Bunny making noice at 2AM

[Twila Animations]

So, Blossom, my bunny, likes to make noise at night. Not at around 9;00-12;00. But at 2 AM! And I sleep with my three younger sisters who complain about it and then I also wake up. She digs at the corner of her cage and then drinks lots of water from her water bottle which has caused one of my younger sisters to complain A LOT. (She complains about a lot of things, honestly kinda annoying but I still love her.)
I do have the choice of putting her cage on the porch, since she was an outdoor rabbit before given to us, (She's 2 years old.) but I have always wanted an indoor rabbit, plus she digs her litter out of her cage. I've only had her for a week, currently she thinks she's pregnant (Maybe pregnant? I doubt though.) so I understand she is trying to make a mess. But do rabbits normally stop doing this after a few weeks or so after they figure out they aren't pregnant?

 

[Augustus&HazelGrace]

If you get her spayed the false pregnancies will stop, her litterbox habits will get better, and rabbits have an 80% chance after 3-4 years old of getting uterine cancer spaying eliminates this risk.
As for the water bottle switch to a bowl, they will drink more out of a bowl and it is quiet.
Can you post a picture of her set up? This will help with determining how to make things quiet down.
What type of litter are you using? Also, what is her diet and what times do you give it?

 

[Twila Animations]

If you get her spayed the false pregnancies will stop, her litterbox habits will get better, and rabbits have an 80% chance after 3-4 years old of getting uterine cancer spaying eliminates this risk.
As for the water bottle switch to a bowl, they will drink more out of a bowl and it is quiet.
Can you post a picture of her set up? This will help with determining how to make things quiet down.
What type of litter are you using? Also, what is her diet and what times do you give it?

I have mentioned in a previous thread that I would spay her if I could, but I'm only 13 and I never talk back to my parents when they give their opinion, and my mother said we should leave her be. Our previous rabbit (as I've been told.) had cancer in his leg but did live a (reasonably) long, happy life. I'm also always concerned about the cost of something and I don't know how much spaying costs, plus I don't think we have a rabbit-savvy vet in my town. I did use a bowl for a small while, but she soon spilled water everywhere and dragged her bowls around. The litter my mother got (We used it with our previous rabbit) is wood pellets. My mother is basically getting everything we used for our other rabbit and he lived a happy life.
This is her setup. The cage doors broke, so we improvised by using a little oven rack from a thrift store. The litter box is big enough for her to lie down in, I know because she does just that in the middle of the day. As you can also see, she dug out her litter box to make a nest and we put star in for that too. She's also thrown her food bowl around, so I decided to put her food in the corner she likes to eat from. (She moved lots of things around to her liking.)

I also do want to get her spayed at some point so she won't be as aggressive. But like I said, I don't like to talk back to my parents, it makes me feel horrible. In all honesty, I'm a very timid person. Plus I've been told our dollar is low, so I don't want to make it lower by spaying my rabbit.

Another thing about spaying is that I'm worried she'd hate me if I did bring her to get spayed and I'm not too sure how to help a rabbit recover surgery when I keep my rabbit in a cage.

 

[Blue eyes]

A few thoughts for you...

I realize you had a prior rabbit, but if you are like just about everyone on this forum (myself included) we made mistakes with our earlier rabbits. If a rabbit happens to live long, it doesn't necessarily mean he was cared for properly or well. I once met a rabbit that had been fed nothing but dry dog food for its first 5 years of life!! Some rabbits are clearly hardier than others. A rabbit, on average, should live close to 10 years.

Looking at your cage, the first thing I noticed is it is much too small and has no noticeable hay. A rabbit should have loads of hay available at all times. No wonder he's digging about at everything. There is nothing in his cage to interest or occupy him.

I realize you may think the cage is plenty large, but it is not. Take a look at the following thread to get an idea of what is appropriate:
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/2019-cages-add-your-photo.93422/

You could easily fix this by getting an exercise pen to add to the cage. You'll see those in the link above.

