Nasty Rabbit

[Rcottle161]

Hi Everyone!
Glad I found this site and hope some onf you may be able to help.
I bought a continental giant at around 12 weeks old, she's my second rabbit and Im at my wits end with her.
She was fine while she was settling in, just shy, then as soon as she settled we started having problems. Shes never been friendly and you can just about stroke her nose even after hours and hours of lying on the floor and treating her etc etc. She started destroying things when out, ive mkved anything important out the way but she starts digging the carpet, i hpsay "no" and she just keeps doing it. Obviously ypu cant lunish them any other way and if she wont liten i just herd her away but she starts threatening to attack and grunting so I have to push her in her cage with welding gloves on!

Within the last month she has been hardly using her tray and was previously litter trained, I put this down to sexual maturity, but now shes increasingly aggressive, but unpredictably so. One mjnute shes near me asking for a treat and letting my touch her, the next shes grunting and lunging for me.
Im surprised I havent given up already, I think if our rescues in the area werent at capacity I wouldve! I dont want to rehome privately because I think theyd give her back.
Shes been given everything and its still not good enough, Ive spent hours trying new bonding techniques but Im thinking she just doesnt like me.
She is 4 months now so will be booked to be spayed soon.
Im a vet nurse and have owned rabbits as well as many other pets before, I have never given up on one yet even my rescue animals. But now I absolutely dread taking any kind of care of her, I hate having her out as she can be so unpredictably nasty, she even bulllies my little dog and he wont come into the front room without wetting himself anymore. The worst part of my day is having to refil her food because shes so horrible. I dont know what to do with her, Im not just getting no joy from her, but i actively dislike having her around, shes not worth the expensive feeds I buy her to be honest.
Id be really grateful for help and suggestions.
(Please excuse my bad spelling, stubby fingers and a tablet dont mix!)

 

[JBun]

You're dealing with a 'teenage' bun, raging with new hormones. It's going to make her fiesty, sexually frustrated, moody, and territorial. Along with the insecurity of being in a whole new territory and new home, these can cause some behavior issues for insecure or nervous rabbits. Plus add on top of that, having other animals in the house, it's just going to increase territorial behavior, including territorial marking with urine/poop.

What I would suggest is, if you're letting her run around or free roam at all, I would stop that for now, and restrict her space to her own bunny proofed area inside a pet exercise pen(tall enough that she can't jump over)., with a nice hidey hole that she can go into to feel safe if she needs to I think feeling insecure, in a new home with another animal, along with hormones driving very territorial behavior, is causing a lot of her behavioral issues. Also, she may have been given too much roaming space , too soon. Too much space too quickly, can affect a rabbits litter habits. It can also cause increased territorial behavior.

Litter Training

Bonding With Your Bunny

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Aggressive_rabbits
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/
Once she's spayed and has had time to settle into her own space and feel secure, and has completely settled into your home and you've had time to sit and bond with her, then working on free roaming could be considered. This needs to be done gradually, expanding the bunny proofed space to her in steps. Too quickly and she could lose good litter habits. Though just be aware, some rabbits can't resist peeing on soft surfaces, this would include all carpeted surfaces. And some can't resist carpet chewing and digging, as carpet strands seem like grass, meant to be dug at and chewed. In which case, carpet needs to be changed or covered with something like vinyl flooring, or she needs to be restricted to a bunny proofed space.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Spaying_and_neutering_rabbits
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/free-roaming-how-to.html
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bunny-proofing.html
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bunny-proofing
One thing to be aware of when you're trying to feed, pet, or interact with her, is if you have your dogs scent on you, your hands, your clothes, she can smell that and may be reacting, not to you, but to the scent of your dog being on you. So for now, until she's spayed, I would suggest making sure you don't have your dogs scent on you when you're interacting with her. Once she's spayed and you have had time to understand her better, and she's more comfortable with you, then you can think about how best to work on introducing her and your dog properly, as it really needs to be done, almost like you would when bonding two rabbits.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/rabbits-with-dogs.html

 

[Moonshadow]

Instead of trying to stop your bunny from digging and destroying things, try diverting by giving your bun things that are more ‘fun’ to rip and destroy.

