House Rabbit Community and Store
OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS. SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED. We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best.
BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES
The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
What are we about? Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules.
The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
Well, since we’ve let Buster out of her cage since her recovery from her spay (a week ago), she’s been grunting, and lunging at me (not my husband) when out of the cage and in the kitchen. She’ll even bite and hit me w/her paw! This happens also, when I put my hand in her cage to clean up poo or whatever while she’s in there, and I know she doesnt like that, but now its different. Its happening outside of the cage if i touch a towel that’s on the floor or whatever! I know the hormones take a while to subside after the spay, but really, will this stop? My little baby is a disgruntled teenager….
Yes, it will stop eventually. Her body is whacked out right now for one thing.
The irony of this is- that if you told anyone else this story- they would laugh and think you are joking that a rabbit can be aggressive and growl and invoke a scared/startled reaction out of you. People think rabbits are cute, cuddly fluff balls- but the first time I heard Cotton growl I was shocked and it startled me. Most people cannot imagine a rabbit being aggressive- and everyone usually laughs when I tell them that Cotton will grunt, growl and lunge (at other bunnies or if you drop more of her greens in the cage while she is eating already).
But she has mellowed out since pre-spay and then post-spay teenager stage- now I can easily tell her triggers- if she is looking at one of the other buns and I touch her from behind- or greens fall on her as she is already mowing on the ones already in the cage.
Thanks…do you think there’s a reason why its only me she does this to, and not my husband?
Are you around more often? Is he petting her the same way, approaching her the same exact way, at the same time of day? Not sure why it’s just you, could be any reason.
Its true Katnip – The first time I saw and heard Coco growl and lunge, I was STUNNED! It was the attack rabbit from Holy Grail!
As to why you? I have found that Coco feels all right with fully being her baddest self with me, but is always a good girl for my husband. I do 98% of care and feeding and cleaning. He walks in twice a day and they dance around him like he is the Rabbit Savior risen from the grave. I figured it was like children, they only show you their true selves, all of it, when they know you love them unconditionally.
She’s got the world’s worst case of PMS going on – her hormone levels are dropping unevenly – so it’s no wonder she’s a beotch-bunny.
Maybe she associates you with annoying things like medicine or vet trips? or maybe she just doesn’t like your soap – who knows. Bunnies are weird.
The first time I heard Pepper growl, I was shocked. Then I busted out laughing! “Who’s the fierce little bunbun!!!” She’s blowing her coat and hates to be groomed, so she whipped around and tried to bite me last night. But she still sleeps under my bed and is now lying on the floor nibbling on a cardboard box while I’m watching TV. She’s a character, and I wouldn’t have her any other way.
I’m probably around more often, yes. She totally went after me this morning
Jumped out of her cage to pounce on me….among grunting and a little hit at me with her paw.
I gave her a raisin and said goodbye for the day. Its so hard!
I just got my 1st rabbit (Hatter) and he grunts and lunges at me whenever I enter his play area. I know it is due a lot to the fact that he was in the animal shelter for almost 2 years and that he is in new surroundings, but it is very tough to think the animal you love a lot is angry with you for reasons you don’t know. I am hopeing that Hatter will soon warm up to me and my husband and become the more loveable bunny I know he can be.
She has not been like this ever…just recently after her surgery
It’s still bad…she especially doesnt like to be picked up anymore,and she used to let me for a bit.
Give it more time Denise. She’s still recovering from her surgery.
Hang in there Denise. Just respect her space and let her seek you out when she want attention from you.
Do you know, I was reading that rabbits can pick up on humans hormones too…I wonder how they would affect a recently spayed Doe?
Do keep an eye out for signs of pain. Did you get take home pain meds from your vet?
Thanks everyone….
The thing is her space (the kitchen) is also where I need to be for an hour a day. She doesnt like my feet for some reason and is always attacking & grunting at them. I’m going to let her out into the foyer/hallway tonight and see how that goes.
What are signs of pain? I did have pain meds I gave her for 5 days after I brought her home.
i just got my girl spayed yesterday and i was trying to clean up some Diarrhea and she jumped out of her litter box and lunged and grunted at me. i was shocked cuz she never does that. ( btw i told the vet about the Diarrhea )
Lulu has diarrhea?? or just mushy poop?