As for bowls, you can get the kind that twist onto a clamp. Then bunny can't dump or tip them. This will work great for both pellet food and for water. Bowls are better because they are quiet and are a more natural (and easy) way to drink.

The litter box is still too small as well. Even though she may squish herself in there, that doesn't make it large enough. Once she has a larger area, then she can have a larger litter box.

A larger living area will also allow space for toys to toss, boxes to explore, hay to munch, room to run and binky.

Wood shavings (like you have in the cage bottom) come in different types. Not all are safe. If they are aspen shaving or kiln-dried pine, they are safe. If they are pine, but the bag does not say "kiln-dried" then they will emit harmful phenols that can damage her respiratory system.

How long have you had her?

Here's a video you may find informative. The early part goes over an outdoor hutch and later they show an indoor cage (though the whole video is worth watching).

 

[Twila Animations]

I've had her a week, I know about the whole giving them larger space. But truth be told, I live in a family of almost eleven children (Including me). The oldest moved out but my mother is having another child. We also have a weimaraner, he isn't bad when it comes to rabbits, as we owned one before.
Blossom (my bunny) actually likes being in her cage and dislikes coming out. I'd give her more room, but as you can probably tell, that isn't going to happen easily unless we made her an outdoor rabbit again.
Our previous rabbit lived a good eight years and was very happy with his life and his owner (my older sister). The wood pellets are completely safe, otherwise my mother wouldn't have gotten them. We get animal supplies from an all-animal friendly company, don't worry.
I am aware that the cage isn't big enough, I try to let her out when I'm home so she can do something else other than sit in her cage, but she doesn't enjoy coming out. She grunts at me when I try to take her out of the cage or the litter box. Trust me, I have tried, but she doesn't want me moving her litter box or getting her to come out. And I have said our dollar is low, so getting her a bigger litter box would worry me about our money and I'd be rambling to my parents about 'how much will it cost? is it too expensive?' as for hay, like I've said, my mother said we should get that, we plan on doing so in order to make Blossom happier.

I've talked to my older sister about if her bunny was loud at night and she said he was only loud when in heat, so I'm almost certain that once Blossom is used to being here, she'll only really be loud at night when in heat.

I've also mentioned I am a very timid person, so I am unable to make myself talk back to my parents even if they insist we should keep Blossom in a cage for now, as she is new and not used to her new home. When she allows me to hold her, I will gradually take her from one room to the next until she is comfortable looking around. I'm doing my best to make her happy, I really am. But I am limited to certain things, like the space I can give to her in our small room and large family.

 

[Hermelin]

I can tell you she can be loud every night and not just during the heat if you are unlucky. An under stimulated bunny will have destructive behaviors that in fact are just normal behaviors if they can take it out on something else to get it’s pent up energy out.

My bunnies sleep the whole night and wakes up around 4:00 am. They will just eat hay and wait until my alarm clock go on or I wake up. If they are loose in the room at 4:00 am, I won’t have sleep becuse it will be binky time and cuddle time or chewing my bed.

They are routinely set on 4:00 am, but in a cage they will quiet. One of my bunnies will start making sound in the cage around 11 am. Because he have the routine to get out around 7 am. So he wonder where I am and why he’s not out from the cage yet.

If you can provide her a bigger house outdoors and with a friend it would be a lot better than being shut in, in a small cage. But it also depends on the environment and safety.

I also did many mistake with my first bunny, but we made sure he always could spend half a day in a run to enjoy play time or taking him out on walks in the forest. He died early at 8 years because I didn’t notice he got GI stasis. I would say that he didn’t have a happy life, he could had a much better life than what he had. So I feel a lot of regrets that he didn’t have that. When he was such a sweet gentle bunny that had a great bond with me while I was a sloppy owner.

It’s quite common bunnies live more than 10 years if they are dwarf bunnies. My french lop will be 7 years old and if you google about that breed life span should be around 5 years old.

A bigger litter box won’t cost much, you can just buy a cheap plastic bin from a store. Don’t know the store in Canada but I can buy good plastic bin from Ikea cost around 10$.