I sometimes give my bunny one or two paper towel sheets. He digs at it a bit but loves ripping it apart with his teeth even more. For his digging habit, I’ll give him a crinkly brown paper bag or a bit of brown paper packaging. That doesn’t rip as easily but is perfect for digging because of the sounds it makes and he enjoys attempting to tear it. When he does, he looks very proud. Cardboard and wood are also good for destructo-buns.

 

[James + Ted]

I was a difficult teenager. I suppose I’m lucky that I wasn’t rehomed during that time.

I think it’s quite possible that with the spaying, and passage of time, she will settle down and become a good friend to you.

Good luck!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Ours really like chewing on and digging in cardboard--our boy Nicky loves the "cardboard castle" I made for him--spends lot of time inside doing de-construction work or will lay on the top all splayed out

 

[MeggyM]

I was a difficult teenager. I suppose I’m lucky that I wasn’t rehomed during that time.

I think it’s quite possible that with the spaying, and passage of time, she will settle down and become a good friend to you.

Good luck!

HAhaha!

 

[MeggyM]

DON'T WORRY! Give yourself a break from trying to handle, roam, litter train, etc her and wait till she is spayed!
This sounds like wild pent up hormones to me. You can't imagine how much she will change, settle down, and stop destructive behaviors once she's spayed. They really can be crazy uncontrollable teenagers for a time, but it's just a natural phase, they grow out of it just like everyone else! A rabbit before and after being fixed is a totally different animal. Aggression diminishes.

Try not to obsess on the frustrating behavior and wait it out. Get her spayed ASAP and keep in mind it can take up to 2 months for their hormones to fully settle so you will REALLY build your patience during this time.
I would recommend just taking a break on handling her so much, roaming, litter training, all of it and just take basic care of her until a month or 2 after being spayed. You can give her lots of cardboard/paper products from around the house to destroy in her pen. It can be infuriating to put so much effort into training during this hormonal stage when nothing sticks. In my opinion, the best chance of you keeping her in the long run is to take a big step back for a few months. Just keep her fed and healthy until you can both reset and things should be monumentally easier the second time around.
Hang in there and let us know how it goes!

 

[rabbit_friend]

I once spent several hours a day for four weeks going to a shelter to work with a rabbit that was ”too aggressive” to be adopted out. The staff were reaching into her small cage with rubber gloves and dog smell on them and were surprised she was lunging and growling at them. They would throw a towel over her to pick her up, poor girl. At 8 pounds, she was pretty scary when she lunged and growled—sounded like a Tazmanian devil! Not only was she unspayed and treated in a way that guaranteed defensiveness, but she had a very bad case of ear mites that they didn’t treat properly. So I would add to what has already been said that you might want to get her checked out for any other physical problems that might be going on.

I ended up taking that rabbit home (she’s the one in my current profile picture), treating her ear mites properly, and working with her some more, and she became the most loving, sweet bunny. When I petted her, she would lick my other arm and hand continuously. She became a little irritable and grunty again over a year ago, as well as losing her bathroom habits, and it turned out she had a big bladder stone. Once it was removed, she became her sweet self again. I lost her in April and wish every day that I still had her.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Two of our last 3 rescues came from "Death Row" as they were biters and had been returned 3 times. Took me 2 days and they are happy, friendly bunnies with no more issues--do your reading and research--it pays off greatly--just like the story above--so sorry for your loss.

 

[Rcottle161]

You're dealing with a 'teenage' bun, raging with new hormones. It's going to make her fiesty, sexually frustrated, moody, and territorial. Along with the insecurity of being in a whole new territory and new home, these can cause some behavior issues for insecure or nervous rabbits. Plus add on top of that, having other animals in the house, it's just going to increase territorial behavior, including territorial marking with urine/poop.

