**Aggression** in rabbits is typically a behavioral, not genetic, problem. However, please note that what owners may see as aggression can be a normal communication for rabbits with each other. Nips on rabbit fur are much more gentle than nips directly on human skin!
If aggression suddenly develops in your rabbit, especially after a neutering, a veterinary examination is advisable to ensure that the rabbit is not in any discomfort.
Please see the wiki for more details resources on solving aggression in your rabbits:
A few useful shortcuts:
⭐ Reasons for aggression:
⭐ Solutions to aggression:
Is ok, I don't need a reply. Heck you don't even need to say hi, just a lil nod or fist/paw bump is fine.
Why is he so angy tho? What does he get upset over?
Our first rabbit was a Netherland dwarf and he was extremely aggressive and also afraid. I'm surprised that he wasn't our last rabbit. But our daughter enjoyed the challenge. I don't think we have been without at least one rabbit since him.
Hah, 'enjoyed the challenge' is exactly how I feel, good for her! Won the vicious bun lottery with my current girl, and as she's a Teddy Dwerg, blaming the Netherland Dwarf in the breed history, given their reputation, and angoras' for being sweet if not the brightest buns, which was also accurate in my experience (my angora *would* bite to assert boundaries, mind, but, I just have a knack for picking biters! Suits me).
For OP, what I've done is is sat on the floor with her (...ok, sometimes I ran away) giving high-pitched yelps whenever she charged and bit...then done as I'm told and responded super-positively to the grooming demand. She gradually learned biting wasn't necessary to get needs met. The House Rabbit Society advice on bringing positive energy to interactions with aggressive rabbits (this is my second really moody one, though she's truly extreme) has typically been most helpful. Admittedly it helps if you *can* just enjoy them and their attitude! I love them.
Ah the Netherlands dwarfs. Yes, they're bred for looks and often not socialised. It kind of sounds like poor breeding, and I'm not sure about their places of breeding. It's possible that they don't get handled well or often. From what I've seen living here in the Netherlands, I can only say that many are kept in small hutches or have very small runs and enclosures. Left out alone. Sad. Not everyone, but loads of people seem to think that's OK. So, again, the breeding situations might be poor. But, we love our boy, Little Bunny Face, who we took from a tiny hutch. When he gets excitable, he can get nippy and nudgy(I find this hilarious). Considering where he came from, he's being much more social than he used to be. In very s l o w steps, we've been teaching him love and what pets and grooming are, that rusty bags are safe, that varied food is good and not just old hay and crap veggie cuttings, how to feel safe outside of a hutch, what running and binkying is all about, and that humans have treats, friendship and cuddles that feel soooo good! Personally, these gorgeous little antisocial patoots, are worth every moment!
That describes my first bunny to a tee. Very skittish but also irritable, would seem to accept petting once a blue moon then out of nowhere lunge and bite. My mom loved him bc he was extremely clean and never chewed on any furniture though😂
I swear there's just something about Nethies that kind of lean them more likely to be grumpy little gits.
Maybe it's that their stumpy ears are hard to reach? Or perhaps the knowledge that they are rage incanate made flesh.... into the most adorable little fluffy body, and they're stuck in perpetual indignant fury at the ignobility of it all.
I can believe it! I have a... What I think to be some kind of Nethie cross with... Something (perhaps pit viper tbh) and she's *fine* except she has a hunt instinct.
My Oreo always seemed to have a stick up his ass about something, mind you if a Nethie gets too annoyed, they’ll just squeeze under a bit of furniture, through a gap that really shouldn’t have been big enough.
We've got an angry shitbag at a rescue I volunteer with named Dawson. Dawson got brushed Saturday, with a long handled brush of course, and growled at me the entire time he was enjoying it. 🙃
I’ve noticed my lop, Gerard fighting the enjoyment of being pet. It takes several weeks of me not petting him to be able to start petting him,and to stop before he stops me. One time I think I pet him for three minutes until he came out of the trance. Which point he shuttered with disgust,and removed himself from the bed.
It was the greatest three minutes of my life.
Then three months ago, he stepped on duct tape that fell from the ceiling, and I had to remove it from his paw. I’m grateful to be back at five seconds of petting a couple times a week.
I have a mini lion head named Satan and he is exactly the same. Doesn’t take much to piss him off and he thinks he can take on any one. Sometimes I feel like he is trying to live up to his name.
Was in an online group with someone who had an extremely aggressive bunny. Aggression in animals tends to come from some variety of fear/insecurity.
For him, consistent positive reinforcement and making a point to work with her a bit every day eventually paid off but it absolutely took time.
I know it was slow going. Just a long time of hanging out on the floor with treats every day. And she stayed territorial but toned down the aggression.
When they live with you in your home and become comfortable with you, they become a whole different bun. This one looked like it’s he kept outside & not really a pet(?)
She's been in the house, out the house, in again and out again😂 First time she was in was when she was bonding to her husbun. But she prefere outdoors - even though where she is now is a massive heated, insulated workshop where a person could live. But she was inside for a good 7/8mths. I was getting down on the floor at her level and allsorts but she is still a little shyster.
How do you know your rabbit prefers the outdoors? They like feeling safe and sharing your space. Many shelters won’t even adopt out a bunny if you’ll keep them outdoors.
She's not outdoors per se - she is in a 20ft heated workshop (think heated tinyhouse). Inside she was miserable. She didn't play with her toys, nor use her castle etc. she just looked miserable. But when i tried her outside (tiny house/workshop) that was when she seemed happier. So not outdoors as you think, not in a tiny hutch, nothing of the sort.
Many shelters you know must not have a clue then - I work with rescues in the UK.
Depends on the individual bunny - as all are different - but the minimum housing requirement in the UK is to RWAF standards (3 meters x 2 meters or 60 square feet). Indoor/out doesnt matter as long as there is space and shelter. My bunnies have that in abundance. I also have indoor bunnies with their own rooms, so sadly can't have all my bunnies inside.
I don't think this means the rescues "don' t have a clue". If anything, I would say it shows that they are ensuring the best care and living conditions for the rabbits.
Yup. Back in the early 90's my Mom had a lop named Belle. No-one called her Belle, not even the vet. We called her Tigger, or Tig for short. Tig was alpha bun to the extreme. She'd bite anything that moved, lurk under the open dishwasher and wrap herself around your ankle as you walked by.
The mop was her arch nemesis (she'd lurk under a chair and when you pushed the mop with plain water under the chair, you'd pull mop and bun out... by virtue of the fact she'd bite it and take a ride.) She regularly tried to get into the curtains so we gave her a fat quarter of denim fabric that she'd rip-tear into, drag it around like a defeated enemy/security blanket and ravage with her teeth with little grunts and growls.
It took six people to trim her nails at the vet. One person held her, one for each paw, and then the person with the nail clippers. (No I am not joking.)
If I got down on the floor to play, she'd bite, often drawing blood. I have strange little square scars on my ankles.
But if my Mom sat down? She was the sweetest, most loving bunny that could ever have been made of roses and spun sugar.
She was also the only bun we spent an entire year making a burrito out of and syringe feeding orange Gatorade while the vets worked tirelessly to figure out what was wrong with her... only for her to one day essentially yell the bunny equivalent of "PSYCHE!" and go on about her next few years like nothing ever happened.
Little brat.
Yup. The dang rabbit would not drink water, so the vet suggested orange Gatorade. Rabbits are notorious sweet tooths, and the Gatorade managed to make a violent interaction (catching, burrito in, shoving something in her mouth) into something she almost tolerated.
Woah. The though had crossed my mind during a similar stint with my boy, but I was fearful the sugar would ruin his teeth. Good tip to add to the bank, thanks
She was 100 pounds of rebellion in 6.5 pounds of fur. I could write a book about her absolute nonsense and people wouldn't be able to finish reading it for laughter. Also they'd never believe it wasn't fiction.
Some buns are just jerks, just like people. I'm glad you keep trying though, and maybe you'll find a solution. I think others have given good feedback. I just want to say sometimes you can do everything correct and they are still little shits. Some bunnies are just for looking at. =(
My Polish would bite at the start, and bit my sister multiple times when she was bun sitting. Only through a lot of socialization and booping her snoot whenever she would bite I got her to stop. This took about a year.
For us it's her breed. She's tiny and needs to compensate for that, combined with bad eyesight. Her husbun is a bit larger and extremely relaxed, her previous owners got rid of her because their boy wasn't as relaxed and couldn't bond at all.
My girl will still fight with her husbun every time food is involved, and humps him daily. She always instigates until he's sick of it and fights back. I've come to accept that this is normal bunny behavior.
I've had this bunny over two years, i believe she was only circa 12mths old when i rescued her. I've spent two years plus trying to help her.
Think i am going to start giving her metacam and see if it alters her disposition. Maybe pain relief (if its pain she is in) will help determine if its a pain thing? I think her eyesight is ok but i do think she is deaf - however ive got other deaf bunnies who aren't at all aggressive😕
Really not an expert in this area, but is there a chance that she still has a lot of hormones despite being neutered? Yeah, pain relief could definitely be something you could at least try. Have you tried taking her off pellets?
