I think we are going to rehome Miss Emma...

[JadeIcing]

1) Not everyone can handle an aggressive rabbit. I don't expect everyone to try. It takes alot.

2) Every aggressive rabbit is different. They all have their own reasons for it. Key is figuring out why.

3) Sometimes the rabbit just needs the right person. Same way a person needs the right rabbit.

In this case where the rabbit is being out right aggressive and the person can not handle the situation it would be best to find the right home for the rabbit. Is it possible for you to try and find a new home?

If she is being outright aggressive I have seen no kill shelters transfer aggressive animals to a kill shelter where the animal is than euthanized. I don't know this shelter but want to mention that.

 

[kherrmann3]

Flashy wrote:

What would happen to her if you returned her? Could you maybe look to find her a home yourself if that's allowed?

If you do rehome her and still want an additional bun maybe its going to need a slightly different approach as to how you go about getting them to potentially avoid heartache like this again.

I was planning on trying another bun with Toby. Emma started off OK, but the longer they stayed together, the meaner she was towards him. It was the biting/nipping and such that we ignored at first, but I think Toby may have stopped eating and got sick because of her bullying him away from the food. I even had them semi-separated for mealtime and had separate bowls.

The territorial peeing problem has gotten TERRIBLE since before they "split". Our carpet is so pee-stained... Poor Will has had to wash our carpet twice a week! He has had it with that aspect of it.

I laid on the floor by Emma today, and she ran out of her "nest" and lunged and growled at me! Right after, she ran back in and hid and would not come out. I was laying in there for about a half an hour and she wouldn't come close to me. We try to give her attention, but she doesn't want anything to do with us.

Also, I remember her old owner saying that she was friends with their dog. They had a bigger dog, and I wonder if playing with him made her more rough? She had a big playmate, and now she has a three-and-a-half pound friend and is being too rough? I don't know how to remedy that, but yeah... Just a thought.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I know what your feeling I got a male last year that was mean to me and my other rabbit.

I could not handle it he was not bonded and I rehomed him to another person of the forum where he was very happy tell he found a great home with one of her friends.

According to the thread dodge picked that person.If you dont feel you can handle it I would say find her a home. But I would not take her back to a shelter. or send her back to the person you got her from as they rehomed for a reason.

Hoep all turns out well in the end

 

[kherrmann3]

Sabine wrote:

I might be completely wrong here but she sounds to me like a pregnant rabbit. Is that possible? Forgive me if I missed you saying she was spayed earlier

She is spayed. She was spayed when I got her (because she came from a shelter). I have her paperwork, too, because I know people can lie about an animal's "intact-ness". She's been fixed, though.

 

[JadeIcing]

kherrmann3 wrote:

I was planning on trying another bun with Toby.

If you can not handle two seperate rabbits I wouldn't look at a friend yet. Unless you can handle two seperate rabbits don't try yet. I had a bonded trio for almost a year and than I had to seperate them. It was hard on me. I all of a sudden had this bun alone and trying to figure how to rearrange them so she could live alone.I would hate for you to get attached and than have to rehome the bunny.

 

[kherrmann3]

Mrs. PBJ wrote:

But I would not take her back to a shelter. or send her back to the person you got her from as they rehomed for a reason.

Her old owner rehomed her because she didn't have enough time to take care of her anymore. She was starting the clinical part of school and was working and felt bad not having enough time to take care of her. She said that "Bunny Bunny" (Emma's former name) was never a social rabbit, but liked hopping around in the room where they are (when we try that, she hides under the couch or bed). Emma's former friends were a medium-sized dog (30-ish pounds) and two sugar gliders. So, she even said that Emma wasn't too social before we got her...

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I have a question just a thought.

What kind of cage do you have. NIC?

Or another cage I have a apartment to pretty ok size but when you have to fit two NIC cages in a very small space I could not figure out how to do it. But you can stack them.

This is storms cage

The other cage I am building for my new rabbit when ever I get her. Will go on top that way if they never bond. I can house both seperatly for ever.

His cage is 4 wide and 2 hign her cage will be also. And if they bond I will just open her floor and they will be 4 by 4 by 2. And thats a pretty small space. I only have about 6 inches on either side. I just got rid of my dinning room table. Sense me and hubby dont eat at it anyway.

And I put a pin in front of it.So he can run all day and I bought another pin so they could both run around if they dont bond.

I would say if your going to get another bunny be ready to not have a bonded pair.

Thats was just a real long thought.
I wanted to say thats why his cage looks like that now so I can stack them. In the sense I am prepared for my girl even though I dont know about her yet. cause I have not found her yet

 

[kherrmann3]

JadeIcing wrote:

kherrmann3 wrote:

I was planning on trying another bun with Toby.