So I spoke to the vet last night and she said to give it time…she’s very hormonal right now AND she said the cage we have for her has brought about bad behavior and is probably one of the worst cages to get–the front door opening is right by their blind spot and scares them. So she suggested we keep her in a pen all the time, not a cage. I started it right after she called! I set it up in the living room, but she still was trying to get out of it and I’ve never seen her jump so high…she almost hit the top of it. Its the 8 sided one that we got at Petco. So i had her in their all night…I went in there in the morning and she still attacked my arm when I put it in there. Then I set it up in the kitchen, and i’ll have her in there all day when we’re not home/at night. We’ll let her out to run in the kitchen/hallway when we’re home. We do have to get rid of our kitchen table to who knows where in our 1br apt. We are getting a house in the next few months so this will be easier, but all in all she said we’ll have a happier bun if we keep her in a pen and not the cage. SHe said if you can fit the cage in your car, its too small for them. I’m giving it time and doing all I can to make her happy.
That is generally a good comparison. We suggest no smaller than 2×4 feet, and even that is small for a bun who is caged the majority of the day. She will be happier with more space.
Your vet really knows rabbits, so glad you went to him/her for advice. The think that I love about pens is that you can maneuver your way around bunny more than you can in a cage.
You guys this has been an amazing transformation beginning just ONE DAY after being out of the cage and in the pen instead! She stopped attacking/grunting at me immediatley the next night. I can’t believe it!! Right now, we have her out at my parents’ for the weekend and she’s set up in the pen there (We’re here too) I can’t believe how quickly she went back to her old self. I am amazed and so happy. We had to rearrange ALOT of furniture in order to do this, and our living room is a mess, but its well worth it for now
That’s great! Really good call by your vet about what might have been the issue. It makes total sense too, her being a wary post-spay bunny and your hand blocking the only exit of the cage. Most prey animals will take flight option, but when they can’t – it’s fight I guess.
I’m currently reading a book about behaviours and it’s really interesting. It help me remember their perspective and being more aware of behaviours/ interaction with them. Also, once you understand the behaviour toward you, you’re less likely to take it personally.
I have never fixed a rabbit (on my first bunny right now,) but I’ve gotten plenty of dogs/cats fixed and it always seems like there is a hormone surge directly after the surgery. I guess the same is true for rabbits?
Just curious, what kind of cage do you have? I can’t quite picture where a door would have to be in a bunny’s blind spot …
Sadie, is that true of the female pets you’ve had fixed also? Really interesting. I have read this in relation to Bucks, that just the manipulation to remove the testes can cause a hormone surge. I don’t know if something similar can happen with Does. I don’t know how if all works (lol) one hormone balances out the other? Either way, it’s probably “whacked out” as Sarita says, their systems trying to even out.
the cage I had was the standard “Rabbit Kit” cage that you get at pet stores and comes w/a water bottle, food, treats, etc.
Its a front/side door and not a top opening that they say is better. The blind spot is directly in front of their eyes I think. They can things better when coming from the top of their head not the back or front.
We took her away this weekend and she did great.
Posted By Balefulregards on 03/14/2010 10:55 AM
As to why you? I have found that Coco feels all right with fully being her baddest self with me, but is always a good girl for my husband. I do 98% of care and feeding and cleaning. He walks in twice a day and they dance around him like he is the Rabbit Savior risen from the grave. I figured it was like children, they only show you their true selves, all of it, when they know you love them unconditionally.
When Jolene wasn’t feeling well last week, she lunged at my bf’ s hand a few times. This was unusual not only because she’s very mellow, but also because typically the household dynamic is exactly what you describe. I do all the cleaning, brushing and feeding of my rabbit, yet she follows the bf around constantly! Sometimes she’ll follow him around obsessively for the whole day. It won’t matter what she’s in the middle of–relaxing, eating, being pet by ME–she’ll abruptly stop whatever she was doing and go hopping after him. Talk about ingratitude.
I console myself with the knowledge that she’s nipped him twice and me only once.
Posted By Denise12 on 03/22/2010 08:38 AM
the cage I had was the standard “Rabbit Kit” cage that you get at pet stores and comes w/a water bottle, food, treats, etc.
