a question about rabbit behaviour and bonding bunnies

Question
Hello,
I have a 1 and a half yr old female rabbit which I've kept for  over a year now.  I've been caring for her the same way for this one year but only in the last 2 months or so she's getting quite angry and runs around furiously in her very large hutch when she sees me.  I try giving her some of her favorite greens but she still seems frustrated.  When I give her a pat she would calm down and she stays quite still when I pick her up, but would still often try and bite me and make the snorting noise so I can tell she's probably not jumping around from happiness and excitement.  She's only recently became like this so I've been try many things like sitting with her while she's running around in her exercise area because I thought she might be lonely and letting her try several new veges.  When  I call her name sometimes she runs over and let me pat but may suddenly start running around me in circles attacking me.  She is also physically a very strong rabbit and her bites are very strong.  I really don't wish to start being afraid of my own bunny and having to be cautious of her while feeding or playing.
What could be the matter with her? What could have caused this personality change? And what could I try doing to tame her?
She is not yet neutered as she lives by herself and I often check her for any infections.  But would desexing her help her become friendlier again.

Also, I've always felt sorry for her because she lives alone and missing out on love and grooming from the same kind.  Would a bunny friend help her be friendly? I've also wondered if she is being angry and unhappy because she's lonely. I understand that same sexes fight and girl-girl bonding may take time.  I brought home a 10 week old doe 2 weeks ago to attempt bonding them after researching about many bonding techniques, but in the end I never let them met and just sent the baby to a better home instead yesterday.  I was too worried about my rabbit's aggressive personality and if her bites can hurt me that much it could easily injure the little one because of the fact she's twice the size of the her.
Whether it's loneliness causing her anger or not, I am still hoping she could have a rabbit companion one day though as I am worried I may not have as much time as I wish to play with her although I try my best.  Whereas a bunny friend can be with her 24/7.  And to avoid any violence, I'm considering a neutered male. (Desexed male & non-desexed female) Do opposite sexes in this situation fight?  Would an angry girl rabbit fight a boy?  I have experience of serious rabbit fights when I was very much younger but this time I don't want to try anything until I'm sure it's safe and that it's a suitable friend.

Thank you so much for helping!
I really appreciate it :)  

Answer
Hi Raewyn,

First, yes, de-sexing (spaying) your girl will cut down on her aggression.  Unfixed rabbits have very high hormone levels that basically cause hormonally induced behavior that their normal (un-hormoned) personalities would not generally do.  Like the biting and charging in the cage.

Second, it is very good you did not try to bond these two.  Your first gal would've attacked and injured/killed the younger girl.  You are putting a strange rabbit into another's territory - her hormones would cause her to drive out the stranger trying to take some of her territory.  So don't bond them now.

Third, you should only bond rabbits that are de-sexed.  Two intact rabbits will fight a lot more, and if they are opposite sex, will have babies.  One intact and one not, one rabbit's going to be acting hormonally-driven (they can't help it or stop themselves), and the other isn't.  This is not a good situation for the fixed rabbit.  The best pairing for bonding is when both are fixed, because they can both control themselves.  If they really don't get along, it's because one or both does not like the other, not because one's hormones is raging and causing it to go after the other one.  And yes, intact gals will go after unfixed or fixed guys.  And vice versa.

You will by having your gals spayed, allow them to live a full lifespan as an indoor house rabbit.  Intact females tend to die from uterine cancer (hormones) by 5 or 6.  Fixed gals can live 10-12 years.

Fourth, get a good rabbit vet to alter your rabbits.  Not all vets are.  To start, go to:

www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

and find a House Rabbit Society-recommended vet in your area.

Fifth, wait for at least a month after the last rabbit gets altered before attempting to bond them.  It takes that long for the rabbit to use up the existing hormones in their blood so that you can start bonding them when their hormone levels are at their new, stable, lower levels.

I would check out the House Rabbit Society web site for their extensive articles on bonding:

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

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-4/tough-bonding.html

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-9/bonding.html

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/rabbits-in-the-plural.html

Finally, I would seriously really consider whether a second rabbit is what your rabbit needs (or is missing).  Rabbits can handle being alone while we are at work, or sleeping for example.  Generally we are not around during their rest times anyway (afternoons, night).  They are resting or sleeping then too.  If you spend a good amount of time each day interacting with them, especially when they are out during exercise times, they are probably good.  We probably worry more about whether they are okay than they do!  And you also have to be prepared that if you do bring a 2nd bunny home and one or both don't like each other (both fixed so it's genuine not hormonal), that you will set up the house so that they can live separately in their own spaces of the house.  Because it can happen.  You will see this when you start the bonding processes, the first couple short meetings will tell you.

The HRS articles are indispensible for your bonding.  The site will also help you find a good rabbit vet, which is critical.

Lee