If you can not handle two seperate rabbits I wouldn't look at a friend yet. Unless you can handle two seperate rabbits don't try yet. I had a bonded trio for almost a year and than I had to seperate them. It was hard on me. I all of a sudden had this bun alone and trying to figure how to rearrange them so she could live alone.I would hate for you to get attached and than have to rehome the bunny.

We were going to try another friend once we move in October. Once we figure out our current bunny-madness, we are going to redo bunny living conditions. I think I am going to rid myself of cages and just have pens, I think. I can get carpeting to put under the pen so our apartment doesn't get destroyed. That is just something we were thinking of in the long term, not right now.

 

[JadeIcing]

kherrmann3 wrote:

JadeIcing wrote:

kherrmann3 wrote:

I was planning on trying another bun with Toby.

If you can not handle two seperate rabbits I wouldn't look at a friend yet. Unless you can handle two seperate rabbits don't try yet. I had a bonded trio for almost a year and than I had to seperate them. It was hard on me. I all of a sudden had this bun alone and trying to figure how to rearrange them so she could live alone.I would hate for you to get attached and than have to rehome the bunny.

We were going to try another friend once we move in October. Once we figure out our current bunny-madness, we are going to redo bunny living conditions. I think I am going to rid myself of cages and just have pens, I think. I can get carpeting to put under the pen so our apartment doesn't get destroyed. That is just something we were thinking of in the long term, not right now.

I did the pen thing. I ended up back with cages because you can stack them.:biggrin2:

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

kherrmann3 wrote:

Mrs. PBJ wrote:

But I would not take her back to a shelter. or send her back to the person you got her from as they rehomed for a reason.

Her old owner rehomed her because she didn't have enough time to take care of her anymore. She was starting the clinical part of school and was working and felt bad not having enough time to take care of her. She said that "Bunny Bunny" (Emma's former name) was never a social rabbit, but liked hopping around in the room where they are (when we try that, she hides under the couch or bed). Emma's former friends were a medium-sized dog (30-ish pounds) and two sugar gliders. So, she even said that Emma wasn't too social before we got her...

Right now you have the time for her. If her old owner does not and you do want to rehome her. Mabye you can keep her until you find a home. Has she had tome to trust you. Storm was mean when I first got him its only been a few months. but I have worked really hard with him. He still runs all the time when I move to fast

Has she been vet checked with this resent aggression. Mabye she is in pain. I am just trying to help. She sounds like she has a good home and most people wont deal with a mean rabbit.

 

[JadeIcing]

Mrs. PBJ wrote:

She sounds like she has a good home and most people wont deal with a mean rabbit.

It's not always people won't it is people can not.

 

[kherrmann3]

You all have a lot of very helpful suggestions. In the end, all I can say is that whatever happens, happens. I never planned on getting rid of any of my pets. I feel like a total schmuck, trust me. Will and I will have to discuss it and see how she does over the next month. If there is no improvement, we will have to reconsider rehoming her. I have a feeling that she is almost like a sanctuary bunny. I don't think that she would ever be a super-social bunny (she's REALLY high strung).

 

[TinysMom]

JadeIcing wrote:

1) Not everyone can handle an aggressive rabbit. I don't expect everyone to try. It takes alot.

2) Every aggressive rabbit is different. They all have their own reasons for it. Key is figuring out why.

3) Sometimes the rabbit just needs the right person. Same way a person needs the right rabbit.

In this case where the rabbit is being out right aggressive and the person can not handle the situation it would be best to find the right home for the rabbit. Is it possible for you to try and find a new home?

If she is being outright aggressive I have seen no kill shelters transfer aggressive animals to a kill shelter where the animal is than euthanized. I don't know this shelter but want to mention that.

:yeahthat:

I'm going to disagree with a large portion of the forum - because of my experience in the past.

Ali has made some good points here - I too have rehomed a bun because it was not a good match for us - or for her.

Here is my experience....we got a french lop doe for Tiny because I thought he would enjoy having a larger doe to hang around. You know - someone more his size?

WRONG.

She hated him - she hated us. I wound up having to cage her much of the time and not give her much play time so that Tiny could have his freedom. If she was loose - he had to be caged.

We wound up having someone come to adopt lionheads - and they fell in love with her. What made it even harder - was she adored the woman - you could see that after a few minutes of them being together.

They said no to adopting her- went home - and the woman missed her all week. She made her an outdoor pen (with a dog house) for playtimes outside - along with getting her a large kennel for an indoor cage (where she spent most of her time) - and then sent her husband to get the rabbit the following weekend (5 hour trip one way).

I got pictures for months afterwards - Beatrice loved where she was and you could see it on her face. She was happy....and in turn - we were happy too.

