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Forum BEHAVIOR Cage + Food Aggression

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    • Hazel
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        I have a free rabbit for anyone who is interested. No, I’m kidding. Kinda.

        Lately Oscar has turned into a nightmare, especially around feeding time. He was fine before his neuter a few months ago, probably because he had “other” things on his mind. As his hormones depleted, it seems his aggression steadily increased. He always gives a few grunts whenever I reach into his cage, occasionally he will lunge. However, if there’s food involved, he will just snap. As soon as he knows I’m about to feed him, he will start frantically running around the cage and when I reach down to take his bowl out, or to put food down, he will flat out attack. It’s not a mock charge either, he comes flying at me with teeth and claws. I find myself literally throwing food down and retreating as to not get bitten. That doesn’t always work either, he’s fast as a snake.

        If he’s not in his cage, I can feed him by hand mostly without problems, as long as I keep the food coming. As soon as he feels like I’m trying to withhold food (for example if I try to lure him back into the cage with a treat), he will start lunging. Lately we have started giving him craisins. This is of course a high value treat, and he will attack even if not in his cage if he smells it in my hand.

        I do realize that by feeding him when he’s being aggressive like this I’m only rewarding this behavior. So for a few days now I have figured out a way to feed him without causing him to become angry. I will feed him pieces of food through the cage bars (he seems to be okay with that). While he’s busy picking them all up I hurry over to the food bowl and fill it with the remaining food. This “walking on eggshells” way of feeding him works for now but is really not practical.

        So, my question is, do any of you have suggestions about how I can decrease his aggression, especially concerning food? I don’t need him to be perfect. He is a very bossy, vocal little bun and that’s fine. However, I would love to get him to the point where I can reach into his cage and feed him without getting bit.

        While I don’t like to get nipped, I’m mostly concerned about this damaging our relationship. I hate for him to see me and Hubby as these horrible intruders that he has to defend his territory so harshly against. 

         

        Thanks to anyone who actually read this whole thing.


      • Sarita
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          Having you tried talking to him and petting him before you put the food in? Maybe that will help.

          I don’t know if it’s possible to only put food in his cage when he is not in the cage too – a know alot of that depends on if that is possible due to your schedule too.


        • Stickerbunny
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            What about using a scoop for the food, so you don’t have to get your hands as involved? Some bunnies are very cage territorial. But if you don’t have to “enter” his area yourself he could maybe get him to not view it as an intruder. I used to do that for my horse cause she viewed me coming near her food bucket as intruding and would bite.


          • MK
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              Sounds like you bun is being a brat!
              Could you let him out of his cage, wait till he leaves, then put his food in? He obviously sees you as a trespasser. Also, Don’t show that you are scared or nervous when he lunges or bites.

              My bunny used to “fake” lunges at me. Eventually I noticed that he really didn’t mean it, so I stopped pulling my hand away when he did it. now he still thrusts his head forward, but rarely actually lunges. I would say, if you can’t let him out of his cage, or are hand feeding him treats,  put on a winter glove (that’s important ), set the food or treat down at a normal pace, and don’t jerk your hand away. You need to be the “top bunny” around the house, so don’t hit or yell or anything(As I’m sure you don’t) just be firm.


            • Deleted User
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                I feel just awful Hazel – here I was complaining that Henry paid us no attention at all and cheeky Oscar is actually biting you! Your right, that is worse than being completely ignored, I’m sorry! Obviously I can’t offer any suggestions (except the glove – good one MK! I used to wear a glove when I had to handle our lorikeet). I am however really surprised that Oscar is acting this way AFTER his neuter????? One of the many benefits of neutering is bun’s behaviour improving – you got ripped off! I really hope his behaviour can be improved, as I know how much you adore/love him, and worrying that your gonna get nipped or bitten is a real downer. Again, I am so sorry – if only our bun’s knew how lucky/spoilt they ARE, I’m sure their attitudes would change ‘quick smart’! If only ‘we’ could ‘bunny talk’? Wishing you all the best Hazel, and know that I am really sympathetic – I would be terribly upset too.


              • Megabunny
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                  My Charlie attacked for years, though I think he was fake lunging. I have read you aren’t supposed to pull your hand away, like MK said. Now that he’s in a bigger cage and has Jane with him, he’s much happier. I’ve heard this territorial cage thing is more common in females, but mine is a neutered male as well.


                • Hazel
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                    Sarita: Yes I did try that. I can pet him without a negative response, depending on the time of day. If it’s not feeding time and he’s chilling out/having a nap, he’s okay with me reaching in to pet him. As soon as food gets involved though, he gets way too riled up to accept pets. He will spin around to reach my hand and check it for food/attack.

                    Stickerbunny: A scoop is a great idea, he might feel better about that. Or at least I won’t get bitten. 

                    MK: A glove would be very helpful, too. I’ll definitely get either a scoop or a glove. Or both… I’ll make sure not to pull my hand away anymore (once I’m protected), thank you for the tip.

