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Willow aggressive to her sister only near our back door?? HELP!

sophiebssn

Young Bun
Hi all, long time no post actually! We are after some advice for our two (spayed) girls who are 1.5 years old, we have had them for just over a year and they have been together since birth. Willow has always been the dominant one. As they've got a bit older she has begun nipping Poppy's bum and trying to hump her aggressively. Poppy takes it really well and just runs away with willow chasing her or just sits there not bothered.

They hop in and out of our house from their hutch by our back door (good girls). However when they are inside the house, Willow has become really aggressive towards poppy (and sometimes us) near the back door. They get excited when its time to go back to their hutch, and think any time someone is near the back door that they get to go out. Willow also gets very jealous of Poppy so I think she wants to be the first out the door and so 'defends' it form Poppy. She does do it to Poppy more often when we are near the back door too, btu also seems to do it a lot when Poppy might move behind her - maybe catching her off guard? When they are anywhere else in the house, or outside in their hutch and run, Willow doesnt exhibit this behaviour at all :(

We really want to discourage this but dont know how to, and want to know what is causing Willow to do this. It upsets us because something is obviously upsetting Willow to make her do this, but also she is biting Poppy when she launches herself at her, growling, and often leaving chunks of P's fur on the floor or hanging out :(

Thanks for any advice you may have!!

Sophie
 
I should add that this only used to happen occasionally but has become much more frequent over the last month or so.
 
Oh dear. I know that Frosty (head of the quad) chases and fur pulls the other rabbits at pellet oclock and even at veg oclock so it may be a dominant rabbit thing.

Perhaps you could try feeding them pellets whenever they go near to the back door in order to distract Willow from this behaviour? Or try leaving it open or get a cat flap for them to go through ... it is a tricky one.

Hope someone else comes along with some good ideas.
 
It sounds like an excitement response.

Easy option would be to block off the back door with a puppy panel, cover it so they can't see the back door.
Another option is distraction, either with food or loud noise/similar.

Hopefully others will be along soon with better ideas for you

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
 
Territorial. Mine would always claim their territory by pooing copiously at the back door. Sometimes I would wonder if I should do the same, to show them who was boss. ;)
 
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