People are often shocked the first time they see a rabbit display anger. Bunnies, after all, are supposed to be timid and sweet, not outspoken and nasty, and the sudden appearance of sharp teeth and raking claws can be disarming. But whether your rabbit is nipping the hand that feeds him, chasing you across the room, or latching his teeth into your calf, it’s not unusual and it’s not hopeless.
Many people have found that aggressive rabbits are often very intelligent animals who are just trying to express themselves. Once they’re given some respect and some ground rules, that expression can turn to boundless energy, enthusiasm, and affection.
Here are some important tips to keep in mind:
1. Rabbits aren’t born mean. Ninety-nine percent of aggressive rabbits have a behavioral problem, not a genetic one. Behavior can be changed, so give your bunny a chance.
2. Your rabbit doesn’t hate you. There may be a slight chance that he has taken a personal dislike to one person. More likely, he’s afraid you’re going to hurt him.
3. You’re the only one who can solve the problem, not him. It’s the humans who have to figure out what’s wrong and initiate new ways of interacting.
4. You can’t hit a rabbit. Some people try to “teach” their bunnies not to bite by swatting their noses or even hitting them with newspapers. This will only aggravate the problem. You need to reassure your rabbit that his environment is safe.
Popularity: 7% [?]
December 11th, 2008 at 6:01 am
hhmmm….i dont know…. i think my gf’s rabbit is just mean…haha just kidding….
no but seriously he bit me pretty hard one time, but i think its because he was in his cage a looooot of time when she was away…
thanks for the tips!
April 27th, 2009 at 12:36 am
Hello
We have the sweetest lop eared bunny, we show her lot’s of love and she is great. BUT she pee’s on our bed. she has 2 litter boxes that she uses very well and they are changed every other day. Can any one give us insight on why our bun, does what she does?
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:18 am
@Katie D. Sorry for the late late reply, we hope you still interested.
i bet she is new born, so that’s what they do, no matter what you do, it seems that the only place they pee is in the bed, right?
do you have a patio or an outdoor place where she can be? it’s better for them to sleep in the outdoor, that way she will be “forced” to look for a new place to pee.
if you have her in an apt, i really don’t know i guess maybe she will be finding a new place if you don’t allow her to be on the bed!
hope it helps!