Aggressive Bun

[lexoli]

Hi,

I need some advice with a bun I have taken in.

He is approx 11 months old and is a minilop. He was bought from a breeder along with another male from the same litter by a friend of mine. She started moaning 3-4 months ago that he was getting aggressive, attacking the other rabbit, attacking her etc.

I told her that he and the other (also male) would need neutering, and that they needed calm, sensible handling. She has 2 young childre (6 and 3) who are both a bit overactive, along with an adult labrador and a puppy labrador - not exactly a serene environment.

A few weeks ago she decided that she couldn't cope with him any more, and asked me to take him.

When he came home, last friday, you could tell he was terrified - very nervous of any noise, contact, etc. Over a couple of days he started to relax. We've got him in an indoor cage in the living room so he can get used to being around us but still have his own sanctuary. I have been letting him out every day, handling him, etc and he seemed to be improving, would sit and be petted and even come of his own accord to sit on me and lick my chin.

Yesterday though, he turned psycho. If I tried to pick him up, he would bite (bite, not nip) - he got my shoulder and later my throat, then yesterday evening I was sat on the settee and he was pottering around. He ran upto me, up my chest, as he has been doing, but instead of settling down, or licking me, he lunged and took a chunk out of my cheek. I wasn't stroking him, petting him, or anything else, just letting him do his own thing!

I have had rabbits for about 15 years and have never had one go for me like that! I am now incredibley wary of even picking him up.

The frustrating thing is that I firmly believe it isn't the bun's fault, he wasn't like this when he was first homed, it was only several months later that she started experiencing these problems.

I know he needs neutering, and that this will probably help a lot (I'm hoping to have him done early next week) but what else can I be doing to calm him down, regain his trust and stop him from being vicious?

 

[agnesthelion]

Wow. I'm sorry that he is like this and I have to agree that its not his fault, just the way he was raised.

I probably don't have much advice for you, but I just wanted to post to say I hope things get better. I will watch to see what other RO gurus on here say. I hope you get some advice.

I would have suggested all the things that you are already doing, ie cage inside around you but where he feels safe, letting him out, "ignoring" him. But like i said, it sounds like you are doing all that.

The only other thing is to maybe take things back a notch and not try AS much with him. No picking up, no petting, completely ignoring him.

I dunno, the whole thing that threw me off was him running and attacking you. That is so not "rabbit like"

I will be watching what others say but I wish you the best.

 

[lexoli]

Thanks for your reply

I haven't dared go near him today - whenever I come in the room or get up from the sofa he gets all excited, runs to the end of the cage and stands on his hind legs as if wanting to come and see me, but I just daren't! I'm baffed why after almost a week he suddenly changed too. My children haven't been near him, and I had had him out during the day with me in the kitchen (him running around while I was tidying up) and he seemed happy enough. He had been out for maybe half an hour last night before he bit me, and had seemed content enough.

 

[JBun]

It can take a while for some rabbits to start to feel really secure and safe, and sometimes it also takes awhile for previously learned behavior to change. There's a couple ways to go here, and it's something you kind of have to feel it out as you go to know what is going to work the best for your bun. First of all get the neuter done. That can make a huge difference. And in the mean time you can try just giving him some space and handle him as little as possible so he has a chance to start to feel safe in his new environment. If you're afaid of being attacked, keep him in his cage and just sit near him reading or using your laptop, so that he gets used to you being there and starts to feel safe around you. You can try using treats so he associates you with good things. Just don't overdo the treats cause they can cause digestive trouble. Treats can be healthy veggies too if he likes them. The other route is to hold your bun and pet it til it's calm, to get it used to being held and so it can get used to you and see that it will be safe. If you go this route you may need to suit up in protective gear though

 

[lexoli]

 

[lexoli]

Thanks JBun - I think I'm leaning more towards the leave him in his cage route at the moment, out of fear for my own safety! I have a job interview monday morning, not sure how I am going to mask the current injuries, without risking any more!

I'm hoping to get him in at the vets on tueday (frustratingly, I have had to wait till next week as I get paid on monday, otherwise I would have preferred to have had him done this week), and once he is convalesed from that, I will try the petting method - with steel gauntlets

 

[JBun]

It's possible the reason he attacked you was because something scared him. I have a bun that I took outside on her leash and sat with her on the grass. She was just hopping around playing and then a dog started barking. She got scared, jumped on my lap, climbed up my shirt, and bit me on the shoulder. Boy was I surprised! I set her on the ground and she ran over and bit my arm. I just figured it was her way of telling me 'I'm really scared and I want to go back inside NOW'.

 

[Rescuemom]

My newest rescue bun, Callie, came to be very nervous, skittish and frightened. She too, was in a chaotic household. My friend had an adult Shepherd mix, and an Irish Setter puppy, a two year old and a newborn, and three cats to boot. She RARELY had time for the bun, but when she did, she let her two year old handle Callie, and he would pick her up and throw her. Yes. Throw her. She became terrified of people. There were times, I asked if I could see her as a way of getting my friend to go down and realize she NEEDED to give the bun some attention.

Finally, I ended up with Callie. She never did bite me, but she had bitten my friend. She used to charge me when I would put my hands in her cage, thump, grunt, etc and was soooo scared.

It's now been a couple of weeks and she's improving. Most days, I can pet her without her running to hide or charging my hands. I can now fill her food dish without her trying to go after me.

He is probably still learning that you're a safe environment for him, and he's likely getting spooked by something you're unaware of when he goes after you. I do recommend the protective gear route when handling him for now. I also recommend the treats when you're near him to reinforce that you're a positive thing.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We had a biting little monster named Mr. B. It took us 4 years to get him to behave like our other buns. Lost a lot of blood along the way whenever he went "psycho" with absolutely no warning.