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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.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR Spayed bun becoming territorial/possessive

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    • NoMane
      24 posts Send Private Message

        Bea has been spayed for about 6 weeks now and she has really mellowed out since. So much in fact she is going speed dating next week to rescue her new best friend.

        She has a history of being territorial and it has really gone down since being spayed. However, she has started becoming territorial over objects in shared spaces and not just in her cage. I saw her chinning my sneakers before i went to leave and didnt think much of it, 5 minutes later i grabbed them to put them on and out of no where she lunged at me and put some deep scratches in my arm. It was terrifying. I locked her up after that. She did something similar with my suitcase.

        Is there any way i can remedy this? Im terrified she will try this with an immunosuppressed family member and i can not tolerate that kind of behavior. Im also worried about her claiming the shared areas as hers and causing trouble for the new bun.


      • Mikey
        Participant
        3186 posts Send Private Message

          First off, do not bring another rabbit into the picture until you and Bea overcome this issue. Another rabbit isnt just going to sit there and take it when she lunges and digs her nails into them, theyll fight back which can lead to severe wounds or even death. For everyone involved, its better if you dont speed date her until this is fixed either, since you cant bring the bunny home that she picks out, anyway

          I would first go to the vet and see if there is something going on. Some rabbits get random surges of hormones, even after being fixed. They usually go away after a few days. Another reason to see the vet is to make sure shes not acting out due to pain or discomfort. After the vet gives her the clear, you should start with clicker training. When she starts to chin mark, use the clicker to call her over then give her a toy that is hers and only hers. You can try treats, but this may cause her to think chin marking is a good thing, and make the problem worse. This will take a lot of practice and patience. I would say if it doesnt improve after a months span, try another form of redirection training. If that doesnt work after another months span, assume being territorial is part of her nature and she may not grow out of it


        • Bam
          Moderator
          16836 posts Send Private Message

            6 weeks can be too short time for a spay to take full effect in a girl rabbit. They tend to need more time than the boys. Territoriality is classic hormonal behavior, and as Mikey says, it’s not uncommon for buns to experience random hormonal surges after being desexed. In rare cases girls can need up to 6 months.

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        Forum BEHAVIOR Spayed bun becoming territorial/possessive