At end of tether with agressive behaviour

I adopted a bunny from Pets at Home adoption centre in February this year. I was told that her reason's for being there were that she was too agreesive and that there was only one member of staff that would even attempt to handle her. I couldn't leave her and naively assumed that with neutering and some TLC she would be fine and that if left there she would never find a happy forever home.

How wrong was I!

It took the one member of staff who would go near her 45 minutes to get her into a box and once home I opened the box and allowed her her own time to come out. I got her as a house bunny so allowed her a small space with hidey holes, food and toys to start with. Once she had settled in I attempted to pick her up. She was having none of it and bit and scratched and struggled, it was heart breaking. I tried to perservere in hopes that by handling her every day she would get used to it but it just got worse so I withdrew and just tried to sit on the floor and wait for her to approach. This would happen and she enjoyed a tickle under the chin or behind the ears but once she'd decided she'd had enough she would like scrabble with her front paws and scratch.

She would jump out and bite ankles and just could not be trusted as you never knew what she was going to do. She also got very destructive and dug holes into the carpet (despite having lots of toys and digging trays). I started to just leave her to it and let her do things on her terms, so she would jump up onto the sofa for a cuddle and then hop off when she'd had enough but this wasn't practical when it came to trimming her claws or visits to the vet. I would overcome this by putting a towel over her and picking her up that way. This trick stopped working once she got spayed.

Mopsy is a beautiful cute agouti colour bun and had very sexualised behaviour, she tired humping my cats and when strocked would lower her head and raise her bottom. This stopped once I got her neutered but her violent behaviour didn't. The only time she was calm was when the cats allowed her to cuddle up to them and then she would just go all quiet and still. She's very noisy too with lots of grunts and barks. She stomps her feet too, even when you're nowhere near her! And throws her food bowl around. Just generally grumpy, aggressive and unpredictive.

I thought that having a friend would calm her and being outside would help,so she went to stay with a friend who had rabbits. There she had her own hutch with a run attached, but she couldn't get used to the ramp so would need to be lifted in and out each day and night which was fraught with bites, noise and scratching. She showed interest in the neutured boy bunny in the run next to her but we were too frightened to put them together as he is so placid and she is just so aggressive. She's stopped eating and drinking and stopped using a litter tray. Even when you open her hutch door she may go for you, usually just little punches with her front paws, but she can bite, scratch or karate kick with her back legs which is very painful as she is very strong. She can attack when changing her food bowl and when cleaning her out. My friend has now had enough and is concerned about her children around Mopsy as she is just so agressive and unpredictable.

There is no triggers that I can figure out and her sight and hearing appear to be fine although I have not had this checked out properly. Could it be her sight? How much is it likely to cost to get her sight checked?

I can't have her back in the house as she is too destructive, I have a hutch outside but how am I going to get her into a run when she won't be picked up? I can't take the risk of getting a boy bunny for her and that not being the answer as that would not be fair on either bunny and I would find it hard financially.

I don't know if that is just her temperment or if something happened to her early in life. Or perhaps due to her colouring, she has wild rabbit in her?

Please can someone help me? What do I do? I'm worried about rehoming her as her agression has got worse and don't think anyone would take her and she'll just end up being passed from home to home. Does anyone know of a permenant home she could go to? Or would a rescue be willing to try and see if she can be bonded with a boy bunny and see if this calms down her behaviour? I don't know what else to do.

Thankyou for reading my long post.

Sorry to hear of your predicament.
Re the bonding, I'm sure a good rescue (who are used to stroppy buns) could bond for you. The fact that you said the cats calmed her down sounds a good sign. From what I've read on here (I'm not an experienced owner by any means, hope someone comes on who is) a stroppy bun can behave differently with another rabbit ( or a "nicely behaved" rabbit can be a nightmare with other buns)

Re the housing, I found a hutch very difficult to get to my two, who hated being picked up ( I think they picked up on my hesitations) - they'd go to the back where I couldn't reach them (floor level hutch) So I bought a permenant bigger run and tunnel for them to come ad go as they like, and then eventually a wendyhouse. Could this be acheived with your hutch?
It sounds like she is territorial (again I'm no expert , just absorbing stuff from on here)

Good luck getting her back , one way or another. Hope someone comes on soon to help you :wave:

How long ago was she neutered? Was it a while ago or recently?

The issues at your friend's house sound almost like territorial aggression in my very limited experience. The smells of the other bunnies and being somewhere new again, she may just be unsettled and that making it all worse for now. I think attacking when doing the food bowl and cleaning out make me think territorial aggression.

I agree with Bunsterfied you wont know about how she might be with a friend unless you try & the cats thing does sound positive - she may like the security of another bun being around - so you could approach a rescue about them attempting to bond her with a single bun, if you explain to them, they may be happy to try on the understanding that if it doesnt work out, then you cant adopt the bunny?

I have two buns who are skittish and dont like being stroked or handled, but they arent aggressive and do tolerate it when needs must. They have a shed with a run attached, accessed through a catflap, and so I dont have to handle them regularly except for claw trims & vet visits etc. You could get a large hutch/run or kennel type convo so she has lots of space to run around in, with limited or no handling involved from you.

