# Evil Mini Rex! Did I do something wrong?



## 4-H forever!<3 (Mar 4, 2012)

Hello! I have been raising a small herd of 6 rabbits for two years now. My first rabbit was a Mini Rex and I never did anything to anger him. I handled him, fed him treats, and even took him for walks outside every day. I showed him when he was younger, but when he turned about eight months old, he started to become really mean. He bites me any chance he gets and he would charge my leg and latch onto it with his teeth. He is the meanest animal I have ever seen and he only likes my dad. However, he sometimes bites my dad as well. I know I can't fix it because he's about three years old now, but I don't have the heart to send him to the meat pen. Here's my main question: Is it a mental problem, or did I do something to cause this? Any help would be appreciated.


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## secuono (Mar 4, 2012)

Is he near females or other males? Can you neuter him?
Does he go after you all the time or just around food, his cage or other things that are his?
Have you tried to just sit there and lay your arm in the cage and not move or talk? Just let him get used to you again?


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## 4-H forever!<3 (Mar 4, 2012)

No,he is not near females. We moved his cage so he would be away from them. He was also mean before I got females. I have talked to other people about this and they said its not worth neutering him because he may not survive surgery, and neutering may not even help. He will attack me for no reason wether its food, his cage, or, when I let him out to play, I will just walk by and sometimes he will attack, and sometimes he won't. One time i did leave my arm in the cage to feed him and he bit my jacket. He would not let go either, he was hanging in the air from my sleeve and had to try pretty hard to rip him off. I've been told by some people that it might be a brain dysfunction, but I just wanted to hear other people's opinions.


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## secuono (Mar 4, 2012)

Hm, could just be a very aggressive rabbit, like humans can be. 
If I couldn't get him to stop, I'd get rid of him. 
I have a doe that is mean when she has kits, but nice w/o them. Another has turned mean because I bred her and I'm working on getting her to stop thinking I was hurting her or w/e her issue is. 
Some people say dogs are aggressive if they can't mate, wonder if that's even possible with the dogs or rabbits?

For scared kits and my suddenly aggressive doe I bred, I like to trance them by putting them on their backs until they relax. 

Would hand feeding the buck grass be possible? Like getting him used to food comes from a person and that's a good association?


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## 4-H forever!<3 (Mar 4, 2012)

I was thinking about breeding him, but I heard breeding aggressive rabbits only creates more aggressive rabbits. Plus, I only b reed my show quality rabbits, and he is far from show quality. He is big boned, has long ears, and smells really bad. And last time I checked, RABBITS DON'T SMELL! My friend wants him but his mom doesn't. I guess I'll just keep him until he dies.


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## Bunnylady (Mar 4, 2012)

Some rabbits just are nasty. In my 20+ years of raising rabbits, I have known maybe half a dozen rabbits that were quite simply, vicious. I have a nice little scar on my wrist from a Netherland Dwarf buck that I had about 10 years ago. This guy was born here, so I know exactly what kind of care he had had. When he hit adolescence, his personality changed. Before we finally put him down, he would charge the front of his cage anytime someone walked past it. I was really afraid he would hurt someone else.

I remember when ARBA finally created a rule that allowed judges to disqualify rabbits for being vicious; it was a long time coming. I can remember watching judges trying to wrestle rabbits into position that were doing their best to get hold of the judge with their teeth - not nice to watch at all!

A certain amount of personality is inheritable, so I never even consider a rabbit like this as a breeding animal. You can't guarantee that two animals with good temperaments will only have nice babies, but the odds are better when that's what you are working with. 

I have to say, nasty Mini Rex aren't common at all. Sorry to hear that you wound up with one.


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## 4-H forever!<3 (Mar 4, 2012)

I know. With my luck, I get all the crazy animals. Seriously, all of my pets are crazy, just not mean. He was my first rabbit too. I was thinking about getting a Netherland, but I heard they can sometimes bite, so I got a polish instead. However, it seems like rabbits are a toss up. Some are nice and some are mean. For example, I got a mean mini Rex, a breed that should be nice. And I got a calm English Spot, a breed that should be hyper. It seems like I'm just rolling dice with these rabbits.


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## PinkFox (Apr 13, 2012)

i think like people some buns are just mean, and i think its usually a combination of genetics andhormones...i wouldnt be suprised if this rabbit has a hormonal inblance...at his age neutering might or might not help...

i knwo you want to do whats right for the rabbit, but remember in some situations it is kinder to put them out of their misery...this rabbit my be phsycally healthy sound eating ect...but how HAPPY can any creature be when its so riled up all thetime that its prone to agressive swings.
As a bipolar person i can tell you those kinds of severe swings are miserable for me...i can only imagine what an animal with no concept of inbalance is going through to be that on edge all the time...


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## Blue Barn Rabbitry (Apr 14, 2012)

Male rabbits will become aggressive, territorial, and just down right rude around that age.

We have 2 bucks who are about 8 months old as well. One of them sprays, bits, thumps, and growls at me constantly. But if my sister or my mom handle him, he is as sweet as pie. Our other buck isn't as evil, he gets angry sometimes, but its just when the does are in heat.

Bucks usually grow out of this stage if you continue to handle him and bond with him.


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## manybirds (Apr 14, 2012)

4-H forever!<3 said:
			
		

> Hello! I have been raising a small herd of 6 rabbits for two years now. My first rabbit was a Mini Rex and I never did anything to anger him. I handled him, fed him treats, and even took him for walks outside every day. I showed him when he was younger, but when he turned about eight months old, he started to become really mean. He bites me any chance he gets and he would charge my leg and latch onto it with his teeth. He is the meanest animal I have ever seen and he only likes my dad. However, he sometimes bites my dad as well. I know I can't fix it because he's about three years old now, but I don't have the heart to send him to the meat pen. Here's my main question: Is it a mental problem, or did I do something to cause this? Any help would be appreciated.


i've raised rabbits for 12 years and in my experiance if its mean it should be killed. I hate to put it so bluntly but rabbits (especially mini rex's with there extra sharp nails) can cause sever damage if there that mean. we had a few like that and its not fun but sometimes with animals you have to do what u have to do


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