aggressive bunny... help for a friend

...who has a lunging, grunting, biting female bunny My friend has gone on holiday and I'm popping in looking after her buns.. she warned me that the female is very nasty and she isn't joking :shock: you have to wear heavy duty gardening gloves when picking her up.. even when she's taken out of the hutch to go in the run.

Sketchy details I'm afraid i.e. I don't know if she's neutered as I don't know if the rescue she came from does that. I think they've been together about 6 months now.
The male bun is very laid back and lovely

Oh Crikes hope you have got good life insurance Jill :shock: :shock:

It seems as though Bun my not be spayed, although it is still possible to get a grumpy spayed Doe
I assume the Bun has had a recent health check to rule out any physical problems?
Does she 'only' attack if she is in her hutch? Will she allow people near her if she's in her run?
Poor eyesight can mean a Bun is aggressive when handled. Is she a REW or a Rex, particularly an orange Rex?. Both are prone to poor eyesight.

I guess it will just be a case of you donning body armour as working with such an aggressive Bun would take months, with lots and lots of imput every day. As you are only IC Ms Psycho-Bun for a short time I doubt you will manage to improve her mood that much.
If she's happier when out of her hutch perhaps spending a bit of time just sitting with her in her run and not attempting to touch may get her a bit more used to you and not associate humans with being picked up etc........:?

Good Luck!!

Janex

She's a small black lionhead and my uniform trousers now have a hole in them :shock: after I dared to get in the run with them yesterday.

To be honest, I'm glad I don't have to spend too much time with Mrs Psycho bun as I couldn't cope but I'd like to be able to pass on any tips to my friend

Good job she's small :shock: Only tip I can think of is spaying - although I dare say I would get the same treatment off my unspayed girls if I had to pick them up twice a day too - Is there no way a run off the hutch can be made, to avoid stressing this rabbit out with handling? I never handle mine unless they need the vets, which is maybe why they are all so sweet natured?

elve said:

Good job she's small :shock: Only tip I can think of is spaying - although I dare say I would get the same treatment off my unspayed girls if I had to pick them up twice a day too - Is there no way a run off the hutch can be made, to avoid stressing this rabbit out with handling? I never handle mine unless they need the vets, which is maybe why they are all so sweet natured?

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This is what i was thinking too. Reaching into the rabbits territory and picking her up every day must be frightening for her and that is why she is aggressive. If you could get her to hop into a carrier using food as bribery she may calm down. Not many rabbits are happy about being picked up. If she is unspayed this would make her even more territorial and aggressive.

Obviously neutering first and if she calms downa little a male friend can do wonders to calm a girlie down. One of our stroopy mares was spayed then introduced to a male and now she's a different character.

Lucyhp said:

Obviously neutering first and if she calms downa little a male friend can do wonders to calm a girlie down. One of our stroopy mares was spayed then introduced to a male and now she's a different character.

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I wonder if the same thing works for hoomans.......:?

Janex :lol:

Lucyhp said:

Obviously neutering first and if she calms downa little a male friend can do wonders to calm a girlie down. One of our stroopy mares was spayed then introduced to a male and now she's a different character.

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She's already got a very laid back boyfriend

It's a wonder he's not a nervous wreck!

Jack's-Jane said:

I wonder if the same thing works for hoomans.......:?

Janex :lol:

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I dunno, I haven't been neutered yet so can't comment :lol:

Lucyhp said:

It's a wonder he's not a nervous wreck!

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He's so lovely.... I've just been round to feed them and was greeted with grunts and lunges by her even when I was placing the full food bowl in she was going for my hand :shock:

When my friend gets back, I'll check on the neutering situation . The location and aspect of the hutch means they can't be joined together. Nasty little thing.... I've never heard a rabbit make such a horrible noise before

I take my hat off to you guys that knowingly take on aggressive buns