Rabbit keeps attacking one person

Hi all

My mum has had a rabbit for the past four years, I have lived with her for two so far. He circled me before he was neutered, now he is just aggressive.
I've kept away from him because he would always bite me if I went to pet him but recently he has decided to charge and attack me whenever I'm in the living room. I am the only person he does it to, I have tried donning a pair of gloves and trousers and petting him, giving him food etc but the behaviour only changes insofar as he runs away then as soon as I turn my back he charges back to attack.

What on earth do I do? I wasn't the one who got him neutered, I've never done anything bad to him, I frequently am the one giving him his food and changing his bedding. Mum says she will have to get rid of him if the behaviour carries on as I am currently scared to go into the living room and have had several bites, one which is now infected!

How long ago was he neutered? I had one done once and he got worse for about a month then suddenly called down

mini lop1 said:

How long ago was he neutered? I had one done once and he got worse for about a month then suddenly called down

Click to expand...

Over two years ago

kh2910 said:

Hi all

My mum has had a rabbit for the past four years, I have lived with her for two so far. He circled me before he was neutered, now he is just aggressive.
I've kept away from him because he would always bite me if I went to pet him but recently he has decided to charge and attack me whenever I'm in the living room. I am the only person he does it to, I have tried donning a pair of gloves and trousers and petting him, giving him food etc but the behaviour only changes insofar as he runs away then as soon as I turn my back he charges back to attack.

What on earth do I do? I wasn't the one who got him neutered, I've never done anything bad to him, I frequently am the one giving him his food and changing his bedding. Mum says she will have to get rid of him if the behaviour carries on as I am currently scared to go into the living room and have had several bites, one which is now infected!

Click to expand...

It sounds as though he is exhibiting 'learned aggression' toward you. Some info about that and how to try to correct it on here :

http://www.therabbithouse.com/behaviour/problem-aggressive-rabbit.asp

More info here :

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-care-advice/aggression-rabbits/

Funnily enough I’ve been looking into this too - the rabbit found straying and brought in by a man who said he was very aggressive has been an angel to me and the children but keeps attacking my husband for no reason - he tripped over him the first night he was here but I’ve done that loads and the rabbit (Thumper - named by the vets) does nothing but lick me!

The vet and nurses are all female so we did start to wonder if it’s because of the man who brought him in. He is fine with my two young sons so it must be smell or the sight of hairy legs that sets him off. Luckily my husband works away as he now won’t let Thumper out in the evenings he is there. Ironically he bought us our first house rabbit 15 years ago but he isn’t willing to work with Thumper to win his trust. It’s no hardship to Thumper as he is getting most of his exercise outside during the day - it’s just a shame as so far he has been the least destructive, best behaved house bun we have ever had!

I was hoping my husband would sit and throw food for him to bribe Thumper into liking him!

I have heard about putting something that smells of you in their cage near their food so they associate your smell with nice stuff. Maybe your mum could pet him with a glove you have worn (as long as she smells more of her hopefully he won’t hurt her?). My rabbit is only recently neutered as well so sort of hoping it fades with the hormones - your story hasn’t given me much hope!