What I would suggest is, if you're letting her run around or free roam at all, I would stop that for now, and restrict her space to her own bunny proofed area inside a pet exercise pen(tall enough that she can't jump over)., with a nice hidey hole that she can go into to feel safe if she needs to I think feeling insecure, in a new home with another animal, along with hormones driving very territorial behavior, is causing a lot of her behavioral issues. Also, she may have been given too much roaming space , too soon. Too much space too quickly, can affect a rabbits litter habits. It can also cause increased territorial behavior.

Litter Training

Bonding With Your Bunny

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Aggressive_rabbits
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/
Once she's spayed and has had time to settle into her own space and feel secure, and has completely settled into your home and you've had time to sit and bond with her, then working on free roaming could be considered. This needs to be done gradually, expanding the bunny proofed space to her in steps. Too quickly and she could lose good litter habits. Though just be aware, some rabbits can't resist peeing on soft surfaces, this would include all carpeted surfaces. And some can't resist carpet chewing and digging, as carpet strands seem like grass, meant to be dug at and chewed. In which case, carpet needs to be changed or covered with something like vinyl flooring, or she needs to be restricted to a bunny proofed space.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Spaying_and_neutering_rabbits
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/free-roaming-how-to.html
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bunny-proofing.html
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bunny-proofing
One thing to be aware of when you're trying to feed, pet, or interact with her, is if you have your dogs scent on you, your hands, your clothes, she can smell that and may be reacting, not to you, but to the scent of your dog being on you. So for now, until she's spayed, I would suggest making sure you don't have your dogs scent on you when you're interacting with her. Once she's spayed and you have had time to understand her better, and she's more comfortable with you, then you can think about how best to work on introducing her and your dog properly, as it really needs to be done, almost like you would when bonding two rabbits.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/rabbits-with-dogs.html

Thank you so much for your reply and advice and to everyone else, sorry for my delay I don't get much time to check my emails but I will be reading through and replying!

I assumed it was teenage days and hormones but even in previous rabbits this age that I've owned and looked after I've never experienced it this bad, it's really put me off rabbits altogether for fear of ever ending up with another like her!

We really got her for my partner, he's only owned one before but with me being veterinary trained and owning before we thought it'd be fine but he wants her gone and is put off more than I am which I a real shame as I was hoping it'd ease him into spending more time with our other animals but she's obviously had the opposite effect on him

Looking back she's been with us about 5 months I think, she has her big cage to go in at night as we can't leave her out then an indoor run, but we hardly had enough room so after 6 weeks we took that down and expanded her to just the living room in the day. The only way she can have her own run again is for her to go out in our shed which I think will be counter productive and that she'll get bored.

Was this enough time and gradual enough to give her extra room? She hasn't roamed the whole house, only the front room which is only a bit bigger than her run!

Do you think spaying will change her attitude enough to stay with us? I've seen many before spaying (and monitored many spaying!) But never seen the after effect...

Unfortunately I won't be able to change the carpet as I'm renting and am not aloud, will she stop digging it ever? She only peed on it once when I forgot to bolt her cage at night and she escaped unattended for half an hour so I'm not super concerned about that at the moment.

She has grown up around dogs since she was born and only wants to play with ours and bounces around him! Not that they're ever left unattended or in each others space for any amount of time. He's very docile and they get on very well in the next room so he isn't on "her terf." He's never aloud in the front room. She loves him far more than me and my partner!

I've owned rabbits, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, fish, cats, horses, ponies, the whole lot and ran a rescue horse yard and this rabbit is the worst I've seen, I didn't know they could be so horrible, even to the point of sulking for hours at a time when they've been told "no" about something!

I'd be super interested to know how much spaying helps? I've had the worst week with her and let her out less as she's started going for me while I'm trying to walk around my house which I won't have from a rabbit... if she's unlikely to change then I think she'll be going to rescue very shortly as she's such a bad companion it's a real shame every other bunny I've dealt with hasn't been so mean as this, she doesn't care for a thing I do and I'm starting to want to just leave her in her cage as I hate interacting with her

Thank you again for your help I'll give the articles a read

 

[Rcottle161]

Instead of trying to stop your bunny from digging and destroying things, try diverting by giving your bun things that are more ‘fun’ to rip and destroy.

