Treat Agressive

[BlackRabbitCity]

Hello!

Jasper, the rabbit, just adopted me as his companion last week and I just joined this site today! 

My question: How do I work with Jasper on food aggression?

Situation: Jasper is a 1year 1 month old male bun. I adopted him last week from a shelter. He was neutered one week ago. He has cage aggression (which I expect to decrease, however, I always make sure he is out on floor time while I clean/place food etc.) The difficult part is when I want to give him treats (in neutral territory) to teach/bond he will lunge and has bit my finger. I have suspended our handfeeding sessions for now. Also I have kept him on a regular food schedule of big salads twice a day and I scatter some [less that 1/2 a cup a day] pellets.  (obviously we are still learning to trust each other; especially him to trust me to keep him safe/provide food since he has been in a shelter). He readily hops over to me and onto the bed and will lie for hours while I pet him. He binkies around me and flops and runs to me for pets as soon as he sees me. If I am to bring out a delicious leaf treat for him he flattens his ears back and runs to the treat and attacks it. Basically. If I take the treat away after he breaks off a piece he charges for it.

My thoughts on resolutions:
1. Time: We are newly family and we need time to trust.
2. Time: He was just neutered so we got them hormones going.
3. Practice: Tying a piece of lettuce on a wooden spoon and then offering it on neutral ground. I’m not sure, at this point, if I should let him “be aggressive” until he gets some munches then just pet him while he eats? Or should I remove the treat when he is aggressive and wait? Or perhaps I should hold off on this kind of exercise for a few weeks while we get use to each other?

Noteworthy:
I can pet Jasper while he is eating in his cage. He doesn’t mind petting while he is in his cage, he is only aggressive when placing or removing food in the cage or with handfeeding anywhere.

Any theories or approaches or comments or encouragement welcome!

[tobyluv]

Jasper may have had to compete for his food at his former home, or not have been fed enough, which may be why he is food aggressive now. It seems like he wants to eat before someone snatches it away from him. Taking the rest of the leaf or treat away after he has bitten part of it off, probably makes him mad or anxious. It would be better if you let him have the whole treat, and if some of it breaks off and falls, let it lay there so that he can finish it. If he is so aggressive that he is nipping your fingers, just lay the treat down instead of hand feeding it to him. Let him get used to being fed and knowing that you aren’t going to take his food away from him.

Since it’s only been 1 week since his neuter, he likely will settle down. Also, he is in a new place and getting used to it and any new people in his life. The fact that he lies beside you for a long time already, is great.

Here is one article on aggression, not necessarily food aggression, which is what you are dealing with: http://rabbit.org/faq-aggression/

And a few more articles are here: http://rabbit.org/category/behavior/aggression/

Welcome to Binky Bunny!

[Gina.Jenny]

We have two rescue girls who were both like Jasper when we got them last year. It has taken months of getting them to trust that their food won’t be taken away, and both girls went from being a finger risk, to gently taking a treat from my mouth. My thought is the worst thing you can do is stop the treats, instead, maybe try giving small frequent treats, so Jasper gets used to you giving. Our girls both thought pellets were treats, so that made it easy to give very small amounts every couple of hours.

I would try stroking with one hand, then maybe bring a small amount of treat in on say a small plastic plate, so he can see it coming, and no harm if he lunges or bites, and build on from there?

[Bam]

As Tobyluv also says, he’s new to you and he’s just neutered, both of which are factors that influence a bunny’s behavior quite a lot. The first few weeks after a neuter a boy bun can be very cranky, territorial and aggressive. He can also pee and poop-mark and engage in sexual endeavours (humping). It’s due to fluctuating hormone levels in his system. Hormone-wise, a neuter is a big change and it affects the brain and mood. Before that phase is over your bun isn’t really himself.

[BlackRabbitCity]

It would be better if you let him have the whole treat, and if some of it breaks off and falls, let it lay there so that he can finish it.

-tobyluv

My thought is the worst thing you can do is stop the treats, instead, maybe try giving small frequent treats, so Jasper gets used to you giving.

-Gina.Jenny

Thanks so much for this! Your comments gave me confidence to try giving Jasper some long romaine lettuce. He took it gently then ran off to eat it in his hideout like some kind of lettuce addict. Since yesterday we’ve already worked up to him taking smaller [three inch] pieces of lettuce and eating them next to me. Thanks for your help!

[Gina.Jenny]

Brilliant 

[LBJ10]

I agree. Putting the treat down on the floor and remaining close by will help get him used to the you=food idea. After awhile, you should be able to work him up to taking treats from your hand. He may be anxious about food and then it’s compounded by the fact that he’s recently neutered and in a new home.

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