Some people say it's a behavioral issue which it might be, but some rabbits just are on the aggressive side.
Metacam/Meloxicam is a liquid NSAID like ibuprofen. You can irritate/damage the stomach lining with it, so I advise anyone to not give/take in on empty stomach.
I only have one bunny, a 2year old Dutch, and my partner and I want to get him a bunny friend but whenever we’ve had him near other bunnies he is aggressive towards them. When he was younger we contacted the shelter we got him from about bonding him with his sister, but apparently his sister was known as the bully of her foster home and they were recommending she stays a single bun. I think some bunnies, like people, just aren’t that social even though the species is social, but idk. We might bring him to some speed dating events but we’re afraid we might get banned from them if he’s too aggressive.
Single rabbits are definitely a thing. Social species have antisocial individuals all the time, look at humans, also a social species. Not every human wants a roommate.
My bun is the same. He hates rabbit kind. The rescue we got him from had to keep him in a separate pen while all the other bunnies were roaming and interacting because he was such a jerk to other bunnies. Their assessment was he needed to be a single bun. He’s very happy as a single bunny. My husband works fully remote so there are always humans around to get petting from and we have two cats that he gets along fine with. He just hates rabbits.
Our Coco is kind of a dick sometimes, and I'm not sure it's ever going to change because it's just her personality. She will sometimes be moody and lunge and growl when you smell different, she'll nip and growl and thump if she thinks you're taking too long with her food but at the same time she's sometimes calm and a total kisser and cuddle bug.
My baby is amazing sounds similar 😍
She's got better now. She's even cuddly sryim3s
But she's very assertive too and bossy and sassy. Bless that sweet baby.
one of my bunnys was mean and grumpy. Later we found out she had a hidden ear infection and was in pain. After that she was a little cuddle bug and friendly with their roommates.
That happened with my bun, I noticed his temperament had changed and took him to our bunny-savvy vet - she found he had a deep inner ear infection. Gave him antibiotics for a month to clear it up and Meloxicam for the pain, and he went back to being a sweet snugglebun again 🧡🐰🧡
My beautiful dwarf girl was always aggressive. I've had her for 3 years now, and even now, I know she's never going to be as trusting and open like my boy. She was a rescue and when I got her she was in bad condition. She dislikes people in general but tolerates me only. She used to bite often. She still will if I scare her or do anything Sudden. But she has come a long way from how she used to be.
The key for me is having an immense amount of patience. You wouldn't force someone who's gone through a traumatic experience to "hurry up and get over it". And based on her condition when I got her, I don't blame her for hating people. She clearly has trust issues, so everything I do around her, I do it slowly. I'm also not a loud person. So it's a benefit for her. I'm consistent as much as I possibly can.
This next point isn't against you in particular. But don't have expectations. I've seen people who complain that their bun (or any pet) doesn't do what other people's do that they've seen. My boy is the most lovable affectionate boy ever. I know my girl wont ever be that way. And that's fine. She'll ocassionally let me pet her for like 15 seconds. And that's it.
I think it also helps that they're free roamed 24/7. Because it allows her to do things her way and in her pace. And I just respect that. Buns in general are food driven so associating good things with food will probably help a lot. It took mine about 2 years of consistent work and patience. And even then she only let's me near her. And even though she gets along with my little boy, she enjoys having her solitary time everyday. That's just how she is.
Also I think it helped when I got her willow sticks to chew/bite/eat. She stopped biting less. Or maybe it was a coincidence. Idk. Sorry for the wall of text. Hopefully some of it is useful.
I worked at a "petting zoo" at an agricultural high school. It was my student job to take care of the animals, and every couple of weeks, a group of school kids would come in and learn about common farm animals. Never the public, never unsupervised kids, no handling the animals. We had this one bunny named tinkerbell who was just mean. These rabbits had a large indoor/outdoor set up in a quiet area, premium food, vet care, on call human 24/7, and bunny buddies. There were 6 bunnies in a very large space. 5 got along and were friendly, and tinkerbell just hated everyone and everything. All the toys offensive, anyone trying to help her straight to jail, you brought bunny snacks gross, why? She was a grumpy loaf who liked to bite.
This sounds like our Netherland Dwarf. She couldn't care less about toys, any other kind of enrichment like cardboard or twigs or even treats (she'll eat them when you get the hell away lol) ....and she bites the crap out of you for the efforts! 😆
"Well, animals are not like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they've had a hard life, or have been mistreated...but, like people, some of them are just jerks."
- Bart Gets An Elephant
My neutered bunny boy used to attack me unprovoked. Like actually go out of his way to find me just to bite hard and run away 🫠. I worked hard on treating him like a small prince with only positive gestures, calming voice (singing/calm music is good!) and spending several hours per day with him just chilling while wearing protective clothing. I also never ever ever picked him up; even cutting his claws was down to bare minimum, going to the vet meant lures and distractions to get into the transport, and brushing happened with constant treats as distraction.
Now more than 7 months later he's a cuddly little ball. I think he was just insecure and scared and needed extra reassurance that I wasn't out to get him. My advice is to just try your very hardest to never ever upset you lil' bun. She's the diva queen and when you act like it long enough she'll come around (don't worry about being below her in hierarchy either. Marking is annoying but aggression is worse... in my case, now that my bun feels safe I can also finally handle him without the world ending, which soon moved me to top bun position).
My rescue bun has always had a BIG attitude with a lot of sass!
I volunteered at a rescue where the vets advised to put a few of the more aggressive buns on Prozac (to increase their chances of getting adopted) and it really did help mellow them out. The vet only prescribed it for a few months but it still helped in the long run.
Omg Prozac as in the anti-depressant? I have that (well fluoxetine) in my cupboard for my own mental health.
That's mad.
I mean, i do have a bunny with arthritis on Gabapentin so, guess anything is possible😂
My lionhead is such a grumpy shithead. She'll go days where she runs from me, and even grunts WHILE I'm handing her a treat. She'll thump if I stay in her room for too long. On those days I usually just give her her space.
Then some days, she wants pets for 20 minutes straight. And then she'll grunt and run away again lol.
I think some of them just have that kind of personality! Unless they are truly afraid, then most just are a little annoying 🥰
It can be many things, I know my bunny that I rehomed became extremely insecure because of her bunny friend and didn’t fit with the other bunnies. I knew she was a cuddle bun that loved cuddles and could be lovely to her bunny friend with the right bunny. So after a year of trying with the bond, I rehomed her because it was causing stress for my other bunny and she was also really stressed. I bonded my third bunny with the rest of my bunnies while my rehomed girl bonded with a neutered male and her new family loved her. Now my case is a bit different because I knew my girl personality from the start and she was healthy. So when a behavior change happened and I couldn’t solve it without rehoming multiple pets to keep her and give what she needed. It was really bad situation and seeing how she changed from a lovely girl to a different bun because of stress.
I had a few bunnies that came with trauma. I got one when he was 4 months old but it took nearly 1.5 years to find his triggers and build confident and that’s where only him living with another family for 2 months until they rehomed him. While I had a girl that was older and came from neglect and really guarded towards humans, we did a little process within 3 years. She had just started to allow petting from humans, sadly she passed away before we managed to work more on her confidence around humans. At least she lived a life with large area and a bunny friend the last year of her life.
Then I also had a really dominant bunny, what I mean dominant she would nip and bite when she didn’t get what she wanted but she was easy to train. Took 6 months because she was used with humans just a little mean when she wanted me to move and guarding her territory which stopped after a lot of bribes and not bending to her wills. She learned which behaviors worked best to get me to do as she wanted but I had bruises and bite wounds for 6 months, I don’t know how many clothes she destroyed because she was a giant. She became my cuddly girl who loved getting head kisses. She would run to me and when I squatted down she would jump up into my arms and rest her head next to my cheek to get her kisses.
So it all depends on the bunny and some might never move past their behavior. It all depends on how bad the situation is.
1. Had adopted a bun who was spayed a month or so prior. She was labeled aggressive at the shelter. Thought for maybe still had hormones but her "aggression" lasted a couple years. I had to hide myself in the bathroom and wait for her to leave... After the initial couple years, I could stop hiding but if we accidently bumped each other, sometimes she would go after me.
2. Had another bun who at the shelter had to be fostered due to aggression. OMG, how many times did she bite me and hang on. Had to be so careful because I was afraid if I reacted and swung my leg while she was attached, she'd go flying and splat against the wall. There were no outward signs of anything wrong until she suddenly became ill and passed (well i took her to emergency, she was in incubator, discharged and told all good except legs not working, and then passed at home).
