Virgil scared the poop out of me!

[slavetoabunny]

My new foster Virgil scared me so bad last night. When I got home from work, I walked into his room to replenish his hay. He started running madly around his pen, crashing into the sides, and then stopped in a corner and started screaming. I'm sure it only lasted a few seconds, but it seemed like forever. If you have never heard a bunny scream, pray that you never do. It was horrible!!!

After he calmed down, I checked him all over and nothing was wrong. He was fine afterwards and is eating, pooping, and alert. Virgil is fairly new to rescue and is still a bit skittish. I can't figure out how he got so scared that he screamed like that.

 

[Becca]

I've never heard of a bunny screaming before - sounds scary

 

[Leaf]

I've heard wild rabbits scream... very awful!

How long has Virgil been at your house?

 

[slavetoabunny]

Leaf wrote:

I've heard wild rabbits scream... very awful!

How long has Virgil been at your house?

I have had Virgil since last Friday. He was with a temp foster for about 2 weeks and before that he was at the shelter for around 2 months. He came into the shelter as a 2 month old baby (he was a stray), so the poor boy has had a tough start in life.

He is a very sweet little black/white dutch mix with the prettiest blue eyes.I hope we can find this boy the great forever home he deserves.

 

[Leaf]

Have you tried keeping a low radio playing in the room he's in, and perhaps a night light?

 

[slavetoabunny]

Leaf wrote:

Have you tried keeping a low radio playing in the room he's in, and perhaps a night light?

I haven't tried that. It was daylight when I walked into the room. It was more like he was terrified when I entered. Maybe I should make more noise before I walk in.

 

[Pipp]

Were you carrying something? If you changed shape, he probably didn't recognize you as a human.


sas :?

 

[slavetoabunny]

Pipp wrote:

Were you carrying something? If you changed shape, he probably didn't recognize you as a human.


sas :?

That's definately a possibility. I was carrying three 16" tiles I bought for his pen. It's amazing that it could scare him enough to make him scream like he did.

 

[myheart]

Are you sure he wasn't sleeping? Maybe he was in the middle of a scary dream and you startled him enough to make him act out on him dream.

When I first adopted Maggie, my heart-bunny, she would scream in her sleep. I would hold her every night while watching tv, and she usually fell asleep at some point. Some times she would have very active dreams (noticed her eye movements and twitching) and scream like something was chasing her. There was no knowing her past family life, as her past family didn't fill out any forms of her likes and dislikes, et. when they dropped her off at the shelter (her name was Chuckie if that says anything about the family's interest in her).

myheart

 

[Evey]

When Toby was a baby, he would scream when I vacuumed--I agree, no one wants to hear a bunny scream!

Now, he's used to the sounds and is fine. I'm sure you simply startled him!

-Kathy



p.s. have any pictures of him?

 

[slavetoabunny]

Evey wrote:

p.s. have any pictures of him?

I'll take some tonight when I get Virgil out for playtime.

I'm pretty sure he wasn't sleeping. I've been careful to talk to him as I enter the room so he isn't startled. He seems back to normal now, although he is still skittish.

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

oh my god i would have had a heartattack, i have only heard one rabbit scream and i was watching a youtube video of somet hing horrible. I would never want to hear that myself..

 

[ilovetoeatchocolate]

Oh how horrible for you and Virgil! Something must have really spooked him. I am glad that he is back to normal now. Poor thing. I hate it when you don't know the history of the rabbits we take in. It makes it a little more challenging because you don't know what they are sensitive to etc.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

OMG Tony screamed when they gave him his tattoo.... I cried.

Do you have a ceiling fan in that room that might have been on? A window where shadows might have frightened him?

My rabbits first all believed the ceilling fans were big birds... they all hunkered down and hid the first time they each saw one going.

Poor baby..... he was so scared!

 

[Luv-bunniz]

Or could he be partially sighted/blind and he was sleeping and the noise scared him and (I should stop saying and) he couldnt see anything so freaked out?