Bunny has become extremely aggressive

[existenziell]

I recently got my dutch rabbit, Olivia, spayed. And I posted about her aggressive behavior a few days after the spay in the health and wellness forum. Well, it has been about 2 weeks or so and she has completely changed. Prior to her spay, she was sweet, loved attention, loved getting pets, and was just generally sociable. Now she has become a complete nightmare. I was holding her today and she bit me. I was giving her some greens earlier in her bowl and she bit me. It wasn't a little bite either. She bit me really hard.

Now let me say that her stitches are completely healed, she gets a lot of time out to exercise, and she seems generally happy. She binkies a lot when out and has fun running around. I give her plenty of time out (at least 2 hours each day) and she has a nice play pen to run around in. I also give her plenty of toys and things to occupy her in her cage.

I don't know what to do. I'm sincerely regretting getting her spayed because it has changed her behavior entirely. It's like she is a completely different rabbit. I got her spayed for her health and general well-being and I guess I have sacrificed her personality for it. She is no longer sweet and affectionate. Oh and she grunts a lot now too, which I NEVER heard her do prior to the spay.

Any ideas?

 

[ladysown]

hormones could still be working their way out of her system.

 

[njbunny]

I have also read that it can take 2+ weeks for the hormones to work their way out. You mentioned you were holding her when she first bit you. Maybe she is getting to the point were she does not want to be held. Baby buns are much more tolerate to it then adults and now is the time for her to start changing. Also you mentioned the other time was by her food bowl. Again, she may be becoming more territorial with her space as she is getting into that adolescent phase. Maybe find a way to keep out of her space/cage/bowl area unless she is not there? I have been reading a lot of posts on these rabbit forums and this seems to be a common complaint. People have baby buns who are cuddly, love to be held, etc. and as they grow they don't like it as much anymore and they start to show some territorial behaviors. I would just be aware of it and make sure you can keep out of her space when she is in it and don't pick her up unless you absolutely have to. My bun will tolerate being picked up but I know most buns don't like it so I still put him in a box to move him if I need to.

 

[existenziell]

Let me reiterate, though, that the day of her surgery she wasn't like this at all. Right before she got spayed, she was sweet and cuddly. She didn't bite or grunt. Also, I have had her since she was six weeks of age. She used to like being cuddled and even held. I have always been able to put food in her bowl no problem. Even right before she got spayed, she didn't bite when I put it in. So I don't necessarily think that the hormones are still ruling her because she didn't seem to be like that right before she got spayed.

Also, she's 8 months old. Forgot to mention that.

 

[Sophie's Humble Servant]

Maybe she's still sensitive from the surgery. Have you had a follow up with the vet to make sure she's healed properly?

 

[existenziell]

No, I haven't had a follow up with the vet. They didn't require it since the stitches dissolve. Her wounds seem healed, but maybe there is something going on that I can't see. I don't know.

I'm just upset by this whole thing. I want my sweet bunny back.

 

[Watermelons]

Let me reiterate, though, that the day of her surgery she wasn't like this at all. Right before she got spayed, she was sweet and cuddly. She didn't bite or grunt. Also, I have had her since she was six weeks of age. She used to like being cuddled and even held. I have always been able to put food in her bowl no problem. Even right before she got spayed, she didn't bite when I put it in. So I don't necessarily think that the hormones are still ruling her because she didn't seem to be like that right before she got spayed.

Also, she's 8 months old. Forgot to mention that.

Sounds like shes more angry at you about what happened. Not that the spay itself changed her. You were her loving human and then you took her to this evil place that hurt her, then kept her cooped up while she was hurting. Wouldn't mean you did anything wrong, but some bunnies are just super smart. I would work on bribes and taking things slow with her to re-work the bond you used to have. Don't pick her up, stay away from her food and items shes more likely to be territorial over when shes around them.
Plus shes 8 months old, hormones or not, maybe her brain just decided to say, hey I'm a teenager!

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I'm sorry you're going through this with Olivia. There are benefits to having rabbits spayed or neutered, but I also hear about situations like this fairly often too.

While I haven't been in this situation before, my suggestion would be to handle it as if you were dealing with a generally shy or aggressive rabbit (regardless of spayed/neutered or not). The most effective thing I've come up with is something I like to call "mandatory cuddle time."