My albino girl is neutered but also has bad eyesight because of her red eyes. If she is not sure what it is that’s coming towards her and if it moves too fast she will start wacking it. Best is to move slowly to her and hold still while she approaches so she can sniff out/check out what the hell it is that’s coming her way. This also means feet or hands trying to place down grab food dishes. Even though she knows you it can still spot the shit out of her if you move too fast.
Also if she doesn’t like something she will let you know. Very clearly. No beating around the bushes haha. I was holding her st her shoulders at the vet at one point so she wouldn’t walk all over the desk and she’d calmly tuck in her face and bite my hand as in “let go, this is not a request this is an order”.
Our Netherland Dwarf, Nillie, is an angry lady! She's been spayed but she still grunts and tries to bite the crap out of you, unprovoked, daily. After 3 years I feel like I can kind of pick up on her vibes and have concluded that she is rarely fearful, its straight aggression even though we have always been gentle and loving toward her. She's just naturally a grump. Having said that, she seems to have complete trust in me when I'm trimming her nails, grooming or cleaning her because she never really struggles to get away. She just lets me do what needs to be done. So, I think somewhere deep down she has affection toward us....or at the very least, she tolerates us. We love her no matter what! (I'm also interested to see what others have to say about their meanie buns!) 🐇
My late bunny hated being alive from the moment he was forced upon this earth. He chased down large animals, growled, and would give the dirtiest looks. None of this changed when he was neutered. He was very type A personality until the day he died.
He could be sweet, but it was on HIS terms.
My angora mix is food aggressive. He will sit on the plate, drag it away even if it's empty. If I try to "share" while he's eating he will freak out. Normally very even tempered dude, and we've had him since he was 8 months.
He was the last of a reject litter from some kids 4h project and she couldn't get anyone to take him. Mom was just throwing food into a garage pen from time to time with no regard. We think it's stuck with him this whole time, and now he's nearing 10 years. Even moved the food source, more feeding times per day, ECT. We just give him gentle space. But yeah he'd probably also fight God.
At my job (a bunny rescue/boarding) we have a bunny who has been boarding there since 2017. The owners just pay for him 365 days every year. Hes the angriest bunny I’ve ever met and I’m assuming it’s because he’s stuck with us until the day he dies and because his owners never picked him up like they said they would.
Living inside as a free roam bun with a dedicated "safe" home he can choose to be in like a puppy pen area that people won't bother him in will do wonders. Daily interaction through sharing a room with them will change everything.
Most of the aggressive bunnies I’ve encountered either were strongly territorial or deeply afraid, likely from some past trauma. For the bunnies who were afraid, the best approach was to give them space and time, avoid picking them up, make sure they have safe spaces, don’t force them to interact. For territorial bunnies, using your voice can help. A scolding tone followed by continuing to clean their cage or whatever you were doing they objected too shows them whose the boss. I’ve also read an “eek” when nipped lets the bunny know they nipped too hard. Normally they use nips to boss other bunnies around and it doesn’t hurt because of the fur. So, they don’t realize their nips hurt us.
I agree and that's what i've done, but I believe 100% she is deaf so can't hear me. Just at a loss now so the only thing it could he is pain, surely? Or she is just a meanie queenie🐰👸🏻
My first bunny was a Nethie named Nibbles. Nibbles was mistreated in his first home (before my parents adopted him) and I we always joked he had PTSD because he acted like a grumpy old war vet. Hated all men and all children except my brother and I. Would attack anyone who got too close, even if they were offering treats. I loved that grumpy old man but he was not the cuddly sweet bunny most people dream of.
My Netherland dwarf has some serious attitude problems😂😂don’t you dare step into his turf which is the whole apartment. Now that he’s got his own room it’s a little better but going into his enclosure to change litter hay can be risky at times, sometimes he charges or nudge me by butt * humoon get off my lawn*
My rabbit Metal would pick a fight with his bunfriend at random. Got him to the vet for a checkup and found out his teeth were growing into his mouth causing alot of pain, once they were filed down he stopped fighting with my other rabbit.
This is so specific but you don't have any of those rodent sound deterrent plug-ins do you? I heard a story of a family who had a really nasty rabbit-they eventually discovered that they had those plugged in behind the couch they had forgotten about.
I have a 2-year-old Dutch bunny, and my partner and I want to get him a friend. However, whenever we've introduced him to other bunnies, he becomes aggressive towards them. When he was younger, we tried bonding him with his sister, but she was known as a bully and the shelter recommended keeping her as a single bun. I think some bunnies, like people, just aren't that social, despite their species being social creatures. We're considering speed dating events for bunnies, but we're worried about potential bans if he's too aggressive.
I had a Lionhead that was very aggressive and territorial. She would charge at you, grunt, and constantly bite until you left her alone.
I ended up sitting in her area for as many hours I could a day. I would wear a very thick blanket and either read a book or watch TV. She would continuously bite me through the blanket sometimes for hours and I would not react at all. This went on for many many months. Eventually she realized her actions were not having the results she wanted and she slowly stopped biting me. I avoided picking her up and would just give her two gentle pats on the head along with treats starting a couple times a day and working up to more.
I won't say she ever fell in love with us but as she aged she accepted pats from us and even seemed to relax into it a bit. She stopped biting completely even when distressed. Though she still always loved to grunt when mad. :)
Of our 8 rabbits only one is always in attack mode. All of them are spoiled, coddled, and loved. In doors, lots of room. All fixed and vaxxed. Sometimes it's like friendly booping and run. He can climb on you but you can't pet him. He's super sweet to his bonded girlfriend. But he loves to bite and scratch feet and is always telling you he's boss. He's just an alpha. We love him.
During a fire disaster, we took in some evacuee rabbits. One of the does stress-birthed 5 tiny kits. I managed to raise them all and still have all but one (they weren't claimed back).
Bodicaea. I named her Bodicaea. She was born a warrior, aggressive and violent. From about 1 month old she growled almost constantly, tortured her sisters, even attacked my own does. She attacked me every chance she got. Nothing I tried helped except keeping her confined. I rehomed her.
I've never seen a bun like her, and I don't know enough to understand. But could she have had damage from the stressed birth? Or are some bunnies just mean?
My late neutered rabbit loved to wait until my two dogs fall into deep sleep on the couch , then he jumps on their heads. Or dig into the couch and tug on the fabric under my dog to scare her.
I have a female mini lop. She is Satan's 1st cousin. We all have a running joke of Matilda (the rabbit) is in a good mood, she must be sick 😂 Her favorite thing to do is throw her waterbowl while full and hit me in the back of the head while I work. Despite that, she is my favorite, all 5lbs of her filled with pure evil.
I heard of a family that discovered the previous homeowners had installed a device that emitted a high pitched noise in order to chase off rodents and other small animals, and it was causing their bunny to become super stressed out and aggressive, but the humans didn't figure it out for a while because they couldn't hear it themselves and it was hidden somewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if other devices or electrical issues could accidentally have that effect as well.
I dunno. My rabbit is a meanie, too, always has been. She likes being held, it's the approaching & picking up that has her ready to throw paws. She also hates our dog with a burning passion.
I honestly never even knew rabbits growled or hissed until I got this tiny ball of rage. She loves cuddles, tho.
I had one a couple decades ago who had been dumped in a parking lot. He would charge and kick anyone else who opened my bedroom door. I named him Bunnicula.
My recently passed Douglas was always angry, we got her spayed, but it turns out it wasn’t hormones, she was just like that. She was an Irritable little fecker, but everyone still loved her
My Polish rescue, Walter, is a little bastard. I keep him in my office at home, and he used to attack me for the first several months we got him. I actually got him to try to bond with my very sweet little Netherland dwarf, but Walter refuses to chill. So now he’s just going to live his best bunny life as my asshat coworker that interrupts an occasional meeting and demands treats as compensation.
My girl, a rex mix, who's never experienced strife in her life (born at the shelter, transfered to a lovely foster home, then rescued by me when she was 18 months old), is nasty and wicked for absolutely no reason. She's also an absolute beast to her husbun, who worships the ground she hops on, and allows her to get away with murder.
I just like to think that I'm so glad I chose her, that she ended up with me, because I'll forever love her unconditionally and know that she's just my "bunny with a capital 'B.'
For those who don't understand, the 'B' is for bitch.
Someone else may have given up on her, but I love her just the way God made her. Her husbun gives me all the attention and affection that I could ever want from a bunny, so I just let my girl be herself.
i have a bunny who's an absolute shithead. she isn't agressive but boy is she mean and loves trouble. i got her from a rescue where her and her 6 litter mates shared an enclosure until puberty, so i'm almost positive it's bc she just needs personal space (something she didn't get much of before me). i've had her almost a year and she loves her bonded buddy but she also gets pissed at us if we bother her. most of the time when she's mean it's either because we interrupted her eating (probably had to fight her siblings for food at the rescue) or because we annoyed her in her space or woke her up. she's a sweetie, but only on her terms. i'd try giving her a little personal space, only interacting for feeding and o her terms and see what happens. it took me months to figure out why phoebe was an asshole, but i understand her now. she's still mean, but a lot less now that we've learned her "triggers"
there's some random triggers too. she hates whispering, she hates men with facial hair, and she hates when it's hot inside. avoiding those things as much as possible has helped her open up a bit. the safer she feels, the more she can relax and show her love for me and huckleberry. poor huck hasn't quite learned when not to bother her (he's an attention hog). but he'll get it someday, and she'll be a lot less of a douchebag to him then
Aggression can be a sign of anyone who feels, aggression - fear related. Not knowing what's going on (bunnies thrive from routine, or become less anxious), experiencing pain or discomfort (my giant bun changed personality a little, so went to vets. Ear infection. The other one has sore feet, changed up his room to fleece over carpet), lack of space, poor food.
