Aggressive Female

[Faerin]

My female is extremely aggressive when in her cage. It's not just one part of her cage but the whole thing(it's four levels and pretty huge). She has already attacked my male when he went to investigate the cage (posted in infirmary) and whenever I or someone else tries to get her to come out she lashes out with her front paws and makes angry grunts. I need to find a way to calm her down since I have small children come over sometimes and I don't want her to hurt them. So far she has been fine outside of her cage and will sit and cuddle and let you hold her no problem. It's the getting her out of the cage that is the issue. We have been using gloves on our hands to avoid mangled fingers but I feel like I'm forcing her to come out to enjoy the backyard as opposed to having her come to the cage opening to be let out. Treats don't work since I have tried everything from dried fruit to fresh veggies/herbs to hay. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.

 

[Maureen Las]

How many months has she been spayed: She may still be hormonal. An unspayed female will be extremely cage aggressive so am just wondering if her hormones are still active....???

 

[Faerin]

She's three years old and I was told by her last owner that she was spayed when she was about six months old.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Like what Angieluv said, they can also always be "cage aggressive" and or anything aggressive. It's kind of a waiting game on that.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Are you accessing her through the top of the cage, or from the side?

My cranky girl hates being accessed from the side. Reaching down , plopping a towel over her and picking her up goes a lot better.

What time of day do you try to access her?

Does she EVER come out by herself?

 

[Faerin]

The cage opens from the side since it's a handmade cage with four levels. It's just under 5 feet tall. I get my computer back in a week I'll be able to post pictures. I've tried to get her out at all times of the day and it's always the same struggle. Most of the time I'm trying to take her out later on in the day since it's a bit cooler then and she can hop around the lawn in the shade. Yes she occasionally will come out on her own but since we live next to a busy road I have to grab her and put her harness on before she decides to hop away. She will come out to investigate Peter when he comes near the cage door but tends to hop back inside pretty quickly to defend her terf.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Ah!
I didn't understand that they are outside buns! I am thinking that perhaps she is un-nerved by the huge open space that is the world outside her house.

I'm wondering if it would be possible to build an exercise pen extension onto the hutch... You'd have to bury wire a few feet down, but maybe that would permit more "out" time...
You could sit inside the outer pen and spend time with her

 

[Faerin]

Good idea. They normally arn't outside buns but since it's slightly cooler outside then inside my house I thought she would appreciate it. At the moment peter is in his own cage inside. Do you think it would be better to put something like a blanket up over most of the cage to block the scary view? I could slowly pull it up higher so she could see more over time. I am thinking about getting a x pen so I guess I could just leave the door to her cage open so she could come out into the x pen. It would only be when I was around so I could make sure she didn't escape but at least then maybe she could learn that I'm not going to hurt her and she might not lash out. It's worth a try. I got her out today by covering her in a towel so she couldn't hurt herself or me and then just picking her up. I sort of feel like I'm invading her space that way though. Peter always stands up on his hind legs to let you know he wants out/pets or I just lift off the top of his cage and let him make his way out in his own time. I think a lot of the problem could be that she's not comfortable around either me or humans in general. I'm not sure how her last owner acted with her so I can't be sure if it's just me she's reacting to or if she has done this forever. I haven't had her for to long so that could be part of the issue I suppose.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Has she always been outside since you've gotten her?
How long ago did she come to you?

 

[Faerin]

She spent one night inside but after that she was moved outside. I've had her for almost two weeks now I think. I figured she would have gotten used to me by now since I have made a point of taking her out or at the very least talking to her in the cage a few times a day. I have taken to wrapping a small towel around my hand if I go into her cage so that when she lashes out I don't get scratched all to bits. When I got Peter he would bite if he thought you were taking away his food (he still will do that sometimes) and I found that with the towel he couldn't always get my fingers.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

I think treats may be your best friend in this situation.
I would suggest always having a little treat in your hand when you approach her for anything.
If she associates your hand in the cage with being picked up, she's going to defend. Let's make your hand a source of excitement.
After you hand her the treat, rub her nose while she's eating. If more positive things happen while your hand is in the cage, she may become more accepting of it being there.

I do think that she will be far happier if she is able to get out of her cage by herself. All of my rabbits can leave their cages by themselves... many don't like feeling pulled through a hole, etc.

Maybe establish an exercise pen in the house that just has a litterbox, toys, treats, etc.... No cage involved.

 

[Faerin]

Unfortunately I live with a roommate that doesn't like animals to much (I found that out after signing a 6 month lease) so the pen in the house wouldn't work unfortunately even though I would love to have my buns live like that. That is one of the main reasons babs lives outside too . I have tried treats but it doesn't really work in her cage. She won't touch them unless I leave the treat and walk away. Outside of the cage she will occasionally let me pet her but not often and she doesn't want treats outside her cage either. She will just leave them on the ground.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

I think that if you were able to simply sit beside her, with the cage door open, and spend some time that way, it would be a good first step. Pop the treat in, remove your hands, but keep the door open, and yourself close.

She will figure it out that hands coming into the cage can be positive, provided you are consistent.

my Slatey is the same way about treats outside the cage... who knows:rollseyes:biggrin2:

Could you have her in a pen in your bedroom for a few hours every day?