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Aggression?

Captain Helen

Wise Old Thumper
Is a bun that's aggressive towards humans likely to be aggressive towards other buns?

I've only had one really aggressive bun and she was the same towards both humans and buns. I've seen a couple of threads here that suggest bonding an aggressive bun can sometimes calm them down though.

I ask as I've met a cute little grey lionhead today at the RSPCA who is very aggressive towards humans. He's never been tried with a girly bun, so I really don't know if he would bond with Storm. It could be just the small area he's living in that's causing it. What to do?

Thanks :wave:
 
Is a bun that's aggressive towards humans likely to be aggressive towards other buns?

I've only had one really aggressive bun and she was the same towards both humans and buns. I've seen a couple of threads here that suggest bonding an aggressive bun can sometimes calm them down though.

I ask as I've met a cute little grey lionhead today at the RSPCA who is very aggressive towards humans. He's never been tried with a girly bun, so I really don't know if he would bond with Storm. It could be just the small area he's living in that's causing it. What to do?

Thanks :wave:

My Max was "aggressive" before I rescued him from the tiny exposed cage he was being kept in :evil: Once he was neutered and free ranging in my house I realised he was actually a complete soft mummys boy, and was just frustrated and unhappy before :( He is very stubborn and will speak his mind and tell me to f off if I do something that annoys him, but hes not aggressive atall.
I worried that his willful behaviour would be a problem when bonding him, but actually he soon settled with his new wifey. He is a complete angel with her and even lets her steal food from his mouth :shock: I never thought Id see the day! :love:
 
I would imagine it depends on the reasons the rabbit is vicious. Like if it's blind and terrified then it could be nasty to anything moving, for example. If it's had a bad experience with people so lashes out through anxiety, then that would be different.

I had Cloud who was so nasty to people, but when he was with The Dopeys he was right soppy. He had his moments with them though, especially when he was really ill, but they tolerated him well.
 
Generally I'd say how a rabbit is with humans is not necessarily going to be the same, there will however be exceptions, it depends what the history is as Sky is saying, the aggression may have been learned as a defence against handling too much or to be separated from another aggressive rabbit even, it's very difficult to say, your best option I think would be to agree to foster witha view to adopting maybe, house the rabbits side by side while you establish some trust/bond with newbie-for a couple of weeks and then try bonding, you'll know quite quickly I'd imagine, if it's male/female it's got a good chance.:)
 
Thanks guys, those stories give me hope!

I think he's very frustrated. He's lunged at and bitten 3 members of staff so far! He was zooming around his pen and into everything. He even started trying to bite the glass at one point! :shock:

He was bought from a pet shop as a surprise present for a 15 year old girl by her boyfriend. He's about 7/8 months old I think, and was neutered around 2 months ago.

I think it could be more to do with having so much energy rather than a fear of humans.
 
Generally I'd say how a rabbit is with humans is not necessarily going to be the same, there will however be exceptions, it depends what the history is as Sky is saying, the aggression may have been learned as a defence against handling too much or to be separated from another aggressive rabbit even, it's very difficult to say, your best option I think would be to agree to foster witha view to adopting maybe, house the rabbits side by side while you establish some trust/bond with newbie-for a couple of weeks and then try bonding, you'll know quite quickly I'd imagine, if it's male/female it's got a good chance.:)

Thanks.

Yes, I would keep them side by side for a couple of weeks first, so they can get used to each other.

He's having a visit from an animal behaviour person tomorrow, so maybe they'll know more about why.
 
Thanks.

Yes, I would keep them side by side for a couple of weeks first, so they can get used to each other.

He's having a visit from an animal behaviour person tomorrow, so maybe they'll know more about why.

:shock: Lets hope they aren't wearing a black cloak and carrying a scythe like the person who dealt with the Harlequinn sisters!
 
:shock: Lets hope they aren't wearing a black cloak and carrying a scythe like the person who dealt with the Harlequinn sisters!

Oh yeah! :shock: God, they wouldn't PTS just because he's aggressive would they?! I'm glad I registered my interest in him today then! I told the girl who was looking after the rabbits that I was very interested and prepared to take him, so hopefully she won't let them!

I have to wait for another home check, as it's been a while since my last one. That could take a while! I think I'll keep popping back there to let them know I'm still interested!
 
