Random attacking

[toyabrooke]

Hello everyone,

For the past few days, Poe has been doing a great job. There have been some hormonal moments and some little aggressive ones, but none have been bad and never one bite! Today though when I let him out of his cage.. it seemed a bit unhappy. He didn't chase me or anything like that, but when he went to the toilet in a BAD place I went to go clean it up and he latched onto my wrist with his teeth and kicked! He has attacked like this before when I have been in his cage (lesson learnt), but never outside it or without reason (he did the first night when he was scared). I am so confused as to what I did wrong, because he has never been defensive about his business before! He is also grunting and charging at me while he was eating treat bamboo which he gets when im sitting on the ground with him. He wanted to fully take it out of my hand but I wouldn't let him, and he wasn't very happy with that! He is also very grumpy on his desk today, and doesn't even seem to like me to type this, but is then happy to go and flop and relax once he has had a few goes at me.

I tried dominating and punishing when we first got him when he did behaviour like this, but all it seemed to do was make him more afraid of me and be less comfortable being around me which is not what I want at all.

I thought these hormonal days were over since the operation and it would only DECREASE not increase/ not keep going up and down still!

Getting quite over this aggression. My Dudley never did anything like this ever and was neutered even later than Poe!

Toya :mrsthumper:

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Well he is definitely Mr. Dudley. You may have to wear gloves when you interact till he learns it's futile. Or you may want to go back to lessons in dominance. Better to train the rabbit than be trained by the rabbit.

 

[toyabrooke]

I can usually interact fine with him it's just suddenly today he is so grumpy! I can pick him up, nurse him, be near up and even have him hop on me and on my lap and there are never any issues. He even follows me and I think even enjoys my company! I'm just so confused as to what set this off - That's if anything even did or if his hormones are on there (hopefully) last high!

In regards to dominating, I may give it a go again. My tactic for the past week and a bit has been to not put my self or him in situations where he has the opportunity to be aggressive or dominant - So not aggravating him and making him come at me if he is on the floor while I clean the cage, or not putting my hands really close infront of his face, or making sure I'm on his level when he is picked up etc. etc. and that has been working really well. He seems much more at home, very happy and more comfortable being with me and didn't even try much aggression or dominance with me at all because I thought he felt safe!

So many conflicting signs... Silly mood swings!!

Toya

:mrsthumper: