It sounds like you have good instincts about how to help her. It's fortunate she's with you.

While room is important, you make a good point. The smaller space for her at the moment is helping her feel secure and safe. It's those confident buns that will bang on the habitat doors demanding out. Lol. She might reach that point down the track when she feels more at home.

I'm sorry if you were feeling pressured about spaying. We do understand its not always something one can get to right away.

In the meantime it will just mean living with Lola and her hormones.
I wonder if she's experiencing a false pregnancy that's put her into protective mode? It will pass if so.

If she has grown wary of hands, try consistently spending time with her but avoid using your hands. It's tricky because you just want to pat them! I have a lop who came to me already wary of hands. He allows pets sometimes when he's really chilled and were both lying on the floor, but for the most part he still avoids my hands. I can however, reach my foot out at anytime and pet him with my socks. Lol. So he likes to be touched but I think it's hard-wired in his brain that hands approaching = being picked up.

Ah, That was encouraging... I was beginning to feel like a bad bunny mom:-( I have honestly put alot of time in Miss Lola, she's only been here 2 weeks this Thursday though so I believe she needs time, A false pregnancy could be possible? Not sure, I do know, there is no way she could have gotten pregnant at my house tho!! Family "A" did not inform me of them having another bun so I would assume, she cannot be truly pregnant.

I have had to reassure Lola's original mommy that I am not giving up on her, as I will assure you all too;-) I know there is a sweet Lola Bear deep down there somewhere! it is just DEEP down in there as of now...

Another question, why wouldn't she want to be picked up? My 2 other buns don't mind at all...one will even let my 2 year old pick him up &carry him wherever. ???

Most rabbits hate being picked up. They are prey animals, so prefer their feet on the ground. I wouldn't let your 2 year old pick up the rabbits either, they are far far far too delicate for small children

Some handle it well, some don't. I dare say with six kids at the last home, they would have been tempted to pick her up a lot. It's even hard for me dampen that impulse sometimes so you can imagine with children...they'd just do it. If she was picked up incorrectly or at times she wasn't willing or unprepared, she would grow wary if it. It's possible she initially bit to be put down or to warn someone away. If that worked for her (ie she was released) then she would use biting again.

You may have to take baby steps with her. Once she's more settled and trusts you, she may allow being picked up. Definitely something worth working on as there are those times we need to pick them up.

My lop I referred to before I've had for 3 years. He was 2 when I got him. He is still hand wary and its hard to pick him up. I have let that be though. When I do need to handle him, I get him to jump into the litter box then carry him in that to a countertop. From there I can pick him up and transfer him directly to my chest, all four feet touching so he feels secure. He's much more tolerant this way.

Just a thought: when Lola is spayed perhaps you could ask your vet to check over her spine and limbs while she is under? To help rule out any physical causes for her aggression.

Rocco often goes to my son to be picked up... and loved. I do not forsee that being an issue. If he didn't want to be held, he would run. Rocco often believes he is a cat, or even dog. He enjoys riding in the car with us also... I guess he's just "different" even though he was abandoned outside, because someone was burnt out or whatever the case may be, Rocco has been very forgiving, and loves us as his humans.

A family friend who is an "exotic vet" has looked over each rabbit. Checking for mites and any other issues, there were none. He did that for me for free, unfortunatly, he cannot spay and neuter them for free. It will be discounted, and only cost what it costs him to do it, he won't charge for labor, but still the funds are tight at the moment.

Now for Lola, I do pick her up, but I pick her up properly, where she feels safe, all feet touching me. I have always had rabbits, so it isn't my first rodeo all the way around. Just my first with a psycho bunny!! I imagine she may have been carried by the children in the other home, but I don't just carry her for fun, she's more than a sack of taters lol. I will try the corraling idea, rather than picking her up. When she bit me, I was not picking her up, only petting on top of her head. When she bit my husband, he wasn't even messing with her, she just lunged! My wound is much worse than his, his being more of a nic on the bed of his nail, with minimal bleeding. Mine is in the palm of my hand, and seems every move breaks it open, and the bleeding starts all over again :/

She's gonna be a tough cookie, but she'll make me or break me.

Sounds like you want the best for her,we would love for you to stick around and most importantly, share pics!!

As for the grunting, it's not always a bad noise ( although I don't doubt it was when you heard it!) My Samson is extremely vocal, she grunts and growls and honks and purrs and makes all sorts of noises, and they aren't consistantly with their meaning

I just read in another thread about the benefits of clicker training, and that might be a solution to your trust issues with Lola. Flemmies are certainly smart enough. Most important right now is patience, just give her time. Have you tried getting her where you want with her daily pellet ration or greens? That's how I get my girls in at night.

Yes that is how I have been doing it the past few days. I either make a trail or just put it in her cage and she has gone right in. Hopefully all will be better in time