Bunny is growling

[Bunnylover14]

lately my bunny has been growling whenever I put my hand by him. How can I stop him from doing it? I am not sure why he would be doing this because I have never hurt him or anything like that. Also whenever my mom comes by my bunny he immediately starts biting and growling at her. She has never hurt him though so again I am not sure why he does this and how to stop him from doing it? I have been kind of just letting him do it because I am not sure what to do.

 

[Blue eyes]

Is he neutered? What is is age and how long have you had him?

Growling is a warning that he doesn't like what you are doing. Some will do that when a hand comes in their enclosure (cage aggression). Without knowing further info, my first guess would be that it is hormonal.

 

[Bunnylover14]

he is about 1 yr and 2 months. He is neutered and I have had him since July 2020.

 

[Blue eyes]

I would look for patterns to see what is triggering the behavior. It doesn't have to have anything to do with "being hurt." It could be something like being bothered when napping, or intrusion into what he perceives to be his space, or pestered (pet) when he's not in the mood.

Growling is one thing but if he's biting, that isn't acceptable. If/when he bites, you (or your mother) can try firmly but gently pushing his head to the floor and holding for a few seconds. That is similar to what a mother bun may do to a misbehaving kit. With consistency, that may get the message across that that behavior is unacceptable.

 

[Bunnylover14]

thanks!

 

[Diane R]

Aggression can be a symptom of a medical problem/pain. Worth a check-up.

 

[JBun]

Has anything changed in your home or his environment since this behavior started? Like a new pet or even a new person in the home? Or something different in his environment like him being moved to a different area/room, his set up being changed, construction work outside? Try and think of anything that changed that could make him feel insecure. Or has he always been like this since you first got him?

Then also think about what the others have suggested as possible causes as well. Maybe something you are doing with him that is different that he doesn't like. Or a rabbit suddenly feeling sick and unwell is a common cause for an unexpected and sudden change of behavior.

Now if he has always done this and been this way since you got him, then it's more likely to be a learned behavioral issue that you are going to have to work with him on to teach him he is safe in his new home and that he can trust you.
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Aggressive_rabbits

 

[samoth]

My (neutered) buck growls all the time, but he never bites.

He growls if he doesn't want to be pet. He growls before taking a treat out of my hand. He growls if I put pellets out for him.

I've just accepted it's part of his communication. He seems to do it both as a sign of discontent ("GRR! don't want pets now!"), as well as a signal of desire ("omgomg, a treat! gimmiegimmiegimmie GRRGRRGRR!!!") and territory ("GRR! why your hand in my territory, human?!").

 

[Bunnylover14]

Okay. thanks!

 

[Bunnylover14]

Has anything changed in your home or his environment since this behavior started? Like a new pet or even a new person in the home? Or something different in his environment like him being moved to a different area/room, his set up being changed, construction work outside? Try and think of anything that changed that could make him feel insecure. Or has he always been like this since you first got him?

Then also think about what the others have suggested as possible causes as well. Maybe something you are doing with him that is different that he doesn't like. Or a rabbit suddenly feeling sick and unwell is a common cause for an unexpected and sudden change of behavior.

Now if he has always done this and been this way since you got him, then it's more likely to be a learned behavioral issue that you are going to have to work with him on to teach him he is safe in his new home and that he can trust you.
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Aggressive_rabbits

Nothing has really changed. I am starting to think that it is what Samoth said and I should just deal with it.

 

[Howard cordingley]

What may work is if you slowly put your hand in his cage snd wait for him to come to the hand. Sometimes it can be territorial or if a hand suddenly appears. Also I may be wrong but rabbits use smell so if you changed a hand wash soap recently maybe the scent he’s not keen on.