Its a front/side door and not a top opening that they say is better. The blind spot is directly in front of their eyes I think. They can things better when coming from the top of their head not the back or front.
We took her away this weekend and she did great.
I personally don’t see the top opening cages as better, as the buns can’t just hop out like they can in the front opening ones. Scares them more in my opinion, as people have to pick them up to take them out. Monkey is fine with her front door.
I agree with MB – I much prefer the side opening cages. Mine has both side and top doors and I’ve never used the top door. They can easily see your hand coming from the side as long as they’re not facing you straight on. If your hand approaches the side of the bunny they can see you just fine. Even directly in front of their face, they can see at a certain distance. If you approach from a foot or two away, they will see your hand – they’ll just lose the visual as it gets closer which can startle them.
It’s still awesome though that a cage change was enough to change her behavior. Maybe she was just getting too territorial with the old space and switching things up has helped her relax.
Yeah…i’m not sure it was the side door that was the issue. It was probably the confinement/small space. It seriously was amazing that the behavior changed overnight!!! She’s still good!!!!!
Ok…she’s back at it again!!! When i do anything near her she’s grunting, hitting and attacking me again
Not AS bad as last week, but pretty much anytime I put food in her pen or touch anything in the kitchen. Hope this ends soon
I wonder if you should lightly push her head down when she acts this way? You only do it very briefly, but it shows she can’t be dominant over you. Not sure if this is right thing for her at the moment but probably won’t hurt to try. I was just thinking you don’t want her developing habit of the attacking as a dominant behaviour. Maybe it might have started as a defensive thing but now she’s using it?
i feel terrible…but i will try. i tried stomping and saying no too….thanks!
Buster hates me
Every morning she growls and hits and bites me. In the evenings she’s better.
I am so upset.
I stomped when she did it and tapped her on the head a little but its not helping.
Sounds like she’s not a morning rabbit. How is she better in the evening?
well, i let her out in the morning before work for an hour..and the whole time i’m in there (prob 5 min total) she’ll hit me, bite me, and growl/run after me. In the evenings she doesnt do it at all. this is all with her new setup with the pen and she’s not in a cage anymore.
Have you tried the kill them with kindness approach. I think too that you respond to the bad behavior – even if it’s not positive – maybe just try ignoring her. Or else try the I’m going to be nice to you, no matter how aggressive you are. Speak to her and tell her she’s a good rabbit.
I will try ignoring her next and being very kind I love her so much and i’m trying to be the best bunny mama i can be.
I do have to wonder if it is something medical. I suppose if the kindness doesn’t work (and I think it will), then I might suggest another visit to the vet. Sonn’s rabbit Marshmallow was being aggressive and it turns out she was in pain. My rabbit Pepe also get’s very aggressive when his molar spurs start bothering him so don’t rule something medical out as well.
It is stressful when you cannot figure out aggressive behavior.
Thanks Sarita. Will do. Thanks.
Nibs was somewhat more aggressive (and definitely more wary of me) the two weeks following her spay. I attributed it to the fact that I was the one to take her to the vet and pick her up for her spay. I sat near her cage for at least an hour each day while she was recovering- sometimes talking to her, sometimes just sitting nearby. I also bribed her with snacks, though. =/ That’s what worked for me.
She’s at it again
Every morning especially. I’ll let her out of her pen for about an hour. When I go back in the kitchen to get things, lock her up again, she’s constantly grunting and hitting me. Its so heartbreaking. All we’re doing is being good bunny parents and its so upsetting. We are going away in a week and have a bunny/apt. sitter staying at our place and I hope she’s not aggressive to her
I called the vet again.
I don’t think it’s you not being a good bunny parent or her even thinking that. Try not to project your emotions to your rabbit. I think she is just being a rabbit and this is how she’s expressing herself – it sounds to me like she likes being out and she doesn’t want to go back in her pen. Would you consider allowing her to free roam?
I agree with Sarita. If you’ve ruled out medical problems (is she OK?) then she is just a less socialized rabbit in general. Sammy can be like that too.
