Aggressive Rabbit! Help!

**Desert Arabian** · 09-29-2008, 12:00 PM

Normally my fat Peanut is a little princess. She is never aggressive towards me and has never bit me intentionally - a few times on accident when she grabs treats from my fingers. She has bit my boyfriend hard and it drew blood, for some reason she does not like him. She is incredibly food aggressive with my two other rabbits Buster and Nibbles and I'm down right sick and tired of it. Whenever I put treats (veggies, store bought, etc) in the pen she lunges at them, snorts, and bites them. Many times ripping out fur, one time she made Buster's nose bleed a little. I shout at her NO and tap her hinny if I can reach her. I try to give her her portion immediately in the opposite corner of the cage to distract her, but if she see them reach for treats out of my hand she will spin around and attack them. If there are no treats around, she is fine with them- they get along great. She goes berserk especially when I give them their Oxbow pineapple papaya tablets- she goes ballistic. I've also tried a squirt bottle filled with water to zap her when she attacks them- it stops her for a few seconds but it's not enough to stop her completely. She will also chase them around their pen biting at Buster or Nibbles behinds.

Any suggestions on how I can curb her extreme food aggression!? HELP!

**Karen** · 09-30-2008, 06:32 PM

Goodness, gracious. Is she spayed?

I would just try separating them at feeding time, poor guys. And Peanut *looks* so sweet!

**Desert Arabian** · 09-30-2008, 08:23 PM

Yes, she is spayed!

**Karen** · 10-01-2008, 11:38 AM

I guess it's just part of Peanut being Peanut then, her food aggressiveness. Do you "double clap" loudly when she does it? (Human equivalent of 'danger' thump for rabbits.) That's the only thing that ever works that I know of with bunny training ... But of course it didn't always work with Miss Hoppy. She was an only bunny for good reason!

**Catty1** · 10-19-2008, 08:50 PM

Sounds like she needs her own cage, to be away from the others.

From what you said about your bf, I think it is jealousy aggression...when someone or the other bunnies seem to be paying attention to you, she wants all the attention. Might be something like that playing in also.

Either that - or bunny Prozac. But I am sure you wouldn't want to give her meds.

**Karen** · 10-19-2008, 09:17 PM

Catty1, have you had any experience owning rabbits? I do not think Peanut needs her own cage, rabbits do like to be together and bond, and she said in general they get along well. Peanut's aggression is apparently only food-based. I do think she may need to be fed separately, but that is different than being removed entirely from her friends.