Aggressive rabbit - behaviour issues

[Bunnirabbitgirl]

my Rabbit ( 1 year old , female , mini lop ) is starting to growl and become territorial over her things and food.

She was previously housed with her sibling but I had to re home her since their bond broke and I tried over 8 months with no progress to rebond them. She is now on her own and I am currently looking into getting her a male partner but I am worried she will be aggressive towards him.

she will growl and lunge when someone or an object is near her when she has pellets or treats, or even a bit of cardboard which she is chewing. She has also started to growl when she is sitting on top of her cardboard hide and someone either pets her or comes down to her level.

if she is under my bed I am unable to get her out without using a pillow since she will lunge and grown and even bite or scratch.

she is not a rescue so there is no reason I would think that this behaviour links to a traumatic past. I have had her since she was 7 weeks old.

abit about my rabbit which may be useful:
she is neutered and vaccinated
she is a house rabbit and freeroams in a safe environment 24/7
she has multiple hides to go in
she has lots of enrichments
she always has access to fresh hay and water

the only other pet I own is a hamster but she is obviously kept away from my rabbit and is in a suitable cage.
At the moment it is very on and off but is becoming progressively worse.
any tips or reasons why this may be will be appreciated,
Thank you

 

[Bunnirabbitgirl]

Forgot to add but later on she will groom me and happily accept being petted

 

[Orenoko]

Hmmmm I'd be looking to get her checked out by a vet just to make sure there's no underlying medical issue causing the aggression. Females can generally be more territorial than males so she may be aggressive to a male, it's a tricky situation as you won't know until you try.

 

[joey&boo]

I'm wondering if she is missing the company of her bun friend, even though the bond broke down. I know its commonly said girls are more territorial, well my boy is more territorial than any girl I ever met. Anyway last September he lost his bunny partner & took it really hard. He was out of sorts in his demeanour, looked sad & was aggressive in similar ways to you described. Getting him a friend really helped & he was back to his old lovable self, pretty much as soon as she arrived in the house. He wasn't aggressive in bonding but I won't lie, it wasn't the easiest bond. Its definitely worth a shot. If health issues are ruled out it sounds like he needs an emotional reset

 

[tonibun]

I think a male partner is the way to go although they would need to be bonded well away from an area she knows. Spring is a bad time for female Rabbits, they have their minds on babies and nesting so this is probably why she has become very territorial. They seem to be worse also when they are on their own and don't have a male to help. Please don't let her eat cardboard as it can cause bloat. It sounds like she has a good home and you are doing all the right things. The problem with 2 sisters is one has to be the dominant one and this can cause unpleasantness.

 

[Bunnirabbitgirl]

I'm wondering if she is missing the company of her bun friend, even though the bond broke down. I know its commonly said girls are more territorial, well my boy is more territorial than any girl I ever met. Anyway last September he lost his bunny partner & took it really hard. He was out of sorts in his demeanour, looked sad & was aggressive in similar ways to you described. Getting him a friend really helped & he was back to his old lovable self, pretty much as soon as she arrived in the house. He wasn't aggressive in bonding but I won't lie, it wasn't the easiest bond. Its definitely worth a shot. If health issues are ruled out it sounds like he needs an emotional reset

Thank you for replying and your help, I will look into getting her a male partner. I would love to rescue but would you say that they may be harder to bond because of their past?

 

[Bunnirabbitgirl]

I think a male partner is the way to go although they would need to be bonded well away from an area she knows. Spring is a bad time for female Rabbits, they have their minds on babies and nesting so this is probably why she has become very territorial. They seem to be worse also when they are on their own and don't have a male to help. Please don't let her eat cardboard as it can cause bloat. It sounds like she has a good home and you are doing all the right things. The problem with 2 sisters is one has to be the dominant one and this can cause unpleasantness.

Thank you for replying and your help, I will look into getting her a male partner. I would love to rescue but would you say that they may be harder to bond because of their past?

 

[tonibun]

The answer really is No because I have bonded lots of rescue Rabbits but you must go about it correctly. Also some Rescues will bond them for you plus he will already be neutered. There are some lovely Bunnies in Rescues which are there through no fault of their own!

 

[joey&boo]

Thank you for replying and your help, I will look into getting her a male partner. I would love to rescue but would you say that they may be harder to bond because of their past?

I don't think so. I've only ever bonded rescued buns & I've not had much grief bonding over the years. Previously I was a big fan of bunny speed dating; so I'd make an arrangement to visit the rescue with my bun & we'd try them in a pen with one bunny suitor at a time. I found when I did this bonding was so much easier. Obviously it'd have to be a reputable rescue who vaccinated all their buns, had good quarrantine etc Worth asking though. good luck & keep us updated