Normal?

[MousQwene]

My fiance and I recently got our first bunny. She was born and raised on a farm as a show bunny. She was kept in the barn with little human contact (beyond the basic care and the shows she went to). Her previous owner, a friend of my fiance's, ended up going to school 9 hours away and was looking for someone to take the bunny since she couldn't take care of it and her mom was busy taking care of their horses. We had been talking about getting a bunny and so ended up with Penny. She seemed calm and ok for the first week we got her home. She was a little nervous about coming out of the cage, but we figured that was because it had been rare before and didn't have much of a problem after a few days. We took her out to hold and pet her and let her loose on our bed for exercise which she enjoys very much. About a week and a half after bringing her home, we purchased her a bigger cage that has a solid bottom with bedding (her old cage was a wire bottom with a tray of litter underneath). Since the move to her new cage she has become very upset when we try to take her out to the point we're worried she'll hurt herself, she throws her food and her bowls all over her cage, digs in the bedding, shies away from any attempt to pet her, and refuses any treats we try to offer her (she puts them in her bathroom corner and....well...). We are concerned and are looking for any advice.

 

[Elf Mommy]

It sounds like she's going into her hormonal phase. A lot of "teenage" bunnies act up in similar ways. Do you know how old she is? It also sounds like she is expressing her "disapproval" of having her living area changed (even though it sounds like you've provided a wonderful new home for her!)

Minda

 

[MousQwene]

Her papers say that she is a year and a half old.

 

[Maureen Las]

You know what I think
I think that she has become "cage possessive "of her new wonderful home becomes she likes it and has claimed it as her own. The other wire bottom thing probably wasn't worth being possessive of and probably didn't feel like home...

Cage possession is a normal behavior for buns. It would feel to her as if someonebroke intoher home and started to moveher stuff around.

The solution would be a method for her to leave the cage on her own..... without you taking her out. Is there any thing you can devise to allow her to leave the cage if she wanted. to
This is a case where the rabbit you took was not allowed to blossom in her previous life. Once she is loved and given attention her own little personality will emerge. Right now is too soon to say that she will stay cage aggressive , and/or eventually become a cuddle bunny

Another soluton is to get her spayed if she is old enough as that could help
Don't rush anything with her and don't worry about this ..it is very normal bunny behavior.

I'll try to find some articles.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12319&forum_id=17


http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=33995&forum_id=17


http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11792&forum_id=17

 

[Bo B Bunny]

I think she's afraid that she'll get taken back to her old life. She's got a new place and it's hers and she wants to keep it that way!

What I would do is put her where she can get out of her cage on her own. Open it and let her decide to come out. Sit around on the floor where she can get to you and allow her to adjust on her own terms. I bet she'll come right around soon.

 

[MousQwene]

Thank you for all of the input! We put her cage on our bed and opened the door every time either or both of us were home. She sniffed at the door but never put more than her head out. Her cage is designed in such a way that the wire disconnects from the base, so we put the cage on the bed as usual but took the wire bit off. We put my fiance's pillows around some of it (she likes to lay on his pillows) and while she still hasn't completely exited on her own, she has gotten her front feet onto the pillows and is very curious.

 

[MousQwene]

Update: Just after I finished writing my last reply she decided that the pillows were a better place to hang out and is currently lounging on those outside of her cage. :biggrin2: