Aggression

Hey

I've had my male (neutered) Dutch rabbit for more than a year now. He lives indoors but has the run of the apartment. He's very affectionate and rarely grunts and never attacks me.

The problem: He's often aggressive towards my mother and my brother. At times he will run out from behind the sofa to grunt and attack my mother rather viciously. Only when she gives him a treat does he relent. She often looks after him if I'm away for the weekend and at times he's not bothered by her, but mostly he will attack her if I'm not there.

Could this be a behavioral problem? He doesn't attack my boyfriend or me - not even our cat (they get on well). If it is behavioral how can I fix it?

If your mum gives him a treat after he has gone for her - she is rewarding his bad behaviour and rabbits tend to get into habbits quickly.. which they stick to strictly unless the habbit is broken. I would get your mum to pick him up before he goes for her, give him a treat and pop him back down again. This cuts out the aggressive start to the process...

He may not like her scent - like perfume etc... some buns dislike some humans like some humans dislike other humans.... but I feel that giving him a treat to break the bad behaviour is actually having he opposite affect - if I get the right end of the stick?