I sometimes give my bunny one or two paper towel sheets. He digs at it a bit but loves ripping it apart with his teeth even more. For his digging habit, I’ll give him a crinkly brown paper bag or a bit of brown paper packaging. That doesn’t rip as easily but is perfect for digging because of the sounds it makes and he enjoys attempting to tear it. When he does, he looks very proud. Cardboard and wood are also good for destructo-buns.

Thank You for the great advice!

I do try this every time but she ends up going back to the carpet eventually.
Her favourite is baking paper and paper booklets (like old instruction manuals) that's one thing she is good for, she's a great paper shredder!!

 

[Rcottle161]

DON'T WORRY! Give yourself a break from trying to handle, roam, litter train, etc her and wait till she is spayed!
This sounds like wild pent up hormones to me. You can't imagine how much she will change, settle down, and stop destructive behaviors once she's spayed. They really can be crazy uncontrollable teenagers for a time, but it's just a natural phase, they grow out of it just like everyone else! A rabbit before and after being fixed is a totally different animal. Aggression diminishes.

Try not to obsess on the frustrating behavior and wait it out. Get her spayed ASAP and keep in mind it can take up to 2 months for their hormones to fully settle so you will REALLY build your patience during this time.
I would recommend just taking a break on handling her so much, roaming, litter training, all of it and just take basic care of her until a month or 2 after being spayed. You can give her lots of cardboard/paper products from around the house to destroy in her pen. It can be infuriating to put so much effort into training during this hormonal stage when nothing sticks. In my opinion, the best chance of you keeping her in the long run is to take a big step back for a few months. Just keep her fed and healthy until you can both reset and things should be monumentally easier the second time around.
Hang in there and let us know how it goes!

Thank you for your response, it's actually really nice to hear because I keep blaming myself, especially as I've owned so much and work in the vet field

Its also great to hear that she may change greatly with spaying, I was worried if there is that big of a change but it does sound worth it.

Thank you so much, we have both taken a step back over this past week as she's just been intolerable, I didn't think a rabbit would be harder to keep than a herd of rescue horses, but I'd now take a herd of rescue horses any day we actually play short straw as to who has to feed her now as she's gotten so horrible, the other gets to do our other animals as combined they're all still less risky!

Thanks I will let you know!

 

[Rcottle161]

I once spent several hours a day for four weeks going to a shelter to work with a rabbit that was ”too aggressive” to be adopted out. The staff were reaching into her small cage with rubber gloves and dog smell on them and were surprised she was lunging and growling at them. They would throw a towel over her to pick her up, poor girl. At 8 pounds, she was pretty scary when she lunged and growled—sounded like a Tazmanian devil! Not only was she unspayed and treated in a way that guaranteed defensiveness, but she had a very bad case of ear mites that they didn’t treat properly. So I would add to what has already been said that you might want to get her checked out for any other physical problems that might be going on.

I ended up taking that rabbit home (she’s the one in my current profile picture), treating her ear mites properly, and working with her some more, and she became the most loving, sweet bunny. When I petted her, she would lick my other arm and hand continuously. She became a little irritable and grunty again over a year ago, as well as losing her bathroom habits, and it turned out she had a big bladder stone. Once it was removed, she became her sweet self again. I lost her in April and wish every day that I still had her.

Thank you for the advice.

She was checked over not too long ago by our vet and he found nothing wrong with her and the vet recommended waiting a couple months to spayed her.

I couldn't even begin to imagine mine being that sweet ever. I thought earning trust and building another rabbit relationship would be a rewarding experience after having some lovely ones before, bit it's put me off the species all together and if I'm honest I wish I had never laid eyes on her then I wouldn't be in this situation.

They obviously aren't cheap to keep either, which I wouldn't mind if keeping her was even in the slightest bit enjoyable, but it's the worst part of my day having to feed and water her, it's put me off being in a room with her at all because I never know how she's going to be and sometimes gets in a mood just because I am in the same room.