If your bunny is anything like ours was (we took him from neighbour, he was alone in a tiny hutch), he, was not socialised from a young age. He had a fear of everything, he still gets scared. It took us afew years for him to really start to enjoy us being there. Games and toys, interactions with you (lie down holding hand out with treat), a box with some digging material (we're using cotton bedding, soft and fun - for the bunny, not us). There's many things to consider, like a rabbit's past. Our rescue had interactions with humans, being prodded by children, loud noises. It takes time and patience. Different toys allow rabbits to express themselves in various ways. An example is the grinding claw ball, something a feisty rabbit might start using with their paws to really get some rage out. There's also intelligent toys, toys to pull and chew. It's like different forms of exercise for us, it can feel cathartic, having a release of energy, both emotionally and physically. Rabbit.org is an excellent resource for us bunny carers, it has loads of advice. I wish you both an interesting and responseful experience in what you choose to try 🍀🐰🥰
My rabbit bit me in the butt for everyday for a month, and would purposely rip paint off the walls to piss me off. He would ask for pets, and run off flicking his feet when he was done. He was also skittish.
Now he’s a total cuddle bug, loves flopping next me, and actively seeks me out.
My secret: I sleep on a mat in his bedroom. I’ve been doing it for years. He loves it. When I wake up, he will get real close and get cuddled. If you use this, you HAVE TO sleep with your bun EVERY NIght. You can’t pick and choose the days. I love my bun so much, it’s a small price. He has access to me whenever I’m home, he’s exclusively indoors. He will watch me build his cardboard castle and set up his doll bed chew toy. He loves me to bits bc he knows all his toys, hay, food etc. comes from me. I also eat breakfast and dinner sitting on the floor with him. He knows he’s loved, and he’s never lonely.
That pic of your bunny there looks identical to one of mine I used to have, he was a little beast…..
you had to stroke him before all the other bunny’s, give him a treat first, used to lay down on the food, so the other couldn’t eat it after he’d finished
And used to snack adults and children, but we love him to bits what a caracter he was
I have a minilop and no matter what I do hes SUPER aggressive 😭 ive had him since 12 weeks old and his breeders home was a very good caring person! (She never intentionally bred him but it was before the male could be neutered) hes just an angry little man 😭
My bunny was a sweet lil girl until she reached puberty. She would let me get her on my lap and would spend hours there getting pet while I watched TV. She would even stay put on my shoulders while I was cooking or on my hoodie’s pocket while around. Teen time hit her up and she became a freaking bitch: aggressive AF and peeing all over my couch, bed and house. I sprayed her and it took 3 months after that for her to chill out a bit. But she never came back to that sweet pie she was before. She’s still very aggressive but love pets, so she’s aggressive on her way of asking for pets haha she doesn’t let me pet her as often as before and doesn’t want to be picked up. And every time I take her food and water bowl to refill she grunts at me and treats to bite. Shes very territorial of her enclosure space.
She is still sweet and when she asks for pets she allows me sometimes to spend 30 min petting her on the floor. I invested in a lot of floor time with her where I just sit or lay there and let her walk all over me, and also lots of hand feeding her. Maybe give it a try for a couple of months and your bunny might be a bit more friendly!
Our Mini Rex grunts when we want to touch him! He is very protective of his home and territory too, he oinks and grunts! lol! He can accept love too though when HE WANTS TO! He was a nervous bunny when we first got him. We had him neutered and everything when he was young and it was time. We have brought him and his sister to the Vet since we got them. He sees the Vet Techs every couple of months to have his nails clipped and he freezes with them! He is 2 years old now, and he is a beautiful, grumpy little guy and not at all afraid at home! A good majority of the time he looks angry!! We love him, he makes us laugh, and he definitely runs the show over here by us! 😄
My girl, Sinatra, was a miserable jerk. Didn’t stop me from loving her with all my heart, though. The only things that brought her a scrap of joy were bananas and cat toys (the little balls with bells in them. She would pick them up and jingle them all day), so I gave her as many of those as I could. It’ll be three months since she passed and even though I know she didn’t care for me, I miss her every day.
My Netherland Dwarf is sassy but not mean and I really like his personality. The only time he has been aggressive is if he is in pain, usually with teeth issues, so I would suggest having a check up with a rabbit savvy vet to rule everything out. When he is happy and healthy, he is the softest cuddly thing going.
My rabbit got fixed a couple months ago. He’s calmed down alot but he still can be a a$$hole… I would say it’s 1 bc he’s a male and he use to have to fight other males he lived with. Idk about your bunny but I think the past experiences could create aggression or bad habits
How long have you had her? It take a long time for some bunnies to trust humans, regardless if she was rescued or not. Sometimes more than a year-Do you lie or sit in the floor where she has to be within reasonable proximity to you? Maybe for fifteen minutes two or three times a day? Let her approach you- no touching- I sing simple songs to my bunny and he loves that- even tho I’m terrible at singing. That’s how he came to trust me . He’s blind, so I had to reach him somehow. Then start petting her lightly on her head only. Then once she accepts that, massage the little diviit on the back of her neck once she lets you pet her head. Then she’ll pretty much accept your petting her back too. I have to comb my bunny often and he doesn’t like that. But now he tolerates it without trying to bite or jump down. He’s a little 3 lb. Holland Lop. He knows that sometimes I have to comb him but other times I just pet him. I give him treats after combing, and at about the same time everyday. They get the Meadow Loops I buy atPetsmart- just one at a time- maybe two or three a day. Or they can safely have Oxbow baked heart shaped treats- one or two a day. When petting him- maybe once a week- you can give her a fingernail sized piece of fruit- that’s a good way to make friends. But don’t give her more than that or you’ll end up taking her to the animal hospital - fruit is dangerous to give them unless it’s a tiny piece once in awhile- especially the smaller bunnies. Good luck!
Most aggression is learned. Not being firm with a rabbit, or being to firm with a rabbit can cause aggression. Rabbits can still be territorial after fixing. Training and cutting their access to areas they defend can help.
Aggressive parents do tend to have aggressive young but most breeders don't use aggressive rabbits. In some rare instances, the fight or flight response basically is broken in their brain. I've witnessed this, and it is a neurological disorder that can't be fixed that is passed from the parents. These rabbits, when ever they might be a little bit startled can launch into a full on attack out of nowhere. Again that is VERY rare but I have seen it in a friend's rescue.
**Aggression** in rabbits is typically a behavioral, not genetic, problem. However, please note that what owners may see as aggression can be a normal communication for rabbits with each other. Nips on rabbit fur are much more gentle than nips directly on human skin! If aggression suddenly develops in your rabbit, especially after a neutering, a veterinary examination is advisable to ensure that the rabbit is not in any discomfort. Please see the wiki for more details resources on solving aggression in your rabbits:
A few useful shortcuts:
⭐ Reasons for aggression:
⭐ Solutions to aggression:
My Netherland Dwarf, Alan, is an angry shitbag. I think he would actually fight god, given half the chance.
> Alan Dying. Please tell Alan I said hi.
Will do, he is a grumpy orb though, so don't expect a response
Is ok, I don't need a reply. Heck you don't even need to say hi, just a lil nod or fist/paw bump is fine. Why is he so angy tho? What does he get upset over?
Not op commenter but if I had to guess he’s upset that god hasn’t recognized his greatness yet
Our first rabbit was a Netherland dwarf and he was extremely aggressive and also afraid. I'm surprised that he wasn't our last rabbit. But our daughter enjoyed the challenge. I don't think we have been without at least one rabbit since him.
Hah, 'enjoyed the challenge' is exactly how I feel, good for her! Won the vicious bun lottery with my current girl, and as she's a Teddy Dwerg, blaming the Netherland Dwarf in the breed history, given their reputation, and angoras' for being sweet if not the brightest buns, which was also accurate in my experience (my angora *would* bite to assert boundaries, mind, but, I just have a knack for picking biters! Suits me). For OP, what I've done is is sat on the floor with her (...ok, sometimes I ran away) giving high-pitched yelps whenever she charged and bit...then done as I'm told and responded super-positively to the grooming demand. She gradually learned biting wasn't necessary to get needs met. The House Rabbit Society advice on bringing positive energy to interactions with aggressive rabbits (this is my second really moody one, though she's truly extreme) has typically been most helpful. Admittedly it helps if you *can* just enjoy them and their attitude! I love them.
