From Sweet to Cranky.....HELP!!!

[mewlingcricket]

Okay so here is my problem. We bought Russel from another breeder two weeks ago. He is a beautiful red mini rex and has the most wonderful fur!!!! We got him so that when our two females are old enough we would have a buck for them. He even has a wonderful pedigree with his father having 12 legs and his mother having 4. It looked to be the perfect bunny. :biggrin:

When we first brought him home he was sweet and let eveyone hold him, we were considering letting our daughter start showing him, as she has been wanting to learn to show, and what better way to start then with an animal I know fits the standards.

Then litteraly overnight his temperment changed. We had had him about a week when he went from being a sweetie to charging us when we try to open the cage, even for feedings! He even bit my husband (thankfully I think it was more of a go away then a mean thing so he didn't quite break skin, but it definatley was not the playful nips we are used to from our other bunnies) If you walk by the cage he charges it and stops just short of ramming himself into the cage. :shock:

We really want to keep him, he is a beautiful rabbit with a lot of potential, and we remember how sweet he was. Nothing has changed in the two weeks, the kids aren't allowed access to the new bunnies without supervision just to make sure nothing wierd happens to the buns or the monkeys (kids). I'm not sure what happened. I have been trying to spend time near the cage so he smells me and gets used to me but it doesn't seem to be helping, he will go lay down until I try to get closer or leave, any movement means a cage charge. We now have to toss an apple slice in the cage to get his attention away just to put in his actual feed at night otherwise he charges us.

Any idea how we can help him become less aggressive, or what may have caused the change to begin with? My husband thinks I should sell him so that he doesn't end up hurting himself or one of us. I just want to m ake sure their isn't something I can do to help first. Does anyone have any ideas..........PLEASE:cry2

 

[jcottonl02]

How old is he? This could be hormonal behaviour that would probably only be changed with a neuter.

Jen

 

[Runestonez]

OK...well I guess neutering is out of the question if you were thinking about showing! lol

How old is he?
Most of my experience is with neutered bunns...hormones just add a whole other level of difficulty to things.
I am one of those hopelessly optimistic people who believes that any bunn can be worked with...you just need time and patience...and maybe a good pair of work gloves!

To me this sounds perfectly normal...for a new bunn coming into a new home...it would take about a week to adjust and get his bearings. So now you will need to work out who is in charge!

Bunns utilize learned behavior. They don't bark or mew...they communicate with their teeth. The longer he gets away with it the harder it will be to make him stop.
I was serious about the work gloves by the way! lol
The best way to approach this in my opinion is to teach him, lunging and biting is no longer going to work. As hard as it is...that means no flinching when he lunges or trys to bite...if it no longer works as a deterent to get rid of you then the behavior should settle down some.

You will need to work with him. Wear work gloves if you are worried about getting bitten again. Be in his space. Clean his hutch, move his things and if he decides to lunge, gently but firmly push his head down and in a loud voice say, "NO!". You will have to be consistant and spend time with him. It should help! It will not be an overnight fix...but it has always worked for us!

If he is young...then it is a matter of time till he settles down some. Even our neutered males went a little berzerk this year! Just keep working with him and remember YOU are in charge!

Danielle

 

[mewlingcricket]

He is a little over a year. I was hoping that with time I could bring him back around. The work gloves thing may work really well, I will have to give it a try. Thanks.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

I've always told people with dogs to think like a dog. If you treat them like a child, you confuse the issue. Same goes for rabbits. You have to assert your right to be the alpha and treat them like another rabbit would. We've had a few in the past that went from boxing to biting when we'd try to clean and feed. They are really great bunnies now. Like Runestonez said, it will take time and effort, but it's worth not getting bit by a bunny that has learned aggression pays.

 

[jcottonl02]

Runestonez wrote:

OK...well I guess neutering is out of the question if you were thinking about showing! lol

Ah I see. I have no idea about showing so that didn't occur to me.

In that case you'll have to try what Danielle and others have been saying, but most definately with work gloves and perhaps a dustpan and brush at hand.

Jen

 

[mewlingcricket]

We are going to try the gloves, he is such a beautiful bunny I really hope it works.