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Biscuit decided 3:45am was time to wake up... UD a quiet night :)

GrahamL

Wise Old Thumper
*yawn*

He must of been spooked by something, as we had 1hour solid of stamping, really LOUD HEAVY stamping, interupted only by the nomming of a fenugreek crunchie and a grape to try and stop him. It sounds worse at the moment, as they are upstairs, so the floorboards shake the whole house!

Then he decided to start again at 5:30am, so i got up...

Little ******!

Ginger, i hasten to add was flopped at the end of the pen, fast asleep during the whole experience.. :roll:
 
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Haha, oh dear Graham, poor you! Still, hopefully his night time activity will make him super sleepy this evening! :wave:
 
Awww Bless!!! :love:

I'm missing Lucky soo much i love hearing things like this. And Yup - i even miss him whamming his metal food bowl on the floor wanting brekkie! (What a lovely way to be woken up).
 
:lol::lol::lol:

And bless Ginger, sleeping right through it. :love:

Perhaps extra-strong coffee might be in order?
 
....and again at 2.35am today *yawn*

I didn't get up though and he stopped after about 20 minutes.

But then couldnt get back to sleep until gone 4am, which was the last time i remember looking at the clock.

I think maybe he's frustrated and its attention seeking? :roll:
 
Two things:
Do you leave a light on at night? I know a few buns who thump repeatedly throughout the night and stopped when a nightlight or light down a corridor was left on for them at night time. Might be worth a try.

Second thing... yes learnt behaviour probably with a REAL trigger. So something spooks him or upsets him and he thumps, you come to see what is the matter - and he learns it gets your attention. However, if a bun is thumping repeatedly it is wise to see what is going on, crying wolf can sometimes be the real thing..... however, I would cease rewarding the behaviour with lovely yummy treats - he will very quckly learn that thump = treat! :D
I would just check from the doorway that all is ok and then leave again.
 
Alvin used to react to our heating turning on during the night, i think the house vibrated in a certain way... not good when your expecting burgulars to come back!!
 
....and again at 2.35am today *yawn*

I didn't get up though and he stopped after about 20 minutes.

But then couldnt get back to sleep until gone 4am, which was the last time i remember looking at the clock.

I think maybe he's frustrated and its attention seeking? :roll:

The early hours is their most active time, so hes just doing whats normal. Is he in a cage during the night?
 
Two things:
Do you leave a light on at night? I know a few buns who thump repeatedly throughout the night and stopped when a nightlight or light down a corridor was left on for them at night time. Might be worth a try.

Second thing... yes learnt behaviour probably with a REAL trigger. So something spooks him or upsets him and he thumps, you come to see what is the matter - and he learns it gets your attention. However, if a bun is thumping repeatedly it is wise to see what is going on, crying wolf can sometimes be the real thing..... however, I would cease rewarding the behaviour with lovely yummy treats - he will very quckly learn that thump = treat! :D
I would just check from the doorway that all is ok and then leave again.

Thats a strong possibility. Because they are in my office all the time at the moment from bonding, i've been leaving a touch lamp on all evening, as we arent with them every minute as the bonding is effectively complete, but i do turn that off when we go to bed. I will certainly try leaving that on tonight and see what happens, as they are going to be in here until Sunday, when i will be moving them downstairs.

With regards to the learnt behaviour, yeah, i know it was a mistake to have treated them both when i came in, but he was so stressed, his eyes were a little bulgy and i felt really upset for him and after his last stampy bout a week or so again and i was told to distract him with food, i just wanted to try. Can't do right for doing wrong with them can i? :lol:

I came and checked the first night, there was nothing obvious, he kept stamping, then hopping to another corner, ears forward, on 'guard' pose, i could tell by his body language, but there honestly was nothing there, so i can only assume it must of been something that spooked him.

There is only one thing i can honestly think that could cause it;

When they are downstairs, they are in a corner of the room, away from the back door, with no 'openable' windows.

Upstairs, in my office they are within 2 feet of the windows, which are closed, but i have a vent open at the top of the frame to stop condensation etc. I've seen foxes out down the street before, so i wonder if one got into our garden, and Biccy was able to sense/smell its scent through the vent? Do you think thats a possibility?

Ginger doesn't stamp or react in any form, but we know she does not contain the regular rabbit fear gene and is totally fearless.
 