I can't help much, but look at runaround. I'm attaching my buns shed to their run with a flexible pipe. I'm getting 2 double doors for each bit, so you could shut her in the run while you clean out her hutch and vice versa. Should at least help with the hutch/run/handling issue

Hope you get it sorted a bit. Maybe once yuo have that and don't attempt to pick her up, she might chill a bit.

sorry i dont have any experience with aggressive buns but could you maybe attach a permanent run to her hutch to eliminate the need to lift her in and out?

im sure someone on here will be able to help you sort this out

I can't offer help regarding the aggression but all four of my rabbits come out of their hutches and run accross the garden into their runs - without the need for picking them up. They simply learnt (very quickly!) to follow the noise of me shaking some pellets in a plastic cup - and they love them so much they would do anything for them. The same thing happens at night to get them back into their hutches. Good Luck.

A rabbit who shows aggression towards people may not be aggressive towards other rabbits. I have quite a few who will bite/box/scratch me, but are very loving towards their bun wife/husband :wave:

Thankyou very much for all your positive comments. I will try and find a rescue that will attempt a bond. I can't bare the thought of her being outside all alone and so unhappy as she obviously is.

SallyT said:

Thankyou very much for all your positive comments. I will try and find a rescue that will attempt a bond. I can't bare the thought of her being outside all alone and so unhappy as she obviously is.

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Hi just a quick one as just browsing on my phone but I think she needs some free range time or large hutch with run attached so you can avoid picking her up - only pick up for medical reasons, it's something she clearly hates & it's stressing you & her, you need to have lots of patience & be very calm & gentle all the time or you will create a viscous circle - ideally if she could free range while your gardening you could play the game much like with horses where you stroke her & walk away frequently, eventually she will come to be near you - in fairness to her the recommended period to settle in is a minimum of 24 hours & you were handling her a lot before she was neutered & after she has been moved somewhere else which will have unsettled her - she needs lots of time & patience & she will love being with another rabbit, her behaviour now is probably all fear related - she's a brave little thing you have to admire these sort of rabbits for their courage, best of luck because if you can win her trust she will become a fabulous pet but she is an intelligent rabbit a& sitting alone in a hutch will just make her aggressive your right & picking her up wont help her or you to bond.

Jill (honeybunny) has quite a bit of experience with aggressive buns and will, I'm sure gladly offer you some advice - she may also be willing to attempt a bond for you Her tel no & email are in my siggy :wave:

I have only skim read your first post but what size is her accommodation? As VickiP has said the more exercise you can give her the better. In my (limited) experience most rabbits are much happier/more chilled out after a some free range time to let off steam. In addition to free range time she needs access to a secure run for as much time as possible (ideally 24/7). Buns are often more defensive/aggressive when they are in a small space so the more space she has the less likely this is to be an issue. I'm not suggesting it will resolve the problem but it is likely to help

If she doesn't like being picked up, try & limit doing this as much as possible. Use a carrier to move her if you have to. Be calm, talk softly and move slowly when around her. Sudden movements or loud noises can often make a rabbit react. Wear gloves & long sleeves to prevent injury & to help your confidence. Be patient, it may take some time but I'm sure she will learn to trust you and seeing the change is the most rewarding experience

I agree with this ^

I think the key is to handle her as little as possible. She finds handling very stressful and so has come to associate you with fear unfortunately
I also think that a friend will do her the world of good :wave:

Yep totally agree with fluffers, my older doe was a bit stroppy when I first adopted her & is big after a couple of weeks of therapy digging up the garden & running around like a loon it got to the stage where she was trying to jump up on my lap & followed me around like a shadow she chilled out I think largely as she got a shed rather than a hutch, I had exactly the same worries about bonding her bit she was completely different actually very placid but she can look after herself if you see what I mean not that she's needed to a her partner adores her! Best of luck

Hi! I have no experience with aggressive buns but just wanted to say that my Charlie hates being picked up and Casper will happily be picked up. Charlie will run to the furthest point of the run if I try to pick him up to come out onto the grass for some free range time. Or he will hide in the shed under the hutch in there. It's too much hassle and stress for him to keep trying to catch him, so most of the time, unless he seems really amenable to it, I just pop their carry case in the run and he jumps right in. Then transport him in that out to the lawn. He will immediately stop cowering in the corner away from me and jump right in the carry case when he sees it appearing in the run. Just a thought. Hope someone else more experienced can help.

Whilst you are working on not picking her up, could you try hand feeding her something tasty? I have two foster buns who would cower on my approach. I have been hand feeding them their pellets and now they look for me coming. It might help that she sees you as a positive coming towards her.

I do feel for you!

I have 8 bunnies and luckily 6 can be picked up to one extent or another, though none of them really like it. The other 2 HATE it. They aren't aggressive, but they are nervous and generally unhappy with being touched so I don't pick them up - it terrifies them. If they need to go to the vets they get herded into a carrier, once in the carrier they are very quiet so nails can be trimmed and bottoms checked there. Otherwise, no chance!!

