REALLY territorial/aggressive rabbit?

[BunnyLoverMaddie]

Hi guys! I’m new here and this is my first ever post so if any part of this is wrong or I’m posting somewhere I shouldn’t, feel free to say! 

So basically my issue is that I have a 9 month old female nether land dwarf and she is extremely aggressive/territorial. (I say both because I’m not sure which it really is!) I’ve had her for about 7 or 8 months and she was great when I first got her then when she reached about 6 months old (or so?) she began to get really aggressive. Not just putting her ears back and threatening people, she actually lunges at you with a screeching growl and tears your hand to pieces until you move it or she kills it! I have NO idea why she is all of a sudden like this. I considered it might be her age as it was when she reached sexual maturity but it seems like a bit more might be going on here. Its just the fact that its so abnormal, she growls and screams at you then bites/burrows in to your hand. It’s got to the point where I cant even move a cardboard tube toy in her cage without her trying to murder me.  I’m trying my hardest with her as I’ve watched many videos on why she might be like this and how I can stop it but it’s seeming impossible. Before she had become like this I had bonded with her and she was the sweetest thing ever but then all of a sudden it was as if she hated me (I know she doesnt but thats how she acts). I have tried to bond with her again in so many different ways (laying on my back and letting her hop on me, feeding her from my hand, gently stroking her, letting her approach me etc.) but she isn’t interested. As soon as your hand gets close she fights you.

I ended up thinking its because of something health wise (her teeth, her diet, etc.) so I did a bit more research on how I can make sure she is healthy. I tried checking her over (she also tried to kill me then) and I couldn’t notice anything wrong with her so I just bought her a wooden log, a mineral stone and some of the expensive pellets to make sure she was getting everything she needed. Her behaviour didnt change at all which confused me so I thought about how else I could help her. I then thought it might be something to do with socializing her so I moved her cage in to my room (she has always been an indoor bunny) so then she would hear and see people more often. This has helped a tiny bit as its stopped her from being scared of people which is a start since she was a bit frisky before but the grumpyness just continues. 

Now I’m pretty much stuck on how I can help her. I also would like to train her to jump and use a target stick but she isnt interested. She just sits there and if I touch her she growls. 

What can I do? My parents and friends keep telling me that its nothing and I’m just over thinking it and that its “just her personality” but I’m sure this isn’t right. Does anyone know what I can do to stop the grumpyness and possibly get closer with my bunny? Thanks guys! 

[manic_muncher]

Sounds like its time to spay her! In the meantime, try to do all your cleaning and moving around things when she isn’t inside her cage, so you aren’t “invading her space”. From what I’ve read here and other places, some buns are just more territorial than others, and it sounds like she’s definitely territorial. I’m sure others will chime in here!

[Tessie]

Yeah, I agree, she’s hormonal and it’s time to be spayed!

[Hazel]

Yeah, sounds like it’s that time… Have you found a rabbit savvy vet yet?

[BunnyLoverMaddie]

Okay thanks guys. I wasn’t too sure if it was normal but I guess its her hormones!
And yes Hazel I have got a vet who is bunny savvy. When Koko was younger she got a brain parasite off her mother (this was before I owned her) and we never knew until she showed neurological signs which by then is usually too late but lucky for us, it wasnt! The vet found us some meds and we managed to kill the bug. She’s recovered so well, she hasnt even got a head tilt which I’m very happy about. I think I’ll have to look in to the spaying and ask my vet about it all, then we can get her fixed. Thanks guys!

[Katscarpena]

I had a tiny little female Netherland Dwarf as a child. She was mean as HECK! lol Had to use leather gloves to get the tiny terrorist out of her cage to clean it if she was in there when you had to do it. .

She was un-spayed. I don’t think we knew enough to know to get her fixed. She was free range though, and she also was an ankle biter. Run up – grunting – lunge -bite – run away. LOL

[BunnyLoverMaddie]

Aw ahaah I guess its just the dwarfies then!

[BunnyLoverMaddie]

Well my dad reached in her cage and she took a huge chunk out of his hand! He started bleeding so bad it was dripping off his hand in a matter of seconds. I took her for a walk and just now left her on my bed and when I went to clean a pee spot on my duvet (naughty rabbit) she lunged at me and bit me really hard that I am now left with 2 teeth marks and a bit of blood! Silly thing, I can’t wait until I can afford to have her fixed!

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