I’m sure you can find cheaper things, from what I can, we have a few taxes. But supply stores have a few cheap prices.

I would more likely say blossom find the cage safe and best would to let her explore the area on her own. Than you forcing her out from her safe zone. All my bunnies love getting out from the cage and explore but it also depends which time of the day.

You also need to provide hay to your bunny or fresh grass which she can have 24/7. Also a big heavy ceramic bowl, your bunny won’t be able to tip it over. I know this pretty well, I have a 13 pound bunny that love tipping bowls.

I use a pet shop rabbit cage but it’s a lot larger than yours. I moved out furniture from the room to make space for it. I use the bunny cage as a place to have all my literature for university. But it would be better that you set up a pen/run instead, you can shape it so it fit the room better and also give more space.

 

[Augustus&HazelGrace]

The pellets are safe just not shavings.
Could you leave her free roam in your room after she is fully litter box trained and just keep the dog out? You wouldn't have to buy a new litterbox just use the whole cage as a litterbox. You can buy the wood pellets at a local farm store for about $6 for a 40lbs bag. Hay would make for a quieter night and trying to get the attach on bowls would be better you can just attach them to the inside of the cage rabbits like to eat and use the bathroom at the same time if you decide to use the cage as a litterbox. You can probably buy hay by the bale and it is much cheaper. I buy it for about $5 a bale but in other places like where blueyes lives its $24 but still much cheaper to buy by the bale.
Rabbits don't come into heat like other animals they are induced ovulators, meaning they can get pregnant anytime intercourse is done.
Do you all share a bunk bed or do you all have individual beds? I am asking because I have seen where people have gotten NIC Grids and put them around the bed to make for a bigger cage but it depends on the height under the bed. Bunk beds that I have seen tend to be higher underneath if it is the full on the bottom twin on the top.
Oh and sorry I didn't pay attention that you were the same person.

 

[Twila Animations]

The pellets are safe just not shavings.
Could you leave her free roam in your room after she is fully litter box trained and just keep the dog out? You wouldn't have to buy a new litterbox just use the whole cage as a litterbox. You can buy the wood pellets at a local farm store for about $6 for a 40lbs bag. Hay would make for a quieter night and trying to get the attach on bowls would be better you can just attach them to the inside of the cage rabbits like to eat and use the bathroom at the same time if you decide to use the cage as a litterbox. You can probably buy hay by the bale and it is much cheaper. I buy it for about $5 a bale but in other places like where blueyes lives its $24 but still much cheaper to buy by the bale.
Rabbits don't come into heat like other animals they are induced ovulators, meaning they can get pregnant anytime intercourse is done.
Do you all share a bunk bed or do you all have individual beds? I am asking because I have seen where people have gotten NIC Grids and put them around the bed to make for a bigger cage but it depends on the height under the bed. Bunk beds that I have seen tend to be higher underneath if it is the full on the bottom twin on the top.
Oh and sorry I didn't pay attention that you were the same person.

Yeah, we can easily keep the dog out, as we have a baby gate to keep him and my little brothers out.
We use bunk beds, yes, I sleep on the top bunk though. There is enough space underneath for her to hide, but we keep thinks under there, so she can’t do much.

 

[Twila Animations]

I can tell you she can be loud every night and not just during the heat if you are unlucky. An under stimulated bunny will have destructive behaviors that in fact are just normal behaviors if they can take it out on something else to get it’s pent up energy out.

My bunnies sleep the whole night and wakes up around 4:00 am. They will just eat hay and wait until my alarm clock go on or I wake up. If they are loose in the room at 4:00 am, I won’t have sleep becuse it will be binky time and cuddle time or chewing my bed.

They are routinely set on 4:00 am, but in a cage they will quiet. One of my bunnies will start making sound in the cage around 11 am. Because he have the routine to get out around 7 am. So he wonder where I am and why he’s not out from the cage yet.