Honestly if her spay doesn't settle after a couple of months she's going to have to go, she's the most stressful to keep creature and if neither I or my partner get any joy from her then there's no point. I've had lots of other rescue animals, but as she was bought from a breeder she doesn't even have that as an excuse!

With regards to dog scent, she loves our dog and just wants to play with him, obviously he isn't allowed in her area, nor her in his, but they love each other and she just wants to be with him when he's around.

I also keep her bowls right near the edge so I don't have to lean in because she does the same lunge and growl, she's a big girl and you're right there, it does sound like the tasmanian devil!! I'm not even surprised they used a towel to grab her as their bites really hurt if they get you I've considered it with ours when I have the horrible job of clearing, but I think she's bite through it!!

How do you suggest is the best way to get them out for cleaning?

She won't come out on her own accord and I obviously can't clean with her in there, so I usually just grab her (in the recommended lift for a rabbit) and put her in the carrier so she can't get to me to attack me, is that an okay way given her attitude?

Thank you again and I'm sorry for your loss

 

[Rcottle161]

Two of our last 3 rescues came from "Death Row" as they were biters and had been returned 3 times. Took me 2 days and they are happy, friendly bunnies with no more issues--do your reading and research--it pays off greatly--just like the story above--so sorry for your loss.

Thank you for your response.

I hope it will pay off, but mine isn't even a rescue, just horrible with no excuse!! All my rescue horses have been much more understanding and easy to work with, even the super mean ones that have taken months to come qround haven't been that cruel for no reason

2 days is even more impressive!! I have read and read qnd read on I think just about everything, I have owned rabbits before, cared for others and am a vet nurse, still I can't understand this creature!

 

[MeggyM]

Thank you for the advice.

She was checked over not too long ago by our vet and he found nothing wrong with her and the vet recommended waiting a couple months to spayed her.

I couldn't even begin to imagine mine being that sweet ever. I thought earning trust and building another rabbit relationship would be a rewarding experience after having some lovely ones before, bit it's put me off the species all together and if I'm honest I wish I had never laid eyes on her then I wouldn't be in this situation.

They obviously aren't cheap to keep either, which I wouldn't mind if keeping her was even in the slightest bit enjoyable, but it's the worst part of my day having to feed and water her, it's put me off being in a room with her at all because I never know how she's going to be and sometimes gets in a mood just because I am in the same room.

Honestly if her spay doesn't settle after a couple of months she's going to have to go, she's the most stressful to keep creature and if neither I or my partner get any joy from her then there's no point. I've had lots of other rescue animals, but as she was bought from a breeder she doesn't even have that as an excuse!

With regards to dog scent, she loves our dog and just wants to play with him, obviously he isn't allowed in her area, nor her in his, but they love each other and she just wants to be with him when he's around.

I also keep her bowls right near the edge so I don't have to lean in because she does the same lunge and growl, she's a big girl and you're right there, it does sound like the tasmanian devil!! I'm not even surprised they used a towel to grab her as their bites really hurt if they get you I've considered it with ours when I have the horrible job of clearing, but I think she's bite through it!!

How do you suggest is the best way to get them out for cleaning?

She won't come out on her own accord and I obviously can't clean with her in there, so I usually just grab her (in the recommended lift for a rabbit) and put her in the carrier so she can't get to me to attack me, is that an okay way given her attitude?

Thank you again and I'm sorry for your loss

Awe, she loves the dog?! She wants a friend!! Rabbits are social, very curious, and do great in pairs -NOT Recommending a second! - just saying it might shed some light on her behavior. Obviously I understand you can't trust her with your dog but I would be pretty mean and grumpy if I were a teenager and no one wanted to be with me, though I could see them just out of reach..! lol

I shake a bowl of pellets/treats to get my rabbits out of their cage and in another area for cleaning.

 

[MeggyM]

Hi Everyone!
Glad I found this site and hope some onf you may be able to help.
I bought a continental giant at around 12 weeks old, she's my second rabbit and Im at my wits end with her.
She was fine while she was settling in, just shy, then as soon as she settled we started having problems. Shes never been friendly and you can just about stroke her nose even after hours and hours of lying on the floor and treating her etc etc. She started destroying things when out, ive mkved anything important out the way but she starts digging the carpet, i hpsay "no" and she just keeps doing it. Obviously ypu cant lunish them any other way and if she wont liten i just herd her away but she starts threatening to attack and grunting so I have to push her in her cage with welding gloves on!