Ah the Netherlands dwarfs. Yes, they're bred for looks and often not socialised. It kind of sounds like poor breeding, and I'm not sure about their places of breeding. It's possible that they don't get handled well or often. From what I've seen living here in the Netherlands, I can only say that many are kept in small hutches or have very small runs and enclosures. Left out alone. Sad. Not everyone, but loads of people seem to think that's OK. So, again, the breeding situations might be poor. But, we love our boy, Little Bunny Face, who we took from a tiny hutch. When he gets excitable, he can get nippy and nudgy(I find this hilarious). Considering where he came from, he's being much more social than he used to be. In very s l o w steps, we've been teaching him love and what pets and grooming are, that rusty bags are safe, that varied food is good and not just old hay and crap veggie cuttings, how to feel safe outside of a hutch, what running and binkying is all about, and that humans have treats, friendship and cuddles that feel soooo good! Personally, these gorgeous little antisocial patoots, are worth every moment!
That describes my first bunny to a tee. Very skittish but also irritable, would seem to accept petting once a blue moon then out of nowhere lunge and bite. My mom loved him bc he was extremely clean and never chewed on any furniture though😂
Some buns just want to watch the world burn.
I swear there's just something about Nethies that kind of lean them more likely to be grumpy little gits. Maybe it's that their stumpy ears are hard to reach? Or perhaps the knowledge that they are rage incanate made flesh.... into the most adorable little fluffy body, and they're stuck in perpetual indignant fury at the ignobility of it all.
Half the mass, thrice the sass
They say they’re less domesticated than a lot of the other breeds. more close genetically to the wild type European rabbits
I can believe it! I have a... What I think to be some kind of Nethie cross with... Something (perhaps pit viper tbh) and she's *fine* except she has a hunt instinct.
My Oreo always seemed to have a stick up his ass about something, mind you if a Nethie gets too annoyed, they’ll just squeeze under a bit of furniture, through a gap that really shouldn’t have been big enough.
Typical Nethie? Great name. 100% would lose a finger trying to pet Alan.
How I understand you! Some of them are really aggressive in nature. "given half the chance" is such an apt expression!
We've got an angry shitbag at a rescue I volunteer with named Dawson. Dawson got brushed Saturday, with a long handled brush of course, and growled at me the entire time he was enjoying it. 🙃
I’ve noticed my lop, Gerard fighting the enjoyment of being pet. It takes several weeks of me not petting him to be able to start petting him,and to stop before he stops me. One time I think I pet him for three minutes until he came out of the trance. Which point he shuttered with disgust,and removed himself from the bed. It was the greatest three minutes of my life. Then three months ago, he stepped on duct tape that fell from the ceiling, and I had to remove it from his paw. I’m grateful to be back at five seconds of petting a couple times a week.
Gerard Way?
Some are just aggressive by nature
I love Alan❤️❤️
Yeah Nethies are like that, im sure they love us *really*.
I have a mini lion head named Satan and he is exactly the same. Doesn’t take much to piss him off and he thinks he can take on any one. Sometimes I feel like he is trying to live up to his name.
my nethie was very angry. once she fell asleep on my lap, and then i sneezed, which woke her up, so she attacked me. she had a dual nature like that
LOL, I babysat one, mean ball of fluff. No chill, at all.
My Minilop Walter is the same way an angry shitbag but also mischievous should have named him Loki.
Thank you so much for the stitches I got from laughing upon reading your bunny’s name is ALAN 😂 I can just picture that grumpy bunny face.
Alan the World Destroyer
Was in an online group with someone who had an extremely aggressive bunny. Aggression in animals tends to come from some variety of fear/insecurity. For him, consistent positive reinforcement and making a point to work with her a bit every day eventually paid off but it absolutely took time.
Ive been trying for two years with positive reinforcement but nothing has changed😩 She has almost had my finger off in the past🤦🏻♀️🤣
I know it was slow going. Just a long time of hanging out on the floor with treats every day. And she stayed territorial but toned down the aggression.
When they live with you in your home and become comfortable with you, they become a whole different bun. This one looked like it’s he kept outside & not really a pet(?)
She's been in the house, out the house, in again and out again😂 First time she was in was when she was bonding to her husbun. But she prefere outdoors - even though where she is now is a massive heated, insulated workshop where a person could live. But she was inside for a good 7/8mths. I was getting down on the floor at her level and allsorts but she is still a little shyster.
How do you know your rabbit prefers the outdoors? They like feeling safe and sharing your space. Many shelters won’t even adopt out a bunny if you’ll keep them outdoors.
She's not outdoors per se - she is in a 20ft heated workshop (think heated tinyhouse). Inside she was miserable. She didn't play with her toys, nor use her castle etc. she just looked miserable. But when i tried her outside (tiny house/workshop) that was when she seemed happier. So not outdoors as you think, not in a tiny hutch, nothing of the sort.
So… she’s isolated?
Many shelters you know must not have a clue then - I work with rescues in the UK. Depends on the individual bunny - as all are different - but the minimum housing requirement in the UK is to RWAF standards (3 meters x 2 meters or 60 square feet). Indoor/out doesnt matter as long as there is space and shelter. My bunnies have that in abundance. I also have indoor bunnies with their own rooms, so sadly can't have all my bunnies inside.
I don't think this means the rescues "don' t have a clue". If anything, I would say it shows that they are ensuring the best care and living conditions for the rabbits.
Yup. Back in the early 90's my Mom had a lop named Belle. No-one called her Belle, not even the vet. We called her Tigger, or Tig for short. Tig was alpha bun to the extreme. She'd bite anything that moved, lurk under the open dishwasher and wrap herself around your ankle as you walked by. The mop was her arch nemesis (she'd lurk under a chair and when you pushed the mop with plain water under the chair, you'd pull mop and bun out... by virtue of the fact she'd bite it and take a ride.) She regularly tried to get into the curtains so we gave her a fat quarter of denim fabric that she'd rip-tear into, drag it around like a defeated enemy/security blanket and ravage with her teeth with little grunts and growls. It took six people to trim her nails at the vet. One person held her, one for each paw, and then the person with the nail clippers. (No I am not joking.) If I got down on the floor to play, she'd bite, often drawing blood. I have strange little square scars on my ankles. But if my Mom sat down? She was the sweetest, most loving bunny that could ever have been made of roses and spun sugar. She was also the only bun we spent an entire year making a burrito out of and syringe feeding orange Gatorade while the vets worked tirelessly to figure out what was wrong with her... only for her to one day essentially yell the bunny equivalent of "PSYCHE!" and go on about her next few years like nothing ever happened. Little brat.
> orange Gatorade Wait what?
Yup. The dang rabbit would not drink water, so the vet suggested orange Gatorade. Rabbits are notorious sweet tooths, and the Gatorade managed to make a violent interaction (catching, burrito in, shoving something in her mouth) into something she almost tolerated.
Woah. The though had crossed my mind during a similar stint with my boy, but I was fearful the sugar would ruin his teeth. Good tip to add to the bank, thanks
This honestly makes me feel better at how hard it is to trim my dog's nails. Tig sounds like an absolute character
She was 100 pounds of rebellion in 6.5 pounds of fur. I could write a book about her absolute nonsense and people wouldn't be able to finish reading it for laughter. Also they'd never believe it wasn't fiction.
Some buns are just jerks, just like people. I'm glad you keep trying though, and maybe you'll find a solution. I think others have given good feedback. I just want to say sometimes you can do everything correct and they are still little shits. Some bunnies are just for looking at. =(
My Polish would bite at the start, and bit my sister multiple times when she was bun sitting. Only through a lot of socialization and booping her snoot whenever she would bite I got her to stop. This took about a year. For us it's her breed. She's tiny and needs to compensate for that, combined with bad eyesight. Her husbun is a bit larger and extremely relaxed, her previous owners got rid of her because their boy wasn't as relaxed and couldn't bond at all. My girl will still fight with her husbun every time food is involved, and humps him daily. She always instigates until he's sick of it and fights back. I've come to accept that this is normal bunny behavior.
I've had this bunny over two years, i believe she was only circa 12mths old when i rescued her. I've spent two years plus trying to help her. Think i am going to start giving her metacam and see if it alters her disposition. Maybe pain relief (if its pain she is in) will help determine if its a pain thing? I think her eyesight is ok but i do think she is deaf - however ive got other deaf bunnies who aren't at all aggressive😕
Really not an expert in this area, but is there a chance that she still has a lot of hormones despite being neutered? Yeah, pain relief could definitely be something you could at least try. Have you tried taking her off pellets? Some people say it's a behavioral issue which it might be, but some rabbits just are on the aggressive side.
Metacam/Meloxicam is a liquid NSAID like ibuprofen. You can irritate/damage the stomach lining with it, so I advise anyone to not give/take in on empty stomach.
