Food aggression?

[Michelle&Lolli]

I bought one of those plastic treat balls for dogs.  I was hoping it would stimulate Lolli and get her moving around some more.  But all it seemed to do is tick her off.  lol  The first night, she nudge it some and pick it up to drop it.  Then she’d go in her box and sit there.  Then come back out and mess with it some more.  I was rolling it around, trying to get her to roll it too.  But she’d just growl and go back in her box.  LOL  So I gave a treat and put it up.

It was hard to get the treats to come out because not only does it have a hole in the top, but it also has an inner plastic piece you put the treats under.  So the treats have to make through two holes to come out.  Last night, I took that inner piece out which made it easier for the pieces to come out.  (I am using oxbow timothy o’s.)  So I’m doing the same thing where I roll it around and Lolli’s somewhat messing with it.  Then all of a sudden, she growls and boxes my hands again.  Then goes in her box.  

She has never been aggressive over food before.  She just growls all the time when I first give her food – whether it’s lettuce, pellets, or treats.  So is she frustrated because she can’t get the treats out or is this boxing and growling actual food aggression?  The most she does is growl but this is the 2nd time in a week or so where she’s boxed my hands when I’ve been near her food.  The first time was when I was handing feeding her lettuce.  LOL

My little sweet, submissive girl is getting all fiesty on me.  LOL  

[Sarita]

I don’t think it’s food aggression – I think it’s just aggravating to her – the toy that is. I think it might actually stimulate her though since she keeps coming back.

[Michelle&Lolli]

Ok. Now that I think about it, there might be a bit of food aggression mixed in. She definitely doesn’t want to be messed with – ie. petted – until she’s good and ready while she’s eating. Usually she doesn’t want to be touched until her “second round” of coming back to munch. Then she’ll let me give her some nose pets and kisses within reason.

Anyways….so I’m not totally off base with the toy completely pissing her off. LOL Cause I definitely got looks the first night. “YOU put the darn things in there. YOU can get them out. Then give them to me.” hahaha

[Michelle&Lolli]

I will continue to give her the ball. I have been taking it away when I’m putting her back in her pen though. I don’t want her completely aggravated all night. LOL

[Monkeybun]

It’s good for her to not have it all the time anyway. Too many treats isn’t good for her figure

[mlg4491]

I had a bunny who found the treat ball too easy, so I ended up giving her treat boxes instead. Basically, take a small cardboard box (think Rice-a-Roni sized) fill it with hay, a couple super tasty treats, and close it up. Then, I let her go to town. I’m pretty sure she was actually trying to kill it to get the treats out. She would grab it in her teeth, roll onto her back/side and kick at it trying to get in. If the treat ball is annoying your bun, maybe a treat box would work. That way, if she is feeling aggressive about it, she can take her aggression out on the box and not on you? And if she doesn’t understand the box, try poking a couple of holes in it. I found with all the tossing, kicking, and shredding involved with the box she was still getting plenty of exercise.

[Michelle&Lolli]

I am only putting maybe 4 in the ball at a time.

Well, she finally rolled it around a little bit tonite. Poor girl is like “Mom! It’s supposed to come out when it rolls!” as she sniffs around after she moves it. LOL

I will keep the box thing in mind. She doesn’t seem as ticked off tonite so we’ll see how the ball does. lol

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