Within the last month she has been hardly using her tray and was previously litter trained, I put this down to sexual maturity, but now shes increasingly aggressive, but unpredictably so. One mjnute shes near me asking for a treat and letting my touch her, the next shes grunting and lunging for me.
Im surprised I havent given up already, I think if our rescues in the area werent at capacity I wouldve! I dont want to rehome privately because I think theyd give her back.
Shes been given everything and its still not good enough, Ive spent hours trying new bonding techniques but Im thinking she just doesnt like me.
She is 4 months now so will be booked to be spayed soon.
Im a vet nurse and have owned rabbits as well as many other pets before, I have never given up on one yet even my rescue animals. But now I absolutely dread taking any kind of care of her, I hate having her out as she can be so unpredictably nasty, she even bulllies my little dog and he wont come into the front room without wetting himself anymore. The worst part of my day is having to refil her food because shes so horrible. I dont know what to do with her, Im not just getting no joy from her, but i actively dislike having her around, shes not worth the expensive feeds I buy her to be honest.
Id be really grateful for help and suggestions.
(Please excuse my bad spelling, stubby fingers and a tablet dont mix!)

Have you talked with your vet about her behavior? She's old enough to be spayed, I believe? Maybe ask to push it up..?

You can use a spray bottle of water to say "no" to them and give a squirt on the nose. If it's hard to get that aim, either change the location or make the spry less of a stream and more mist so you don't accidentally get her eyes or ears and hurt her. I'm sure not everyone agrees with this and it may not be very effective on such a large rabbit, but it's worth a try and sometimes animals just need a little extra push in the right direction to understand changing their behavior. Not to mention you both would be happier if she were less aggresive, as she would get alot more interaction. So sometimes it is necessary for their own good to be shaped out of bad behavior and to learn more positive ones. I'm just now realizing I recommended taking a big step back from working with her while she waits to be spayed and I still stand by that, so maybe put this suggestion on hold!

 

[roytaa]

Thank you so much for your reply and advice and to everyone else, sorry for my delay I don't get much time to check my emails but I will be reading through and replying!

I assumed it was teenage days and hormones but even in previous rabbits this age that I've owned and looked after I've never experienced it this bad, it's really put me off rabbits altogether for fear of ever ending up with another like her!

We really got her for my partner, he's only owned one before but with me being veterinary trained and owning before we thought it'd be fine but he wants her gone and is put off more than I am which I a real shame as I was hoping it'd ease him into spending more time with our other animals but she's obviously had the opposite effect on him

Looking back she's been with us about 5 months I think, she has her big cage to go in at night as we can't leave her out then an indoor run, but we hardly had enough room so after 6 weeks we took that down and expanded her to just the living room in the day. The only way she can have her own run again is for her to go out in our shed which I think will be counter productive and that she'll get bored.

Was this enough time and gradual enough to give her extra room? She hasn't roamed the whole house, only the front room which is only a bit bigger than her run!

Do you think spaying will change her attitude enough to stay with us? I've seen many before spaying (and monitored many spaying!) But never seen the after effect...

Unfortunately I won't be able to change the carpet as I'm renting and am not aloud, will she stop digging it ever? She only peed on it once when I forgot to bolt her cage at night and she escaped unattended for half an hour so I'm not super concerned about that at the moment.

She has grown up around dogs since she was born and only wants to play with ours and bounces around him! Not that they're ever left unattended or in each others space for any amount of time. He's very docile and they get on very well in the next room so he isn't on "her terf." He's never aloud in the front room. She loves him far more than me and my partner!

I've owned rabbits, dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, fish, cats, horses, ponies, the whole lot and ran a rescue horse yard and this rabbit is the worst I've seen, I didn't know they could be so horrible, even to the point of sulking for hours at a time when they've been told "no" about something!

