~Aggressive Rabbit~ Question?

[BunnyLover06]

What can I do to help my aggressive rabbit? Ijust got her 2 days ago and I knew that she was tempormental but she isso cute. I am experienced with rabbits but I never had a aggressiverabbit before. She is only 6 months old so I know she hasn't been likethis for a long time.

She is a Himalayan Netherland Dwarf. She acts the most aggressive whenyou put your hand in the cage. She grunts and goes after your hand. Butonce you have her out of the cage she is so sweet.

I take her out of the cage at least 7 times a day. So she is being handled by me every day.

The people who owned her before wanted her for her daughter to show atthe state fair but she was too aggressive for her to handle and I thinkshe stayed in her cage until I gother.

If I handle her everyday do you think this will pass withtime?

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

First off, she's at that 'teen stage' mostlikely, it's not uncommon for does to be especially hormonal and meanat that stage. It can take months for that to sort itselfout.I recommend spaying her.

Second, she is being cage agressive so my best suggestion is to not lether get away with it. I would guess that when she attacks your hand,you pull it out, right? That is reinforcing her bad behaviour becauseshe knows you will do that. So invest in a good pair of leather glovesand wear them with putting your hand in her cage. It requires you toretrain yourself as well but do not pull your hand away, the gloveswill protect you. Do not corner her or anything like that, it will onlyadd to her agression but just by placing your hand in her cage shouldhelp her realise that it's not so bad.

If that doesn't work, you can always avoid putting your hand in hercage and allow her to come out on her own. She probablyfeelsthreatened or that her home is threatened and that's why she does it.If she wont learn to accept the hand, you need to learn to respect herterritory.

Make sure you always hand feed her treats in her cage (if she attacksthe hand, she doesn't get the treat) because that will help herassociate it with something good, basic punishment and reward system.

 

[Jace]

After reading this it made me think of aquestion. Are there any diseases that can be transmitted to humans fromrabbits through bites/scratches? Bud has never bit me hard enough tobreak the skin or anything so I've never used gloves but not jerk awayeither. I make sure he gets his bite and sees its not going to effectme then I lower his head.

 

[naturestee]

Aside from the normal infections you can get inany scratch, there's nothing that can be transmitted from rabbit mouthsor claws.

IMO, with cage aggressive rabbits I much prefer to work everything so Idon't have to put my hand in the cage while she's in there.With Mocha, she wasn't able to really bond with me until I stoppeddoing that. It really got her upset, especially if I waspicking her up while she was in the cage. My cages are all onthe floor and the buns can hop in and out while they're out for playtime. This is probably the single most helpful thing I'vefound for dealing with both my cage aggressive buns and those that needto gain trust in humans. Granted, I only have four rabbits.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that spaying will usuallygreatly reduce territorial aggression like this. Obviouslythat won't be an option if you're wanting to show her, but it might notbe a good idea to show a rabbit that is strongly cage territorialbecause she might feel an even greater need to defend the carrier atthe show due to the added stress.

 

[Michaela]

When we first brought Berri home she was likethat, but once she became used to us it stopped, although it wouldstill happen occasionally, my mum was too scared to lift her:rofl:

I've noticed though that since Pebble and Ebony came along she neverdoes it. I think she must have been lonely. She now comes over to bepetted and jumps up on to your knee, and she's become a lot moreactive. Generally she's a lot happier! I don't know if it's possiblefor you to get another bunny, (although by the sound of her shewouldn't bond with it anyway), but that's worked wonders for us.

Just give her time and use the great advice MyBabyBunnies and Naturestee have given you and hopefully she'll be okay.

PS; do you have any pictures? She sounds really beautiful

 

[Bunman]

Understanding Aggressive or Shy Rabbits:

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabcare.html#aggbun

 

[BunnyLover06]

You guys give Great Advice!

When she goes and tries to attack my hand I lift my hand up(out ofherreach)and put it on top of her. Then I pet hervery softly. She really is a friendly rabbit but likesomeonementioned, I believe she is justcageagressive.

I will try and get pictures today, I do have one picture of her that Itook yesterday....I will see if I can post it onhere....

Bunman- Thanks for the website, once I am done here I will go and look at it.

I will be posting in this forum more often because ona otherforum that I used to post on (not this website or forum)all Iwould ever get is "you shouldn't do this and that or"...I really hatethat forum....they are 'Against' everything and anything! Iposted the same thing on the other forum and all I got was "youshouldn't".....and what ever else.....

Anyways.....

And now on this forumI get great advice!!!:bunnydance::bunnydance:...LOL

 

[BunnyLover06]

 

[BunnyLover06]

Here is a pic of ~Breeze~:bunnydance:

 

[Michaela]

OMG she is adorable!!!:inlove:

I love Netherland dwarfs, I've never seen one her colour before. I love her name too, how did you come up with it?

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

naturestee wrote:

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that spayingwill usually greatly reduce territorial aggression likethis.

From my first reply: "First off, she's at that 'teen stage' mostlikely, it's not uncommon for does to be especially hormonal and meanat that stage. It can take months for that to sort itselfout.I recommend spaying her."

Although I guess I did forget to say why... :?

Anyways, the only reasonI recommend trying to get them tostop attacking first is because that is the approach I took. Because mycages are outside and the hutches are not inside the run, I can'tsimply let them out on their own free will, I have to be able to pickthem up in their huches. Mocha and Spice were very cage agressive priorto turning 2 and I used the leather glove thing with both of them andnow it's not an issue at all, they don't attack me for sticking my handin their cage. Zoey had a few moments like that as well between 6-10months and wearing gloves so thatI wouldn't pull my hand awayhelped a lot, she has not attacked me again.

It is up to you how you want to deal with it, but it also depends onyour circumstances on how you need to handle it. If it'spossible,I do agree that it might be best to respect herterritory but if you need to be able to reach in her cage with her init, then it's best to use glvoes at first.

 

[BunnyLover06]

sorry about the double posting....my computer is acting funny......:?

 

[BunnyLover06]

Michaela- Thank you! Actually she came with that name.

MyBabyBunnies- I will try the glove techniqe.


Thanks Everyone for the wonderfull Advice!!