Hazel is acting very strange

[Bunnyang]

My bun Hazel has begun to act very oddly. She is just over a year old, and has always been the most affectionate of rabbits.

The past few days she has been fairly hostile when in her cage. If Iput my hand inside she grunts and charges; She is also making thesestrange noises, especially when I go to pick her up - I don't know ifyou guys have experienced anything like this, but it's kind of awarbly, squeaky yelp - kind of a mix between a squeak,apigeon and a little dog whining, if you can imagine. Shedoesn't seem to like to have me touch her sides, and will make thatweird sound and turn around to bite me! And we're talking about a bunwho was the most docile and sweet ever last week. she used to LOVE itwhen I'd reach for her in the cage.

She's also been vigourously trying to dig in her cage, tearing at hernewspaper and eating it, even though I definitely feed her enough.

She's okay when she's just with me on my lap out of the cage.

Are these generally signs of anything? And what about that noise? It doesn't sound like the noise of a happy bunny.

 

[Just Jack]

Has she been fixed yet? Mostbehavioral problems like these are due to hormones which would besuppressed if she were fixed.

 

[Pipp]

As Pipp gets older -- she'll be two this summer:cry2-- she's making all sorts of grunts, snorts andhonks. And there was a post not long ago fromRaspberry Swirl reporting that her Sebastian oinked!

The cage aggression thing is pretty common as well. They justdecide they like their own safe space, and they don't want anybodypoking any fingers in there. Sherry, my foster bun, is verycage aggressive -- although in her case, bathtubaggressive. She lunges,grunts, honks andboxes my hand, but I just ignore her.Otherwise, shewouldn't get her dinner. (She scaredthewits out of my neighbour, though!)

Outside the tub, she's a cuddlebun. Go figure.

sas , pipp :bunnydance:, dill :brownbunny, darry and radar:toastingbunsand sherry :devil (who's trying her darndest to bond withMY baby dill )

 

[naturestee]

Pipp wrote:

sas, pipp :bunnydance:, dill :brownbunny, darry and radar:toastingbunsand sherry :devil (who's trying her darndest to bond withMY baby dill )

You know what I say... keep her! :rofl:

Is she pulling fur out of her chest? It's possible that she'sgoing through a false pregnancy. Her behavior sounds prettyhormonal.

 

[sparklyyy]

Bunnyang,

What's funny is that the sameEXACT thing has been going onwith Zeke lately. He's always been the most affectionatelittle thing, and since this past weekend, he's gone through some sortof change, it seems! Nothing major happened that might causehis behavior to shift (that I know of). He's about a year oldand was neutered a few months ago. Whenever I reach into hiscage to pet him (which he usually LOVES!), he nudges my hand away,swats at me, thumps, or simply runs to the other end of hiscage. He also loves being brushed, but when I tried to brushhim the other day, he couldn't stand it! He's also beenmaking that squeaky sound that you mentioned (I know itexactly!). Oh yeah, and he's also been DIGGING LIKE CRAZYlike you mentioned Hazel has been doing. So weird.Maybe it's a seasonal thing? Haha.

Erin

 

[Bunnyang]

Thanks for the input so far you guys!

She's not fixed yet, actually, but I'm planning to fix her this summer when I get enough cash.

sparklyyy, well you know I feel your pain! It's so weird, I've hadHazel for a year and she used to love it when I'd play with her, evenin the cage. And Zeke is digging too? That digging keeps me up allnight, I end up having to put her in the bathroom so I can get a bit ofsleep.

and Pipp, after 2 years! Is Pipp agressive, does she attack or anything? Is she fixed?

When I went to get her out of the bathroom, she ran into a corner andgrunted and made those weird noised and charged at me!!! She wan't evenin the cage!

naturestee, she's not pulling any hair out, but other than that, are these pregnacy signs?

 

[Lissa]

Has she been exposed to any male rabbits? Has she gained any weight? Possibly pregnant?

 

[FatRabbit]

If she's not fixed yet and hasn't been near anyboys, she may be going through a 'false pregnency'. The digging andsuch could be nesting, and then noises are when she gets upset when shethinks you're going to "ruin" her hard work. Look around her cage andsee if you see any balls of fur? If they think they're pregnant, somebuns pull their fur out to help line their nest & keep theirnest warm.
Just a suggestion!

 

[sparklyyy]

... Could my MALE rabbit be having a falsepregnancy? His behavior seems to be aligned with what wasdescribed. Balls of hair, cage aggressive... Hisbehavior's been crazy lately and I don't know what else itcould be.

