I have a male rabbit, who is becoming increasingly aggressive. It has now got to the point where I cannot even pick him up! I cannot get him out of the hutch

He was neutered about a month ago... which I had hoped would calm him down a bit but he seems to have gotten a lot worse!

Everytime I try to pick him up to put him in the run he tries to bite me, "growls" and goes for my hand

Does anyone have any useful advice? I honestly don't know what to do. I can't even clean his cage out as he goes nuts as soon as I open the door

No advice but i have a 6 yr old female rabbit and first couple of years she was fine then one day she just turned and was exactly as you described above ! Lasted a couple of years and now shes soft as muck again Hope u sort yours out

Some vets have a behavoural consultant, I don't know if or how much they charge though. I would say it all about being the dominant one as is the case with cats and dogs.

Well I am going to the vet with my other rabbit tomorrow, so I shall speak to them and see if they can suggest anything. Don't think my OH will be that impressed with the idea of a behavioural consultant though! We've had nothing but hassle with these rabbits, I reckon the OH regrets buying them for me...

He's doing it because you're letting him, through fear of teeth obviously. Rabbits are social animals, therefore manipulative little creatures.
Try wearing gloves until he gets used to not having his own way. Conversely, rabbits don't normally like being picked up much - are you handling him a lot at the moment?

No I haven't been handling him at all since he moved hutches as he's become too agressive. He has never been "social" and has always left me with scratches when handling him to and from the run but since we had him neutered and have put him in his own hutch it has definately become worse. I do wear gloves, but he still goes for me and I hate to admit it but I am scared of being nipped/scratched. I've had some pretty mean looking scratches from him in the past!!

It sounds like a vicious circle - he nips, you're scared and won't handle him, so he can't be handled or socialised.

The advice here may help:

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/agressive.shtml

Thanks Lippencote. I have just read the article, seems to be some good advice there which I will try out tonight when I get home.

I'm particuarly worried about placing him back with the other rabbits though... as he is only apart from them at the moment because of him being neutered. The vets said he needs to be kept separate for 8 weeks due to sperm still being viable.

You might find that in months to come he becomes a bit less aggressive due to the neutering - it can take a few months for the hormone levels to settle right down (at least that is how it is with cats and I assume from what your vet said it is the same with rabbits).

Hope you find a way to get on with him. Your vet will be able to refer you to a behaviourist if you want to go that route, but obviously that will be an extra cost.

Yes sadly I don't think the behavioural consultant really is an option for us money wise. We bought the two rabbit last year, and have had a whole string of problems with them! Costing more and more and more!!! I don't want to give up on them though, so will definately try to put my fears aside and start petting him.

The rabbits were supposed to be both females. Wrong. After the first lot of babies we decided to get him neutered, but he got in there again just before we took him to have the op. So after second lot of babies, mummy is now very ill and is costing us vet bills and babies are also ill meaning I have to hand rear them (feeding every 4 hours). When we did have him neutered they found he had a cyst or something, which needed sorting etc etc etc. It's been never ending! We thought we would keep it simple with two rabbits. It's been totally the opposite! Never again

A friend of mine was badly bitten by her neutered French lop-eared rabbit and they had to have him put down. He sunk his teeth into her calf and wouldn't let go until she hit him with a brush and she still has the scars.

^^
OMG that's horrible

Take the batteries out

LMAO Why didn't I think of that?!

I'd say show him no fear, be kind and gentle. Don't force him to sit on your lap or cuddle. When I have a rabbit that is a little shy or awkward, I know if sounds silly but I will sit in a small room with them, and lie on the floor and let them explore me, to get use to my smell and size. Once they start getting use to me, and looking at me more, when I feel that they're ready I stroke them abit. Then after a while cuddle them.
He's been through a traumatic event having his little gonads off and he's still frightened, he's scared it's going to happen again. So just assure him and show him love, and he will come alright.
Bucks once tame become very lovable. As so does. Rabbits are lovely animals I have 9 of them, and they all have their different personalities

I have two male rabbits (mini lops) called Rascal and Scamp both have been 'done' but are very different. Rascal is more inquisitive and wants to be involved with everything I do where as Scamp likes to watch. Rascal will allow me to pick him up and fuss him whereas Scamp isn't to fond.They both live in my house with me and have free run, I dont ever have to lock them up and they both taken to sleeping under my bed when I am in bed and then they sit around the lounge and kitchen during the day. I found that with Scamp to get him to trust me was the fundemental goal, I won't go to scamp to pick him up but because slowly he is has got used to me and my presence he now will come to me and be around me more than he used to. I started this by just sitting with them, not going to pick up or stroke them but just to sit on the floor and let them get on around me. Over time Scamp now has a complete trust in me but he doe's let me know also when he dosnt want my input! I cant say that either have been agressive although Scamp will nip (it dont hurt) if I try to make him do something he dont want to.

Also Scamp used to get upset whilst I cleaned their hutch, But i watched one day as after I had cleaned it how he set about rearranging the content of the hutch. I now put things back in the hutch as I found them. ie he does not like sawdust or straw in a plastic litter tray I brought for them as they like to sleep in it and he would set about immediatly when I refilled it to empty it and sometimes would pick the tray up and toss it out the cage with his teeth.

I do think its a patient learning game not only of the owners but the rabbits as well, Dont try to impose on him but keep a constant presence and he should after a bit start to calm down. If he is aggressive I have to say that its probable that he is scared so reassurance and getting him used to you being around him will get him to trust you!

Hope it helps

Sparkles

First of all, have you tried training him to use a litter box? Makes daily cleaning faster and easier and maybe less stressful for him. Observe the corner he most goes in, and start by placing a cat litter tray there. I use a horse bedding (absorbent and safer than cat litter or sawdust which you should never use with bunnies) - a couple of handfuls in the bottom of litter tray covered by fresh hay. I have found rabbits easier to litter train than cats!

My bunnies are angoras which are one of the most placid breeds as they have been bred for centuries to be handled. But one of my boys, Terry, is a bit nervy and I find he suffers being picked up if I wrap him in a towel and tuck his head under my arm so he feels safe and can't see anything. If I wrap him in a towel to carry him, I can usually get him calm. He feels safer. In the past I have had buns I handled by lifting out in a small box - again, having their feet braced against something solid and maybe being in the dark makes them feel more secure.

Secondly - buns are prey animals and some will never like being picked up. It goes against all our stereotypes but to some of them, being picked up is not an option or is something you can only slowly accustom them to (To a prey animal anything picking it up is about to eat it....)

Could you confine him at one side, using a piece of cardboard or sumat, whislt you clean t'other half, then swap round? That might be a good temporary measure.