Is this normal rabbit behaviour - or is she being aggressive?

Hi
My friend has just moved abroad to work for 18 months and I am looking after her rabbit while she is gone. I have never had a rabbit before so all of this is new to me and I could do with some advice from more experienced bunny owners.
I've been trying to get to know her and get her to trust me etc. She doesn't like being picked up which makes things really hard getting her from the hutch to the run on the grass - I have to use a cat box every time. I think part of the problem is my lack of confidence. Anyway, here is my question:

When I kneal down with her she sometimes hops onto my lap. Yesterday she started climbing up my tummy towards my shoulder and nibbling my clothes. She does nip/bite sometimes on my arm (I got a bruise even through a coat!). Then she started clawing at my coat (fast clawing IYKWIM). I don't know if she was being aggressive/friendly/other?! I know I didn't like it much. What do you think and what should I do about it. I really want to make friends with her as I think she is lonely/pining because she was part of a bonded pair, but Tommy got eaten by a fox the week before she came to me (last week). (I am thinking for getting two more bunnies to keep her company - but I'll ask about that later

Please help me. I really want to make this work.
Thanks
Katya

Is she spayed and how old is she? She may be more aggressive if she isn't spayed. She is probably very confused, lost her partner, new owner, new territory, I think anyone would be scared, more so if she saw what happened to her partner A lot of rabbits don't like to be picked up, for a wild rabbit that would signify death. Putting the bunny in a carry case to take to a run is a good thing to do More secure and won't scare her so much. It will take time for her to trust you. Sit on the floor with her indoors (or in the run if you can) and read a book or something and let her investigate as she feels comfortable. Offer her healthy treats or hay when she comes to you and just stroke her. This will show that you won't pick her up whenever she comes near and she will be more relaxed around you. The digging and clawing in you doesn't sound that friendly. Do you have any other animals or know of anything else that may have scared her? Let her settle down before introducing other rabbits and make sure that your friend won't mind having more rabbits when she gets back, you wouldn't want to break up a bonded pair/threesome
And welcome to the forum! :wave:

Katya said:

Hi
Then she started clawing at my coat (fast clawing IYKWIM). I don't know if she was being aggressive/friendly/other?!

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did it kind of feel like she was trying to dig a tunnel through you? Mine do that sometimes when I'm holding them. Ive always thought they were just digging for fun when they did that although i guess they could be trying to escape!!

She doesnt sound aggressive to me, just a bit nervous and unsure. you can tell when they're displaying aggression because they rear up and make a sort of snorting noise - then they bite really hard and won't let go. (ouch.)

good luck with your new rabbit, I'm sure you'll have a lovely time together once she's settled in.

Thanks for the replies.

I don't know, but I think she hasn't been spayed. She is a Netherland Dwarf and is about 1.5 years. She has already had a litter, because they thought she was a boy and so kept her with a boy :roll: My friend says that she has never been a particularly cuddly bunny and tends to nip when she is held for any length of time. I don't have any other pets (unless you countmy sons' goldfish). So she couldn't have smelt another animal on me
I know she has been through a lot of change recently - loss of partner, new owner, new location and I want to make the transition smooth for her - I just don't know how to interpret her 'body language' especially this digging/clawing up my coat. It felt like she wanted attention and was being friendly when she climbed up on my lap and started climbing - but I really didn't like being 'dug'
In spite of these difficulties, I'm loving having a bunny (I've wanted one for so long) I just hope I can help her settle in and understand what she is trying to 'tell me'.
Thanks for all your help
Katya

hi Katya Some rabbits aren't cuddly buns, and very few like to be held, esp for long periods of time( my two will tolerate it for a minute, but after that they begin to squirm.) There is nothing wrong with using a cat carrier to move her between the hutch and run, esp as you aren't very confident at the moment.When I first got my rabbits it took me ages to feel condfident about carrying them to the run and used a pet carrier for months! Let her crawl over you but don't be tempted to turn it into an opportunity to hold her. It is important for her to feel relaxed about being near you and eventually she won't see you as a threat. Bribery works wonders as well. When she is near you, tempt her with a treat, but again, don't try to touch her. There is a wonderful wesite which helps you understand the rabbit body language. If you Google "language of the lagomorph" it'll come up, though someone here may be able to give you a direct link. Good luck with bonding with your bunster..keep us updated

Is it this link you meant? http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html I found this when I first had Bailey and I understand so much more of what he was doing and saying after reading it! Although he is a lop, so not all the ear signals apply to him, although you can sometimes see a few of them.
When she 'dug' you, were you stroking her? Just thinking maybe she wanted fuss? Maybe she was trying to play? My mum used to have a bunny who did a variation of this. She would sit against a wall on the floor, he would dig at her to make her move, run behind her, she would sit back and he would dig again!

Yep, Sarah, that's the one!!