I am desperate for advice

Hi all, I know its been a while since I have posted anything, but its been a bit manic.
For those who don't know, I am very inexperienced with rabbits, Felix and Holly are my first.
Felix is a nethie dwarf and Holly a dutch.
Felix, we think (vet did say) he is a boy, where Holly is a girl. Felix is nearly 16 weeks old and Holly is nearly 12 weeks old.
At Felix last visit to see the vet, I asked him about getting him neautered but after he had checked him over, he said that his bits had not dropped yet and I was to bring him back in a bout a month to have another look.
Felix has been such a naughty boy, biting the kids when they are trying to give him cuddles, and he even started attacking me when I went in to his hutch to feed him. I know that having his little op should calm him down but I am seriously worried that he wont stop being naughty once the op is over.
I have tried to fight him out of his hutch so that I can cuddle him out of "his house" thinking he might behave a little better away from his place, but this failed miserably. A few weeks ago, I allowed both the buns to play with me in the gazebo, under my very carefull watchful eye, Felix dived over to Holly, flipped her over and attacked her. I had to dive in and risk being eaten myself to seperate them. When I allowed them both to cuddle up with me on the sofa weeks ago it was quite successful, Holly groomed Felix for ages before they both just lay next to each other.
I told him he was a naughty bun and to play nice next time and put him away to think about what he had done. Luckly Holly was unhurt and just looked so surprised he had done this. After lots of cuddles she was fine. This weekend I let them both have a little run on the grass outside of their runs. Again Felix spotted Holly dived over and attacked her again. This time Felix went for me when I dived in to seperate them. I ended up with a few cuts and scrapes, but I'll live.
They do belong to my children, but the way Felix is, I have asked the kids to leave him to me for now and start again once his op is done.

Holly was due at the vets so I took them both and explained it to the vet and asked again to check the nether region and see if the op was any closer. It was a different vet, but I have known her before so I trust her. She looked him over and said "are you sure he's a boy!". I flippin hope so I said, you guys said he was. So now, I have him/her in the vets tomorrow to have the op, they are hoping that once under the sleepy drugs (sorry can't spell it) they should descend allowing them to do the op. My main worry is, if this don't calm him down I really wont be able to cope with him, and will have to look at rehoming him. I know I can hear you all gasping at the meer thought, but being inexperienced and with us unable to handle him, I fear his life with us will make him unhappy. I try every night when I put him away to bed, but he just keeps heading me aout the way and dives at me with his big sharp claws.

Please help, convince me he will be ok and can live happily ever after with Holly and us. We are desperate to make him happy. Sorry for rambling on, I know its not a short post but I really really really want him to be happy with us xxxx

hmmm well to be honest if hes behaviour is as you described, and he has no plums i would be inclined to believe that perhaps you have a hormonal girly..

I mean, dont get me wrong it is of couse equally as likely that he is infact a boy, but the agression so much reminds me of my girl, Jelly. She was exactly like that until she was spayed. shes still cheeky, and is fiesty, but shes loving and sweet now too.

Whatever the sex, i am sure he/she will calm down after neutering, just remember it will take a few weeks

let us know what happens x

Hello,

I cannot give you any advice from personal experience, but thought I would suggest a few articles that I have found interesting.

The first one is about rabbit aggression. I figured you might be interested in this one because it gives some strategies to use and cites many examples of successful behavioral changes (so don't lose hope):
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/aggression.html

The second article is about age related behaviour. This one talks about the phases that rabbits go through. Like humans, rabbits' personalities can change depending on their stage of life. Adolescence can be a rocky time for all the creatures of the world!:
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/age-related-behavior.html

Finally, the only other advice I can give you is to relax! You have lots of things to try (like the surgery) before you need to make a decision about Felix and your family's welfare. You're being a good owner by being concerned about him and his happiness, and I'm glad you haven't given up on him yet!!

he could be a boy with retracted testicles? They may not have dropped, but are still encaved in his body?

and don't worry, he will most definatley calm down after his neuter. He is probably full of hormones right now.

Hi Alex,
I'm sorry to hear you're having troubles. It's all too common for buns to be incorrectly sexed, and sometimes by vets, so it could well be that Felix is a girl. That said, if Felix is a boy, and the neutering goes ahed, then it could take 3-4 weeks, and it's more than likely that this will calm him down. Many of us have had unruly buns who have become angels after the op, mine included.

1 step at a time, find out what he/she is, get the neutering done (this will be later for a girl) and then look at how these two are going to get along.

Please let us know how you get on, it must be a very stressful time, but we've all had them and we can help you through

UPDATE.

Felix is most certianly a little boy! Once again I was sent home from the vets with them saying, they cant remove what they cant see. As if my little Felix doesnt have enough to worry about, now they making comments about his boy bits!
Anyway, he came back home, not having the op and seems to be enoying the extra attention he's getting from me. I have managed tonight to cuddle him without any biting. I had to chase him around the garden first!
He's due back in a couple of weeks for them to have another look and see whats happening.

Thank you all for your advice, especially the link, the one was brilliant!

Your turning me in to a good bunny mummy xxxxx

Hija - My little Ivy didn't drop his plums untill pretty much 6 months - I was getting very worried!! but it happened in the end!! - I live pretty close so can always stop by and help out any time you need, but you're already a fantastic bunny mummy, just for being here and being open and asking - it's not about what you know that makes you a good bunny mum, it's about what you are willing to learn.....

That being said I'm sure after his op felix will calm down at bit, and as for his tussle with Holly it could well just be fur pulling to show who's boss, it looks awfully violent (i remeber my first time ) but then you check for injury's and there are none, It's just their way of deciding who is boss, and it generally calms down after a day or two, but that's a whole other topic. I wouldn't get too worked up about it yet, because it will all work out for you I'm sure!!!


Kirsty xx