I'd be super interested to know how much spaying helps? I've had the worst week with her and let her out less as she's started going for me while I'm trying to walk around my house which I won't have from a rabbit... if she's unlikely to change then I think she'll be going to rescue very shortly as she's such a bad companion it's a real shame every other bunny I've dealt with hasn't been so mean as this, she doesn't care for a thing I do and I'm starting to want to just leave her in her cage as I hate interacting with her

Thank you again for your help I'll give the articles a read

well i have girl bun that was same when she was child,
she loved to destroy carpets (persian carpet and rugs are RLY expensive one) and if during this anyone tried to hold her , she jumped and bite.
this all fixed after fixing her,
today i kinda miss those days when she was teenage and had that much energy and joy,
now her fun is sit in corner all days and those chews and bites are happen very rarely.
for me they are really like humand child , they have some much energy and usually end up with game that is not GOOD and they wont listen to anyone ,
back then only thing kept her from destroying carpet was cover those corners she like , or try to play with her with toilet rolls , she will push them back ,and you keep throw it in front of her untill she forget about carpet , but yep dont even try to pick her up during her fun chewing or you end up bleeding .
but covering those corners that she target will solve problem for some time until she find another game for herself ,
but im telling you this you gonna miss This much energy from her after she became adult and fixed.
@rabbit_friend sorry to hear about your bun mine now is just like your old friend, when i start petting her she will lick my other hand and arm like its cake , SO fast and So hard
i cant even imagine one day i gonna lose her ,

 

[MeggyM]

We've already gone into detail about how much spaying helps but these are living animals, no one can tell you exactly what will happen after the surgery. I hope you don't take offense to that, I mean it to be realistic and encourage you with previous recommendations!!

This example isn't exactly a parallel, but it's all I've got:
2 weeks AFTER his neuter and my male was Extremely hormonal - Anytime I was with him he would nip at my feet and hump my feet and legs literally CONSTANTlY. At two months after his neuter he Completely stopped this behavior and has never done it since.

 

[MeggyM]

My female is spayed and very playful and energetic, even more so since I got her a male!

 

[Rcottle161]

Y

Have you talked with your vet about her behavior? She's old enough to be spayed, I believe? Maybe ask to push it up..?

You can use a spray bottle of water to say "no" to them and give a squirt on the nose. If it's hard to get that aim, either change the location or make the spry less of a stream and more mist so you don't accidentally get her eyes or ears and hurt her. I'm sure not everyone agrees with this and it may not be very effective on such a large rabbit, but it's worth a try and sometimes animals just need a little extra push in the right direction to understand changing their behavior. Not to mention you both would be happier if she were less aggresive, as she would get alot more interaction. So sometimes it is necessary for their own good to be shaped out of bad behavior and to learn more positive ones. I'm just now realizing I recommended taking a big step back from working with her while she waits to be spayed and I still stand by that, so maybe put this suggestion on hold!

Yes I have spoken with our vet, she is old enough now but even working at the practise it isn't a cheap procedure and to be honest I'm wondering whether it's worth us paying and going through the recovery in case she still isn't at all nice if you know what I mean. I understand that is a responsibility with owning pets but I'm wondering whether it's time to cut our losses and rehome her to a house with no other pets and more space. Our circumstances have changed since we got her and while we'd still be able to afford it as I work at the vets, I could be effectively burning that money for nothing.
Shes such an anomaly in all previous rabbit behaviour I have dealt with that I'm seriously considering whether she's worth taking the money from our pockets, especially as neither myself or my partner have any type of connection or attachment or bond with her, nor her with us.
Like You say, they are all living animals and can all react differently with neutering.

We likely will go with it and give her a chance but I'll be having a chat with my partner tomorrow to discuss our next step as neither of us enjoy having to share our down time space with her!

Thank you for your reply though, it will help our decision making process.

Also that you for the water suggestion, I have previously given this ago but it just seems to make her worse!! She's currently banned from coming out in the living room as of yesterday as ee just can't stand getting attacked for being in our front room