Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Rabbits > grumpy rabbit

grumpy rabbit

22 10:02:55

Question
I have 2 female netherland dwarf rabbits who are 6 months old.  We have had them since they were 10 weeks old.  They live in a large hutch but are taken out daily for exercise and cuddles.  One of them is lovely, placid, calm and loves cuddles.  The other has always been more curious and active and doesn't like to sit still.  However in the last few weeks she has started growling at me when I go to pick her up.  Yesterday I had terrible trouble catching her to get her out of the room to go back in the hutch, and she was facing me and jumping at my hand trying to bite me.  I had to put gloves on and it was very stressful!!  She was running away from me and seemed to know exactly what she was doing!  She has also growled at me when I have gone to take her out of the hutch, however once she has done this I have left her be.  A friend of mine mentioned she may be in season, as neither of them have been spayed yet.  Could this be right?  If so is it likely to happen to the other one? (the aggression I mean)
Many thanks  

Answer
Dear Rachel,

Each rabbit has a unique personality, and just because one bunny becomes aggressive upon reaching sexual maturity doesn't mean the other one will.  But the sooner both buns are spayed, the less chance of these objectionable behaviors becoming learned and fixed.  Please read:

www.rabbit.org/health/spay.html

I hope you can find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

In the meantime, this article can help you manage her aggression to keep peace in the house until she can be spayed:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/aggression.html

Hope that will help.

Dana