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Toby smells another bun on me & starts growling - is he jealous?

seagreen

Warren Scout
I've had Toby Rabbit as a single, very pamper housebun since he was 12 weeks old, he'll be 7 in a couple of weeks time. He is the most friendly, loving, licky rabbit you could wish for but if he gets one whiff of another bun on me, then it's lunging with tail & ears up & growling & chasing me.

If I've been helping at a rabbit shelter or fosterer - I walk straight into my kitchen, strip off all my clothes & put them into the washing machine & then go up to the shower to wash my hair & have good scrub.

Even doing this, when I open the door of the room where Tobes has been shut in he takes on an aggressive stance & has to sniff me all over before I can walk off without being chased & growled at.

It doesn't seem to matter if the rabbit smell is male or female. A friend walked into my house with her female bun in a carrier. Toby charged into the hall before I had time to close the door & when I put my hand down to shoo him back he bit me for the first & only time.

This is behavior so different from my previous rabbits who didn't show any aggression to me after handling other rabbits, just very interested sniffing. Any ideas why he behaves like this ?
 
he is just being territorial also he may just not like the smell of the bunny just like we can dislike people for no real reason
 
This is basic referred aggression. If he smells another bun on you, his natural instincts to defend his territory will kick in, neutered or not.

Where are you getting close to another bun?

You should always change clothing before approaching him if this is the case and ensure you have washed your hands etc.

ETA: just read, you should DEFINATELY be changing clothes and thoroughly washing before getting close to him in this situation. Working at another rescue, are you working with quarantined rabbits etc?
 
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