                    AndHenry: Please don’t feel bad! I’m very happy that this is more of an exception rather than the rule, I would hate for you or anyone else to have the same problems with their buns. You’re totally right, I think I got ripped off! The neuter simply seems to have replaced marking with nipping…

                    Megabunny: Yeah, I was of the impression that this was more of a female thing as well. I guess we both got boys that are a little “different” in that regard. I’m glad Charlie didn’t actually mean it when he lunged at you and that he grew out of it. It gives me hope that Oscar can improve, too.

                    Thank you all for your input, it is a great help. This morning breakfast time actually went a little better. I let him out of the cage and started hand feeding. Then I moved over to the cage door, let him hop in and hand fed him while he was sitting right by the door. Eventually I lured him (inch by inch as to not frustrate him) to different spots in the cage. As long as I moved super slowly, it went well. I quit while I was ahead and fed him the rest of his breakfast outside of the cage. No lunging this morning!


                  • BlueMoods
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                      let’s have a look at what you are feeding him.

                      How much does he weigh?
                      How much (by weight) pellets are you giving him and, how often?
                      What brand and formula of pellets?
                      What kind of hay and how much are you offering?
                      How much fresh greens does he get per day?

                      Maybe we can get this sorted out. He seems to think he has a reason to be overly defensive of his food, so lets see if we can find the reason.


                    • Hazel
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                        We weighed him last 3 months ago when he was neutered, he weighed just under 3lbs. He gets 1/8 cup of Oxbow Essentials (for adults ) a day. The hay is Oxbow Timothy, which he has available at all times. I fill his hay rack about 3 times a day, he’s a good hay eater. He also gets two large leaves of either Romaine or Red Leaf lettuce a day, as the leaves on the head get smaller he gets more of them. This is probably not enough veggies (quantity as well as variety). What produce we can get at the store is often not the best quality. I’m about to get started on a nice big vegetable garden in our backyard though and I expect I will be able to grow any vegetables he could want for most of the year.

                        Do you think the lack of vegetables could be the cause of his behavior? I know it isn’t ideal but I thought it was okay until I can get to growing my own.


                      • Kbana
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                          I am not sure of the cause but another thought is to not use a bowl at all. I sprinkle them throughout Albert’s enclosure. He loves to go look for them. I put them in his maze haven too. I wonder if that would help?? I wouldn’t think the veggies would cause this as he is still getting some daily…


                        • BlueMoods
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                            Try giving him an extra TBS or 2 of pellets and, work on getting more greens. With less than 1.5 cups of greens and bit more pellets won’t hurt and may alleviate him thinking he is starving at pellet time.

                            More greens would be better, but he does have free choice hay and some greens. I know it can be hard this time of year to get good quality produce. Cabbage should be good and, you can grow basil and parsley indoors for him.

                            Also do try removing the container you feed pellets in, he may have his food aggression keyed on that and, would stop if he didn’t see the container.

                            Never pull back when he lunges or, even bites but, do not leave the pellet either if he does. He has to learn that if he wants to eat, he has to wait quietly while you place the food. If he keeps at it all day, remove him form his cage then place the pellets and leave him out a while before returning him to his cage and the food. He needs to learn that being aggressive does not get him food.


                          • MK
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                              I don’t believe cabbage is good for buns…but my Lop used to love dandelions in summer.


                            • Deleted User
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                                Cabbage is all OK for buns MK.  Good thing – my Henry LOVES cabbage!  (so do I!). Lol….. Cheers.


                              • Hazel
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                                  I thought I would give you all an update about how things are going with Oscar.

                                  You guys gave me great advice and I’ve changed how I interact with him. First off, I got rid of his food bowl for the most part, I hand feed him as much as I can. I will offer him my closed hand with some food in it, then I make him wait a few seconds. If he waits nicely I open my hand and he gets to eat, if he gets nippy the hand goes away. He’s gotten the hang of this pretty quickly. Sometimes I have him stand up or spin (he might as well do something while he’s waiting ) before I give him the food. A couple of days ago I got brave and tried the same thing with a craisin. Naturally he got a lot more excited and a little nippy but at least he didn’t lunge and rip my hand to shreds like he would have before. It took a while but he finally got that dang hand to open .

                                  When I don’t have time for all this I often sprinkle his food all around the cage and let him look for it, he seems to have fun with that. Thanks for the tip, Kbana!

                                  Not pulling away when he lunges as well as not letting him have the food when he’s being bad definitely helped a ton.

                                  Thanks everybody for the advice, things are slowly getting better .

                                   

                                  On a side note, now that he’s better with his food, he has started to growl when I’m about to let him out of his cage… He can’t simply be nice, can he? 


                                • Kbana
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                                    Oh such great news Hazel! Yay! That is awesome progress and I’m sure the added trust you two share now without the fear of being attacked will only increase your bond. Woohoo!! So happy for you!


                                  • Hazel
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                                      Thank you, Kbana!

                                      There’s still a lot of room for improvement but I’m happy to see some progress. He’s a good bunny, deep down. Reeeaaally deep down…

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                                  Forum BEHAVIOR Cage + Food Aggression