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Behaviour Change after first visit to vets

Tink123

New Kit
Hi
I'm wondering if you can help or give me advice.

I have a a 4month old dwarf rabbit, and last week was his first visit to the vets, which obviously shook him up quite a bit, he had one injection. When I brought him home he wouldn't leave his carrier which is understandable and seemed stressed, I decided to leave him be and let him calm down I gave him treats to hopefully cheer him up.

Anyway since then his behaviour had really changed, he won't let anyone pick him up without a struggle I think I've held him once since, and he is a house rabbit and just sits upstairs in the dark, he would usually be all over and loved people now he always cowers away or jumps back in his pen so you can't get to him. I've just tried to lure him with rabbit nibbles which he used to go crazy over but he barely comes near , and when he does he looks so worried! It's been nearly a week now I thought he might have calmed down a bit.

Also not sure if I'm being paranoid or he's pooping a lot more. He's also being quite naughty and chewing things he wouldn't usually have done.

I'm getting a bit worried has this happened to anyone else's rabbit is it normal?

Really worried about having to take him to be sprayed in a few months!

Any help much appreciated

Thank you
 
Aww, it sounds like he's feeling a little stressed out. I'd suggest sitting down in his pen next to some treats and ignoring him. Do it several times a day - as often as you can manage (feel free to multitalk by reading/browsing the web/watching tv at the same time. Hopefully that will give him time to realise you're not going to grab him and he'll relax again.

Once he's settled back down, I'd suggest popping the carrier in the pen with a treat once a day, wait til he's been in for the treat and removing it again. You can then progress to closing the door, then lifting it and moving a little and putting him back. That way he can get used to being in it so the next trip is less stressful :)
 
I agree with Tamsin on how to try and help his confidence to improve. I think there is possibly also an element of coincidence here. 4 months is prime time for bunny behaviour change due to hormones starting to kick in, so it's pretty normal for there to be some behaviour change at this time from cuddly baby bunny to stroppy teenager, and this can also include changes to toileting behaviour as they start to feel the need to use their poops to mark territory and becoming particularly chewy!

I do hope your little one settles, and good luck for the neutering :)
 
Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having a bad time with your rabbit. If he is 4 months old he is old enough to be neutered now and it is probably his hormones and not his trip to the vets that have caused the change in his behaviour. Rabbits, once they discover their strong back legs generally don't like being picked up, it's their instinct not to like it. Try spending time with him by just sitting in the same room. Don't try to handle him but stay at floor level.
 
Thanks for your replies, I feel a lot less worried now.

After posting I just sat next to him for a bit n he started n sniff me and climb on me a bit , I will definitely try some of those tips!

Even more strange was we thought he was a girl until the vet trip, so he's gone from cute little baby girl bunny to stroppy boy teen haha!

It's annoying as he/she had just stared to know who people were and be such a sociable , cuddly bunny.

The vet said to be neutered at 6 months , so hopefully he'll have calmed down a bit 'fear' wise!

Also we were debating on getting another rabbit in the summer, would this cause more upset or be a welcomed companion ?

Thanks
 
I think that's a good thought about the hormones. They could definitely be playing a part.

I expect that you'll find it will take less time for him to go back to his usual level of socialising that it did the first time when you brought him home. He already know the routines and people so you aren't starting back from scratch, I expect sitting with him a few times and he'll get braver quite quickly :)

Most bunnies really enjoy having a partner and spend a lot of time snuggling and grooming. The best option is usually a bun of the opposite sex. Once he's neutered, you could look at rescues, they generally have lots of single pre-neutered females which would be great for introducing :)
 
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