Rabbit Acting like a Jerk!

[Genipher]

We had a female rabbit and I bought this fella, a Rex (we call him Rex), with the idea that we'd get back into meat rabbits. Well, his lady friend got loose and our dog killed her (Grrrr!) so he's alone for now. We're in the process of buying a house/moving so after we get settled I'm planning on getting him a couple of wives.

That said, I've been letting him run around our KuneKune pigs' pen. He runs into their shelter (a big shed) when it rains and he has his own side run that only he can access so the pigs won't eat his food. It's a pretty big space for the 3 animals. He comes to us for attention so he's not gone wild and I love that he can run/bounce around. The pigs (Luke and Penny) leave him alone. Other than letting him "steal" veggies from their slop they completely ignore him.

Lately Rex has started harassing my male Kune, Luke. Nipping his legs and purposely bounding into him. Looks like he's trying to "herd" Luke. First time I saw it was when I had let the 2 pigs and Rex outside the pen and into the main fenced yard to munch on grass. Second time was yesterday, while Luke was trying to eat his breakfast slop. I had to physically remove Rex from the situation and put him in "time out" in a large rabbit hutch.

Rex ONLY does this to Luke. Not Penny (who is a female). Luke has snapped at him a couple of times but generally just runs away and LET'S Rex bully him (which I suppose is a good thing or I might have a dead bun).

Is this a dominance thing? Is it normal for a male rabbit to "attack" larger animals for no apparent reason?

A video of the little

Feel free to laugh. In a way I find it funny. I just don't want either of them to get hurt. For now, Rex is staying in his hutch. So they ARE currently separated. But I'd love to find out why Rex is acting this way. Does he just need a lady?

 

[Grizzlyhackle]

Got no idea. Will say this that's a brave rabbit. What I've seen of pigs and the little that I know, he's lucky he wasn't lunch long before that started.

 

[promiseacres]

Rabbits can be very territorial. Obviously your rabbit has discovered he can intimidate and dominate the pigs. I'd keep them separate.

 

[Genipher]

Rabbits can be very territorial. Obviously your rabbit has discovered he can intimidate and dominate the pigs. I'd keep them separate.

Just the male pig, though. He leaves Penny alone. Almost like he's protecting her from Luke. It's weird.

Yeah, I guess he'll stay in his hutch until we move and I can create something with more space.

 

[Genipher]

Got no idea. Will say this that's a brave rabbit. What I've seen of pigs and the little that I know, he's lucky he wasn't lunch long before that started.

Thinking back on it, there may have been another time when Rex went after Luke. From the corner of my eye I saw Luke run/trip into his water and almost fall on and squash Rex. After that, the bun stayed in his protected run for a few hours. Rex must've been aggravating him...

 

[Grizzlyhackle]

Thinking back on it, there may have been another time when Rex went after Luke. From the corner of my eye I saw Luke run/trip into his water and almost fall on and squash Rex. After that, the bun stayed in his protected run for a few hours. Rex must've been aggravating him...

You probably split them up just in time. That is one tough little Bunny.

 

[Genipher]

I've been letting Rex have the run of the yard during the day (secured, fenced yard). He tried to get into the pig pen one day and harass the pigs and I had to go chase him off the hunt but other than that, he's been okay.

Yesterday, however, I had to laugh. We just got two Nigerian Dwarf goats last week and one of the gals walked up to Rex, bent down, grabbed his ear with her mouth, and yanked him around. He quickly got free and hopped away. He was fine so I felt okay laughing about it. All I can think is that the bully got bullied.

So I have a bun that attacks pigs and a goat that mistreats the bun. The pecking order here certainly is strange!

 

[Genipher]

I let Luke the pig out to graze today and after awhile he fell asleep in the tall grass. I came over to pat him and he jumped up, squealing. He's never done that before so I think our bun, Mr. Jerkface McJerkson, has created a bit of trauma. One too many times of Luke taking a peaceful nap and being attacked by that stupid bun.

Bun has been in time out for awhile now.