Territorial brat

[Stickerbunny]

Powder two nights ago bit me HARD (hard enough to leave a deep bruise, without the blanket in the way it would have easy brought blood) for my feet touching “his spot” in the bed. Last night I went to adjust the blankets around my feet and he growled and lunged at me. He’s NEVER growled at me before. I may have to lose my bed buddy by kicking him out of the bed (figuratively, not literally) if he doesn’t learn to behave about it.  Which I don’t like because he’s so cute flopped out beside me in the bed every night.

Right now I put him off the bed and give him my back when he’s being aggressive. I can’t really do the squealing etc cause he’s doing it at 2-3am and boyfriend gets up at 5am, so not very nice to wake him up so early/late. Rabbits need to learn how to share, silly boy.

[Sarita]

Maybe he’s really not sure what is under the covers – it’s just something that moves. It’s not something I would imagine a rabbit could easily figure out.

[Stickerbunny]

He growled and lunged at my hands, outside the covers. I moved the blanket after he bit me and he was still nipping my bare feet. And when I went to put my tablet on the charger, which is at the foot of the bed (outlet issue) he nipped my arm. None of the nips were as hard as the bite though, that one hurt.

[Sarita]

It may be an eyesight issue too – when you are under the covers or on the bed, your shape is different and he may find you threatening because he cannot really see you. From what I understand rabbits cannot really see very well and alot is just shapes to them.

I once got my rabbits in a ruckus when I tried to put a tube in their room for them to play with – it totally disturbed them but once I took it out, it was fine.

[Stickerbunny]

He has slept on the bed every night, all night, for several weeks without issue (he’ll jump down, go to the box, get some water and jump back up). Nothing has changed. It’s only become a problem last few days. And he doesn’t find me threatening, even if he is in his spot, he’ll let me pet him and sink down and close his eyes and even flop over so I can reach the spots he wants pet better. But, as soon as I touch the bed itself (at the foot) with any part of my body, it’s attack bunny. It’s just the foot of the bed as well, if he’s at the head he’s fine and that is where he actually sleeps… but he likes to go down to the foot and dig at the sheets and do mad zoomies all over my legs. He did pee in that spot a few days ago and I cleaned it up, he hasn’t peed again, but he started being protective after that.

Stickers is the same way about her blankie… she has a red fleece blanket in her den and if she’s on it, I can touch HER but if I touch IT she’ll charge me and grunt like “That is MINE! Back off!”

[RabbitPam]

Sounds like that’s his play area, and the top is his sleeping area. So he may be mistaking your motion under the covers as an invitation to play, and he is “attacking” for fun. If he peed there, too, he’s marked it as his part of the bed, you get your side and BF has his. 2 possible things to try: when he does it, put your hand on his shoulder blades and press him down and say No, or Stop. It is a dominance position and may subdue him without hurting him.
The other is to put him on the floor immediately, as soon as he acts out. Keep doing it, but the minute he is there and calms down, pet him and tell him he’s a good boy so he feels rewarded for NOT doing the aggressive behavior.

BTW, I can’t help wondering how your charger wires haven’t been chewed up yet?

[Stickerbunny]

BF doesn’t even sleep on the bed, what was his side is now Powders sleeping side lol BF sleeps on the floor (and gets bunny bombed sometimes during the night if Powder decides to jump off that way) and I am not allowed a side, Powder has to get off on the right and sleeps on the left, so I have to sleep dead center. Ok, kind of sounds like the rabbit owns the house doesn’t it? …

The wires are behind a baby gate in a corner off the right side of the bed. It’s too small a corner for him to jump into and the gate keeps him from getting into it from the floor.

[RabbitPam]

LOL
I forgot that your BF sleeps on the floor (Beware of Falling Bunnies).
Powder has had the mortgage/lease put into his name. Expect eviction notices at the end of the week.

[Stickerbunny]

Haha yeah, but he won’t evict me, I give the craisins AND clean his litter boxes, who would he have do that if he kicked me out?

[Elrohwen]

Now this might be totally off base, but it sounds like the resource guarding that some dogs do with beds, toys, etc. Bunnies are obviously territorial, so it might not be the same motivation as a dog, but the behavior is similar. I’m not really sure what you could do short of kicking him out of the bed. If he bites you could take him off the bed and put him one the other side of the room (so he can’t get back to the bed). I’m not sure if he’d understand that, but he might eventually figure out that biting loses him the prime bed spot.

[Stickerbunny]

I took the unfitted sheet off my bed last night, that is what he digs the most (cause it will move and bunch up for him) and he didn’t bite, growl or lunge all night. He did flop out completely and kick his legs back into my face though… he needs a nail trim, ow. lol I’m hoping that was the problem and if I don’t put it back on the bed maybe he’ll continue being sweet. *fingers crossed*

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