Hi Stephanie!
Good to see you posting again.
Yes, they do get depressed. They certainly know how to let us know whenthey're happy and mad, sad enters into that picture too.
As Buck noted above, Fauna came to me in a state of mind where she'djust face the corner of the cage all day long. I'd open the cage doorand she would stay stuck in that corner as if she was glued there. Inthe beginning, I'd take her out, but she'd run right back to the cageand take her place facing the corner immediately. I stopped taking herout then and just opened the door and then spent time just petting andtalking to her. I'd sit there and pet her for a while.
After that a few times, when I'd go over to the cage, she'd hop to thedoor to come over to greet me. That was a lot of progress.
I stayed and pet her and made a big deal out of her saying hello bycooing her and giving her enthusiastic feedback. Then, I startednoticing that she wanted to come out, but hesitated. I encouraged herto come on down the ramp, and one day, when she did, you'd think sheclimbed Mt. Everest by my reaction. Happy talk to her and praising her,telling her what a good girl she was, etc. I couldn't entice her withtreats or toys because she didn't know what they were. She wouldn't gonear them.
Whenever she'd come out of the cage, I'd cheer her on, just as I didwith Tucker when I was litterbox training him and he'd go in the box. Ifind they respond really well to that upbeat, happy, talk. It was acouple of weeks before she was comfortable coming out and would do itwithout my provoking her. Now, she's my biggest piggers in that shesniffs out treats faster than the other two, and she's the first donewith desert when it's given. She never stays in her cage if she's giventhe option, but she does love her cage still. Sometimes she'll be outfor a while, but then she'll decide she wants a 10 minute nap in her'bedroom', so she'll hop up in there, take a nap, and then venture outagain. She never faces the corner of the cage anymore.
Tucker took a big turn in his personality as each new rabbit wasintroduced into the home. With Fauna, he ignored her quite a bit, butwithdrew from me. Eventually, he bonded with her naturally, and Iaccepted that I was the second fiddle, but Tucks would still come up tome and jump on my back if I'd lay on the floor and give me kisses.
He doesn't like having Cali here at all. It makes him very angry. For arabbit that used to hop into the cage when it was bedtime, now I haveto put him in a harness when he runs around because he won't let menear him. His time has been cut a bit because he will go after Cali, soI obviously must keep them separated. I really thought that with herbeing a girl, it would be okay, but it's not. I feel horrible about thechanges that have come about for him. I don't regret having adoptedFauna and Cali, but I do feel badly for Tucker because he, too, was allby himself for 3 years before the others came along.
He's paired up with Fauna and so he gets a lot of loving and cuddletime with her, but won't take anything from me unless he's in the cage.Tonight was the first time my little mon stayed at my feet since Calicame to live with us, which is now over a month ago. He nudged my feet,and sometimes he'll scratch at my jeans, but if I bend down to pet him,he's off like a bullet.
I'm just hoping that as time goes on, it will get easier and he'llaccept things better. In the meantime, Tucker's always been a sticklerfor teaching me patience, and here we go again. He's such a treasure tome and it really bothers me that he's so angry with the newarrangements, but we'll get through it. I hope and pray he can relax astime goes on.
I know a lot of people will say to others to get their rabbit acompanion, but in my case, it wasn't the right thing to do in hindsight- for Tucker's happiness. He was never a 'difficult' rabbit, and nowhe's the most stubborn little guy I've met. It breaks my heart when Isee him act the way he does and think back to when it was just him andI. We were so much closer, but it is what it is now and I'm just doingthe best I can to make him happy.
All I can say is that if Chompers is sad, do what your instincts aretelling you - a lot of extra attention - and get excited when he doescome out of the cage. They seem to really respond to positive talk, andfrom what I've learned in my experience, by talking to them, theyunderstand a lot more than you think.
Keep us posted. Chompers is a little love. He'll come around. It's hardon children when a 'new baby' comes into the house. I suspect thatrabbits really feel the change in dynamics and the household. It takestime, patience, and a lot of love - which is what you have.
-Carolyn
P.S. There's a 'medical checklist' that I listed in the "Topics you'dlike to see in future R.O. Magazine" in the top four posts on thisboard. Check it out and make sure that you're not seeing any of thosethings in Chompers.
