Something's not right... Help!

[Zicheri]

This morning I woke up to a loud thumping sound coming from the living room. Winston was hiding under the couch and every once in a while would do this small hop and thump both back legs on the floor at the same time. He would grunt a little each time.

Winston is a male Flemish Giant rabbit and he's about 6 months old. He hasn't been neutered yet (doing that in a few weeks). He's still eating normally (as far as I can tell).

He did one or two of these little hops the other night and thumped on the floor, but then it stopped. This morning he kept doing it and was hiding under the couch. When I watched him it looked kind of like a full body hiccup or something. Didn't look like he was trying to do it...

Is this something that anyone else has seen? Should I rush into the doctor, or is he just being a goofy rabbit and trying to make a loud noise that is annoying my downstairs neighbors?

He is hiding again after me trying to pick him up, but he's not thumping anymore. He usually comes out to greet me in the mornings, though...

Please let me know soon!!!
-Emily

 

[Zicheri]

So I just watched a video of another rabbit "thumping" and that's exactly what he's doing. I guess I'm just a little freaked cause he's never done it before.

Think sometihng just spooked him? Or do they ever do this when they're sick?

Maybe he can sense that he's getting neutered... haha.

 

[jcottonl02]

I wouldn't be too worried- I think something just must have spooked him or he was feeling a bit grumpy at the time.
Thumping is a warning sign, saying 'something's about!' or 'something's not right!'.

My Pippin used to do it. He used to hide under tables and in corners, and buzz for a few moments and then thump. Over and over. But now, after 3 years, after sooo much bonding, he doesn't do it anymore. I wondered whether he would always be a shy, scared bunny who seemed to not want any contact. But after so much work, now I haven't heard him thump like that for...it's got to be a year now. He leaps onto my lap, demands his strokes, and doesn't run away when I stand up etc anymore.

Some rabbits just don't like being picked up, and when they know it's coming, they will run. Pippin now only accepts (reluctantly) being picked up, but he used to dash straight away.

As he gets more used to you, and you bond more and more, I am sure he will stop doing it. Sometimes it takes a long time for a bun to feel totally comfortable in a home and with an owner. Try the tips written by Flashy in the library on bonding with your bunny- they are really useful.

Jen

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Commodore Stockton used to sit and do the same thing for an hour or two for no apparent reason. Bambi gives one thump when we put her down on the floor, just because! Rabbits a funny.

 

[tonyshuman]

I have never seen a two-legged thump, though, just one-legged.
:?

 

[jcottonl02]

tonyshuman wrote:

I have never seen a two-legged thump, though, just one-legged.
:?

Pippin used to do it- or it looks like it. It might be all the effort into a one-legged thump makes it look like his whole back end thumps.

It's very bizarre lol, although I haven't seen him do it in a long time.

Jen

 

[aurora369]

I've never seen a one legged thump... As far as I know, that is how rabbits thump.

All of my rabbits lean back on their heels and lift the toes on their back legs then wam their feet down at the same time.

-Dawn

 

[tonyshuman]

Huh that is so strange! I wonder why they do it differently?

 

[Runestonez]

We have 10 bunns and they all do it differently.:rollseyes

It's almost a gauge of how ticked off they are.
For instance...the mice in the attic making noise usually calls for a one foot thump...I assume because it is something they don't like but doesn't affect them directly...

Our cat Chelsea hooking their food out of their dish requires a two foot thump since it is immediately affecting their "zen". lol

Danielle