How to Tame an Aggressive Rabbit

Taming a rabbit isn't easy but it is possible.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• spray bottle
• patience

1. Your rabbit's behavior can be changed because they think in patterns. Once you figure out how to change this pattern, they can be helped. They indicate how they feel very expressively by chewing, scuffing and digging, gnawing, thumping, nipping, biting hard, marking their territory (and spraying), humping and making strange sounds. Pay attention to what they are doing as their form of reacting to something.

2. If you have more than one rabbit, it is a battle for territory and dominance. This is true whether or not they are the same sex. Spraying their face with water through a spray bottle can distract them when they are humping another bunny; they are forced to clean themselves. Getting the bunny neutered or spayed will greatly subside their hormones (aggression). Especially for females this is important to have done as it decreases their chances of getting ovarian cancer.

3. If a bunny is nipping you, they may just want your attention. If they are biting you hard, this means they are frightened or you have startled them; this tends to happen a lot if you hand-feed your bunny. Their vision is terrible and cannot see directly in front of them thus they may lunge and or bite you. They can be fixed by holding them a lot. They need to feel your heart beat to calm down. Giving them positive attention even when they are bad is a theory that may be annoying to you, but once they learn that when they are upset that you aren't the scary one, they will want to love you back.

4. 

   Bunnies thump for a variety of reasons. Most say they do this when they are afraid of something or are angry but they can also do it if they simply want your attention or are running around very excitedly. If you can tell it is because they are upset, give them positive reinforcement. My bunnies always thump when I am yelling in the house because they are scared.

5. If a bunny is chewing or gnawing this may be because their teeth need to be filed down so make a vet appointment to check them out. If their teeth get too long (they are constantly growing) and they become overgrown, this can be excruciatingly painful for them. If they are chewing wires this is because of their instincts; it reminds them that they are burrowing underground, when they chew the roots because they get in the way and annoy the bunnies.

6. Bunnies can make strange sounds. If it resembles a cooing you shouldn't be alarmed but if it is more of a growl it means they want to be left alone. Sometimes if you go to change their litter they can get very territorial so make sure they're not in the cage when you do this.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep chords away from bunnies.
• Do not smoke around bunnies as it can kill them very easily.
• Research what rabbits can and cannot eat; you should not feed them tomatoes or avocado, among many other things.
• Many people give rabbits salt blocks. This is not necessary!
• Always make sure they have water as they can get overheated and this can be fatal.

[chocolate00]

on 6/13/2009 thanks for the useful information, I just got a bunny and it likes to bite!!