Yes! Please heed this advice! Metacam has been known to cause ulcers in rabbits. OP, is it not an option for you to accept her as she is???
I only have one bunny, a 2year old Dutch, and my partner and I want to get him a bunny friend but whenever we’ve had him near other bunnies he is aggressive towards them. When he was younger we contacted the shelter we got him from about bonding him with his sister, but apparently his sister was known as the bully of her foster home and they were recommending she stays a single bun. I think some bunnies, like people, just aren’t that social even though the species is social, but idk. We might bring him to some speed dating events but we’re afraid we might get banned from them if he’s too aggressive.
Single rabbits are definitely a thing. Social species have antisocial individuals all the time, look at humans, also a social species. Not every human wants a roommate.
I think he will find a bunny to bond with - there is somebunny for everybunny. But they need to meet on neutral territory.
My bun is the same. He hates rabbit kind. The rescue we got him from had to keep him in a separate pen while all the other bunnies were roaming and interacting because he was such a jerk to other bunnies. Their assessment was he needed to be a single bun. He’s very happy as a single bunny. My husband works fully remote so there are always humans around to get petting from and we have two cats that he gets along fine with. He just hates rabbits.
Our Coco is kind of a dick sometimes, and I'm not sure it's ever going to change because it's just her personality. She will sometimes be moody and lunge and growl when you smell different, she'll nip and growl and thump if she thinks you're taking too long with her food but at the same time she's sometimes calm and a total kisser and cuddle bug.
That’s because you named her Coco, she’s a diva 💕😆
My baby is amazing sounds similar 😍 She's got better now. She's even cuddly sryim3s But she's very assertive too and bossy and sassy. Bless that sweet baby.
Coco sounds a bit like me. I get her!
one of my bunnys was mean and grumpy. Later we found out she had a hidden ear infection and was in pain. After that she was a little cuddle bug and friendly with their roommates.
This is where i am leaning towards😩
That happened with my bun, I noticed his temperament had changed and took him to our bunny-savvy vet - she found he had a deep inner ear infection. Gave him antibiotics for a month to clear it up and Meloxicam for the pain, and he went back to being a sweet snugglebun again 🧡🐰🧡
I love seeing so many angry netherland dwarfs bc same
little man syndrome typa delight
Both of my bunnies are aggressive to each other. Completely unbondable
My beautiful dwarf girl was always aggressive. I've had her for 3 years now, and even now, I know she's never going to be as trusting and open like my boy. She was a rescue and when I got her she was in bad condition. She dislikes people in general but tolerates me only. She used to bite often. She still will if I scare her or do anything Sudden. But she has come a long way from how she used to be. The key for me is having an immense amount of patience. You wouldn't force someone who's gone through a traumatic experience to "hurry up and get over it". And based on her condition when I got her, I don't blame her for hating people. She clearly has trust issues, so everything I do around her, I do it slowly. I'm also not a loud person. So it's a benefit for her. I'm consistent as much as I possibly can. This next point isn't against you in particular. But don't have expectations. I've seen people who complain that their bun (or any pet) doesn't do what other people's do that they've seen. My boy is the most lovable affectionate boy ever. I know my girl wont ever be that way. And that's fine. She'll ocassionally let me pet her for like 15 seconds. And that's it. I think it also helps that they're free roamed 24/7. Because it allows her to do things her way and in her pace. And I just respect that. Buns in general are food driven so associating good things with food will probably help a lot. It took mine about 2 years of consistent work and patience. And even then she only let's me near her. And even though she gets along with my little boy, she enjoys having her solitary time everyday. That's just how she is. Also I think it helped when I got her willow sticks to chew/bite/eat. She stopped biting less. Or maybe it was a coincidence. Idk. Sorry for the wall of text. Hopefully some of it is useful.
Thankyou - she sounds very much like my girl
I worked at a "petting zoo" at an agricultural high school. It was my student job to take care of the animals, and every couple of weeks, a group of school kids would come in and learn about common farm animals. Never the public, never unsupervised kids, no handling the animals. We had this one bunny named tinkerbell who was just mean. These rabbits had a large indoor/outdoor set up in a quiet area, premium food, vet care, on call human 24/7, and bunny buddies. There were 6 bunnies in a very large space. 5 got along and were friendly, and tinkerbell just hated everyone and everything. All the toys offensive, anyone trying to help her straight to jail, you brought bunny snacks gross, why? She was a grumpy loaf who liked to bite.
This sounds like our Netherland Dwarf. She couldn't care less about toys, any other kind of enrichment like cardboard or twigs or even treats (she'll eat them when you get the hell away lol) ....and she bites the crap out of you for the efforts! 😆
Having googled I think that's what she was. Much smaller than other bunnies I have come across.
"Well, animals are not like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they've had a hard life, or have been mistreated...but, like people, some of them are just jerks." - Bart Gets An Elephant
Yes some buns are naturally grumpy. My dwarf boy was grumpy to the end, still a loving sweetheart!
My neutered bunny boy used to attack me unprovoked. Like actually go out of his way to find me just to bite hard and run away 🫠. I worked hard on treating him like a small prince with only positive gestures, calming voice (singing/calm music is good!) and spending several hours per day with him just chilling while wearing protective clothing. I also never ever ever picked him up; even cutting his claws was down to bare minimum, going to the vet meant lures and distractions to get into the transport, and brushing happened with constant treats as distraction. Now more than 7 months later he's a cuddly little ball. I think he was just insecure and scared and needed extra reassurance that I wasn't out to get him. My advice is to just try your very hardest to never ever upset you lil' bun. She's the diva queen and when you act like it long enough she'll come around (don't worry about being below her in hierarchy either. Marking is annoying but aggression is worse... in my case, now that my bun feels safe I can also finally handle him without the world ending, which soon moved me to top bun position).
My rescue bun has always had a BIG attitude with a lot of sass! I volunteered at a rescue where the vets advised to put a few of the more aggressive buns on Prozac (to increase their chances of getting adopted) and it really did help mellow them out. The vet only prescribed it for a few months but it still helped in the long run.
Omg Prozac as in the anti-depressant? I have that (well fluoxetine) in my cupboard for my own mental health. That's mad. I mean, i do have a bunny with arthritis on Gabapentin so, guess anything is possible😂
My lionhead is such a grumpy shithead. She'll go days where she runs from me, and even grunts WHILE I'm handing her a treat. She'll thump if I stay in her room for too long. On those days I usually just give her her space. Then some days, she wants pets for 20 minutes straight. And then she'll grunt and run away again lol. I think some of them just have that kind of personality! Unless they are truly afraid, then most just are a little annoying 🥰
It can be many things, I know my bunny that I rehomed became extremely insecure because of her bunny friend and didn’t fit with the other bunnies. I knew she was a cuddle bun that loved cuddles and could be lovely to her bunny friend with the right bunny. So after a year of trying with the bond, I rehomed her because it was causing stress for my other bunny and she was also really stressed. I bonded my third bunny with the rest of my bunnies while my rehomed girl bonded with a neutered male and her new family loved her. Now my case is a bit different because I knew my girl personality from the start and she was healthy. So when a behavior change happened and I couldn’t solve it without rehoming multiple pets to keep her and give what she needed. It was really bad situation and seeing how she changed from a lovely girl to a different bun because of stress. I had a few bunnies that came with trauma. I got one when he was 4 months old but it took nearly 1.5 years to find his triggers and build confident and that’s where only him living with another family for 2 months until they rehomed him. While I had a girl that was older and came from neglect and really guarded towards humans, we did a little process within 3 years. She had just started to allow petting from humans, sadly she passed away before we managed to work more on her confidence around humans. At least she lived a life with large area and a bunny friend the last year of her life. Then I also had a really dominant bunny, what I mean dominant she would nip and bite when she didn’t get what she wanted but she was easy to train. Took 6 months because she was used with humans just a little mean when she wanted me to move and guarding her territory which stopped after a lot of bribes and not bending to her wills. She learned which behaviors worked best to get me to do as she wanted but I had bruises and bite wounds for 6 months, I don’t know how many clothes she destroyed because she was a giant. She became my cuddly girl who loved getting head kisses. She would run to me and when I squatted down she would jump up into my arms and rest her head next to my cheek to get her kisses. So it all depends on the bunny and some might never move past their behavior. It all depends on how bad the situation is.
1. Had adopted a bun who was spayed a month or so prior. She was labeled aggressive at the shelter. Thought for maybe still had hormones but her "aggression" lasted a couple years. I had to hide myself in the bathroom and wait for her to leave... After the initial couple years, I could stop hiding but if we accidently bumped each other, sometimes she would go after me. 2. Had another bun who at the shelter had to be fostered due to aggression. OMG, how many times did she bite me and hang on. Had to be so careful because I was afraid if I reacted and swung my leg while she was attached, she'd go flying and splat against the wall. There were no outward signs of anything wrong until she suddenly became ill and passed (well i took her to emergency, she was in incubator, discharged and told all good except legs not working, and then passed at home).
