...hes a very curious little bunny =)

 

[nemosmom]

I know this doesn't really fix the problem, but in general I don't EVER put my hands in my rabbit's cage unless he is out of it. This goes for changing water, feeding, cleaning his cage, as well as letting him out. I make sure he is always the one to come out and that he knows his cage is a safe haven. Because of these practices I'm not sure if he is cage agressive, he is generally pretty calm. Maybe he just needs the feeling of a safe place to call all her own. Being in a new place can sometimes be scary...

 

[Nancy McClelland]

need to work with the little guy over time. Peter, our full size Chinchilla used to be the same way. He started scratching and then bit me while I was trying to put food in. After the biting I'd had enough and started treating him the way an alpha would. I'd pin him down, then pick him up and carry him around for five minutes and then give him a treat. I realized that his hutch is his personal space, but, I also needed to be able to feed, change bedding and hay and to put treats and vegetables in without getting bloody--also, he'd been neutered, so, that wasn't a factor. That was five years ago. Now he's my buddy and wants his head and ears rubbed while he's in his hutch and is generally a very well behaved guy. Just took time and work--also, he was a shelter rescue, so we put up with quite a bit from him before we brought the boom down. One big mistake people make with rabbits is that they don't treat them like another rabbit would. They make the same mistakes with their dogs also--you can't treat them like they are human or like you do children. You need to recognize the dynamics of rabbit interaction with other rabbits as you are part of their family.

 

[tonyshuman]

It is strange that he is aggressive at such a young age. I think he may have been mistreated. I have never known a baby bunny to be cage aggressive. Sometimes they are aggressive when you pick them up and restrain them, but never in the cage. I would guess that he had been handled roughly in the cage. For now, let him come and go out of the cage at his own discretion if you can. Pet him on the head with one hand while you do stuff in the cage with the other if he attacks your hands.

 

[whaleyk98]

Its so funny too because I want to call him something like bullet or trigger because he is so fast to come at you. If you put your hand in his cage he flies over and lunges at you....otherwise he is sweet.......just leave his darn house alone.

 

[whaleyk98]

Well I think I had some progress. This morning he came right up to the cage to me when I talked to him...no hesitation. I patted him on the nose and left. I think he was just terrified when I first got him.

 

[anneq]