ams1786
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
I'm new on here. I have a behavioral question I haven't been able to find the answer to on regular outlets so maybe someone here can help.
I have one bunny, female, unspayed, circa seven months old. She is mostly indoors but I try to take her outside as much as I can because she loves it. She has a large wood and wire pen outside where she can run around, and I stay with her since there's no roof and she likes to play.
We were just out there tonight and around dusk I started to hear a rustling in the bushes. We're in suburban Philadelphia so probably a cat or maybe a fox or raccoon; bushes are small shrubbery around large grassy area, maybe four feet away from the edge of her pen. I kept an eye out but was sitting in the pen with her so didnt really worry.
She however must have heard the noise because she got all tense and alert-bunnified, ears perked up - then she ran over and peered into the bushes with her ears up. Something freaked her out, because I suddenly hear the loudest thump I've ever heard from her and made a loud snorting noise twice - I've never heard anything like it. She zoomed over to me and I scooped her up - though she fought a bit - and took her inside, holding her tight and petting her and telling her it was all right and thanking her for warming me, etc. When I put her down in front of her cage instead of running right In she kept hopping in and out and circling around it and even ran really quickly over to the kitchen, which is an area shed never explored before so I was surprised she wasn't more cautious and charged right in. When she finally hopped back into her cage, she made the snorting noise again and seemed really alert, but I fed her some oats and she calmed down a bit.
Sorry for the long story, and it's quite possible I'm over thinking it. But I had a few questions if anyone could help.
1. Does anyone know if that snorting noise is normal for a scared rabbit? I thought they were usually quiet when freaked (and not angry) to avoid drawing attention to themselves. I just want to make sure it was a warning sign and not a physical problem with breathing or something caused by being scared.
2. I know stress is super bad for bunnies. She's normally entirely fearless and rather aggressive and loves being outside, so I don't want to take that away from her. Should I be worried when she gets this scared? Is there anything I could do to mitigate the effects of her being freaked/does anyone have any general tips?
Sorry, I know I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill here. I was just really confused and even curious about the snorting more than anything, since I've never heard of that being used as an expression of fear.
I'm new on here. I have a behavioral question I haven't been able to find the answer to on regular outlets so maybe someone here can help.
I have one bunny, female, unspayed, circa seven months old. She is mostly indoors but I try to take her outside as much as I can because she loves it. She has a large wood and wire pen outside where she can run around, and I stay with her since there's no roof and she likes to play.
We were just out there tonight and around dusk I started to hear a rustling in the bushes. We're in suburban Philadelphia so probably a cat or maybe a fox or raccoon; bushes are small shrubbery around large grassy area, maybe four feet away from the edge of her pen. I kept an eye out but was sitting in the pen with her so didnt really worry.
She however must have heard the noise because she got all tense and alert-bunnified, ears perked up - then she ran over and peered into the bushes with her ears up. Something freaked her out, because I suddenly hear the loudest thump I've ever heard from her and made a loud snorting noise twice - I've never heard anything like it. She zoomed over to me and I scooped her up - though she fought a bit - and took her inside, holding her tight and petting her and telling her it was all right and thanking her for warming me, etc. When I put her down in front of her cage instead of running right In she kept hopping in and out and circling around it and even ran really quickly over to the kitchen, which is an area shed never explored before so I was surprised she wasn't more cautious and charged right in. When she finally hopped back into her cage, she made the snorting noise again and seemed really alert, but I fed her some oats and she calmed down a bit.
Sorry for the long story, and it's quite possible I'm over thinking it. But I had a few questions if anyone could help.
1. Does anyone know if that snorting noise is normal for a scared rabbit? I thought they were usually quiet when freaked (and not angry) to avoid drawing attention to themselves. I just want to make sure it was a warning sign and not a physical problem with breathing or something caused by being scared.
2. I know stress is super bad for bunnies. She's normally entirely fearless and rather aggressive and loves being outside, so I don't want to take that away from her. Should I be worried when she gets this scared? Is there anything I could do to mitigate the effects of her being freaked/does anyone have any general tips?
Sorry, I know I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill here. I was just really confused and even curious about the snorting more than anything, since I've never heard of that being used as an expression of fear.