Oh Dear :(

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

snap

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
268
Reaction score
0
Location
, Texas, USA
One year old Holland Lop doe, unspayed, named Tallula.

She's always been easily upset, ever since she was just a few weeks old. But we sold her to a guy((a very big guy, which may have contributed because all she's ever been handled by are women and briefly some male judges)), and he returned her to me because she had begun to lunge at people when they walk past her cage and has bitten the guy's mother twice. :(

This just happened today, but now she seems happier and she came and gave me kisses through the cage bars. She gets aggressive when you move her cage- we moved her cage across the backyard and she got super aggressive for a couple weeks- and when you open the cage. You can pet her through the bars, but you can't reach in and when she's out playing you can't touch her.

Her mom is like this too, which is odd because Tallula's 'aunt'((mom's sister)) is probably the most laid back rabbit you could ever possibly meet, as are Tallula's two brothers. Those three you can take and just do whatever you could possibly want, they're like stuffed animals((but they breathe, I checked!)).

Any help? I need to get them better so I can sell them, or if I don't they need to be okay for my mother to handle. :(
 
You can try giving her a space-within-her space, a choice of hiding areas, eg cardboard boxes, or let her be free-run somewhere else, like a smaller area in the house.

She'll probably be the most comfortable with the setting closest to her formative weeks as a young kit, mine really seem to, anyway.

She obviously doesn't like things to change, but they will get used to it.

I've found that space really matters. I've broken up aggression issues between rabbits and with humans by adding a shelf or box or other seemingly inconsequential things to their space.

Good luck!

sas :clover:
 
I'll try more handling and a shelf, and obviously punish/rewards. :)

She can't be moved to where she was as a kit, the room is full. And she can't have a box because it's hot outside- I've had a rabbit die because he hid in his box and couldn't cool down. :(

Thank you. :)
 
GET HER FIXED?!

She's hormonal and will continue to be aggressive?!

If you sold her for reproductive purposes than deal with the hormonal issues and don't be surprised you or anyone else is has to deal with these issues..
 
juliew19673- That came off a little rude, don't you think?
I don't believe in spending hundreds of dollars willy-nilly before I have exhausted other options. I don't have the money to drop just to make my life easier. I am 'dealing' with the hormones by asking for behavioural help.

Please think before you speak- if you have nothing nice to say then say nothing at all.
 
Have you tried pushing her down to the ground when she shows this behavior? My unaltered lionhead buck did this and has gotten SOOOO much better since I have been pushing him to the ground flat (gently) to show him who is boss in a loving way of course. He was getting extremely cage aggressive and I just could not have that. He would even lunge and nip when I would change out his water, hay and feed. I dont want an aggressive bunners. well no one does. I have little kids who come over and love on the bunnies. He is rewarded with a treat when he does not lunge. I will have to say he is has not lunged or nipped in over 2 weeks. Kramer will be neutered eventually, he is still very young but I had to bite this behavior in the butt before it got out of control.

I wish you the best!!!
 
must_love_pets- We've actually been doing that for a few days now((with an oven mitt on)), it seems to be working beautifully! But I do like hearing it is effective, we just tried doing it one day and it calmed her down.
 
Sounds like you are seeing good results.

Kramer seems to be showing more respect for the hand that feeds him. When he was lunging as I would put hay in his cage I would hold it back and push him down flat and give a deep verbal NO! I would then let up again and slowly put the hay back in the cage again. I would repeat this process until he stopped lunging, then rewarding with a treat and his hay. I am very happy with the results.

I hope it just keeps getting better every day for the both of you.
 
That is awesome that this works for the both of you...however can I ask a stupid ? what is lunging? Is like their attacking you?

Our bunnies hops away when she doesn't want to be picked up. I give her a few minutes, pet her and just keep trying. She adventually gives in and lets me pick her up, however she bit a few times when I was trying to take her out. I said (dont bite) and she looked at me like "Im sorry" and then let me keep trying to get her. When I finally got her out she was ok. When I put her back in she jumps "leaps" for her cage. I put her back in and pet her to reward her for letting me take her out and she bit me. Don't know if she thoguht I was going to pick her back up or what she thought but then I just left her alone.

I do hold her every day, keep in mind we have only had her since 7-8 so only four days so maybe she is just still trying to get to know us and everything. Im going to keep trying though to hold her so she gets used to people and being held.

 

Latest posts

Back
Top