Why would a rabbit start thumping for hours in the early hours of the morning?

So this past week, on two occasions the rabbits have woken up and started thumping...so loud that they woke my parents up. (they live in a shed in the garden) They were thumping on a wooden shelf so it was pretty loud...The first time, my dad went out and saw it was monty...because bailey was in the run...but monty was on the shelf, and when my dad comforted him he stopped. This morning they were both on the shelf...my mum woke me up, she heard them thumping...I checked on them and they were both snuggled together, and when I went up to them they stopped...and then they were ok :? The first time, monty was thumping for a good few hours I was told..I think they may have seen a fox through their window...because they aren't scared of cats....They both seem perfectly fine, both have huge appetites and are as playful as ever...anyone have an idea on what may have spooked them? :S

I'd be pretty certain it's a Fox

Mine do it just as I'm trying to get to sleep, I look outside, there's nothing there, I swear they just do it to annoy me :roll: :lol: Maybe they just heard a strange noise?

I have heard bunnies do this when foxes are around, but then, could be cats bothering them or something.

Are they completely secure? :wave:

this time of year almost 100% fox

yeah they're very secure...my dad seems to think it wouldnt be a fox because the rabbits dont know what they are :roll::lol:. But I have seen them around the road outside my house in the early morning...

Jack's-Jane said:

I'd be pretty certain it's a Fox

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around 4am seemed to be a prefered time in your area, from expeirence

fliping nightmare

though to be fair id rather a thumpy bun when theres danger about, frosty was fab at it, take 15 to 20 mins for the fox to show in the garden, but shed know there was onearound, its when they sit oin the fence and call there mates thats a bit freaky

Jenson does this sometimes too, it's not a constant thumping, its a thump, a gap and another and he just keeps going until I get up and go and ask him what's wrong.
He's an indoor bun but I think he can sense foxes outside (nothing when I look outside).
You'll laugh at me for this, but I leave a light on in the hallway for him, it helps.

Do you have a security light that will come on?

I have indoor buns and yuri does this a lot! at around 3-5 am then she digs like mad

I thought it was pretty normal bun behaviour

shes been neutered now so I dont know if she will continue or not

Jenson said:

Jenson does this sometimes too, it's not a constant thumping, its a thump, a gap and another and he just keeps going until I get up and go and ask him what's wrong.
He's an indoor bun but I think he can sense foxes outside (nothing when I look outside).
You'll laugh at me for this, but I leave a light on in the hallway for him, it helps.

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awh I think thats really cute!! I might just go out and get a security light...but there are a lot of cats around, and one might trigger it...

Double your mesh if you haven't already.

My last bunny was a constant thumper....so much so that he ended up with several layers of carpet throughout his hutch to try to deaden the noise for the neighbours

Biccy did this during the bonding of B&G. He'd randomly start stamping like a loon at night. We left the windows open in the back room where i did the bonding, so im assuming there was something he heard/could sense/smell was there i couldnt. It stopped once i moved them back downstairs