If you can provide her a bigger house outdoors and with a friend it would be a lot better than being shut in, in a small cage. But it also depends on the environment and safety.

I also did many mistake with my first bunny, but we made sure he always could spend half a day in a run to enjoy play time or taking him out on walks in the forest. He died early at 8 years because I didn’t notice he got GI stasis. I would say that he didn’t have a happy life, he could had a much better life than what he had. So I feel a lot of regrets that he didn’t have that. When he was such a sweet gentle bunny that had a great bond with me while I was a sloppy owner.

It’s quite common bunnies live more than 10 years if they are dwarf bunnies. My french lop will be 7 years old and if you google about that breed life span should be around 5 years old.

A bigger litter box won’t cost much, you can just buy a cheap plastic bin from a store. Don’t know the store in Canada but I can buy good plastic bin from Ikea cost around 10$.

I’m sure you can find cheaper things, from what I can, we have a few taxes. But supply stores have a few cheap prices.

I would more likely say blossom find the cage safe and best would to let her explore the area on her own. Than you forcing her out from her safe zone. All my bunnies love getting out from the cage and explore but it also depends which time of the day.

You also need to provide hay to your bunny or fresh grass which she can have 24/7. Also a big heavy ceramic bowl, your bunny won’t be able to tip it over. I know this pretty well, I have a 13 pound bunny that love tipping bowls.

I use a pet shop rabbit cage but it’s a lot larger than yours. I moved out furniture from the room to make space for it. I use the bunny cage as a place to have all my literature for university. But it would be better that you set up a pen/run instead, you can shape it so it fit the room better and also give more space.

As I have mentioned before, a XPen can’t happen easily. Our whole room is used for things, so it would be EXTREMELY difficult to use one. I also do want to let her easily come in and out, so I will have to find a way to hold the top half of her cage up so she can come in and out as she pleases.

 

[Augustus&HazelGrace]

You can use this cage for now until you know that she is completely litterbox trained, stray poops are to be expected as long as she is peeing all the time in it then just use the whole cage as a litterbox. Or if someone you know has some handiwork skills I have some ideas for using old furniture as a house. Like if you have a desk use the lower part as a house by taking out any inner walls and placing wood on the bottom for a floor and some wood for the back and use some wire for the front. You can use lots of cheap or free scrap stuff for things like this.

 

[Augustus&HazelGrace]

Also, I don't know how old you are or if you are old enough to work. I'm not sure of the laws in your country/province on that are but. If you can or already have a job you can save up the money for the spay yourself and then when you have the money and show how good you take care of Blossom you can show your parents and then ask them because you already have the money if you can make her an appointment to spay her. I found some lower-cost spay-neuter clinics in your province but it seems pretty big if you want to PM me to tell me what part you are in I can help you with that.

 

[Twila Animations]

Also, I don't know how old you are or if you are old enough to work. I'm not sure of the laws in your country/province on that are but. If you can or already have a job you can save up the money for the spay yourself and then when you have the money and show how good you take care of Blossom you can show your parents and then ask them because you already have the money if you can make her an appointment to spay her. I found some lower-cost spay-neuter clinics in your province but it seems pretty big if you want to PM me to tell me what part you are in I can help you with that.

thank you. I am 13, so the only jobs I can do are babysitting, which also doesn’t happen often. But I could try. I’m not sure how well it’d go spaying a 2 year old rabbit. PMing would be helpful so I can find a way to spay her. I can tell you the city I live in, I know darn well you wouldn’t just come here looking for some random 13 year old girl.

PS: where I’m from, the youngest I can be to get a job is 14. But I’m not sure what job I’d get when I turn 14.

 

[Augustus&HazelGrace]

It should be no problem, I spayed my 4-year-old no problems.

 

[BonnyTheDutchBun]

thank you. I am 13, so the only jobs I can do are babysitting, which also doesn’t happen often. But I could try. I’m not sure how well it’d go spaying a 2 year old rabbit. PMing would be helpful so I can find a way to spay her. I can tell you the city I live in, I know darn well you wouldn’t just come here looking for some random 13 year old girl.

