Why is my senior bonded rabbit suddenly aggressive at feeding time?

Question

I have two bonded female rabbits, both aged 10 years. They've always got on very well and do everything together but over the last 6 months I've noticed the dominant rabbit is increasingly chasing and biting the other rabbit (lop), especially when being fed. The lop rabbit doesn't trust me anymore and always runs away when I go near and seems to spend it's life in fear now. I've tried putting the aggressive rabbit away in the hutch but the lop will wait outside. Is there anything else I can do? Pet's info: Small Animal | Rabbit | Female | spayed

Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM · Accepted Answer

I am so sorry that this change is happening - it is never easy when one pet starts to be aggressive to the other. I don't know when the last time that you had a wellness exam performed on your rabbits, but I think that would be a good place to start with these two. Sometimes a more dominant animal will "pick on" the other if it isn't feeling well - this is often picked up by the animals in the house long before it is noticed by the humans in the household. Your veterinarian would perform a physical exam, and then could also perform some blood work to evaluate systemic health. Since it looks like your rabbits spend some time outside, they may also evaluate the feces for any evidence of parasites as well that they may pick up. I would also recommend weighing both of the rabbits - it sounds like a lot of the negative interactions occur when food is present, and this may make it hard for your lop to get adequate amounts of food, and weight loss can occur. Additionally, there may be a process going on in the dominant rabbit that is making it need more nutrition and, therefore, is becoming more aggressive about food items. One thing that you may try while waiting to get into the vet is separating the rabbits with a physical barrier that they can still see through - then if they still want to lie next to one another against the barrier they can, but the lop can get away easier if getting picked on. You can feed them near the barrier as well, in case they are social eaters. This may make them feel more comfortable than being completely separated from one another.

Why is my senior bonded rabbit suddenly aggressive at feeding time?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

Why is my new pet biting? Is she stressed or scared in her new home?

My robo hamster is limp, bleeding, and collapsed. Is it wet tail?

Is my pet's occasional sneezing and eye crust a URI symptom?

How to keep a pet mom and her newborn babies warm and calm?

My hamster is suddenly bloated, angry, and biting. What should I do?

Share