Latching onto me

[Sweetie]

Well for a couple nights now, Sweetie has been latching onto me like she doesn't want to go back into her cage when I go to put her back in her cage after I spend time with her. She is still grieving the loss of Prince. I have never dealt with a grieving bunny before. Any advice as to what to watch out for and what I can do to help her along this grieving process, besides behavior changes, would greatly be appreciated. She is still eating and drinking, pooping and peeing normal.

What does the latching onto me mean when she does it? She latches onto my shirt and won't let go, she isn't chewing on my shirt, just latches on like a baby does when they get milk from momma bun. I tell her that I am not going anywhere and that she won't lose me. I let her know that things are going to get better and time will heal the emotional pain that we are both feeling. I even sing to her, which seems to help relax her. Anything else that I can do to help her? I tried getting her toys, she isn't interested in any toys.

Sweetie is 3 years old. She lost Prince on August 31, 2011. It has been a month and a half since she lost Prince. For those of you that don't know, Prince passed away on August 31, 2011, he was hypoglycemic(low blood sugar), his temperature was 6 degrees below normal. No one knew what was wrong with him, I took him to the vet every time he was sick. Prince was very well cared for. Whatever was wrong with him manifested, because up until he died, he was a healthy bunny. He was 2 1/2 years old. Sweetie and Prince were together for that long, ever since they were 3 months old.

 

[OneTwoThree]

Are you trying to bond her with another bunny now? Maybe thats why she doesn't want to go in?

 

[Sweetie]

I am trying to bond her to Pudden, the rabbit I got from another forum member. But she isn't interested in him right now. They are in separate cages.

 

[OneTwoThree]

Poor bun I haven't had a grieving bun, but I did just get Lady and Samson has been needier than ever, so maybe the presence of a new bun in the house or on you is making her a little more clingy. Outside that I don't know, it sounds like you're doing the best you can!

 

[gmas rabbit]

Try and get their cages as close together as possible, share a wall if you can. That way they will eventually lie against the same wall and start bonding. Some rabbits take a long time to bond, it is kind of like humans, but eventually the need for social interaction will take over. You could try getting a third rabbit, but then again there are no guarantees and may be better to work with what you have.

 

[Sweetie]

It could be that I have Pudden's smell on me, but I don't know.

gmas rabbit: I will be putting their cages closer together when they show me that they can get along without any nipping or biting through the wires. I want to make sure that they will get along before I do that.

I hope someone chimes in that has dealt with a grieving bunny. But thank you both for your advice.

Getting a third rabbit is not possible for me. Two is quite enough.

 

[gmas rabbit]

We have never had more than 1 at a time, sorry, best of luck. Keep posting, maybe someone has advice.

 

[Sweetie]

I will keep posting. I hope someone will see this and give advice.

 

[LadyBones]

I know you wanted a reply from someone who has had a grieving bun and although I've never had more than one bun at a time the bun that I just got does the same exact thing. We adopted him from a shelter where he was around a lot of other buns all the time. He also was kept in a cage for five months straight with no out time (the shelter was over run with rabbits and didn't know what to do with them). He has issues with being put in the cage because he was in it so much so he holds onto my shirt if I go to put him in his crate. He doesn't like to be held, he is very independent but if we have to leave the house and need to put him in his cage (he's quiet mischevious) he holds onto my shirt. If he feels its to early to be put to bed or put up during the day if we have to leave he holds onto my shirt. If its late at night and he's done his last binky run for the night he'll be pretty easy about going in his crate.

From past experience and current, I would say your bun is feeling needy and wants/needs more time with you since she lost her friend. It may feel like you have had her out and spent a lot of time with her but buns are so social she may feel she isn't getting enough right now. Since I'm pregnant if i get tired early at night and have to put him up he gets pretty mad at me. Just last night my husband was sick and I have a kidney infection and about 8:30 I started to doze off on the couch and my husband was already in bed. I took our bun and let him sit with me in bed for a little bit and petted him (he's not much for petting he would rather be left alone) and when I took him to his crate at 9 he held onto my shirt because he felt it was way too early to be going to sleep. After I detached him from my shirt and put him in his crate and gave him his bedtime treat he settled down for a little bit but then started thumping to let me know he was mad.

I'm still working with him about his clinging issues, even though he gets my undivided attention and gets the run of the house all day every day, he still clings to my shirt if he thinks its not enough. I don't know if that helped any at all, I hope it did because I know how frustrating it is to not know what to do for your bun if their unhappy =(

 

[Sweetie]

LadyBones wrote:

I know you wanted a reply from someone who has had a grieving bun and although I've never had more than one bun at a time the bun that I just got does the same exact thing. We adopted him from a shelter where he was around a lot of other buns all the time. He also was kept in a cage for five months straight with no out time (the shelter was over run with rabbits and didn't know what to do with them). He has issues with being put in the cage because he was in it so much so he holds onto my shirt if I go to put him in his crate. He doesn't like to be held, he is very independent but if we have to leave the house and need to put him in his cage (he's quiet mischevious) he holds onto my shirt. If he feels its to early to be put to bed or put up during the day if we have to leave he holds onto my shirt. If its late at night and he's done his last binky run for the night he'll be pretty easy about going in his crate.

From past experience and current, I would say your bun is feeling needy and wants/needs more time with you since she lost her friend. It may feel like you have had her out and spent a lot of time with her but buns are so social she may feel she isn't getting enough right now. Since I'm pregnant if i get tired early at night and have to put him up he gets pretty mad at me. Just last night my husband was sick and I have a kidney infection and about 8:30 I started to doze off on the couch and my husband was already in bed. I took our bun and let him sit with me in bed for a little bit and petted him (he's not much for petting he would rather be left alone) and when I took him to his crate at 9 he held onto my shirt because he felt it was way too early to be going to sleep. After I detached him from my shirt and put him in his crate and gave him his bedtime treat he settled down for a little bit but then started thumping to let me know he was mad.

I'm still working with him about his clinging issues, even though he gets my undivided attention and gets the run of the house all day every day, he still clings to my shirt if he thinks its not enough. I don't know if that helped any at all, I hope it did because I know how frustrating it is to not know what to do for your bun if their unhappy =(

I kinda got the feeling that she is feeling needy and wants more time with me. I am trying to spend more time with her every day/night. I put a pillow (small) in her cage so that she can lay against it, because it has Prince's scent on it. I used it in the carrier I took him to the vet in, so that he would flop around so much. Sweetie doesn't thump at me unless I am not reading her body language correctly. Yes she does miss her bondmate a lot. I am helping her the best I can by being there for her when she needs me.

Thank you for your input, greatly appreciate it, as it did help some.

Maybe with your bunny you can bunny proof your place if it isn't already and just let him have free roam all day and night. Some of the bunnies on here are free roam. I want Sweetie to be free roam but she needs to quit chewing up the carpet and have better litterbox habits. Yes Sweetie is spayed.

 

[LadyBones]

I think you're doing a great job, the pillow idea is wonderful! I would say you've done everything you can do to help her, at this point she may just need more time to adjust. I would let our rabbit free roam but he does the same thing as your bun, he pulls the carpet up (he's not neutered yet since we just got him). He has plenty of toys he just would rather yank on the carpet =/ Our house is bunny proofed but we have hardwood floors and linoleum throughout the rest of the house and he hates it so he limits his trips through certain rooms. There's nothing we can do about the living room carpet though, we rent our farmhouse from our in-laws right now so he has to be monitored since he isn't even supposed to be on the carpet at all.

I think you've done everything you can for her (and done a great job ), she just needs some time to adjust to how life is now.

 

[Sweetie]

Thank you LadyBones!