Is there anyway to calm an agrissive bunny

[Plumped Cuddly Bunnies]

All my rabbits have become aggressive because they are not spayed or neutered and have hit puberty where there hormones are raging. They are all in separate enclosures. Its becoming very difficult  to feed/clean and water them because they lunge at me and bite. One even chased me. I really need to find a way of calming them down because I don’t know when I’m going to be able to get a vet appointment, it could be months away. I need to find a solution if there is one? Is there anything I can buy them or do to calm them down?

[BZOO]

Try some Bach Rescue Remedy for pets.  Might need help administering it or you can put it on a treat they like that will soak it up.

[Plumped Cuddly Bunnies]

Thanks I’ll order some today. It can be scary being chased by a bunny its like something from a horror. I had use a wooden board to put between me and the rabbit as a shield.

[Bam]

This aggression is hormonally driven, and worsened by the fact that your buns are housed near but not together with other intact buns. It is “normal”, so itsnot worrisome in that respect.

I recommend using thick gardening gloves when you do cleaning etc. If they bite the gloves you can be more or less indifferent to their biting. This is important, because if you withdraw suddenly when they lunge, they will consider this a “success” and keep lunging when you come near. If you have protective gear on, you can just go about your business and the buns will be like Oh well, biting doesnt work, I might as well not bother. (Not in so many words of course, they won’t be reasoning like an adult human would. But the mechanism is the same, success reinforces any behavior).

 

[Plumped Cuddly Bunnies]

The two females are very calm now I can stroke them and even cuddle them and they are fine although they could switch so I still have to be careful just encase. I normally know when there tail goes up.

I am getting very worried about the male. I can not calm him and its getting very hard to clean feed and water him without him trying to attack me. The first thing he does is spray me with urine I have taken some protective measures to protect myself from being bitten. He is very aggressive and now he is biting and chewing the bars of his enclosure trying to get out. I’m concerned he will damage his teeth. He has plenty of space but when he sees me he will spend much time trying to break out. I cleaned out what I could and gave him some fresh water and food and gave him some more hay.

[GlennTheLionhead]

Awww I’m sorry its a difficult time with the buns 🙁 it does sound like hormonal, territorial behaviour.

Spaying and neutering really does wonders for this type of behaviour, usually spraying and aggression will stop after neutering. Do you have any updates or dates for the vet appointments yet?

 

[DanaNM]

what is their housing situation? Is the male in the same room as the females? If so that could be making things worse.

I’m also wondering if it might help to change clothes between interacting with the buns. Rabbits are super scent oriented so having something like a hoodie that is only worn when dealing with the male might help.

I’ve also heard of people leaving a worn sock in the bun’s enclosure for the bun to sniff/attack/investigate so the bun can realize you aren’t a threat by getting used to your scent, so that could be something to try too.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Plumped Cuddly Bunnies]

Sadly all vets are fully booked up with approximately a 3 month waiting time. I just have to keep trying but I just feel I’m going around in circles. Its a really bad time right now getting any kind of vet treatment or service.

[Plumped Cuddly Bunnies]

The male is in a separate room far from the two females.

All of my rabbits have been very good today which has taken me by surprise. I let the two does out and they played together all day and there was no aggression and not only that. I went to see the male bunny and I could pet him for the first time in ages. He never bit me. I could even pick him up. I took this opportunity to give his area a good clean out as I was unable to do it properly before. I literally gutted and cleaned everything thoroughly and gave him some new hay. He has been incredible today plus I had the females scent on me “I know not ideal” and he wasn’t phased at all.

[DanaNM]

That’s great! Maybe he was just having a surge of hormones before that made him extra cranky? Cranky teenagers are a thing 😆

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Plumped Cuddly Bunnies]

That would make sense. He is very young less than six months old…

[Author]

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