A Meanness Issue

I have a young junior buck. He's around 3 1/2 months old and at 2 weeks old was the most FRIENDLY baby I've ever met. He always greeted me at the front of the cage and would hop out if I left the door open to come visit my foot.

I weaned him and his foster sister. The buck went to his cage, the doe went to a separate one. For a while, that was no big deal.

Then, one day he started hiding at the back of the cage. I'd pull him out occasionally to run a brush through his wool and then put him back in.

Not long afterwards, he'd start feinting a charge at my hand. He never touched me, but he liked to act like he was going to.

We then progressed to actually touching my hand. Still, he never put his teeth on me.

Today he grazed my knuckle with his teeth when I put my hand in to feed. He knows I'm coming, as is evidenced by his hiding in the back of the cage and watching me like a hawk. He thumps when I walk by and runs to the back of his cage.

I'm really not sure what to do with him. I'm at max capacity with my cages as it is. I've had twitchy bucks that later turn sweet- well maybe not sweet, but at least they chill out some. However, I've never experienced a lover buck turn mean.

Part of me says give him at least until 5 months old to calm his little butt down. The other part says there is no place in the herd for a mean buck- especially since I need more space anyway.

Ugh, I guess I need to get out to Brandi's to pick up that 6 hole stacker I have on hold- that will help reduce the cage space strain and then I won't rush a decision.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry