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scary rabbit

Bunnytod

Mama Doe
I have currently got a temp rabbit living with me, He is only about 6 months old but scares me to death, I cant feed him without him lunging and trying to draw blood, As soon as you open the cage he is there and ready to bite:shock:
He is not neutered and i know this will help but at this momment i cant get it done due to funding. Any ideas on how to calm him down even slighty.
 
Well with Dennis I would let him out and let him have his exercise and then put his food in while he was out of his cage the chicken I am :oops::lol:
But it was also a good way of making him go back in when I wanted him to ;)
 
Try wearing thick gardening gloves.I had to do this for a few months with one of my buns.
 
all of the above. but also is he in a small hutch? if yes i would try increasing his space. he sounds very territorial. I would imagine he bites if you try and pick him up too. I think i would possibly let him either go into a carrier and the place in run or put down in a sectioned off part of garden/house.(#which is safe) it may be he is scared too. Then once in an enclosed area (but big enough to run around in) i would put toys in there and food and sit in ther with him and see if he will come to you. how long has he been home? has he had time to adjust to new surroundings? also i would try giving him a cuddly toy crude as this sounds now if he is aggressive due to hormones he is likely to hump the toy a lot which may tire him out. is he likely to be bored? i would also try giving him lots of toys to keep his mind stimulated. i think build up contact gradually. is it possible you smell of a dog or other predator he may fear?or even that your hands smell of the food try using a scoop to put the food in. for the first few times u try anything i would wear gloves as it will take time and patience. hope this helps? is he getting a run at the moment? it could be frustration as he wants to get out?
 
My girls were both viscious when i got them, they hadn't been handled for ages and they both lunged at me when i went to get their bowls or them out. I just wore a big jumper and made sure it covered my hands and spoke to them as i either got their bowls or them.
I would say though, if they were hungry they were more likely to bite so try and distract him with a carrot so you can get his bowl out, and when you get him out of his hutch to his run, as mine is separate too, i would try and nestle his head under your elbow, it gives mine some comfort that way they can both see whats happening and you know he's not going to attack!!
 
Billy was just like that when I first got him, it took months after his neuter before he started to chill.

Do you know much about the buns history? I know that Billy's aggression was associated with his previous owners picking him up by his ears!!:shock: He thought everyone would treat him that way. I don't think he was fed or cleaned out all that often either.

I've had Billy a year and a half now and he's now bonded with his sister, Emily (who I rescued from the same owner a few months later) and he's a lot better now. He's still very impatient with food and will bite you if you take too long :roll:

I've just accepted the fact that neither of them are cuddly buns and never will be. They love each other very much though :love:

So, my advice would just be give him time
 
I have had the same problems with Bella - before she was spayed it was impossible to get near her in her cage and it was very scary. She has calmed down a lot since being spayed but I still can't put my hand into her cage or she will lunge and bite. When I feed her I throw a few pellets into one end of her cage so that I can get her bowl out of the other.

She is also a rabbit who can't be picked up - she scratches, bites and kicks and I was covered in bruises and scratches to start with. I now have her cage on the floor so that I just lift the front up so she can get in and out herself. Luckily as she is very motivated by food I have been able to teach her to come back to her cage by rattling a tub of pineapple chunks and it works every time. This has also helped her to calm down a little as she will do anything for a pineapple chunk. She is a friendly bunny out of her cage and will come and lay down next to me for nose rubs and her ears stroking, but she would never let me pick her up for a cuddle and I accept her the way she is as she is still a very lovable bunny, and more importantly she's a happy bunny.

I hope your bunny calms down soon. :)
 
It sounds as if it's just going to take time. Bud wasn't particularly aggressive but he did throw a wobbly every time I went near when I first got him. He would be running into the side of the hutch and scratching at things to try and get away. I used to just go and sit by the hutch and talk to him. I know he wasn't well treated before his previous owner literally dumped him at the recue centre. Eventually, he started coming to sniff at me through the cage. Now he is ok. He still doesn't really like to be picked up or stroked but he doesnt run away every time i go near either!!! I let them both have a run around in the house. I lie on the floor, so I'm not so big and they jump and climb all over me!!! He's not going to be a cuddly bunny like Stella, but he's happy.
 
Probably best not to try and handle him as he is scared and aggressive. You could put a towel over him to lift him out of the hutch into the run and use a pet carrier to get him back into the hutch. Wear gloves as well! I think it's going to take alot of time to get him to trust you.
What's he like when you give him food through the wire, does he take it from you?
 
Use two bowls. In the morning give him the full one and take the empty one out whilst he is eating.

Approach him from above or the side to make sure he can see you.

Talk to him quietly when approaching him.

Hand feed him treats to gain his trust.

Keep picking up and carrying to a minimum.

Wear thick gloves!

Will he let you rub his nose? Harvey and Hershey were both mardy to start with but would let me into their cage if I rubbed their noses first.

Above all get him neutered ASAP as this behaviour can get much worse and is more likely to be permenant if left.
 
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