My albino girl is neutered but also has bad eyesight because of her red eyes. If she is not sure what it is that’s coming towards her and if it moves too fast she will start wacking it. Best is to move slowly to her and hold still while she approaches so she can sniff out/check out what the hell it is that’s coming her way. This also means feet or hands trying to place down grab food dishes. Even though she knows you it can still spot the shit out of her if you move too fast. Also if she doesn’t like something she will let you know. Very clearly. No beating around the bushes haha. I was holding her st her shoulders at the vet at one point so she wouldn’t walk all over the desk and she’d calmly tuck in her face and bite my hand as in “let go, this is not a request this is an order”.
Our Netherland Dwarf, Nillie, is an angry lady! She's been spayed but she still grunts and tries to bite the crap out of you, unprovoked, daily. After 3 years I feel like I can kind of pick up on her vibes and have concluded that she is rarely fearful, its straight aggression even though we have always been gentle and loving toward her. She's just naturally a grump. Having said that, she seems to have complete trust in me when I'm trimming her nails, grooming or cleaning her because she never really struggles to get away. She just lets me do what needs to be done. So, I think somewhere deep down she has affection toward us....or at the very least, she tolerates us. We love her no matter what! (I'm also interested to see what others have to say about their meanie buns!) 🐇
My late bunny hated being alive from the moment he was forced upon this earth. He chased down large animals, growled, and would give the dirtiest looks. None of this changed when he was neutered. He was very type A personality until the day he died. He could be sweet, but it was on HIS terms.
My angora mix is food aggressive. He will sit on the plate, drag it away even if it's empty. If I try to "share" while he's eating he will freak out. Normally very even tempered dude, and we've had him since he was 8 months. He was the last of a reject litter from some kids 4h project and she couldn't get anyone to take him. Mom was just throwing food into a garage pen from time to time with no regard. We think it's stuck with him this whole time, and now he's nearing 10 years. Even moved the food source, more feeding times per day, ECT. We just give him gentle space. But yeah he'd probably also fight God.
At my job (a bunny rescue/boarding) we have a bunny who has been boarding there since 2017. The owners just pay for him 365 days every year. Hes the angriest bunny I’ve ever met and I’m assuming it’s because he’s stuck with us until the day he dies and because his owners never picked him up like they said they would.
My Connor is such an ass lmao
Some bunnies just want to watch the world burn.
Living inside as a free roam bun with a dedicated "safe" home he can choose to be in like a puppy pen area that people won't bother him in will do wonders. Daily interaction through sharing a room with them will change everything.
Already been tried and tested but didn't help
Most of the aggressive bunnies I’ve encountered either were strongly territorial or deeply afraid, likely from some past trauma. For the bunnies who were afraid, the best approach was to give them space and time, avoid picking them up, make sure they have safe spaces, don’t force them to interact. For territorial bunnies, using your voice can help. A scolding tone followed by continuing to clean their cage or whatever you were doing they objected too shows them whose the boss. I’ve also read an “eek” when nipped lets the bunny know they nipped too hard. Normally they use nips to boss other bunnies around and it doesn’t hurt because of the fur. So, they don’t realize their nips hurt us.
I agree and that's what i've done, but I believe 100% she is deaf so can't hear me. Just at a loss now so the only thing it could he is pain, surely? Or she is just a meanie queenie🐰👸🏻
OMG is that a pic of the meanie bunny? She’s so cute!!!
Yes but don't be fooled by her innocent cuteness🤣
She’s so cute, how bad are her bites?
My boyfriends cat was mean and always fighting. She didn’t have any health issues and she was treated well. Some animals are just like that
My lop loves me. He will attack anything else that breathes. Some are just like that.
Bunnies are people. Some are d!cks and some are cool.
My first bunny was a Nethie named Nibbles. Nibbles was mistreated in his first home (before my parents adopted him) and I we always joked he had PTSD because he acted like a grumpy old war vet. Hated all men and all children except my brother and I. Would attack anyone who got too close, even if they were offering treats. I loved that grumpy old man but he was not the cuddly sweet bunny most people dream of.
My Netherland dwarf has some serious attitude problems😂😂don’t you dare step into his turf which is the whole apartment. Now that he’s got his own room it’s a little better but going into his enclosure to change litter hay can be risky at times, sometimes he charges or nudge me by butt * humoon get off my lawn*
My rabbit Metal would pick a fight with his bunfriend at random. Got him to the vet for a checkup and found out his teeth were growing into his mouth causing alot of pain, once they were filed down he stopped fighting with my other rabbit.
This is so specific but you don't have any of those rodent sound deterrent plug-ins do you? I heard a story of a family who had a really nasty rabbit-they eventually discovered that they had those plugged in behind the couch they had forgotten about.
I have a 2-year-old Dutch bunny, and my partner and I want to get him a friend. However, whenever we've introduced him to other bunnies, he becomes aggressive towards them. When he was younger, we tried bonding him with his sister, but she was known as a bully and the shelter recommended keeping her as a single bun. I think some bunnies, like people, just aren't that social, despite their species being social creatures. We're considering speed dating events for bunnies, but we're worried about potential bans if he's too aggressive.
Because they're little terrors and you will serve it!
Toby is a meanie. because he can be. no clue why. he doesn’t bite anymore… much… but he’s extremely vocal and grunts at any intrusion into his space
Angery Bun!
While it’s possible, it’s always worth making sure medical problems are ruled out first. They can worsen behaviour and cause aggression.
Do you have pics of said Alan?
I just have a grumpy dwarf, at this point I've accepted my fate.
Little dude saw some shit. I love that angry grump.
I had a Lionhead that was very aggressive and territorial. She would charge at you, grunt, and constantly bite until you left her alone. I ended up sitting in her area for as many hours I could a day. I would wear a very thick blanket and either read a book or watch TV. She would continuously bite me through the blanket sometimes for hours and I would not react at all. This went on for many many months. Eventually she realized her actions were not having the results she wanted and she slowly stopped biting me. I avoided picking her up and would just give her two gentle pats on the head along with treats starting a couple times a day and working up to more. I won't say she ever fell in love with us but as she aged she accepted pats from us and even seemed to relax into it a bit. She stopped biting completely even when distressed. Though she still always loved to grunt when mad. :)
Of our 8 rabbits only one is always in attack mode. All of them are spoiled, coddled, and loved. In doors, lots of room. All fixed and vaxxed. Sometimes it's like friendly booping and run. He can climb on you but you can't pet him. He's super sweet to his bonded girlfriend. But he loves to bite and scratch feet and is always telling you he's boss. He's just an alpha. We love him.
If bunnies trust you they will be their true selves- most females are insane
During a fire disaster, we took in some evacuee rabbits. One of the does stress-birthed 5 tiny kits. I managed to raise them all and still have all but one (they weren't claimed back). Bodicaea. I named her Bodicaea. She was born a warrior, aggressive and violent. From about 1 month old she growled almost constantly, tortured her sisters, even attacked my own does. She attacked me every chance she got. Nothing I tried helped except keeping her confined. I rehomed her. I've never seen a bun like her, and I don't know enough to understand. But could she have had damage from the stressed birth? Or are some bunnies just mean?
My late neutered rabbit loved to wait until my two dogs fall into deep sleep on the couch , then he jumps on their heads. Or dig into the couch and tug on the fabric under my dog to scare her.
Not related to the question, but I want to say your bunny almost looks like it's from a painting in that picture.
I have a female mini lop. She is Satan's 1st cousin. We all have a running joke of Matilda (the rabbit) is in a good mood, she must be sick 😂 Her favorite thing to do is throw her waterbowl while full and hit me in the back of the head while I work. Despite that, she is my favorite, all 5lbs of her filled with pure evil.
I heard of a family that discovered the previous homeowners had installed a device that emitted a high pitched noise in order to chase off rodents and other small animals, and it was causing their bunny to become super stressed out and aggressive, but the humans didn't figure it out for a while because they couldn't hear it themselves and it was hidden somewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if other devices or electrical issues could accidentally have that effect as well.
I dunno. My rabbit is a meanie, too, always has been. She likes being held, it's the approaching & picking up that has her ready to throw paws. She also hates our dog with a burning passion. I honestly never even knew rabbits growled or hissed until I got this tiny ball of rage. She loves cuddles, tho.
I had one a couple decades ago who had been dumped in a parking lot. He would charge and kick anyone else who opened my bedroom door. I named him Bunnicula.
My bunny wybie is an asshole but that’s what makes him so special lmao
Needs a women in his life
My recently passed Douglas was always angry, we got her spayed, but it turns out it wasn’t hormones, she was just like that. She was an Irritable little fecker, but everyone still loved her
My Polish rescue, Walter, is a little bastard. I keep him in my office at home, and he used to attack me for the first several months we got him. I actually got him to try to bond with my very sweet little Netherland dwarf, but Walter refuses to chill. So now he’s just going to live his best bunny life as my asshat coworker that interrupts an occasional meeting and demands treats as compensation.
