She's driving me nuts!!!

[Patryn]

I have a pet rabbit, whom I love so much it's almost unhealthy, but lately she's been driving me up a tree. She's got this annoying habit of rattling her cage when she wants something. What does she want? I haven't any idea.

Her cage opens with a flip top, and she's figured out not how to open it, but how to rattle the latch. Now don't get me wrong, she gets plenty of TLC and play time, I have a large sreened in porch she spends all day on when the weather's nice, and she goes in the basement when it's not. She's usually out 6-10 hours a day, depending on my schedule, and I even take her outside on a light lead when it's summer.

She gets one snack of veggies a day, and either timothy hay or pellets at night, which is plenty of food since she only weighs 2 lbs. She's a Netherland dwarf mix, so she's adult, just small.

I've tried ignoring it, which is pretty damn hard to do at 6 AM, and I've tried the ol' squirt gun method. Neither worked, so I tried a bitter taste deterrent. She likes it. I don't put her out or give her anything to eat when she does it...she'd just think it was a reward.

Anyone have any clue what to do, or know of a site I could post this at that's free? I've found a couple, but they all want $25-50 for an "online consultation". Yeah....right.

Like I said, I love her and there's no way I'd ever physically discipline her beyond a little water, but she's got to stop this.

I'm hoping someone here understands animal behavior better than I do.

 

[Thumper]

No snide bunny remarks here!

Is she rattling it or chewing on it?

Maybe she just gets restless if it is only rattling. I am not sure but I think rabbits teeth are continually growing and they need something hard to chew on to keep them from getting too long...if she is chewing it that may be it...Other than that...I'm thump er stumped..

Good luck Patryn.

 

[Ramlick]

I know a good recipe for rabbit stew if you should need it.

 

[Gimpy]

Under sexed?

Could it be sex deprivation? You did say she's an adult, and rabbits do breed lots and lots. I once had rabbits, started with four, ended up with about twenty. Maybe she's acting out at you because your keeping her from her natural instinct to breed. Just an idea.

 

[Patryn]

Ramlick, that was pretty damned uncalled for.

The breeding thing...I'm not sure but I doubt it.

She gets plenty to chew, one of those flavored wooden chew things that she works on all week.

I think she is just restless, but I have no idea why.

 

[Thumper]

Another wab er rabbit maybe!

And quit talking like Elmer Fudd....makes rabbits nervous.

Maybe she would like a little bunny company? Even platonic bunny friend...try one of your slippers...I would suggest asking a rabbit breeder. Should be a website somewhere for those who breed them..

 

[forgetunome]

Patryn...

I was reading your post and out of curiousity I asked your question on dogpile search engine and came up with a free site...it has a message board. I don't know if it will help but...you never know. It is as follows:

www.rabbit.org

I hope you find what you need!

 

[R Nitelight]

Wabbit Season

Sounds like boredom, or a quest for attention.

 

[Bigdog]

This is not a behavior you can dicipline out of her because she is following her instincts to be free. Being caged is not a normal part of animal life. She has had a taste of freedom and simply wants more. It sounds like the only problem is that she is waking you up at 6 AM with the door rattle. Try spring loading the door so it doesn't rattle. It's not like she is leading a deprived life, she just wants more than what she has. If you get her a companion you will just have TWO rabbits rattling the cage door. As for sex, unlike humans rabbits don't miss what they don't have.

BTW, I used to raise mini-lops.

 

[Patryn]

That makes sense. I'll look into silencing the door, but she's been known to rattle the side of the cage when that's not working. Maybe I'll just have to move her cage, in the end.

Thanks for the advo.

 

[Earthmuffin]

I believe Gimpy is on the money here. I raised bunnies for about 2 years until I had to move. The single bunnies often displayed similar behavior in their new homes. One of my good friends had a rabbit whom she adored. He became restless, then destructive, then he BIT her. A week and a day later he had been neutered, his behavior returned to the loveable rabbit she'd known.