Bad bahavior

[Patrick]

Patricks killing me here…. he hopped up to me and bumped me then put his head down, I laid on the floor with him so my arm didn’t fall asleep, I got a minute into rubbing his head and he didn’t object to anything and then he lunged and attacked my face… claws and teeth, I grabbed him, put him back in his run and he ran up to the edge of the run with the look like why did you stop rubbing my head? 

I think little man is bipolar or has a dual personality, he’s been neutered since dec. 27th and he’s been like this off and on for the last month. 

[LBJ10]

Was there anything else going on when this happened? What was his body language like when we went for your face?

[Patrick]

Nothing out of the ordinary, tv was on and he lifted his head and lunged at my face, I just had enough time to close my eyes. I gave him some salad mix and a few slices of orange before, but hes only attacked my face twice before and I was just laying on the floor with him and he ran up to me, i’m to the point he can’t come out of his run. 

[Little Lion Head]

Did something on the TV maybe spook him? Or even a quick movement from you that might have scared him a bit?

[LBJ10]

What about direct eye contact? Some animals become defensive when they think someone or something is staring them down.

[Patrick]

LBJ10, i’m not sure rabbits are like that, it tends to be a predatory animal trait.

The only thing I can think of is, I’d picked up one of his poops he dropped on the floor and he didn’t like it or I was infringing on his territory that he laid claim to.

After all this time from being neutered, he still attacks my feet and lunges at me. I’d hoped he would have lost that by now.

[Cottontail]

May seem like a strange question, but anything new with your face?
New aftershave, lotion, facial hair, glasses, etc? Friend of mine had a bird that tried to “remove” the hubbys beard when he started growing it in.

[LBJ10]

It is behavior that you see in some predators. But rival rabbits of the same sex will also stare each other down before having a territorial spat.

[kathybunny]

yikes! that’s scary.

I had a dog get mad at me when I was young because I was looking at it in the eyes (didn’t even realize it, was just looking at the dog). Scared me!

I hope you figure it out!

[LittlePuffyTail]

That sounds exactly like my Olivia. She will be enjoying pets and tooth purring and then, without warning, punches me in the face. She’s very picky about where she likes to be pet and if you go out of bounds, you pay the price.

[LBJ10]

That’s a good thought too LPT.

Patrick – Maybe you can try different things and take notes to see what is a trigger for him.

[Patrick]

I’ve been trying to see what sets him off, no telling here. I got him a new cage and he likes it, seems to give him lots of places to eat, bathroom, but thats about all he uses it for, his run is pretty large so he roams in it. If I let him out, he attacks my feet and he’ll ram himself into my feet while walking and then he squares off on me, I figure he thinks everything on the floor is his and hes protecting it, my best chance of walking across the floor is carrying the spray bottle and squirt his tail then he retreats to dry off lol.

I’m thinking this is just the way he’s going to be unfortunately. I told him he’ll be good in a pot with potatoes, but I’ve figured he knows i’m bluffing.

[Author]

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