The only one Beatrice had liked while she was here - was a young lionhead that would sneak out of his nestbox (next cage over) and into her cage and sleep with her. (He was a runt and died after about 8 weeks of age and she grieved for him).

Otherwise - she was unhappy most of her time here.

The thing I'm picking up on here that really makes me say I think rehoming is best - is your emotional feelings towards her. I've been there - I understand what it is like - and it can make having rabbits really not fun.

My biggest concern right now is for Toby. I suggest you try to rehome her yourself rather than put the responsibility back on the gal who you got her from (I forget how long you've had her).

Be up front with whoever you try to rehome her with....let them know what she is like.

I wish I could take her for you - I love aggressive rabbits. But I am sure that you can find her a good home.

Don't beat yourself up too much - sometimes - we try our best and it just doesn't work out...no matter how hard we try. It could be that she will need to be put in a foster home where she can become more socialized...I don't know.

I would not get Toby another bun though if you can't handle having two separate buns...because it is too easy for a bond to break and then you'd be repeating this situation all over again.

Just my .02

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

JadeIcing wrote:

Mrs. PBJ wrote:

She sounds like she has a good home and most people wont deal with a mean rabbit.

It's not always people won't it is people can not.

True:blushan:

I did not mean it to come out like that.

I meant that she is able to handle her at the moment and it would be hard to find her a perminant home. Cause thats the goal of she is rehomed.



I believe that she needs to do what is bst for her and the rabbit. Where in this for our fur babys right? If I thought a rabbit was very unhappy in my home I would find one where she is happy.

Thats what is important here. The happyness of the Rabbit.

 

[TinysMom]

JadeIcing wrote:

Mrs. PBJ wrote:

She sounds like she has a good home and most people wont deal with a mean rabbit.

It's not always people won't it is people can not.

:yeahthat:

Yet again...

Ali has dealt with an aggressive rabbit - and it really isn't for everyone. People think they can handle it - but it can take a real emotional toll on you every day....

 

[JadeIcing]

TinysMom wrote:

Ali has dealt with an aggressive rabbit

Try 7.

 

[TinysMom]

Seven? I knew Sam was aggressive...(I almost said "mean") but who else?

Most of yours seem pretty socialized....

I'm about ready to ship Darla to you and let YOU deal with her lunging and growling and nipping 'cause you seem to be the expert at being patient with aggressive bunnies.


Edited to add: I'm joking...Darla is staying here. I love her dearly - even if I have the scars to prove she seems to love the taste of me too...

 

[kherrmann3]

I was not planning on getting a second bun just yet. We are moving in October and would try then (depending on space).

There is something about Emma that I can't put my finger on. It's like she's just not acting like a rabbit. She doesn't do normal rabbit behaviors and such, or at least doesn't act like "normal" rabbits do. It's weird...

We originally had her in a cage that was under Toby's. It worked for awhile, but Will kept kicking it when he walked by and we had to abandon that layout when Will ripped one of his toenails off...

The cages that they were in are way too small for them to stay in all day (minus run around time). Plus, I would be afraid of them sticking their noses in each other's cages and having an injury similar to Luvabun's Shadow. I don't know if I could emotionally handle that. I was a mess just taking him to the vet for something relatively minor.

 

[TinysMom]

kherrmann3 wrote:

You all have a lot of very helpful suggestions. In the end, all I can say is that whatever happens, happens.

I'm going to share something - and probably kick myself - but here goes.

A couple of years ago we had someone on here who had a couple of rabbits. They were trading one rabbit (that I adored) for another rabbit - a baby.

I had a fit - I really did. I didn't show it on the forum per se - but I was so upset and I was trying to figure out a way to stop this.

Bless her heart - Pipp sorta slapped me with her words - but they were so true. Basically - Pipp pointed out that it was her rabbit to do with as she pleased and that while we could share information, educational stuff, etc. - we couldn't act as "rabbit police" and make her keep that rabbit. It was her rabbit to do with as she wanted.

I cried over that. Yeah - I cry easily - but I cried for days over that rabbit going back to a breeder in trade for another rabbit.

But Pipp was right. We're here to help people and to help bunnies. Many of us have strong opinions and emotions about what should and should not be done.

However - when it ultimately comes down to it - she is your rabbit and you are the ones who have to live with her - or without her.

Whatever you decide - my PM box is open if you need to chat.

 

[Flashy]

I think peg has said it all, from my point of view. i can tell that in your herat you dont feel able to keep her, and thats ok, but i do think that you should find her a new home yourself because you can make sure its a good oen and the people are prepare.d there are different ways of taking responsibility for an animal other than keeping them, and finding them a good home is another way to be responsible for them.