PS: where I’m from, the youngest I can be to get a job is 14. But I’m not sure what job I’d get when I turn 14.

Hello! I am also thirteen! I share a room with two of my sisters, and a few months ago we free-roamed my bunny, Bonny. I slept in the top bunk, so my younger sister and I traded beds. If your sister is OK with that, maybe that's an option?
Free-roaming sounds like a good option for you because:
1.) The bunnies aren't as loud because they are not trying to break out or get attention at 2 AM
2.) You save money on bedding/litter because you only have to have 1 litter box and one type of litter in it
3.) You said your bunny doesn't like coming out of her cage? (You wrote "She grunts at me when I try to take her out of the cage or the litter box. Trust me, I have tried, but she doesn't want me moving her litter box or getting her to come out.") She might just be grunting because she is not spayed, and is being territorial. Before my bunny was neutered, he would grunt when we tried to pick him up and would spray, but stopped afterward. Your bunny will be happiest and healthiest if she had at least 4 hours of exercise outside her cage every day.
4.) You will have a much stronger bond. My bunny will follow me through the whole house, comes when I call him and cuddles with me every single night in my bed.

Oh, and for the water bowl thing, try getting a bowl that is weighted or on a little stand so she can't push it around.

Also, when you are asking your parents, maybe write a little note, so they can't interrupt and can see the whole thing? And maybe be extra extra helpful to them for a few weeks before asking, so they can see how responsible you are, how much it means to you, and are in a good mood.

Good luck!

(Oh, and if you have questions about free-roaming, watch this playlist of videos on free-roaming your bunny by LennonTheBunny: )

 

[BonnyTheDutchBun]

Oops! It only linked the one video! Well, if you click on her channel, and click on the playlist "All about free-roaming" You'll get some more info.

Hello! I am also thirteen! I share a room with two of my sisters, and a few months ago we free-roamed my bunny, Bonny. I slept in the top bunk, so my younger sister and I traded beds. If your sister is OK with that, maybe that's an option?
Free-roaming sounds like a good option for you because:
1.) The bunnies aren't as loud because they are not trying to break out or get attention at 2 AM
2.) You save money on bedding/litter because you only have to have 1 litter box and one type of litter in it
3.) You said your bunny doesn't like coming out of her cage? (You wrote "She grunts at me when I try to take her out of the cage or the litter box. Trust me, I have tried, but she doesn't want me moving her litter box or getting her to come out.") She might just be grunting because she is not spayed, and is being territorial. Before my bunny was neutered, he would grunt when we tried to pick him up and would spray, but stopped afterward. Your bunny will be happiest and healthiest if she had at least 4 hours of exercise outside her cage every day.
4.) You will have a much stronger bond. My bunny will follow me through the whole house, comes when I call him and cuddles with me every single night in my bed.

Oh, and for the water bowl thing, try getting a bowl that is weighted or on a little stand so she can't push it around.

Also, when you are asking your parents, maybe write a little note, so they can't interrupt and can see the whole thing? And maybe be extra extra helpful to them for a few weeks before asking, so they can see how responsible you are, how much it means to you, and are in a good mood.

Good luck!

(Oh, and if you have questions about free-roaming, watch this playlist of videos on free-roaming your bunny by LennonTheBunny: )

 

[Twila Animations]

Thank you a bunch. I’ll be considering lots of this. But trading beds won’t be an option. My sister hates being in top bunks. But I will try to get a heavy bowl and I’ll also try eventually getting my parents to let me get Blossom spayed. Not sure that will be happening very soon though as my mother had said we shouldn’t mess with her hormones.
She clearly isn’t worried about Blossom getting pregnant like people do with dogs. She is aware of cancer happening, but doesn’t make a big deal out of it because, well, she isn’t as skittish as me, clearly.
The second I learned about the chance of uterine cancer, you know darn well I started getting nervous because I know my mother would say something about just leaving her body alone.