Erin

 

[Lissa]

Are you sure it's a male?

 

[sparklyyy]

I'm 100% positive that Zeke is a male.He was neutered back in January. He broke out of his cage theother day (I don't know how he did it, but my mom found him underneathmy dresser -- he ate through a cord to my surround sound speaker!!!),and has just been wild. He's still pulling his hair out andvery aggressive. Hmmm...

 

[Pipp]

Bunnyang wrote:

and Pipp, after 2 years! Is Pipp agressive, does she attackor anything? Is she fixed?

Pipp isn't really aggressive, just VERY possessive. Whenbunnies get mad at you, you know it! (Or at least if you knowbunnies, you know it). I brought a few more rescues into thehouse and the first few days, Pipp, even though she wasn't in the sameroom or anywhere close to the new guys, went insane!I think the problem was I tried to introduce her to the newlittle boy, Dill, but I was holding him while my roommate held Pipp,and she can't stand seeing me with another bunny -- or a cat for thatmatter. For the next few days,everytimeI'dcome into our room (Pipp and I are a bonded pair), she'dmake all these noises and actually bite my feet!! As soon asI'd sit down, she'd be on my lap for cuddles. She stuck to melike glue.

But she soon went into denial mode ("bunnies? what bunnies?") and she'sfine -- except when I go to leave the room, she honks and grunts andcharges my feet. (I think she knows I'm having an affair withDill).

But I digress...

Sherry is the cage aggressive one, but she's all talk, noaction. (Well, she nipped once, but it was sotiny...).She's a verylow-keybunnyunless she's in her 'spot' in her cage. Whenthe neighbours took her upstairs for a visit, she did the same thingwhen shefound a 'safe'corner.Some bunniesjust need to have their own safespace. Does she have a 'hidey box' in hercage?You can try cutting down on their treats sothat they only get them in tiny amounts only when you put your hand inthe cage.Hand = treat.

I won't use a cage that makes you have to lift the bunny out.I let them walk out on their own. Relating to bunnies onground level reallly makes a difference. I've been meaning topost this in another thread, but my two backroom bunnies, Darry andRadar, are nice but distant and will duck and run if you go to petthem, even when I'm sitting on the floor. This past week Itried LYING on the floor, and the difference was immediate.Both of them came right up to me, climbed all over me, stuck thiernoses in my face, and after a few daysof that interaction(especially with a little apple), I can pet them.

With Hazel, it probably is hormonal if she's not spayed. Pippwent from a cuddlebun to a holy terror at six months, got spayed, and amonth or two later was a cuddlebun again.

With Zeke? That's a puzzler.. He could have had ascare, some changecould be making him on edge or jealous(with one bunny, it turned out to be a ceiling fan that they startedturning on in the spring), or he could have an underlyinghealth issue that's making him cranky.

I'd check him over VERY carefully. Maybe a vet visit may be in order.

sas , pipp :bunnydance:, dill :brownbunny, darry and radar:toastingbunsand sherry:bunny17 (who's bondedwithMY baby dill :bawl)

 

[sparklyyy]

Thanks.

That's funny re: the ceiling fan... I too have just started turning onmy fan and maybe that bothers him! Who knows! I'llkeep an eye on him...

Erin

 

[Bunnyang]

Thanks for the post again, Pipp! I want to spayHazel as soon as I can, she doesn't seem to be enjoying herself toomuch these days, poor bun.

I hope Zeke is back to normal soon, sparklyyy, how is he?

Hazel hasn't been pulling any fur out. But she's still behaving in away that's really territorial; she's even charging and nipping. Thefunny thing is though, as soon as she realizes that it's my hand nearher she's okay, like she wants me to pet her, but not disturb or takeanything. She's also boxing with her front paws.

The weird warbly crying worries me though. She doesn't seem like she'sin any pain or anything, although she seems a bit sensitive on hersides when I touch them. But I just have never heard a rabbit make anoise like that. I hope this subsides soon enough if it is hormonal.

 

[sparklyyy]

Zeke is doing a lot better, thanks! It seems like he was just having an "off week"!We're back to being best buds. :colors:



Erin

 

[jordiwes]

Pipp wrote:

sherry:bunny17 (who's bonded withMY baby dill :bawl)

Slightly OT, but I would like to see Dill and Sherry pics please!

 

[m.e.]

jordiwes wrote:

Pipp wrote:

sherry:bunny17 (who's bonded withMY babydill :bawl)

Slightly OT, but I would like to see Dill and Sherry pics please!

:yeahthat