Prizm
Well-Known Member
Ever since last night, Dusty has been stompingalot. Even while he was in his cage, he stomped three times and soloudly that I ran from my bedroom to see what it was! He seemsrestless, could this behavior indicate he just wants to get out of hiscage?
I pulled out the cage's tray to clean it out and discovered the cageneeds a splatter guard, for there was a large puddle of brownsemi-dried liquid on the linolium. I let Dusty outand cleanedthe floor with Pine-Sol. After I finished sterilizing the floor and putfresh newspapers down in his cage and cleaned out his litter box(though I left some pellets in there so his scent would remain) Igently pushed Dusty towards the cage. He seemed terrified of it, backedaway and ran to a household corner not too far from the cage. He satthere panting heavilly with his eyes very wide, and I'm worried thatthe pine - smell might have scared him. From his panting I even worriedhe might have eaten some of it somehow, but then he saw our cat andresumed his rabbit-mating ritual which he's sure no cat can resist.
Later, when I neared him, he stamped his foot, and later still hestruggled when I went to put him in his cage. I started by trying toherd him in, but he wouldn't go. Finally, I had to grab him and insterthim into the cage. Later on that night, he stamped 3 times in his cage.My mom was on the phone, but had been for a while so I don't know whythat would scare him. But there was Lianid, our cat, sitting next tothe cage and Dusty the rabbit looked like he wanted out.
The rabbit-cat dance:
1st, his nose twitches like crazy and he restlessly hops about the cage.
The poor thing's hormonesseem to go wild andtriesand tries to make it with our cat, Lianid's tail and finally lays downpanting exhaustedly.
When I woke up this morning (after a night of keeping Lianid in myroom) I checked Dusty's body language. It was the same rappidnose-twitching and panting. So I let him out, knowing he wouldn't findthe cat. I fed him somefresh parsley in my hand and when hefinished, he hopped out and stamped his foot again! I walked slowelyafter himand he stomped again..and again...and he ran aroundsome more and again stomped. I scooped him andreturned him tohis cage.
What do you make of this? Is this fear of me? Fear of his cage/goingback to his cage? Or is it a mating call for Lianid?
I pulled out the cage's tray to clean it out and discovered the cageneeds a splatter guard, for there was a large puddle of brownsemi-dried liquid on the linolium. I let Dusty outand cleanedthe floor with Pine-Sol. After I finished sterilizing the floor and putfresh newspapers down in his cage and cleaned out his litter box(though I left some pellets in there so his scent would remain) Igently pushed Dusty towards the cage. He seemed terrified of it, backedaway and ran to a household corner not too far from the cage. He satthere panting heavilly with his eyes very wide, and I'm worried thatthe pine - smell might have scared him. From his panting I even worriedhe might have eaten some of it somehow, but then he saw our cat andresumed his rabbit-mating ritual which he's sure no cat can resist.
Later, when I neared him, he stamped his foot, and later still hestruggled when I went to put him in his cage. I started by trying toherd him in, but he wouldn't go. Finally, I had to grab him and insterthim into the cage. Later on that night, he stamped 3 times in his cage.My mom was on the phone, but had been for a while so I don't know whythat would scare him. But there was Lianid, our cat, sitting next tothe cage and Dusty the rabbit looked like he wanted out.
The rabbit-cat dance:
1st, his nose twitches like crazy and he restlessly hops about the cage.
The poor thing's hormonesseem to go wild andtriesand tries to make it with our cat, Lianid's tail and finally lays downpanting exhaustedly.
When I woke up this morning (after a night of keeping Lianid in myroom) I checked Dusty's body language. It was the same rappidnose-twitching and panting. So I let him out, knowing he wouldn't findthe cat. I fed him somefresh parsley in my hand and when hefinished, he hopped out and stamped his foot again! I walked slowelyafter himand he stomped again..and again...and he ran aroundsome more and again stomped. I scooped him andreturned him tohis cage.
What do you make of this? Is this fear of me? Fear of his cage/goingback to his cage? Or is it a mating call for Lianid?