I can feed a fenugreek crunchie and have a good feel under their bums and they tolerate touching if they're eating mostly. We've built up a good relationship through hand feeding and touching this way.

One of my other buns was also a house bunny, and I think he was very lonely. He often shoved his nose under the cat and followed her around endlessly which she hated!! He just seemed to want to be close to something with fur, but she didn't act the way he wanted her too, ie she would not lick his head!!! I wouldn't worry about your bun being too bossy at the moment - most buns can find a friend that suits them and it may make her so much happier.

Good luck and keep us posted!!

I have 3 aggressive buns and the main thing is not to handle them 2 much. I have avery style runs with hutches attached to them so they run in and out fo the hutches as they please (they have run access 24/7) I see them twice a day and take food and while they are eating I give them a quick eye and bum check and that's it. They will *hopefully* be moved into a shed and bonded with my others next week.

A lot of people ask me why I bother with my aggressive rabbits and why don't I get them PTS evil or rehome them, and the reason is I don't have them for my enjoyment, I have them to give them the best life they can possibly have as rabbits, I understand that they hate human contact, and I have tried everything to get them used to me. I have 6 other buns who ejoy my company so to me it doesn't matter as long as they are happy and healthy!

One thing to think about is space, an aggressive rabbit will often be worse isn small and confined spaces (such as a hutch, which is again a good reason to get a hutch and run combo so they can have space 24/7) and try not to pick it up, at all if you don't have to. Sit on the floor with it and interact with her on your level, if she comes over to you (and doesn't bite) give her a treat, it will take hours of work and a lot of patience, but that is what I am having to do with my newest recue bunny and he is slowly coming around and starting to trust me. Just bear in mind that some buns can't be changed and are more than happy living life with minimal human contact.

A few months ago I was petrified of Baby, she'd clamp her teeth into my arm and even stick her head through the hutch bars to try bite me. When she was out she took forever to catch, I'd have to round her up and corner her and she didn't like being picked up.

Now, she's always jumping up onto my knee for attention, she'll sit there for half an hour expecting me to stroke her for that long and start nudging me if I don't. She's bitten only once in the last 5 months, I believe it was my fault though as I wasn't holding her properly, my finger was right near her mouth and she was stressed, she didn't lock on this time though. There's no rounding her up to catch her because she comes to me. I've done the same with an incredibly skitty rabbit that would run if so much as looked at him :shock:

There was a story recently about a rabbit that after years would finally let you stroke it etc.

All I can suggest is really take it slow, let her built up trust with you. Make sure she has lots of stuff to entertained, and when you do stroke her or pick her up, put her out for a run or give her a treat, let it be a positive experience. How do you hold her? Harley struggles quite a lot when I pick him up, but if I have my elbow over his head he doesn't. I can't explain it, but all the buns seem to like being held that way and if they're small you can even do it with one hand, their front legs resting on your elbow and your hand supporting their bum

Update

Thankyou so much for all of the tips and advice, I have taken them all on board and have been working hard with her to gain trust and confidence.

Now here is the wierd thing.

She did have a large hutch with run attached for 24/7 access but when in the run would just hide under a little rabbit house. This was when her behaviour was at it's worse and she was obviously very unhappy as she stopped eating and drinking which is why we had to do something quite drastic.

So, she is now in a hutch on her own, in the corner of the garden with no run and is happy as larry! She is gobbling down food, even dandelion leaves which she never touched before, she's playing with her toys and stretching up to look around. It's a similar hutch to her one at my friends house but without a run.

I'm really not happy having her cooped up all day every day but she has come on leaps and bounds and providing you don't go into her bedroom while she's in there will not bite or scramble at you.

But she is really happy. Happier than she was as a house rabbit and definately happier than she was at my friends house. So do I leave her as she is while she is happy?

SallyT said:

Thankyou so much for all of the tips and advice, I have taken them all on board and have been working hard with her to gain trust and confidence.

Now here is the wierd thing.

She did have a large hutch with run attached for 24/7 access but when in the run would just hide under a little rabbit house. This was when her behaviour was at it's worse and she was obviously very unhappy as she stopped eating and drinking which is why we had to do something quite drastic.

So, she is now in a hutch on her own, in the corner of the garden with no run and is happy as larry! She is gobbling down food, even dandelion leaves which she never touched before, she's playing with her toys and stretching up to look around. It's a similar hutch to her one at my friends house but without a run.

I'm really not happy having her cooped up all day every day but she has come on leaps and bounds and providing you don't go into her bedroom while she's in there will not bite or scramble at you.

But she is really happy. Happier than she was as a house rabbit and definately happier than she was at my friends house. So do I leave her as she is while she is happy?

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That's odd, maybe she doesn't feel secure in a large open space, did the old hutch/run have lots of hidey holes?

Yes, relatively. The run had a rabbit house and as the hutch had a ramp coming down into the run she could hide under the run. She seems to like being contained, which is very odd. :?