Smudges agressive behaviour

[LadyKat]

My Smudge has become aggressive when it comes time to put her in her cage at night. This is the only time she is aggressive. She is a 7 month old Dwarf Female Lionhead. She is not spayed but will be in early September.

I usually just wait for her to jump in her cage on her own, but some nights, like tonight I just get so tired that all I want to do is go to bed. I can usually tempt her to go in with pellets or treats, but sometimes even this just does not work.

She normally lets me pick her up (as long as I put her down real quick), I pet her, I groom her, she grooms me back by licking along the hairline on my forehead, etc. Well at night, near bed time it is like she just knows what I am doing and gets aggressive when I go to pick her up. This is usually just charging at me when I go to pick her up, pawing at me with her front paws and the occasional nip, with what I call her equivalent of growling. I normally ignore this, wait until she corners herself and pick her up anyway.

However, tonight she actually bit me twice, and by bite and mean bite, you can see her teeth mark and it is all red a swollen, she also clawed me good when I picked her up anyway and put her in her cage. Now I am really upset, my hands, arm and stomach have claw marks on them, and lets not forget the bite marks.

With animals, living in the now, she is acting like nothing happened, now that she is in her cage I can pet her and put food in her cage and tidy her cage, yes while she is in it.

What is the appropriate way to react to this aggressiveness and try to discourage future incidents?

 

[LuellaJean]

I don't know but my Sweetie is doing the same thing so I would love to know if it's correct-able or if we're just going to have to live with it and hope that spay/neuter helps!

 

[SOOOSKA]

Hi Kat, I've been bitten the odd time way back when I first got Buttercup (he will be 13 in August). Some bunnies hate to be picked up. I would suggest using an old pair of leather gloves when picking Smudge up, so if he still bites you at least when get injured. :expressionless

Also make sure you clean the bite mark right away. I also use polysporin (sp?) for preventative measures on the bite.

What kind of cage do you have? Does Smudge have to be picked up to get into it? If so can you make her a ramp so she can go in herself.

Good Luck Smudge is adorable.

Susan

 

[MiniLopHop]

If Smudge can get into her cage herself I have found hearding works better than picking up. I just kind of tickle their back side and direct them which way to go. It also helps to have greens as dinner waiting in the cage every night as an incentive.

 

[Must_Love_Pets]

I have not been bit yet but I am waiting. Kramer my lil Lionhead would love to bite me when I am moving things around in his cage. I dont let him get close enough but I know he will if I let him. He is getting a lil honory in this stage. He does not like to be picked up but the way his cage is set up, I have to. He becomes a fish out of water. I have to scruff him to calm him down and get him in his cage. I Can't wait to neuter him. He is only 3 months old. I dont expect him to like being picked up after he is neutered but it will stop some of his other hormanl behaviors like trying to attack Thor when he is below his cage and trying to nibble Smooch through their devider. Sense he can't really reach neither of them he ends up taking it out on the cage.

I hope Smudge stops after she is spayed so you can enjoy bed time.

 

[MiniLopHop]

Have you tried lifting Kramer with a towel or small blanket around him? That is how I got Becky used to being picked up. Now I can scoop her up and she's fine with it. Then again she is my snuggle bunny who will occasionally beg to be picked up for a cuddle or if she is frightened of something (vet, storm etc).

 

[Must_Love_Pets]

I never thought of that, I will try that tonight. I hate scruffing but sometimes I need to in order to keep him from flying out of my hands and to keep him safe. He is so small it is hard to carry or hold him like I hold my show bunnies, up under the arm pit. He is just too tiny for that and I am small.

Thank you

 

[LadyKat]

I just wanted to give you a quick update. It was really bugging me that she got that aggressive. Then it hit me it was where she was (under her cage) when I picked her up. I never reach under her cage unless she is trying to avoid me by going under there.

So.......I put on a long sleeve shirt and gloves and stretched my arms under her cage while she was there. Guess what?...... she lunged, made her growling noises and even bit at me. Each time she bit me, I pushed her (gently away). She finally gave up and played around my arms.

Now when she is under the cage I can pet her, I even stuck my head under there and she groomed my forehead. She even let me wrap my hands around her mid section without panic.

I guess it was more establishing that my top bunny-ness even applied under the cage.

She does her whiny noises when I pick her up, but at least has not bit me again.

 

[SOOOSKA]

Kat I very glad that you figured out what the issue was.

Now you will both live "Happily Ever After" YEAH.

Susan

 

[Must_Love_Pets]

That is FANTASTIC news :woohoo:great:

 

[GizmoTheMiniRex]

hi

my rabbit gizmo was doing the exact same thing but i managed to correct it. all i did was let her run around out of her cage alot more than usual. then i would pick her up lots of times and put her back on the ground, not in the cage. i would just keep picking her up lots of times and would not put her in teh cage. this way, she doesnt know where she is going when i pick her up. she doesnt know if she is going in the cage, on the bed, or back on the ground. it really helped and she lets me do this all the time. be patient and try what i did...it worked within 3 days

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We use the herding method. We have an apple box with a pan full of shredded newspaper in it and holes cut on both sides. When it's time to go up, we herd whoever is out til they get inside the box and then pick it up and hold it up to their hutch. Fairly simple and I don't get BIT!

 

[NDrAbBiTs58041]

Awesome news! Thats cool that you figured out away. I heard also form a breeder that if they are in season they will be a bit grumper. Don't know if this is the reason but its just a thought.

 

[NDrAbBiTs58041]

Thats a good idea, I never thoguht of that! That makes sence though.

 

[juliew19673]

Good job! Its all about figuring out what works.. Being bitten happens at times and then I always think "What did I do wrong?"..

Its never the buns fault.