Spraying Urine + Aggression Issues

I'm guessing that a rabbit sprays urine to mark their territory?

My boy rabbit came to us with hutch aggression but was lovely in his run. Now he is fine in his hutch (apart from pooping everywhere) - but I can now safely put my hand in there to give him food!!

But he now seems to have developed garden territory/aggression issues. He has sprayed me a couple of times (and other things) with urine now. (He has been neutered)

He has food issues. I thought I was getting somewhere with him by approaching him slowly and carefully and holding out my hand slowly - when I first got him as long as he wasn't in a frantic mood he would take it off my hand carefully. Now I'm too scared to, too many bites/boxing/scratches.

I don't know what to do about him. I accepted he had a problem when I took him on, but I feel like I've gone one step forward, but two steps back. I feel like I'm doing something wrong.

If anyone can suggest what I can do to make him feel happier and less need to be aggressive I'd be very grateful. What to do with a garden aggressive rabbit? Or should I just leave him alone?

Is he neutered?

Sky-O said:

Is he neutered?

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Yep and bonded with a wifey who is sprayed. (She seems to deal with him well - putting up with him most the time but putting him in his place when necessary )

Ok, that's good, how long ago was he neutered? I'm just wondering whether he still has hormones left to lose.

Does he attack at a particular time in the garden? Or in particular circumstances?

Thanks for your replies by the way - I really value your help!

He was neutered well before I adopted him - so at least 6 months ago.

This morning when he got me at close range I was sweeping up near him on the patio (so I blame myself for that - I must have made him feel threatened). He doesn't usually mind me sweeping tho - he monitors me cleaning out the hutch sometimes and the brush is definitely marked as his (he has to mark everything as his - I've seen him rub his chin on blades of grass before now).

The rest of the times hes sprayed - I'm not usually close to him (altho close enough to get hit - it's amazing how far urine flies) and nothing is usually happening - he frequently does it when he has just been digging.

He has had a traumatic past, so of course he has issues.

My concern is two fold:
1) the 'acting out' has gone from the hutch to the garden
2) the behavior seems to be getting worse
The two factors make me feel like I'm doing something wrong.

Ok, the spraying after digging is normal and expected. When they dig they need to mark the 'burrow' to indicate it is theirs, so the territory marking (the spraying) is expected and normal. There's not much you can do about that.

Many of mine get funny about me sweeping or clearing up their mess. I wonder, when you swept up today, had you swept up anything else prior to that that may have smelt different (such as sweeping up after another animal, for example).

I would suspect that a lot of what he is doing is related to being anxious and in the garden, that is not just his space, which can make it hard to feel secure for those bunnies with a traumatised background.

My other question would be, how is his eyesight and hearing?

That makes me feel so much better - I've been trying to find out what it means for hours, everything I've read says that it should go away with neutering which made me really concerned when my neutered rabbit was doing it! :shock:

I will just know to move out the way when he starts digging - not that he should be digging up my lawn :no: :lol:

He was found abandoned in a field - so I guess like you said he doesn't feel secure in the garden. Would it better to not let him free-range? Its not a huge garden and they both seem to enjoy free-range time. They are the only animals I have in the garden - so maybe when he marks every blade of grass as his he will relax.

The rest of his aggression could be put done to food issues which he has always had (a consequence of wondering whether this will be his last meal but that should go away with time)

His hearing and eye sight has given me no cause for concern. He has selective hearing sometimes when he is being naughty but if he thinks there might be food involved his hearing is impeccable. :lol:

Thank you so very much Sky-O. I really, really appreciate your help. Thank you for taking the time to reply to me.

I'm glad I was able to help.

If they enjoy free range time then I wouldn't cut it out completely. Do they have a run attach to their hutch? I wonder if there are particular times of the day when he feels more insecure and so is more territorial? If so, maybe in those times it would be better to not have him free range.

He has had a really hard time and unfortunately he may be carrying the emotional scars of that. He won't consciously remember those times, but his instincts may be making him act this way (which may confuse him as much as it confuses you).

I would hope that with time he will learn to trust and his food aggression issues will ease. I have a girlie who was without water for a while and for ages after she came to me she would just drink loads of water through anxiety of not having it. It took a long time to settle but now she is doing much better and drinks a normal amount. It took about 18 months to get to that point I reckon. I know that's different, but its hopefully an example that can show that previous experiences can be beaten and behaviour can be changed.

You're doing so well for him trying to live within his means and accepting him for who he is. He's so, so lucky to have come your way.

Hi, we adopted a hutch aggressive/badley treated rabbit and it took over 2 years for him to settle down after a neuter, just stick by him and you will get there in the end

Just to add can you not give him treats wearing thick gloves ( you can get workers gloves from B&Q which protect wrists/arms as well) or use a "stick" with a hand on that vets/rescues use to socialise aggressive animals, I'm sure your vet would know what i mean.

You will need this gentle contact (grooming him) to calm him down a bit quicker.

Sky-O said:

Do they have a run attach to their hutch? I wonder if there are particular times of the day when he feels more insecure and so is more territorial? If so, maybe in those times it would be better to not have him free range.

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They have two runs attached to the hutch (the first one wasn't big enough) and I think they are happy with the space now even without free ranging. I will experiment with free ranging time, length and time of day!

Before I bought the second run they used to get really excited about going out and took ages to get them back in. Now they saunter out and get back in to their hutch demanding their pellets and veg before I've managed to clean the hutch out properly!

Sky-O said:

I have a girlie who was without water for a while and for ages after she came to me she would just drink loads of water through anxiety of not having it. It took a long time to settle but now she is doing much better and drinks a normal amount. It took about 18 months to get to that point I reckon. I know that's different, but its hopefully an example that can show that previous experiences can be beaten and behaviour can be changed.

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I will not worry about him so much and give him time. I'm sorry that your bunny girl went thro that- she was extremely lucky to have you - as are all your other bunnys! (Not that I've been post stalking you ). Your bunny :rabbit2: karma must be immense with the rabbits your caring for plus the extra karma you get for improving other bunny parents like me!

joeyred said:

Hi, we adopted a hutch aggressive/badley treated rabbit and it took over 2 years for him to settle down after a neuter, just stick by him and you will get there in the end

Just to add can you not give him treats wearing thick gloves ( you can get workers gloves from B&Q which protect wrists/arms as well) or use a "stick" with a hand on that vets/rescues use to socialise aggressive animals, I'm sure your vet would know what i mean.

You will need this gentle contact (grooming him) to calm him down a bit quicker.

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Thank you - it's really nice to hear from success stories. I shall purchase some gloves tomorrow and he can start being hand fed treats again Failing that I shall contact my vet and get a hand on a stick.

It seems so ridiculous for such a tiny cute rabbit, but he doesn't know thats what he is and I've got the scars to prove he is armed.

Bunny Mum2b said:

I will not worry about him so much and give him time. I'm sorry that your bunny girl went thro that- she was extremely lucky to have you - as are all your other bunnys! (Not that I've been post stalking you ). Your bunny :rabbit2: karma must be immense with the rabbits your caring for plus the extra karma you get for improving other bunny parents like me!

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Aw, that's really, really nice thank you.

I agree that finding a way to be near him and touch him and such without reacting is important. I had a vicious bunny but he had never had anything nasty happen to him, ever, but I used to use thick gardening gloves with him so he could bite me and not react. The not reacting is really important, but so easier said than done. Its also very important to not be scared of him or try and anticipate what he might do. Just be calm around him and hopefully he will feel that calm.