Dominant Baby (or Teen now..)

[BelarusianBunny]

*sigh* 

My new rabbit is insane.  I know, I know, she is still very young (3 going on 4 months old) but she has such attitude.  I’ve had young rabbits before but this one takes the cake for sassy attitude.  It is as if she has a mean streak and takes pride in it.

Lately, we’ve been dealing with her acts of dominance.  She started to hop up and pee on my chaise.  She doesn’t pee on anything else; she doesn’t hop up on the sofa or other chairs.  She knows that is the piece of furniture where I do my sitting all the time.  She KNOWS it is my place.  My husband was reading the newspaper and I was in the kitchen doing dishes.  According to my husband, the rabbit hopped up on to the chaise, waited a little bit (I guess pee) and hopped off.  I didn’t know what she had been up to until I sat down and got my pyjamas wet.  One smell and I knew…

I read the information on the House Rabbit Society about rabbits asserting dominance and they suggested the use of Snappy Trainers.  I had never heard of these (never needed them before!).  Has anyone had any experience with using these?  

Or, if anyone has any other suggestions, I’d be glad to hear them!  It has been almost one month with this new bunny and each day, she becomes so much bolder.  

Side Note: She saw the vet two weeks ago and he said she is in excellent health.  She’s a very healthy and chubby little girl.

Thanks again.

[LBJ10]

She probably knows that that is your spot and she is trying to claim it for herself. Hence the marking. The best solution is going to be to prevent her from getting up there. Otherwise, she will just continue to mark. She is young and testing her boundaries. Her hormones may also be starting to blossom. I assume you’re planning to have her spayed as soon as she is old enough, so you may just have to wait this out until you can have her done. She may always have a little bunitude, but having her spayed should help calm those things that are hormone-driven.

[JackRabbit]

Short of blocking off your chaise, until she’s spayed and/or feels she has properly marked your chaise (like LBJ said), you could lay something slippery or waterproof over it when you’re not sitting there. As annoying as bunitude can be at times, a bunny with such a huge personality can be super entertaining once the marking stops!

[BelarusianBunny]

Thanks for the replies!

Yes, once she is old enough, she will be spayed. Without a doubt.

O.K., so I’ll just have to find more clever ways of barricading things. I have certain things barricaded off (corner of plants, some equipment that can’t be moved) and I figure I’ll need more. I remember my grandma used to cover her furniture in plastic covers… I wonder where I can find those now!

Thanks!

[Author]

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