Bunny Territory?

[StashuandBunnyboy]

Hi Everybun,
I have a question about my bunnies. I guess I should start from the beginning. I got my Bunnyboy a few years ago. He's always been a bit territorial, but just a little grunting, nothing major. He was bonded to Stashu about a year or so ago, and just recently, they were moved into our newly finished family room. Over the last few months whenever someone comes into the new family room they get really angry at each other. There is a lot of growling and grunting. There is even some charging and hair pulling, but neither of them have ever hurt the other one. Is this because they don't want a guest in their space? Is there anything I can do to stop this behavior? I don't want them to hurt each other and I don't want people to be afraid of my bunnies.
Thanks!

 

[Pipp]

Ah, one of the mysteries of the rabbit kingdom. Misplaced aggression. (Well its a mystery to me, anyway). Its pretty common.

I had a new bunny here the other day, recently neutered, and whenever he went near Marvin and Sherry's pen -- and Marvin and Sherry have been fixed and tightly bonded for years -- Marvin beat the snot out of Sherry.

He hasn't done it with other visiting rabbits, but Sherry's former beau, Dill, used to do it all the time to the poor girl.

I remember JordiWes/Stephanie having a third bunny in her place and Jordi and Wesley fought badly.

Its odd that another rabbit isn't involved in your case. Can you give them more space? Let them out for free run time? Put an x-pen around the cage? Add space to the cage?? I've had extra levels make a difference. Adding a shelf has either totally stopped aggression or at least made it safer while the aggression is happening.

Most territorial issues (well all of them, here) have resolved themselves in three weeks to three months.

sas :goodluck

 

[StashuandBunnyboy]

I don't think space is the issue here. They pretty much have the run of our family room all the time, which is why I think they consider the entire family room their territory. They have a nice large cage (about 5 feet long by 2 feet wide).

Right now, there is no other bunny involved, just new people coming into the room. We've tried to bring in another bunny but we learned that isn't an option for us as Stashu goes NUTS.

I just don't get it. All I have to do is invite a guest into my family room (they don't get mad if they stay in the livingroom or kitchen) and Bunnyboy goes nuts, which I think in turn makes Stashu fight back. I am glad to know that this is common and it could work itself out. Perhaps I should invite people in more often so they get used to strangers?

 

[Pipp]

I'm not overly sure it's the amount of space that makes the difference, it may just be the change. I had a very large pen with two shelfs and a couple of 'nooks', but adding a third shelf stopped the aggression with Sugar and Sekura, a mother/daughter pair.

I've had bunnies consider rooms and furniture their own. I had Luvabun/Jan and her hubby drop by for a visit, which involved sitting on the living room couch for all of an hour, and Dill had his nose out of joint for the next three weeks. He'd jump on the couch, glare at me, pee, glare at me again, jump off and give me about five bunny flick-offs across the room. There was no mistaking that message! (He was a very expressive rabbit).

They do have long memories, but eventually they get over it. Try a few distractions, like toss a few pellets around the floor or give them a fresh handful of hay along with the 'invasion'.

Let us know how it goes!


sas :duel

 

[JadeIcing]

See if any of your guest would be ok with coming in one by one and giving them a treat. Even if it is just a leaf of lettuce.

 

[StashuandBunnyboy]

thanks guys, I loved the story about the bunny flick off! lol. I've never heard it called that, but it's clear what it is! I'll try to see if guests will give them treats, that may be a good thing to try- it would have to be long treats though! No one wants to get too close! I feel so bad too since I rave about what wonderful buns I have and how cuddly they are, and then people come to see me and they act like they are devils!