Need help with a very agressive rabbit.

Question
We bought a rabbit and guinea pig from a family who had previously bought the two from a pet shop. They are over 1 year old and are (or appear to be) quite healthy. We've had them for a good 5 months now, and they appeared to be settling in well, except up until a few months ago, when the rabbit became aggressive. This started as nipping, which is to be expected to a certain degree, but now the rabbit runs at and seizes my mother whenever she enters the room or goes anywhere hear it or our guinea pig. The rabbit has free run of the yard and most of the house, so it is never confined in any way, is well fed and petted. (whenever we can)The rabbit if beginning to become aggressive towards myself also, although not so much with people whom the rabbit is not familiar with.

He is neutered also, yet the condition seems to have worsened since. We have tried padding our legs to avoid biting, spraying water and firmly shouting "no" or "don't" whenever the aggression occurs, but this rarely helps. We are beginning to feel this is a genetic problem, as the rabbit appears to be inbred as a result of the pet shop breeding, and seems to be part lion-head, part lop, and is an average size. The rabbit is quite literally part lop as one ear is lopped, the other sticks up, which appears quite comical, but could this be causing the problem? If its like this on the outside I wouldn't know how or if this would affect his brain or behaviour.

If you could give us any advice at all it would br appreciated, as the situation is really quite desperate and we have searched the internet for a solution.

Thank you.

Answer
Hi Ellena

The bunny might be sick.  I can't think of to many reasons why a neutered buck would suddenly become aggressive.  I would personally take him into the vet and have him check him for genetic defects such as malocclusion (bad teeth).  If the bunny is in pain it can certainly make him aggressive.

There are groups out there that will come right to your home and help you with behavioral issues.  Normally I would say that he needs to be neutered but since he already is this is quite a conundrum.

Try finding a local HRS chapter near you.  If you e-mail them they should be able to get someone to your home to help you.  It is just so hard to say what is wrong with him without seeing him.  I highly suspect that you are right about inbreeding.  Sadly the people that foolishly breed these rabbits don't realize or just don't care that this is supposed to be a person's loving pet.  Now you have to suffer and so does the poor bunny.

Here is a list of local HRS chapters...

http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/index.html

I hope that you can get to the bottom of this.

Good luck

Pam