Crazy bun!

[Snowballbun]

I don't know what to do about these hormones in my 5 month old bun lol. I did the post about her humping my arm, so that was one thing. Her new behavior of courting me, which she also did last night.

This is what happened yesterday:

Snowball was playing in her pen in her bedroom. Since she has been being "bad bunny" with her litter box habits (formerly perfect), I went to go get the hand vacuum.

I was pushing the vacuum box with my feet into the bedroom which seemed to make her go crazy.

She started darting and dashing all over the place and jumped up on the wire pen and almost jumped out of her pen. She also thumped at me like a million times.

I leaned over the pen to wipe up a drop of pee that she dropped on the carpet before she did the rest in the litterbox. She continued her stomping and running like a crazed maniac. (This was not the run of the mill laps around the pen she usually does)

She cleared over the top of the pen!!! The pen is a decent size height and is at least a good 6 inches taller than her when she stands up on her hind feet. So here I am, chasing this little wild thing around my bedroom. Luckily the pen takes up a lot of room, and she didn't have much space to go. I took "bad bun" lol and put her in her cage. I can't believe how crazy she was acting. And now I hope she doesn't learn that she can clear the top of her pen.

Anyone know this behavior or I'm guessing again, hormones! I can't get her fixed until the end of June..I'm a teacher, so I wanted to have time off to watch her after her surgery. I could not do it over spring break (this week) because she is still getting over her syphillis. Wow lol crazy.

 

[jcottonl02]

To be honest, this sounds quite hormonal to me. I would get her spayed as soon as you can

In the mean time, I would try and give her LOTS of exercise time, with interesting toys and games. Try to wear her out a lil .
This behaviour could also imply boredom with a capital B!

How much exercise does she get out of her pen a day? Does she have interesting toys? Do you rotate them? Some animals will get bored with the same toys, so buying a selection and rotating them is a good idea.
She will need at the VERY LEAST 3 hours every day outside her pen to run, exercise and play- spending 23 hours or so cooped up in a pen with no toys etc. is going to equal a crazy, het-up bunny.

 

[Snowballbun]

Well actually she lives in her cage because I can't let her free roam (my parents have a dog) but when I get my own place, I plan on letting her have more run of the house. So she usually gets a couple hours at night to run around in her pen in my bedroom. It's 4x6 feet, and she has some toys in there which I do try to change but she seems like she doesn't have much interest in a lot of the toys. She does like boxes and chewing on cardboard though. She's just acting so weird with her hormones.

I'll sit in the pen with her a lot, because she likes the company. Lately she'll jump on my lap and cuddle with me which is also unusual because she usually wants to run when I put her in her pen. She usually jumps on my lap for 30 seconds and jumps off as a game too..which that part is normal. She also gets at least an hour cuddle time with me outside of her cage once or twice a day. (on the couch on my lap)

What kind of setup do you have for your buns? Do they get the run of the house?

 

[jcottonl02]

Well, mine live outside at the moment, but are soon to be moving inside, as I am desperate for them to live with me 24/7. When I move them inside, they will have free run of the house, obviously with their own little bed pens in the corner. However, they are pretty much indoor rabbits at the moment anyway (explained later), who just sleep outside, and spend time in their run outside- the rest of the time they are inside anyway. But I want them to sleep inside with me. I want them to be with me all the time.

Now, they are just about to move into a shed my Dad built

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=55953&forum_id=93

, which is about 12ftx 13ft .

This is one side of it, but you can click the link above to see the rest:
It is partitioned in the middle, as they are still in the process of bonding

Every day (as long as the weather permits ), they get about 6 hours time in their run in the garden, which is about 8ft x 12ft, which my Dad also built.

The partition is often open, as I am often out there with them, reading etc. or playing with the dogs outside, so i can watch them. They usually get on fantastically, just I don't quuittee trust them yet. So usually they get the whole 96 square foot to run in.

We also have one room of the house, the 'second living room', where they get their indoor play. It is totally bunny-proofed, and separated from the dogs with a stairgate. It is a relatively empty room- a cabinet, a tv and a sofa, so there is a lot of room there for them.

Whether I am there or not, they get their 5/6 hours in the run (my Dad treats them like abslolute kings, as you can see), but then in the evenings when it's dark, I spend most of my time in the 'second living room' with them (maybe 2/3 hours or so a day), as I often have lots of work to do etc, and want a quiet room, or I watch TV in there.

It is this room:

If you go to my blog, you can see that MOST of the pictures are taken with this blue carpet, because this is where they always are!!!


I know exactly what you mean about buns not being interested in the nice, expensive toys you buy from places- they look great to us, but they don't really seem to love them that much.
So making your own is great- rabbits love to tear things up and chew up things. Get some old toilet rolls (empty), and stuff them with hay. Also give your bun empty cardboard boxes to run in and out of, chew, and throw around.

Ultimately, boredom is a very likely reason that a rabbit would play up, throwing their bowls and litter trays around, so more exercise time etc. would definately help.

I understand you have dogs, but is there an empty, safe room in the house where your bun could run?

That's great she gets cuddle time on the sofa with you- there's nothing like cuddle time, and I'm sure she loves it . It's a lovely way to bond too.



Ultimately, my setup isn't the perfect one for me. I love it, and we have all done our best to give them the absolute best while they don't live inside, but for me, I want them inside with me, living. They spend all evening every day inside with me, but for me, I want to wake up in the morning with them next to me, have them follow me round all day, and then go to sleep next to them at night. I want me life to be totally intertwined with theirs.

However, having said that, the life they have now is pretty fantastic (to me anyway), and are luckier than many bunnies out there. Me, my Dad and Mum have spent a LOT of money on all the stuff my Dad has built, and my Dad has spent a LOT of time and energy (having a full time manual job too) in building wonderful things for them, so they pretty much live like Kings now anyway. All I want is to give them the best, and I'll strive to always do that, as long as I live.

 

[Runestonez]

One of our did this...he managed to clear a 4 foot tall gate in his room!:shock:
Wow!:shock:

Until you can get her spayed...give her lots of toys and things to destroy...
anything to work off some of that energy...I would also suggest asking her for permission before bringing "stuff" into her room! Disapproving bunny! lol :biggrin2:
I usually call out to our bunns before I lug something into their space...it saves time and energy trying to get them to stop thumping later! :biggrin2:

Danielle

 

[juliew19673]

I measured my Baxter! and he cleared 42" ullhair:.. Scared me to death! Then he was fixed and now he is kindna "Chubby" so probably cannot; but if wansn't and he had enough room to get a good run for a jump, he might still clear that barrier today...