grumpy rabbit?

Question

my rabbit is very grumpy. he doesn't like to be picked up and gets very stressed. he only likes to be stroked if he approaches me and he will often make a sort of growling noise and box me away with his paws. he is 18 mths old and neutered. please help, as i feel sorry for him because i can't play with him as the problem is getting worse.

Answer 1

i think its his temperment. i had 2 males rabbits that were both the same and eventually they started charging at me and biting. i tried everything to get them tame, but no matter how quiet i was and how much time i spent with them they got worse.
I now have a male rabbit who is much nicer.
Do you keep him outside? both my old rabbits were and they werent too friendly but this one we have kept inside (until today...dont know if its a good move!) and hes fine. maybe hes scared. does he like anyone else in the family, wondering if hes always been like it with you or everyone etc.
my advise would be to try and see to his terms for the time being until he seems less stressed

Answer 2

A lot of rabbits don't like to be picked up, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

The rest of the behavior isn't unusual either, but you can work on it. Is your rabbit caged or is he a house rabbit or some combination? Sitting on the floor while he is out in the room and letting him come to you can be very beneficial. Also, if you're looking to stimulate his mind, you could do clicker training with him. Rabbits can be clicker trained quite easily and there are plenty of books and web sites on the topic.

Another idea may be to get a second rabbit. It's good that your guy is neutered - a spayed female could be a great companion.

Answer 3

Well from what I have heard, rabbits are not the best animal to get if you want to pick up, hold and snuggle an animal. They are just not that type of pet. I have a really affectionate buck, who licks me and demands to be petted... but he too, cannot stand being picked up. He was neutered yesterday, his main problem was chasing and trying to mount me.

I don't really know what to suggest as neutering is just about the only thing that can cure this behaviour - as you have done that I'm not sure what else to say.
Does he live alone? Perhaps he is moody because he is lonely, also another rabbit might show him how to behave.

Answer 4

We have a little 3 year old neutered male who also thumps, but it is because he wants to be fed. Some of our other rabbits thump because of some danger they sense whether real or perceived by them. Our rabbits also have free roaming time. Rabbits cooped up in a hutch all the time probably feel trapped and threatened. Since you don't say whether he gets time out of his hutch, it is hard to fully answer your question, but rabbits need exercise which they can't get if caged all the time.

Answer 5

Try not to go into his cage or any other area he considers "his". Not many rabbits "liked" to be picked up; unlike popular belief, rabbits are not lap animals and will not fall asleep on top of you as some cats and dogs will. If you stand up and tower over him, he may feel threatened and scared and may think you are a predator trying to hurt him. Try instead just sitting on the floor awhile, maybe even with a treat or two (don't over do it on the sweets, rabbits can gain weight very quickily and it's hard to take off; give him healthy snacks, such as hay or his favorite veggies) and wait for him to come to you. If he will let you, try to pet him slowely. If not, just let him smell you and investigate you. Show him that your hands will not hurt him and more often than not they will have a treat rather than pick him up. You will have to regain his trust and friendship, but once you do, you will have a loving bunny for many years! Also he still is a young bunny, he will probably calm down a little bit more as he gets older.
Remember, as much as possible avoid going into his cage and personal space and don't pick him up for awhile. Good luck!

Answer 6

My rabbits the same but he's not nutered, Think the best corse of action is to get him a friend if he'll tollerate an invasion of space from another of his species.
We haven't been able to get another rabbit because my dad won't allow any more animals, but in the perfect situation it would probably be good. Either a rabbit or a guinea pig, he can play then and wont get stressed by human contact. It is sad when you can't handle a pet but sometimes they're like that.

Answer 7

Rabbits are not the most exciting or sociable animals in the world at the best of times. They are also individuals and have their own personality. Yours is a bad one. My cat's like that, but I still love her - what else can I do? You can't argue with a cat, or a rabbit.
Your one consolation is that it's not a chinchilla - the most antisocial pet animal known to mankind.

Answer 8

Most of these answers are very sensible and may help. Another way to help your distressed bunny is to get a neutered female from a rescue who will bond them for you so you know they get on, or will try another female if the first doesn't work. Also get a pair of gardening gloves. When you open your hutch door.,take your time, putting one hand near the door and over time increase the space you 'invade'. let you bunny box you but don't remove your hand. A little treat may help, but only one, every time you put your hand in. Over a few weeks your bunny may realise that you will not go away or flinch every time you go to pick him up. When puting him back, put him in backwards, preventing scrabbling. I have four rescued buns, all who were very aggressive/ frightened. I also work for a very large rescue and this is how they calm nervous/ agressive bunnies. Majority of bunnies can learn to become tolerant of you up to the age of a round 5 years+. Also give him more toys in his run. Tissue boxes or loo rolls filled with hay, wicker balls, bunch of keys etc. Give him Excel in the morning, enough to cover the bottom of his bowl, unlimited hay and water, and half a carrot, leaf of greens etc every night. Make sure his hutch is large. 5 x 2 and a run 6 x 3. Allow him indoor time with his litter tray and his toys, so the place smells familiar.. Hopefully this will help him. Good luck. He will calm down with perserverance. Remember to get him a mate..

Answer 9

OK, this may not be considered "guy" behavior, but rabbits do not like to be picked up. To tame our rescued bunny, we would lie on our stomachs on the floor (that way we didn't tower over) and just talk really nice to her. You know, singy songy sweet talk. It took a little time, but as she got over her fear, she came close enough to receive kisses on her sweet little nose and to have us whisper loving things near her ears. It takes time and effort to earn trust, especially from a prey animal. I know the other posters mean well, but, if this bunny is that territorial, I wouldn't be too quick to bring another rabbit into the picture. I understand from the research I've done, that they can fight quite viciously, when they are defending their territory.

Answer 10

I had a female rabbit who was just the same and she also was neutered. I gave her lots of interesting toys eg plastic keys (the kind you give to a baby), plastic flower pots, plastic cat ball with holes in (not rubber), the treat sticks you hang in their hutches, treats hidden in her hay etc etc. I also avoided picking her up, but played with her a lot and she seemed to enjoy her life very much and I avoided being bitten! The other thing to try is gently stroking him with a very soft cloth on a stick so he will learn it's nice to be stroked but not be able to bite you. However, this didn't help mcuh with mine so I accepted it as part of her interesting character and accommodated her! Good luck!