Aggressive Bunnies | What to Know and How to Help

What is Aggressive Behaviour in Rabbits?

There are two major kinds of aggression in rabbits, the most typical being defensive behaviour surrounding their habitat. If your rabbit bites when you reach your hand into their cage or hutch, it’s likely to be territorial defensive aggression.

Another kind of aggressive behaviour occurs between your rabbits, for example, if they are fighting each other to the point of injury. It can be upsetting to see your bunny get hurt, and hard to know what to do. A small amount of fighting is natural between your pets, especially once they mature, but if you can see blood on their fur or in the hutch then it’s possible that the anger is getting out of hand and the bites are getting nasty.

How to Stop Aggressive Behaviour Between your Rabbits

If you have noticed fighting between your rabbits, and if this seems to be more than just their normal play fighting, you may need to think about how much space they have in their hutch. It could be that your rabbits have grown since you bought them, and their once spacious house is now a little too small for two. It is more likely that they have matured sexually and they are more aware in establishing their territory and dominance. Two sister rabbits from the same litter can live happily together but once they mature one can dominate the other. This can happen with two brothers from the same litter too. It is very natural behaviour. 

Whatever the reason for the bunnies’ bad moods, it is important that your rabbits should feel happy and relaxed in their hutch. It is likely that the fighting will ease off if they have more elbow room. Rabbits are territorial animals, and they each need their own space as well as a shared space. Try distracting your brawling bunnies by clapping your hands. The noise will distract them and will hopefully teach your rabbit not to fight. A particularly aggressive rabbit can be deterred by spraying water on their nose – but this isn’t something you want to be doing too often, so if, after the first few sprays, it isn’t making any difference, it’s time for Plan B. If you decide to invest in a larger hutch but your rabbits continue to show aggressive behaviour, you may have to separate them into two different hutches for good!

The Benefits of Spaying Rabbits

Spaying (also known as neutering) is the term for stopping your pet from having babies and is accomplished via surgery. This can be an expensive procedure but worth the cost as it reduces the territorial instinct that often leads to aggression. If your rabbit has not been spayed, they are much more likely to exhibit aggressive behaviour to you and any fellow bunny who shares their hutch. This is perfectly natural adult behaviour. It is common for owners to keep male rabbits or female rabbits in single-gender pairs, and this can lock them into a mating-related feud that neither can win. Your rabbits could be fighting over who is the most dominant in their shared territory, but this fighting is much less likely to occur if they have been spayed. Equally, if you have decided to keep a male and female rabbit together, it is a good idea to get them spayed, as rabbits can have up to fifty baby bunnies a year! Fifty bunnies may sound cute but consider how difficult it could be to care for and house that many animals! 

There are other benefits to spaying your rabbit other than reducing their aggression, such as reducing their chances of getting mammalian, ovarian or testicular cancer. Spayed rabbits are also much easier to train and are more sociable generally. If you have only recently brought your pet rabbit home, they may need a little time to get used to their new space and become comfortable. It is natural for any new pet to be nervous and skittish at first, and this could lead to a few aggressive behaviours, including biting, early on. It’s important to know that your rabbit is more scared of you than you are of it, and that just because it has bitten you doesn’t mean that you won’t end up being the best of friends! If you feel nervous about establishing contact with the rabbit, talk to a friend who has had rabbits for a little longer, or check out some of the reassuring ‘how to’ guides available online.