Oh yeah! :shock: God, they wouldn't PTS just because he's aggressive would they?! I'm glad I registered my interest in him today then! I told the girl who was looking after the rabbits that I was very interested and prepared to take him, so hopefully she won't let them!

I have to wait for another home check, as it's been a while since my last one. That could take a while! I think I'll keep popping back there to let them know I'm still interested!

We have some agressive buns waiting for homes at our RSPCA and they will continue to wait for homes until the perfect home comes along :)

It all depends on the policies of the Branch/Centre. :)
 
We have some agressive buns waiting for homes at our RSPCA and they will continue to wait for homes until the perfect home comes along :)

It all depends on the policies of the Branch/Centre. :)

That's a relief! I hope my branch is one of the good ones! I think they are. I've never had a problem with them.

I'm quite happy to take on a bun that doesn't like humans. He'll get to live in a big hutch/run combo with lots of garden time to tire him out. I'm happy to spend lots of time working with him, but if he never likes me, that's OK. I think he'd like it here, as long as he can bond with Storm!
 
A few years ago a bunny came to me for fostering via the RSPCA.

She attacked anything and everything around her. When I collected her she was absolutely terrified.:cry::cry:

Very slowly and steadily we built up trust and confidence together. She did not seem in the least bit worried about other bunnies being around. She did not have contact with my bunnies but, at ease with their prescence.

She went to a new home three months later.

If there was an award to be won for being a cuddle bun, she would have won it.

Patience, trust and understanding turned this little bunny called Pudsey from a petrified, anxious bag of nerves to an utterley adorable little girl.:D:D:D
 
Oh Helen... I saw that little guy on Sunday and he "looked" gorgeous..
There was no one around so no one to ask about his temperament.. Im shocked hes agressive... he looks so so cute..
If anyone can turn him around.. you can
Good Luck...
Hope Storm is coping ok
 
Oh Helen... I saw that little guy on Sunday and he "looked" gorgeous..
There was no one around so no one to ask about his temperament.. Im shocked hes agressive... he looks so so cute..
If anyone can turn him around.. you can
Good Luck...
Hope Storm is coping ok

I was admiring what a little cutie he was when a staff member walked past and said "He looks cute, but he's not!" :shock: Such a beautiful colour! :love: He does have the crazy eyes though! :lol:

Storm seems OK at the moment, but they've been separated before for days due to illness. I let her spend time with the body, but I wonder if she thinks he's coming back? :cry:
 
Poor Storm :(

Beano was agressive, but calmed down a lot after her spay. I wasd quite nervous of getting her a friend but she and Gordon bonded very easily :love:
 
I took Doodee on from the RSPCA. She had been rescued from I dread to think what but the tally of vet treatments she had when she arrived tells its own tale. Two attempts at rehoming failed badly- she would not stop attacking people and destroting things. When I called about her just after Fred had died I explained how many rabbits I had had, what various conditions they had and that I already had a mini wolverine [Teasel]. When I went to see her Doodee lunged at the care worker, growled snarled and stamped and when I did finally manage to pick her up to check her over tried to repeatedly sink her teeth into my shoulder. It was love at first sight on my part.

The first few months with her I did wonder if I had taken on more than even I could cope with. There was nothing she would not chew, no one she would not bite and she destroyed furniture, fittings and every toy, box and item left in teeth range. She even scared the police officer who popped round to see how Elly was. Sadly the mental scars of whatever happened to that rabbit run very deep. I know she was deliberatly dropped, kicked, left invested with mites, starved and left in little box.

Its taken a lot of TLC and time over the year but in the past two months she has become more like a rabbit, she relaxes on the carpet, comes and nudges feet on rare special occasions she does a weird sort of bink and whilst she is still disturbed she is a lot happier.

Sadly I have not been able to bond her with another rabbit any more than the RSPCA could. I do wonder if she was taken from her mum too soon to learn bunny etiquette or to recognise another rabbit as a rabbit. Perhaps the trauma is just too deep. Thankfully this is a house that has people comming and going most of the time so there is human company available on her terms.

I think the most important thing to find out is the possible reasons for aggresion if they are known. Sometimes its hormones easing out of a buns system, sometimes they have a fiesty attitude and need more to do, sometimes its lack of a friend but if it comes from prolonged neglect ask yourself if you have the space to be able to take on another bun who may not cope being with other buns no matter what you do.
 
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