Issue with female rabbit

Hi guys, I am sick to death. I have had a male dwarf lion head since Easter, and I work a lot so I got him a female friend a few months back. Since I got her, they bonded at first, but now she is aggressive towards me and my partner if we go near our male rabbit. And if we try to pick her up she bites and kicks sawdust at you. She growls when Simba moves away from her. Anyway, Simba (male bunny) has started to look scruffy. He is no longer shiny with a perfect coat. His fur is falling out and he isnt grooming himself properly. If i give them both a treat, Sue (the female) eats hers, then snatches simbas out of his mouth cos he eats a lot slower than she does.

However, as miserable as all of this may seem, they do cuddle when they lay flat on their bellys. They do lay next to each other and one wont play if the other isn't. If one rabbit has been naughty, I put them back in their cage for a time out, and the other rabbit sits outside of the cage until the other has finished their time out. So i feel like they are friends, but simba is only her friend cos he is scared? I'm not sure on rabbit behaviours. Anyway, my partner tried to pick sue up yesterday and she bit him and kicked her weewee covered sawdust in his face and he is asking me to get rid of her.

He said since Simba has such a kind and peaceful temperament that he would be better off being matched with a baby bunny (he is 1 year old and neutered) sue however is not neutered, any suggestions?

I'm afraid that won't work at all, a baby rabbit will end up with the same hormonal issues when they hit 'that age'. If you want to see any change Sue needs to be spayed, not only will this prevent uterine cancer but she won't feel the need to defend her man, be territorial over everything etc.
It won't be an overnight change, but within 2-6 weeks she should calm down a lot. Litter training will be easier too, I'd be inclined to ditch shavings and just use newspaper and hay, then no one will end up with pee in their face :lol: Also if she is being picked up she will probably be angry from that, rabbits are prey animals so being lifted from their safe haven (the ground!) she is responding in the only way she knows how to respond to a 'predator'. So it's best to stay on her level and let her call the shots when it comes to handling etc.

Putting them in a cage for 'time out' won't work, rabbits are their own 'person'. If they want to do something they will do it and shutting them in a small space may be exacerbating her territorial'ness as she see's it as hers and anyone that dares put their hands anywhere near her cage will be attacked! So if they need to be shut away (no idea what their set up it but..) I recommend attaching a puppy pen to the cage and using the cage as a litter tray, plenty of space to get rid of some pent up energy and she won't turn on Simba then which might happen if she feels trapped and angry!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8-PANEL-P...LDING-FENCE-/121767138467?hash=item1c59e314a3

This sounds like the dynamic that was between my male/female partner. Donny just let Lola get away with everything! But did most things together so I knew they were happy! Simba just sounds very submissive, like my Don! An all round softy, Lola is still a terror of course but it's just her personality and I have learnt to accept that.

Good advice from Aly & Poppy. Sue is not being 'horrible' or 'difficult' - she is displaying the normal hormonal behaviour of an unspayed Doe.

Frosty is the dominant buck in my quad of rabbits. He chases the others at food time and always gets first dibs of any treats!

He also cuddles with them all two seconds later.

Your boy sounds like a real sweetheart. I agree that once your doe is spayed and had a few weeks to settle she will calm down.

Lots of space, plenty to do. Things to chew and a digging box are all helpful for a rabbits happiness. Its great that you have two as companionship is very important to them.

Your boy sounds as if he could be moulting. One of my does looks a right scruff atm with little tufts of fur poking out everywhere. She is very unkeen on being picked up so I try to pull them off without lifting her up.

I hope you have found the advice given on this forum to be useful.