The early hours is their most active time, so hes just doing whats normal. Is he in a cage during the night?

this is totally unusual behaviour for him raine, and yes, they are in a smaller pen than usual, as they are being bonded atm - i appreciate it could be frustration, its just really odd though :?
 
No the other body language you describe is definitely fear not frustration. He is sleeping effectively in a strange place and yes it may easily have been a smell or a shadow. Can you close the vents and hang up curtains at night time/pin up a sheet over the window? In this bonding pen is there anyway to hide? Most buns feel safest with something over their heads - opened top pens can make a bun feel very vulnerable, especially at night. I'd pop in a cardboard box with two holes to hide under if there is space in the bonding pen, even if just for nighttime, or pin a sheet over the top of the pen with pegs to create a lid, that should help his security issues.

It was me who told you to feed him when he was stamping last week to distract him, I still stand by that, in these sort of fear situations it can be a helpful distraction - I didn't realise last night's stamping was def. fear but it sounds like it was.
 
No the other body language you describe is definitely fear not frustration. He is sleeping effectively in a strange place and yes it may easily have been a smell or a shadow. Can you close the vents and hang up curtains at night time/pin up a sheet over the window? In this bonding pen is there anyway to hide? Most buns feel safest with something over their heads - opened top pens can make a bun feel very vulnerable, especially at night. I'd pop in a cardboard box with two holes to hide under if there is space in the bonding pen, even if just for nighttime, or pin a sheet over the top of the pen with pegs to create a lid, that should help his security issues.

It was me who told you to feed him when he was stamping last week to distract him, I still stand by that, in these sort of fear situations it can be a helpful distraction - I didn't realise last night's stamping was def. fear but it sounds like it was.

They have a duvet cover over the top, folded over twice, so is quite thick and they can't get out of that, i only haven't put in a box or anything as i didnt want territorial behaviour over it, but i guess as the bond seems pretty strong, i could put one in now, for them to hide in :)

Thank you for your advice as ever PL :) It's actually quite good to know my thoughts were along the right lines - after all, it's all a learning curve :)

There are already curtains up, but i'll close the vent now and see how we get on :)
 
Something really is spooking him at the moment isn't it? He is ok health wise isn't he Gray? I wonder if the bonding and all the changes have destabilised him a little and made him more on edge... I am hopeful it will settle when they move into their permanent home and get back to normal in their routine. If it continues it might be worth having him checked over by the vet (take them together now they are bonded) because I have found buns who are poorly or on the verge of being so are more jumpy and nervous, instinctive response no doubt because they feel more vulnerable.
 
this is totally unusual behaviour for him raine, and yes, they are in a smaller pen than usual, as they are being bonded atm - i appreciate it could be frustration, its just really odd though :?

It sounds as if its because of the changes, smaller pen and a new bunny. How is the bonding going?
 
Something really is spooking him at the moment isn't it? He is ok health wise isn't he Gray? I wonder if the bonding and all the changes have destabilised him a little and made him more on edge... I am hopeful it will settle when they move into their permanent home and get back to normal in their routine. If it continues it might be worth having him checked over by the vet (take them together now they are bonded) because I have found buns who are poorly or on the verge of being so are more jumpy and nervous, instinctive response no doubt because they feel more vulnerable.

Yeah, he's not a happy bunny at that time of the night :( It's quite upsetting to see him so distressed. The odd thing is, he's absolutely fine at all other times, in fact they are both currently lying together after a 20 minute long mutual grooming session!

He's absolutely fine health wise, they both had a vet check-up the week before the bonding and yes, my vet is rabbit savvy, they have two exotics experts :) I've been very impressed with them so far.

They are moving into their new permanent home on Sunday earlyish AM, to give them the whole day to settle, as i won't be leaving the house at all, so can keep a close eye on them both.

I think i'll call my vet and get a checkup for them both booked for monday just to be on the safe side, unless something urgent occurs and i'll take them in immediately. Do you think thats an alright plan of action?
 
It sounds as if its because of the changes, smaller pen and a new bunny. How is the bonding going?

Bonding is excellent, they appear to have a very strong bond, from the 5 days they have been together so far :love:
 
Sorry Biscuit is still get spooked through night. It seems really odd when otherwise the bonding has been going so well. :?
 
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