Ignoring the negative stuff, so she doesn’t learn that it gets you to do something, is a good method. Praising even the smallest thing can help, so everytime she does what you want, even if it’s just going into her house after a struggle, gets her positive feedback. I have to lure Sammy into her house every day with a small treat in the dish. Once I let her walk in herself with no risk of my trying to pick her up, she became nicer and more complient.
You are doing great just loving her no matter what. When a bunny gets older just by a small amount, they can be much easier on their families, too.
Thanks ladies. We cannot let her free roam…we have too many wires around and haven’t bunny proofed it all. We are also moving in a few months to a house so she’ll probably have a lot more room and her own room.
When I go to give her a treat and lure her in the pen sometimes she ends up hitting me/growling!
This weekend has been ok. I came to the realization that she doesnt like to be bothered before 9am. I let her out sat. and sunday at about 9:30am, and she was ok! Didn’t grunt, didnt lunge….
One night i went to give her a raisin over head into the pen, b/c she was laying down so nice and good all day, but then she swatted at me
THis morning i got up really early and didnt let her out, then she was absolutely going NUTS in the pen. She was jumping at the wall of it trying to get out. I was really freaked out but didnt do anything. Then she was thumping
I dont know what freaked her out…i felt like she saw a mouse or somethign and was trying to get at it, but it wasn’t…but it looked like it, you know. She was really crazy
I think you worry alot :~) She sounds like a very independent rabbit to me. I’m sure she enjoys pets but you have to approach her just right. She reminds me of my rabbit Pepe. He does like pets but he swats and lunges at me – I think the sudden movements are what he does not like. I also know he gets grumpier when it’s time for me to get his teeth trimmed.
I definitely worry a lot..i know.
She is def. very independent…vet said that from day 1.
Seeing her try to leap out of the pen and it almost knocked over was really scary though.
I agree. She sounds like she grew up into a sassy girl. Not uncommon
well the past two nights i was sitting in the floor in the kitchen w/her and 1st night i had a pad and paper i was writing on..she attacked it and grunted at it. Last night i was holding a paper towel cardboard roll and making scratching noises on it..once again she freaked out and attacked it. When i walked by her this morning while she was in her pen, she tried to jump through the pen and grunted, hit, etc. I’m at a loss. This is not normal. We are leaving the country in a few days for vacation and my sister is watching her and hope she behaves around my nieces/nephews. They are little and cant have an attack bunny!
Well, Miss Buster Bun is still at it Everytime I climb over the gate into her room, she’ll attack my feet. Yesterday she took a chomp out of it
Also, when she’s in her pen and you do anything, move anything, she’s still grunting and swatting. We keep her in the puppy pen all night and also when we’re away at work during the week. At night she roams free, just in one room. She has all the toys she could need (see the lounge thread of her room). I suppose she doesnt like when objects/feet/hands move in front of her head.
She does make happy grunts once in a while too when she’s running around. Once we lay down flat on our backs in the room with her, she’s as sweet as can be, licking our clothes, feet and lying on our stomachs/chests while we pet her for a while!
So I dont know, she’s bi-polar or something. Its so frustrating. We also had our friends kid over who is a year and a half and he was chasing her around the room,and then eventually lunged at him. I get that, but its scary to know that maybe when we have kids, I cant let them around her.
bumping for any advice? ^^^
It’s very normal for some rabbits to be possessive of their “home” area. Is there a way you can let her out while your cleaning? That’s what I would recommend.
Yes, I normally try to clean when she’s out of the pen. Its climbing over into the room (when she’s out of the pen) thats hard and when she attacks. Thank you.
I imagine it’s the sudden movement when you climb over – I think it’s just instinct.
Did any resolve ever come out? My bunny has yet to stop charging me. He’ll be mellow and calm, then if I stand up he’ll growl and charge me. He also bites, and has drawn blood quite a few times. He charges my sister, too, but has not yet bit her. Boyfriend who visits every so often has never been charged at. I was thinking maybe he’s just talking to us, he’ll also growl when he sees food coming or when he’s eating, but the lunging for sure is not a friendly gesture.
I’m hoping this will pass, my legs are getting pretty ugly and I’m running out of bandaids…
Hi and Welcome to BB. We ask members to not respond to old threads. This thread is from 2010 so I’m going to lock it to avoid confusion. Please feel free to start a new one for other members to give you advice.