To build up a good relationship with your rabbit, it's best to let them make the first move. Let them approach you, once they have had a sniff and nuzzled your hands a few times they will realise that, 'no this person is not going to hurt me'. If you are lucky enough to have a large run then perhaps you could sit in it with your rabbit and play, gain confidence and bond. Again let your rabbit approach you, after all they are curious creatures and chances are after 5 minutes they'll be climbing all over you!

Rabbits especially like having their head and behind the ears stroked. Although a long firm stroke across the back can really relax your rabbit. Make sure you only stroke in the direction of the fur, much like dogs and cats they hate it being stroked in the opposite direction.

Another good way to bond with your rabbit is good old fashioned bribery, try tempting him with something really tasty. If your rabbit is not food orientated then try initiating a game.

Above all remember your rabbit is an intelligent individual that has his own clear likes and dislikes. Take things slow, watch for the signals and you and your rabbit should develop a beautiful friendship.

In the wild rabbits do not get picked up, unless they are in the grip of a predator, so understandably it is a natural instinct for a domestic rabbit to be uneasy about being picked up.

A struggling rabbit could cause injury to the person carrying him but more importantly to himself. Rabbits are designed for speed. They have a low skeletal mass and high muscle mass. This means that they can break their own bones whilst struggling as you pick them up. All too many times you hear stories of broken backs, legs etc. They are delicate creatures and this should not be forgotten. Being a prey animal they also make little sound, so you need to be aware of their bunny signals. With this in mind remember they will not show pain or illness, as to a predator this would make them an easy target.

When picking up your rabbit gently slip your hand behind the front legs and support the hind quarters with the other hand. Sometimes this is not practical when dealing with rabbits that do not like being picked up or are territorial, in which case I would recommend using the scruff whilst again supporting the hind quarters. (The scruff is the loose skin located between the back of the neck and the shoulder blades). Do not pick your rabbit by the ears, its just not kind!

Once in your arms when walking to destination, let the rabbit hide under your arm so that its face is covered. This reduces stress and thus scrambling. Another method which has proved very good at calming the bunny is to cover their eyes with your hand and gently stroke them along the back.

When returning your rabbit to the hutch you may find that as you approach the rabbit will kick back in a bid to jump out of your arms back into the cage. To avoid this place the rabbit in bottom first.

Please remember it is also important to maintain stroking your rabbit in its cage, this helps avoid your rabbit getting too territorial.

Why is my rabbit aggressive and how can I rehabilitate it?

 

There are several reasons why a rabbit can be aggressive. Fear is the most common cause. In the first instance, as with all animals dealing with fear the first action is to freeze (hide in the corner), then take flight/flee (run away from you) and if those don’t create the desired effect then the last option is fight. So you can fully understand why a fearful rabbit fighting is his only option if he feels trapped in his cage.

Many people believe rabbits are like cute toys and that they should enjoy being picked up and cuddled. However, in nature the only time a rabbit would be picked up is if he is in the teeth or claws of a predator. If, from an early age your rabbit has been handled well and made to feel secure when being picked up or held then this shouldn’t be a problem.

We like to carry our rabbits with them sitting in the crook of our arm with their face buried in to our elbow (if the rabbit feels the need to do so)

Another method for more aggressive rabbits is to hold their back against your body with their tummy facing outwards supporting their rump in one hand and the other hand around the ribcage. This makes the rabbit feel secure in your grip but unable to bite or scratch. This method is also a way of gently but firmly dominating it.

 

Some rabbits have rightfully become fearful of humans due to violence from the handler. We have witnessed one breeder who smacked the rabbits, yet claims to be a rabbit behaviourist! This undoubtedly is not conducive to gaining the trust of your pet!

 

Punishment never works. It will only make the rabbit more fearful of you and this is counterproductive. If you catch your bunny doing something you don't like (nipping etc) then you need to react whilst the bad behaviour is happening so as to disrupt it (timing is of the essence). Either a clap of your hands or a thumping sound on the floor with your hand or foot with a prompt NO (but don't shout it as you will only scare him) will break the behaviour. Follow this with a reward such as a stroke or tidbit. In forty years of rabbit keeping myself (Debs) and now Heather have always found this method to work.

 

Other rabbits become fearful of new surroundings, strange noises or smells. Not all with react with aggression. Some will move away from the stimuli, others will nudge or gently nip. Others are so laid back they are bomb proof! However, it is not unheard of for rabbits to suffer a heart attack due to a perceived threat thus creating fear (it may not be a real threat but to the rabbit it is). Fear can also leave a rabbit stressed and this may cause him to become vunerable to illness/disease. So watch for those quiet bunny signals.

