bunny gone bad?

Question
QUESTION: I just got a month old lop bunny, His last owners say he has never bit and is litter trained. That only lasted a few day. He bit me supper hard when i cleaned out his cage. He charges me like he is ticked off. And he leaves poop all around his cage when i let him out as if to say this is my spot find your own. So my ? is can these behaviors change? and how. I would like to keep him if he wasn't such a poop head.  Thanks Michelle

ANSWER: Dear Michelle,

Now I think you know why the previous owners were so eager to give you that bunny!

He sounds like a little spitfire, but all is not lost!  I cannot believe he's only one month old if he's behaving like that.  It would be *extremely* unusual, since he would not even be old enough to be weaned!  Baby rabbits are NEVER vicious, and I would be extremely surprised and very interested to know if that is actually his age.  

Please get him to a good rabbit vet, whom you can find here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

and ask the vet to estimate the bunny's age.  It sounds as if she or he is already expressing hormone rage, and if the bunny is male and his testicles are descended, he can be neutered.  That alone will really make a huge difference.

The pooping everywhere is also territorial behavior caused by hormones, and this will get much better after neutering.  It's to be expected that he'll do this in a new home for a few days, but also read this:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/training.html

For all the information on how to best stop aggression in a grouchy bunny, please read:

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

and

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-1/HRJ4.1_Letters.html

Hope this helps get you started on a great friendship.  I've found that the aggressive bunnies are usually the smartest, and once you win their trust and friendship they are the most wonderful companions of all, loaded with personality and spunk!  :)

Hang in there, and write back if you have more questions.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dana, thank you so much. I did however make a mistake, the bad bunny is seven months old. That may change the answer, I hope not because i would like to keep him. Michelle

Answer
Dear Michelle,

Nope that makes it even better!  The bunny is just at the age of puberty, when his sex hormones are kicking in and making him aggressive.  Neutering will definitely help, though the other tips in the articles I sent you previously will also help you teach him how to behave like a civilized bunny.  :)

Good luck!

Dana