My girl, a rex mix, who's never experienced strife in her life (born at the shelter, transfered to a lovely foster home, then rescued by me when she was 18 months old), is nasty and wicked for absolutely no reason. She's also an absolute beast to her husbun, who worships the ground she hops on, and allows her to get away with murder. I just like to think that I'm so glad I chose her, that she ended up with me, because I'll forever love her unconditionally and know that she's just my "bunny with a capital 'B.' For those who don't understand, the 'B' is for bitch. Someone else may have given up on her, but I love her just the way God made her. Her husbun gives me all the attention and affection that I could ever want from a bunny, so I just let my girl be herself.
i have a bunny who's an absolute shithead. she isn't agressive but boy is she mean and loves trouble. i got her from a rescue where her and her 6 litter mates shared an enclosure until puberty, so i'm almost positive it's bc she just needs personal space (something she didn't get much of before me). i've had her almost a year and she loves her bonded buddy but she also gets pissed at us if we bother her. most of the time when she's mean it's either because we interrupted her eating (probably had to fight her siblings for food at the rescue) or because we annoyed her in her space or woke her up. she's a sweetie, but only on her terms. i'd try giving her a little personal space, only interacting for feeding and o her terms and see what happens. it took me months to figure out why phoebe was an asshole, but i understand her now. she's still mean, but a lot less now that we've learned her "triggers"
there's some random triggers too. she hates whispering, she hates men with facial hair, and she hates when it's hot inside. avoiding those things as much as possible has helped her open up a bit. the safer she feels, the more she can relax and show her love for me and huckleberry. poor huck hasn't quite learned when not to bother her (he's an attention hog). but he'll get it someday, and she'll be a lot less of a douchebag to him then
Most female rabbits are honestly just bitches in my 24yrs of experience 🤷 lol
Aggression can be a sign of anyone who feels, aggression - fear related. Not knowing what's going on (bunnies thrive from routine, or become less anxious), experiencing pain or discomfort (my giant bun changed personality a little, so went to vets. Ear infection. The other one has sore feet, changed up his room to fleece over carpet), lack of space, poor food. If your bunny is anything like ours was (we took him from neighbour, he was alone in a tiny hutch), he, was not socialised from a young age. He had a fear of everything, he still gets scared. It took us afew years for him to really start to enjoy us being there. Games and toys, interactions with you (lie down holding hand out with treat), a box with some digging material (we're using cotton bedding, soft and fun - for the bunny, not us). There's many things to consider, like a rabbit's past. Our rescue had interactions with humans, being prodded by children, loud noises. It takes time and patience. Different toys allow rabbits to express themselves in various ways. An example is the grinding claw ball, something a feisty rabbit might start using with their paws to really get some rage out. There's also intelligent toys, toys to pull and chew. It's like different forms of exercise for us, it can feel cathartic, having a release of energy, both emotionally and physically. Rabbit.org is an excellent resource for us bunny carers, it has loads of advice. I wish you both an interesting and responseful experience in what you choose to try 🍀🐰🥰
My rabbit bit me in the butt for everyday for a month, and would purposely rip paint off the walls to piss me off. He would ask for pets, and run off flicking his feet when he was done. He was also skittish. Now he’s a total cuddle bug, loves flopping next me, and actively seeks me out. My secret: I sleep on a mat in his bedroom. I’ve been doing it for years. He loves it. When I wake up, he will get real close and get cuddled. If you use this, you HAVE TO sleep with your bun EVERY NIght. You can’t pick and choose the days. I love my bun so much, it’s a small price. He has access to me whenever I’m home, he’s exclusively indoors. He will watch me build his cardboard castle and set up his doll bed chew toy. He loves me to bits bc he knows all his toys, hay, food etc. comes from me. I also eat breakfast and dinner sitting on the floor with him. He knows he’s loved, and he’s never lonely.
24/7 Free roaming made it worse so I have no idea what to do now.
Probably female
That pic of your bunny there looks identical to one of mine I used to have, he was a little beast….. you had to stroke him before all the other bunny’s, give him a treat first, used to lay down on the food, so the other couldn’t eat it after he’d finished And used to snack adults and children, but we love him to bits what a caracter he was
I have a minilop and no matter what I do hes SUPER aggressive 😭 ive had him since 12 weeks old and his breeders home was a very good caring person! (She never intentionally bred him but it was before the male could be neutered) hes just an angry little man 😭
My bunny was a sweet lil girl until she reached puberty. She would let me get her on my lap and would spend hours there getting pet while I watched TV. She would even stay put on my shoulders while I was cooking or on my hoodie’s pocket while around. Teen time hit her up and she became a freaking bitch: aggressive AF and peeing all over my couch, bed and house. I sprayed her and it took 3 months after that for her to chill out a bit. But she never came back to that sweet pie she was before. She’s still very aggressive but love pets, so she’s aggressive on her way of asking for pets haha she doesn’t let me pet her as often as before and doesn’t want to be picked up. And every time I take her food and water bowl to refill she grunts at me and treats to bite. Shes very territorial of her enclosure space. She is still sweet and when she asks for pets she allows me sometimes to spend 30 min petting her on the floor. I invested in a lot of floor time with her where I just sit or lay there and let her walk all over me, and also lots of hand feeding her. Maybe give it a try for a couple of months and your bunny might be a bit more friendly!
Our Mini Rex grunts when we want to touch him! He is very protective of his home and territory too, he oinks and grunts! lol! He can accept love too though when HE WANTS TO! He was a nervous bunny when we first got him. We had him neutered and everything when he was young and it was time. We have brought him and his sister to the Vet since we got them. He sees the Vet Techs every couple of months to have his nails clipped and he freezes with them! He is 2 years old now, and he is a beautiful, grumpy little guy and not at all afraid at home! A good majority of the time he looks angry!! We love him, he makes us laugh, and he definitely runs the show over here by us! 😄
From his picture, it looks like, you have an adorable grumpy little bunny, he looks so cute!
*None of you understands the inner machinations of my head, I want to see the world be engulfed in a raging pit of fire!* One hecc of a wabbit
My girl, Sinatra, was a miserable jerk. Didn’t stop me from loving her with all my heart, though. The only things that brought her a scrap of joy were bananas and cat toys (the little balls with bells in them. She would pick them up and jingle them all day), so I gave her as many of those as I could. It’ll be three months since she passed and even though I know she didn’t care for me, I miss her every day.
My Netherland Dwarf is sassy but not mean and I really like his personality. The only time he has been aggressive is if he is in pain, usually with teeth issues, so I would suggest having a check up with a rabbit savvy vet to rule everything out. When he is happy and healthy, he is the softest cuddly thing going.
My rabbit got fixed a couple months ago. He’s calmed down alot but he still can be a a$$hole… I would say it’s 1 bc he’s a male and he use to have to fight other males he lived with. Idk about your bunny but I think the past experiences could create aggression or bad habits
She looks precious. Does she bruise/bring blood or is it more of a pinch?
My little lion head is an adorable twat waffle.
How long have you had her? It take a long time for some bunnies to trust humans, regardless if she was rescued or not. Sometimes more than a year-Do you lie or sit in the floor where she has to be within reasonable proximity to you? Maybe for fifteen minutes two or three times a day? Let her approach you- no touching- I sing simple songs to my bunny and he loves that- even tho I’m terrible at singing. That’s how he came to trust me . He’s blind, so I had to reach him somehow. Then start petting her lightly on her head only. Then once she accepts that, massage the little diviit on the back of her neck once she lets you pet her head. Then she’ll pretty much accept your petting her back too. I have to comb my bunny often and he doesn’t like that. But now he tolerates it without trying to bite or jump down. He’s a little 3 lb. Holland Lop. He knows that sometimes I have to comb him but other times I just pet him. I give him treats after combing, and at about the same time everyday. They get the Meadow Loops I buy atPetsmart- just one at a time- maybe two or three a day. Or they can safely have Oxbow baked heart shaped treats- one or two a day. When petting him- maybe once a week- you can give her a fingernail sized piece of fruit- that’s a good way to make friends. But don’t give her more than that or you’ll end up taking her to the animal hospital - fruit is dangerous to give them unless it’s a tiny piece once in awhile- especially the smaller bunnies. Good luck!
Honestly loneliness and boredom. They also get mad if you do not include them in things or shut them out.
Most aggression is learned. Not being firm with a rabbit, or being to firm with a rabbit can cause aggression. Rabbits can still be territorial after fixing. Training and cutting their access to areas they defend can help. Aggressive parents do tend to have aggressive young but most breeders don't use aggressive rabbits. In some rare instances, the fight or flight response basically is broken in their brain. I've witnessed this, and it is a neurological disorder that can't be fixed that is passed from the parents. These rabbits, when ever they might be a little bit startled can launch into a full on attack out of nowhere. Again that is VERY rare but I have seen it in a friend's rescue.