Effing rabbit we've had about 4 weeks ....

[earlgrey]

... started off as the most adorable, sweet natured thing. Now you can't go near it without it growling or biting. Even H wears gardening gloves to pick it up. H is going to work today and I'm wondering how to get the flipping thing into the run to clean out its hutch, but today that's the least of my worries.

Anyone else had one like this? How did you overcome it? I think we're doing all the right things - talking to it, pushing baby carrots through the bars of the hutch, but the truth is it terrifies me. Anyone with any advice?

My friend's rabbit was cute and fuzzy then thurned into the rabbit from hell. It turned out his teeth were continually growing up the way. She had had his teth ground down but they eventually had to be removed. He had no problems eating so it's not a problem for them.

TJackson, my brother in law breeds rabbits too. His are dutch, what do you do?

rabbits do make a grunting sound that is like a growl, I've heard them.

The RSPCA book is not about improving rabbit behaviour but how to look after them generally. It says that bad behaviour may be genetic as rabbits treated kindly can still be aggressive.

It is possible to introduce unrelated rabbits to each other but not easy. According to the book a male and female pair (neutered, obviously) is easiest. You need to be able to keep them separate but within sight and smell of each other for several weeks. Sometimes it still doesn't work. When they get old it may be too stressful for them.

An aggressive rabbit may end up with the RSPCA but I suspect some are put down. Should say that not all RSPCA rabbits are aggressive - we've had one that was a total dope and one that was lovely with humans but didn't get on with our male rabbit.

If you have a large enough space to sit with the rabbit they may come to you and be happy to jump on your lap/ be stroked. Our aggressive female did this, she just didn't like being picked up. We used to put a cat carrier in the run sometimes and wait for her to go in it

crossposting so just seen the message about teeth. Rabbits need to have lots of hay and grass and not too many treats (carrots are treats). I give mine the wholemeal crust from my breadmaker loaf (toasted) as it's like a brick. They love toast but should only have wholemeal. If you can get branches from an apple tree they are also great for teeth.

Oh Ive heard that grunting I had a mle rabbit that did that and he was a horny wee ball of fluff so your rabbit probaly just needs a shag

gsc we breed rex rabbits in blue black and dalmaatian and our dcs have mini lops and i have a fench lop as a pet and for showing does your borther in law show? where abouts are you if he shows our paths may well have crossed before.

tjackson - thank you very much for your explanation - you have cracked the problem we are having with our rabbits (2 speyed female Netherland Dwarfs)!
They live loose in a shed, which I thought was ideal as it meant that Ds could sit in the shed and talk to them / stroke them. Now I realise that having him in the shed is the worst thing. I have been stroking them a lot and they seem to like it if I reach in from outside, but if I then have the temerity to get closer by sitting in the shed they go back to square one and go off being stroked again - even from outside.

It is all my own fault. I had read that Dutch rabbits made good pets, and stupidly, knowing nothing about rabbits, thought that Netherland Dwarfs are 'Dutch'.

But they are very sweet and entertaining and we are v fond of them. Even though they hate us.

Blu if the shed is big enough to sit in and you do it regularly they should get used to it. Yes it's their home and they are territorial but you're the biggest rabbit . Just sit there until they come to you to be groomed, don't try stroking until they've got used to you just sitting there reading the paper or something.

Some rabbits live indoors as house rabbits. We had one indoors for a time (necessity not desire). If you have a room you can rabbit proof (they chew wires and may chew any wood) they can be good house pets. It's like having a small dog you don't have to take for walks. They can be trained to use a litter tray. Ours was a stray I'm sure had been a house rabbit as they were trained already.

I wish we'd never got a rabbit as they can live for 10 years. We'll feel obliged to get a new one each time one of the pair dies so we may be stuck with them for life.

lol blu netherland dwarfs and dutch are my most hated rabbit they always bite me at shows when im stewarding so i stay clear now. hope my tips are usefull the average life span of a rabbit is 4-5 years unless they are a larger breed then its more. tatt have you got something to do with rabbits as you seem to know a lot

Tjackson, my husband used to breed rexs. Yes my BIl shows and judges. His daughters do as well. His name is Derek Scrymgeour. DS loves visiting him for all the bunnies he has.

Oh and he's in Falkirk.

My God, you lot are so thoughtful and kind. Tjack, we will have her speyed and hopefully (we're told) that will calm her down. Would you be willing to have her if it doesn't? I'd love a silly tame rabbit (I thought that was what we were getting!) but it does seem dd1, who's just turned 9, seems some responsibility in keeping an animal that can't be handled. Any thoughts? She said she'd relinquish the rabbit if we bought a puppy . Since my sister's just bought a Golden Retriever puppy, and has to carry it round like a baby because it's to young to have had all its innoculations yet, this is an obvious no-no.

I do feel sorry for the poor thing - much as it scares me, I guess for some reason we're doing something wrong, though for the life of me I can't imagine what.

So, if we get her done and she's still the rabbit from hell, would anyone take her on?

God, I love MN!

hi erl grey im sure if she doenst settle down we will be able to sort something out for you. gsc i know the name as a chap called ian gerrard that lives in perth shows up there and hes mentioned him before we are going up that way for a show in nov so may see him. small world isnt it

when I get a pet I read everything I can find about how to care for it and I've also sought advice from the RSPCA and our vet when we've had problems. Unfortunately didn't read up on rabbits before I agreed to have one and it was too late to go back on the promise. Then you get another and another ......

Been reading my book again and it says that the other things that may help (besides neutering and a companion rabbit) are feeding less dried food and making sure they get plenty of exercise. It says if they can get all they need from their food quickly that may make them grumpy. Didn't seem to make any difference to ours but anything's worth a go.

Personally I prefer feisty to dopey but I've just signed up to take another rabbit on (where's the emoticon for need my head examined?).