 

Then there are the teenage months when hormones are raging! Both bucks and does can become sexually frustrated. If you don’t plan to show or breed it is advisable to neuter your rabbit, for as well as improving their temperament, as with sexual aggression, territorial marking and testicular cancer in bucks, it also prevents psuedopregnancy and reproductive cancers in does. Consult your vet about the correct time to neuter but it is generally thought best to do the buck as soon as his testicles descend, which can be any age from 3 ½ months onwards. Does are able to reproduce from 4 months of age, but vets prefer to wait a little longer, as unnecessary intrusive surgery on young rabbits can be risky. If you have neutered your rabbits then they can have a bonded opposite sex companion (dependant on the pairs characters’), after all they are social creatures.

 

 

Food is another area that may cause aggressive tendencies. Always feed your rabbit at the same time of day then your pet will not feel need to protect its food bowl. Place the food bowl directly in to its position, don’t hang around teasing the rabbit with the smell its delicious dinner. Also don’t make treats a regular occurrence, otherwise every time your rabbit sees you it’ll expect something.

 

For rabbits that bite or scratch the hand that feeds it, try a couple of methods I will list here.

 

Wear a stout pair of gloves and hold a sensible sized treat like carrot or a good sprig of parsley/groundsel firmly in your grip and wait patiently for the rabbit to approach you at the front of the cage.

 

Tempt the rabbit forward with a smaller treat such as a slice of banana on the end of a wooden spoon. Be sure to keep the hand or spoon low so as not to get your rabbit dancing/stretching upwards and thus teasing it.

 

Territorial issues are another area that can create aggression. Employing common sense procedures, such as removing him from the cage before cleaning will assist in the initial instance to remove some of the behaviour. After a period of at least a few weeks you can try to approach him in the cage. Wear protective clothing including a stout pair of gloves (some resort to oven gloves!) When you are prepared, approach the rabbits head and here is the most important point, be brave! No matter what aggressive moves the rabbit tries you must remain calm. Do not pull back! Talk in a calm voice even if he looks like he’s going to bite, place your hand on his head (ears and top of shoulder dependant on rabbit size) lowering it to the floor. Then whilst your hand is still placed on his head use your thumb to stroke his forehead and speak calmly and gently to him. Please note when putting your hand in to the cage you should always approach your rabbit from above his head but to the side a little and away from the nose (head on confrontation is seen when a dominant rabbit approaches a subordinate one, placing itself directly in front of the nose)

 

As with their feeding, rabbits are creatures of habit, so if you continue with the same method above, you will eventually see a rabbit that remains calmer. For some rabbits the process may take longer than others. Be patient. If he is accepting food from your hand but won’t allow you to stroke him, persevere at the hand feeding for longer, before trying to touch. He will eventually learn that no matter how he behaves you are calm and friendly and discover petting is actually better than aggression!

 

If you acquire a rabbit with little or no knowledge of its background and you find it aggressive then some studying of your pet is required to ascertain what triggers this behaviour.

 

Finally don’t forget a rabbit in pain may become suddenly aggressive.

 

A few extra notes below!!

 

Bear in mind that rabbits whilst they possess excellent long distance vision that their close range vision is not as good.They have a blind spot right in front of their nose.

 

Positive reinforcement is the only way to deal with fearful rabbits. It may take many weeks to achieve any trust but the rewards speak for themselves.

 

Rabbits aren’t like dogs; they don’t have any innate need to please us. In fact alpha rabbits will think they are superior to you.

 

Recent studies have shown that rabbits like dogs have a ‘socialisation period’.  It has been noted that the more stimuli they are introduced to between the ages of 10 to 21 days then the better they deal with it at 48 days of age. This period of time is not set in stone but it’s suggested that kits should be handled before they reach 21 days old.

 

 

Some novice breeders will not handle the kits until they leave the nest for fear of the mother rabbit rejecting or killing the kits. We have never experienced this, as we take steps to ensure the mother rabbit is relaxed about us approaching the kits as early as 1 day old. A simple step such as rubbing your hands in the litter prior to going in to the nest is practised.

The more stimuli the kits can be introduced to is all the better for the kit/rabbit and its new owner. Our kits are brought inside the house, so get used to the noises and smells, especially of children and dogs (especially useful if your kit is going to be a house pet). As well as all the stimuli they get being in outdoor cages and watching the world go by.

 

By creating a stimulating environment within the cage, giving daily exercise and a healthy balanced diet, including hay, will your rabbit to achieve a healthy body and mind.

 

Don't forget a bored bunny is an unhappy bunny and this can lead to destructive behaviour. Always make sure he gets plenty of exercise, vary the toys in his cage and as he becomes bored with those replace with others.