MimzMum
Wise Old Thumper
I've recently moved Pip out of my bedroom and into the kitchen next to where Mimzy has been for the last few years since his tilt. It has afforded her a bit more space to be there and (I thought) some companionship in being near her former husbun. It's only been about a week but now I'm having problems with her behaviour.
She is very "nippy" towards me suddenly. Now she can be thus, it"s not atypical, but she'd been tossing her litterbox about and waking me with the noise the last few days and when I went to put it back where it belongs this morning she lunged and bit my hand. Hard enough to let me know she meant it but did not pierce the skin. I was shocked because she's usually avoiding me when I stick my hand near her so this is raising a red flag for me.
She's also been very destructive to other items I've placed for her amusement in the pen; hay baskets and hidey box are chewed to uselessness and thrown about as it suits her. She does not sit near Mimzy when he is on her side of his pen (they are well separated) and he shows no interest in her. (He's usually sleeping all day anyway.)
Wrong move? Should I put her back in my bedroom even though she has less room there? I was really thinking she'd be more comfy out in the kitchen and more chance to socialize but since the cats are out there too maybe they are spooking her? She has sore hock also and I wanted to put her on a softer surface so I put down a memory foam bath mat which she seems to like but is making very messy by pooping/eating cecals on it. :? She also dumped her hay and peed in it the last few days, which she didn't do before. (She does piddle about sometimes and will be checked for bladder issues at her upcoming dental.)
I'm also still battling some kind of bug problem in the house that's driving me to distraction. I don't know if the buns have them or not, we think they came in on the hay delivery this month. I'd actually hoped to move Fiver out to the kitchen as well if Pip settled so they could all be near one another and I might have a better chance of getting my room back from whatever is biting me.
Just need some outside perspective now. Weather is beginning to get colder and I want the bunnies settled and the bugs gone before snow flies and the house needs shutting up like a ziploc bag, as it's becoming obvious we aren't moving anytime soon.
Also, since I think it's mites we're dealing with any suggestions for eradicating them safely would be appreciated. I've tried everything you can find on the net: washing/drying bedding on high heat, menthol and apple cider vinegar sprays, not wearing the same clothes day to day, etc. I had to douse myself head to toe in tea tree shampoo the other night to get relief but not sure I can use that everyday for fear of toxicity...plus I can't use that on the animals and the vet I spoke to a few days ago is unconvinced it's mites and therefore reluctant to prescribe selamectin. We'll be doing skin scrapings at their dentals but that will be a few days yet. In the meantime I'm going mad. :evil:
Many thanks for any and all replies. xx
She is very "nippy" towards me suddenly. Now she can be thus, it"s not atypical, but she'd been tossing her litterbox about and waking me with the noise the last few days and when I went to put it back where it belongs this morning she lunged and bit my hand. Hard enough to let me know she meant it but did not pierce the skin. I was shocked because she's usually avoiding me when I stick my hand near her so this is raising a red flag for me.
She's also been very destructive to other items I've placed for her amusement in the pen; hay baskets and hidey box are chewed to uselessness and thrown about as it suits her. She does not sit near Mimzy when he is on her side of his pen (they are well separated) and he shows no interest in her. (He's usually sleeping all day anyway.)
Wrong move? Should I put her back in my bedroom even though she has less room there? I was really thinking she'd be more comfy out in the kitchen and more chance to socialize but since the cats are out there too maybe they are spooking her? She has sore hock also and I wanted to put her on a softer surface so I put down a memory foam bath mat which she seems to like but is making very messy by pooping/eating cecals on it. :? She also dumped her hay and peed in it the last few days, which she didn't do before. (She does piddle about sometimes and will be checked for bladder issues at her upcoming dental.)
I'm also still battling some kind of bug problem in the house that's driving me to distraction. I don't know if the buns have them or not, we think they came in on the hay delivery this month. I'd actually hoped to move Fiver out to the kitchen as well if Pip settled so they could all be near one another and I might have a better chance of getting my room back from whatever is biting me.
Just need some outside perspective now. Weather is beginning to get colder and I want the bunnies settled and the bugs gone before snow flies and the house needs shutting up like a ziploc bag, as it's becoming obvious we aren't moving anytime soon.
Also, since I think it's mites we're dealing with any suggestions for eradicating them safely would be appreciated. I've tried everything you can find on the net: washing/drying bedding on high heat, menthol and apple cider vinegar sprays, not wearing the same clothes day to day, etc. I had to douse myself head to toe in tea tree shampoo the other night to get relief but not sure I can use that everyday for fear of toxicity...plus I can't use that on the animals and the vet I spoke to a few days ago is unconvinced it's mites and therefore reluctant to prescribe selamectin. We'll be doing skin scrapings at their dentals but that will be a few days yet. In the meantime I'm going mad. :evil:
Many thanks for any and all replies. xx