Aggression or Affection?

[Balefulregards]

So, as I acclimate Jackson to the house/Coco/Me, I am seeing avery specific behavior that I first interpreted as aggressive, but now I am wondering if it is actually affection that he is not sure how to express.

When I request to groom Coco, she and I have very well defined motions. I tap the ground, or she hops forward and “presents” to me for nose rub/love.

Jackson has no such decorum. He will hop over and nose around when I am rubbing Coco  – but if I reach out to nose rub him, 8 times out of 10 he will lift his nose UP, even telescope, then try to push my hand Down with both his front paws and nose. He will do that diggy motion too. 

Once my hand is one the ground, he will nip – not hard, but a nip nonetheless.

At  first I assumed that it was aggression. “Don’t Touch me” – but recently, as I have been on the floor with him more, I begin to suspect it is a very imperfect request for love.  Once he does relax, he will let me nose, cheek and ear groom him. He tooth purrs. He binkies after I stop, like he can’t control himself – just springs up from the flat laying position. But he more frequently does the dig, nip move. Last night, after I moved my hand, he licked the ground where my hand was – so I was deeply flattered as it is the first time he has deigned to more than nip or smack or my hand.

 

Is it possible that he doesn’t know the rabbit signals?  I found that Coco will often look at him like he is crazy – she presents to him for grooming and he just doesn’t seem to know what to do. Is it possible he was taken from him mother so young that he doesn’t have a sense of  rabbit decorum? Or is he just a dude?

[Sarita]

He’s a dude – that is so funny :~)

I think it’s just a matter of the rabbit and you have to learn that particular rabbit’s, rabbit speak. It’s certainly possible that it is a result of his upbringing (but you may never know this).

[Adalaide]

Haha, that’s hilarious. The male lack of ability to communicate crosses species. He doesn’t listen to or understand Coco and communicates his own needs in such a guy way. “I need affection too but I’m not gonna pansy up like she does.” Freya was younger than she should have been when I brought her home, but it was either that or she may have ended up someone’s dinner. She really sucks at asking to be groomed also and has always nipped a little. Usually for us it’s when she deigns to lick one of us. She licks feet… GROSS!!! She also pushed my hand up when what she really wants is to be groomed, it took me forever to figure out what she wanted, I thought she was being moody or something.

[wendyzski]

Maybe he doesn’t know how to speak Bunny?

I have sometimes thought that’s Pepper’s problem – she was utterly unable to understand the other shelter buns we met, and as a result was very aggressive towards them.

[Sage Cat]

Kay has recently started to dig at my feet while I’m sitting at the desk when she wants attention!
Cats give “love bites”. Maybe Jackson has spent some time with cats?

[Balefulregards]

Yes – I am nearly sure that this is affection now – I’ve been closely watching him for the past two days and he does the dig thing when he wants MORE. Which seems counter intuitive to me, but seems to be the way he is wired.

He licked the floor near me again this morning after I was able to rub him. Its just odd – this Don’t Touch me – RUB ME signal he is sending. I think he is just continuing to acclimate.

Again this morning, he was not defensive for the first time when I stooped down to rub him. Normally, I will stop and lean down and he will hop away after the first rub – this morning he relaxed into it – kicked his back feet out Even!

And yes – he may have spent time with cats – He plays like a cat more so than Coco – tossing and chasing his willow ball.

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