Vicious Bunny

[TheNibbler]

Hello Forum! I usually never turn in forums on the internet, but I came across this forum, and thought it was worth a shot. I’m desperate for help.

My bunny, The Nibbler, is growing increasingly vicious. He is a light brown dwarf rabbit about 1 years old now. We got him when he was a baby, and he was neutered when he was about 5 months old. He loved us so much when he was small, and would hop up on my lap to get petted and he’d actually bunny-flop in my lap. He actually started to get more vicious when we brought him home from the vet. Reading around on forums, I thought he would get better over time, but in fact he’s getting worse.

We let him out of his room to run around the house everyday (He has his own bunny-proofed room and an open cage) for about an hour and half. He used to run around and play very friendly (Licking my feet and I’d pet him). Now he just poops all over the house and tries to bite my feet when I get close to the carpet or sofa (Which he’s taken over.)

He still likes being petted, but its really strange that if you pet him the right way, he’ll purr, but if you pet him a way he doesn’t feel like being petted he’ll actually bite and lunge. He bites hard enough to leave marks and draw blood. I have to wear thick “armor” whenever I let him out now. I miss my little bunny that didn’t poop all over and happily played around the house. He’s litter trained in his room, and pees in his litter box when we let him out, but he poops all over and chases us off any furniture and carpet now. I don’t know how I can fix him.

He totally refuses to be picked up. And will take treats from my hand and then run away after he’s eaten them. His mood will change so quickly. One min. he’ll bunny-flop on the carpet and I’ll pet him for half an hour (Him purring all the while). The next minute he’ll attack and drive me away.
Please help me .. my arms have scars from so many bite marks, and feet too. I love my bunny so much.

[Dwarf Sparrow]

It sounds like he’s being territorial outside of his room- what with the pooping and aggression. How does he act when you go into his bunny room? Has furniture been moved recently or anything else been changed (smells, food, etc)?
I assume you yelp/give a little scream and say “no” when he bites?

I wonder if any of this would help-
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/rabbittalk_anger.html

[TheNibbler]

: ( He’s defiantly territorial. His behavior really varies when I go into his room. In the morning he’ll run around me in circles buzzing. Then the next minute he’ll turn around and bite at my feet. : ( It’s really hard to tell which kind of mood he’s in. One tell tail sign he’s about to attack is he turns his back to me and starts sniffing at something, then he’ll turn around and lunge/growl at me.

I don’t understand … we’ve been close growing up, but now he wants to take over the house T_T. He’s so cute he’s getting away with it too … but I always watch videos of people playing and picking up their bunnies. Mine will take my hand off if I tried.

[Dwarf Sparrow]

You probably already figured this out, but the turning his back on you is a sign of anger- though I wonder what’s offending him in the first place

[LongEaredLions]

Also, most bunnies do not like being picked up.

[Bam]

It sounds like a difficult situation. But hating to be picked up is the norm in adult rabbits, so I wouldn’t worry about that. It’s like an instinct, not sth they decide to do because they hate you or sth. In baby bunnies this instinct hasn’t yet developed, and that’s how it is with most animals, it’s a part of their innate survival skills.

It does sound like he’s not been “properly” neutered, he seems very sexual – drop-marking, circling you, the sudden mood-swings, the claiming of the couch etc. Here’s an article about a rabbit that produced testosterone despite being neutered: Marshal: http://rabbit.org/sex-hormones-in-altered-rabbits/ (House Rabbit Society is a trustworthy source.) This would be very rare, though.

The only other thing I can think of would be pain of some sort. How is is stomach (droppings, cecals, hay-consumption)? I suppose you would’ve noticed if he reacts badly to being touched in some certain area, which would indicate pain or tenderness in just that spot.

Imo you don’t surrender couches or beds etc to rabbits or other pets, Because if you “reward” bad behaviour by backing off, the rabbit realizes growling and lunging is the best way to get what he wants. But you will of course need some armour, like really thick gloves that goes high up on the arms when you refuse to let him bully you off the couch. And no violence from you, just firmness and stubborness.

Please keep us posted, I hope you’ll get many more answers and suggestions here.

[jerseygirl]

Like Bam, I wonder if there were complications with the neuter. Especially since the onset of aggression happened directly after. Had he been to the vet prior to his neuter?

I suppose even a subtle spine or neck misalignment due to the way he was positioned might cause some chronic discomfort. The only outward sign being aggression.

If not a health issue, then you’re probably dealing with a learnt behaviour. What do you do when he bites?

Gorgeous bunny btw. Love the big brown eyes!

[Author]

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