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Hope_555

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My male rabbit is about 4 months old and can be aggressive at times and is very aggressive when being held (biting ,scratching ,pushing ,etc.). I would like to find a way to fix this behavior. Got five other rabbits after him and they're not nearly as aggressive. I do not know if they have something to do with it but I do not think so because he was acting like this before I got them. Please help me find a way to stop this behavior.
Thank you!
 
They aren't all being kept together are they? If he is near any other unneutered male rabbits, that can also explain the aggression.

If he was acting this way prior to the other rabbits arrival, it could be a fear response. He's afraid of being in a new place and is trying to protect himself.
 
rabbits hate being held because they are prey, it feels like a hawk is swooping them up, i only pick my bunny up when i NEED to, i usually put him in a dog crate if i bring him to a different place (outside, etc)
 
If your rabbit isn't neutered then I tend to think its hormonal behavior. He can also probably smell the other rabbits on your clothes, if you handled them before holding him. Not all rabbits hate being held though. It depends on the breed, their personality and/or how they were treated or handled before you got them. Most of my Polish don't mind being held at all, but our Tans barely tolerate it...they're more active/high strung.
 
Scratching, biting and pushing while being held has nothing to do with being aggressive. Some rabbits are scared of heights (I've had one who was so terrified of them he couldn't jump from a cardboard box when he accidentally jumped on one - the poor rabbit jumped very high too and always seemed surprised and scared when he landed higher than he thought he would). and most of them hate being held, which is perfectly understandable from their point of view. I would like to see how you would behave if an unknown monster about 40 times bigger than you suddenly lifted you from the ground.
Stop holding him when it's not absolutely necessary.
4 months is also the stage where hormones manifest themselves. Wait for a month and have him neutered by a vet who knows what they are doing. It should stop most unwanted behavior (it certainly won't make him like to be held, though).
Other than that, I'm not sure I follow : if I read this correctly, you say he's 4 months old and that you've got 5 other rabbits since you've had him. So, you've gotten 6 rabbits during the past 2 months? That's going to cost a lot to neuter...
 

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