The rabbit is not in charge. Don't stay out of her area or tip toe around what Olivia "likes" or "dislikes." It doesn't matter whether the rabbit likes it or not, we HAVE to be able to handle them in order to properly care for them, and the rabbit HAS to be comfortable with it in order to handle them safely.

At least once a day, more often if you can, pick Olivia up. Usually I scratch the rabbit's forehead first, then use the same hand to slide down and cover their eyes while I pick up their body and pull them to my chest. Then walk around with her. Walk around the house, up or down the stairs…just walk with her, talk to her and pet her. After a few minutes, sit on the couch with her in your lap and pet her some more. The point is simply to keep her in contact with you and reinforce that time with you is relaxing and "okay."

For the time being, this might be a little bit of a hassle, and it might benefit you to wear heavy gloves so that she can nip or bite to her heart's content and you won't react. As time goes on, this contact really improves the rabbit's reaction to you. I know it sounds silly, but rabbits come around quickly to routine. When you make regular handling their routine and not just a scary once-in-awhile event, they will look forward to it.

Average rabbits come around in a week or two. Particularly "wild" cases have occasionally taken me about a month. And not every rabbit turns into an absolute cuddle bug, but they do learn that you're here to stay and that interaction with you is a positive thing.

I usually offer treats out of my hand too. I often have to start by holding it right under their nose, but eventually the bunnies see you coming and RUN right toward you for the treats.

I have hope that Olivia could become her sweet self again, but this is a time when she really needs you to persist and not give up even when she tries to kick or bite or nip you away. She needs to understand that she doesn't have space to herself…it's yours too. The people are in charge, and both rabbit and bunny can live happily together.

 

[JBun]

I'm sorry you're going through this with Olivia. There are benefits to having rabbits spayed or neutered, but I also hear about situations like this fairly often too.

While I haven't been in this situation before, my suggestion would be to handle it as if you were dealing with a generally shy or aggressive rabbit (regardless of spayed/neutered or not). The most effective thing I've come up with is something I like to call "mandatory cuddle time."

The rabbit is not in charge. Don't stay out of her area or tip toe around what Olivia "likes" or "dislikes." It doesn't matter whether the rabbit likes it or not, we HAVE to be able to handle them in order to properly care for them, and the rabbit HAS to be comfortable with it in order to handle them safely.

At least once a day, more often if you can, pick Olivia up. Usually I scratch the rabbit's forehead first, then use the same hand to slide down and cover their eyes while I pick up their body and pull them to my chest. Then walk around with her. Walk around the house, up or down the stairs…just walk with her, talk to her and pet her. After a few minutes, sit on the couch with her in your lap and pet her some more. The point is simply to keep her in contact with you and reinforce that time with you is relaxing and "okay."

For the time being, this might be a little bit of a hassle, and it might benefit you to wear heavy gloves so that she can nip or bite to her heart's content and you won't react. As time goes on, this contact really improves the rabbit's reaction to you. I know it sounds silly, but rabbits come around quickly to routine. When you make regular handling their routine and not just a scary once-in-awhile event, they will look forward to it.

Average rabbits come around in a week or two. Particularly "wild" cases have occasionally taken me about a month. And not every rabbit turns into an absolute cuddle bug, but they do learn that you're here to stay and that interaction with you is a positive thing.

I usually offer treats out of my hand too. I often have to start by holding it right under their nose, but eventually the bunnies see you coming and RUN right toward you for the treats.

I have hope that Olivia could become her sweet self again, but this is a time when she really needs you to persist and not give up even when she tries to kick or bite or nip you away. She needs to understand that she doesn't have space to herself…it's yours too. The people are in charge, and both rabbit and bunny can live happily together.

I would add to this to also wear a thick jacket when holding her, to protect from any nips in that direction.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Agree with both the posts above. You have to assert your dominance and not let the bunny be your boss. It may take awhile and your sweet little cuddle bunny may still be mostly gone--just how things happen. We have a neutered male going thru his "teen" stage right now and sometimes I feel like making myself a new hat (not really), but he's such a cute little guy that he's hard to resist even if he does nip. Time, patience, bribery are my methods to a happy bunny.

 

[existenziell]

Yeah, the jacket is a necessity. She bit me quite hard on the shoulder last night. I'll try and work with her. I do hope she comes around and is nice again. I really miss my sweet bunny. Thanks for all your suggestions. I have a bit more hope now after reading them