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Aggressive baby- 5 weeks?

Starlight

Warren Veteran
As some of you know, two of the pregnant giant x's stayed with my fosterer and gave birth. One rejected her litter, and all 4 were semi- reared (Mummy held on her side whie babies fed and then supplimented with goats milk once old enough to drink from a bottle)

One of the babies, now 5 weeks old, from a few days ago, has started to show aggression. He/She will chase your hand/foot and try to bite. He/she will lunge, and will run from one end of the room to the other to try and get you.

Is this normal at this age? I would normally point it at being hormonal.... but they are only 5 weeks old!

They have had a LOT of human handling from one day old due to being rejected, so it is not from hate of humans, as they love cuddles and a fuss, and it is only one of them that does this!
 
No, that's normal.

I would question if the bunny is not learning proper bunny social skills possibly?

I would also look for a medical problem (which you probably already have), but it could be hormones. I have heard of a 7 week old making mum pregnant, so its not unheard of.
 
All 4 are in an indoor cage together, and in the cage is also two orphan and two of the other rabbits litter, these are all 2 ish weeks old.

The bun has never shown any aggression towards them, and it only happened a few days ago, could it be related somehow?

I can't find anything physically wrong with him, and his eyesight is obviously good to follow where I walk away!

O/H says "stand up to him", but it's different when it is you being chased I said!

I am starying at the fosterers house this weekend while she and husband are at Download, so have seen the little demon in action!
 
I meant that's not normal, sorry!

Did it coincide with the smaller litter? f so, that could be related, such as maybe a need to protect, possibly.

Or is it possibly you because you smell of something threatening? (say maybe your cat?).
 
I'll ask when the younger litter was put in with them (was done to teach the little ones to munch hay/pellets etc!)

The fosterer noticed it a few days before so not a wierd smell that I know of (she only has buns here, and by now they would have gotten used to the smell of each other)

We are all really confused!
The other 3 are all so sweet and affectionate, but this one has just turnt a little bad! He is still very affectionate to his siblings and half siblings and they are all currently in a big pile!

I have never seen aggression like this in a bunny this young :?
I thought being with his siblings would have taught him social skills, and being handled daily from day one should have given them an understanding that humans aren't food! They all see my fosterer as their technical mum as well, so very weird!
 
I've heard of this with hand-reared babies. I think they lose any wariness of humans when they've been hand-reared, and any natural aggressiveness an individual might have can be directed towards the person who raised him/her. 5 weeks does seem a little young though!

I have a trio of hand-reared dutches, and two are friendly and sweet, but the 'boss' girl often growls at me and has bitten me a couple of times
 
Is there anyway I can test to confirm he/she is?
Would the aggression not have started earlier if he/she was?

It tracked my hand when I moved it around in mid-air.. so maybe bad eyesight but not blind?

AMS- will he/she always be like this towards humans if is the case?
 
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