attack scratching rabbit

Question
My teenage daughter brought home a 4 mo. old black and white beautiful rex two months ago, all three of us fell in love with him.  We had him neutered about 3 wks ago, he is about 5-6 months old now, we were never sure of his exact age.  He is doulbled in size now.  He trys to bond with out 18 year old cat and it is finally beginning to work, they lie on the bed together now for hours, we still monitor them very closely though.  Lately he attacks my husband by lunging at him scratching, not  biting.  Jack about layed his hand wide open the other night and now my husband wants to get rid of him and I can't blame him. Usually this occurs when he reaches into his cage to feed him (which I told him he cannot do) in the morning or when we try to pick him up just to hold, he has scratched my daughter and myself as well.  What do we do when we need to pick him up to either put him in his cage or just to hold or take him out?  Shouldn't we be holding him alot to get him used to people and to become more social?  He used to love to be held when he was small, my daughter would hold him for an hour and he was so comfortable, it seems he hates it now that he is bigger and now that he has be neutered, we thought that was supposed to calm him down. Sometimes my daughter would take him in her car to her friends house in his little carrying purse/bag she bought for him with his leash.  He needs his nails clipped right now, her boyfriend clipped them once; he had rabbits himself and did a good job. We need help with the attack scratching-good thing he has not started biting!!!

Answer
You are obviously aware that rabbits are cage protective since you told your husband not to reach his hands in there, as for picking him up many rabbits only like to be petted on the floor. It is very disorienting and scary for many rabbits to be picked up. There are various ways of picking them up...make sure their hind legs are supported to avoid stress on their delicate back. It can help to hold their ears down. Don't pick up by grasping their skin.

Some say you just have to keep picking them up anyway to get them used to it. Perhaps give the rabbit a treat every time you pick it up. You could try sensitivity training: get it to like being petted, then get it to like being petted next to you, then get it to like being petted under one foot, then 2 feet, then with the 2 feet on your leg, etc. Very slowly, with treats, over the course of a year you can do it. You can do anything with rabbits -- if you are very patient and loving.

The best way to pick him up for his nail clippings or to be put back in the cage is to support his bottom and if putting him in the cage try putting rump in first.  As for nail clipping it can be a task, especially when a rabbit hates to be picked up.  He has to be on his back and you can even clip one nail a day if you have to but they should be clipped monthly.  If you need help you could have her boyfriend show you exactly how to do it.  It is better to learn face to face if possible.

Rabbits are usually more docile after they have been neutered, but they can also change with age.  When they are babies you don't see their true personalities.  This is when they are developing their instincts.  The fact that he bonds with your cat shows that he can be loveable.  He is just angry about either not feeling safe in your arms, or your husband reaching into "his territory".  

I am going to give you a site that will help you to understand what he might be saying to you.  Positive re-enforcement with a treat when he is good is not a horrible idea.

If you need anything else please let me know

Pam

http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html