Help - thumping ALL night - aaarrggggh!

Hi there

PLease help me I am going crazy through lack of sleep! Humphrey has started thumping all night (well I say all night but very regularly, pretty much every hour for about 15 minutes at a time if not longer).
Initially it was rare at night but he has stepped up his campaign and now I am lying awake waiting for the next round of thumping.

We bought him a new cage about a month ago (its about two and a half to three times bigger than his last one) but he seemed to settle into that quite quickly, and whenever we are home he is out and about anyway. So I don't think he is lacking for attention or an upset to a routine. I can't think why this has started to happen. I have so far not gone down to him as I don't want to encourage this but I don't know what to do! Has anyone else experienced this?

Any suggestions would be great

Oh is is neutered by the way
Thanks
Helen

Well, there are two ways you can go at the problem. One sound proofing to reduce the noise he makes and two reducing the thumping.

Placing the cage on a flat surface with carpet rather than wood, use a rug if you like may help. What do you use on the bottom of the cage? Vetbed would make thumping much quieter.

Is there something that could be setting him off? Do you have a clock that chimes hourly, for example? Night time is active time for bunnies so he will need plenty to do. Does he have many toys? You could also try making it take longer for him to eat his dinner by using a treat ball and hanging his veggies (to keep him more occupied).

Tam

Thank you for the quick response!
I also wanted to say that I am basically more worried about him than me as I am concerned he might be scared and it couldn't be good for him to be frightened for that long.

Where can I get a treat ball? I have heard of them but my local pet store doesn't seem to have them. I have tried toys in his cage but he seems totally disinterested in them, have you got any tried and tested successful toys?

Update: have just ordered treat ball on ebay! Great tip thanks

My hamster Alf is in the same room as him and maybe Alf on his wheel or chewing tha bars is disturbing him, I'll move Alf to another room.

I will have a think about Humphs night time entertainment, hmmm home cinema perhaps??

Thanks again!

I think moving the hamster would certainly be a good thing to try.

http://www.bunnymail.co.uk/ has a good range of toys, I recommend the boredom buster which hangs from the roof and you can stuff it with hay or veggies. They also have a treatball you can try, some bunnies use them others don't. The willow toys go down well will most bunnies, they eat them so they need replacing but a twig ball and some rings are usually very popular so worth a try. You could also try a bunny kabob as another thing to attach food too. You could stuff hay through the roll n chew. Bunnies like their food so if you can encorporate that into toys they tend to be more interested.

Tam

Zeus woke me up last night with thumping!

It was my fault - we put the Christmas tree up last night and thought it looked so pretty with the flashing lights I would leave it on for the bunnys to enjoy (left the door to the lounge open so they could see it from the hall).

About 15min after I went to bed the thumping started. Usually Zeus is pretty good and something must be really bothering him to thump last time it was my phone running out of batteries) so I went to see what it was. He was sat in the hall staring through the doorway at the wall and thumping constantly. I went to stroke him and when I looked up I realised from his viewpoint he couldn't see the tree but could see the red and yellow lights reflecting on the wall - it looked like my room was on fire!

Poor little guy thought my house was burning down!

Switched the lights off and went upstairs - no more thumping!

Have you got any LEDs that may be flashing etc as they could also be upsetting your rabbit?

Caz

Tut, tut! You should always turn the christmas lights off when you go out or to bed as you don't want a fire happening whilst your not there

Tam

Caz said:

Zeus woke me up last night with thumping!



Have you got any LEDs that may be flashing etc as they could also be upsetting your rabbit?

Caz

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Thats very spooky that Zeus was a late night alarm clock too, although very sweet that he was warning you of fire!
Nope I have not had time to decorate for Christmas (shame on me!) so no decs or LEDs in the room. The central heating tends to click on and whirr a bit although he should really be used to that by now.

I have just ordered a HUGE amount of stuff on bunnymail (thanks for the link Tamsin) and if that doesn't work then there is always earplugs or plan B (whatever that is!)

Hehe, its is kinda easy to go a little wild on their with the shopping, there are sooo many goodies to pick from. I hope he likes them, if not try giving him the box instead

I put Ben and Lucy to bed at midnight last night and Ben proceeded to thump his feet for 45 mins !!!! :evil:


I'm sure my neighbours are happy this morning :lol:

Claire

Maybe all our buns were communicating using some sort of thumping Morse code last night - planning world domination - I bet Andi and Bernie's Boscov is behind it!!

That or they are just trying to work out where we hid their xmas pressies !

I know Tamsin - but I spent three hours last night with stressy hubby as he couldn't get the tree upright - finally finished at midnight and didn't have time to appreciate it as I was so knackered - figured it would be nice to come down and see it when we woke up!

They are off now - promise!

Caz

P.S. If you bought one with a bell you will regret it - thank god mine devoured the bunny bell ball I bought quickly - the noise was starting to get to me!!

Hi Hels

Do you cover his hutch at night, one of mine doesn't like his run/hutch being totally covered and likes to be able to see out......and often has a thumping session if he hears something but isn't able to see what it is.

Caz said:

Maybe all our buns were communicating using some sort of thumping Morse code last night - planning world domination - I bet Andi and Bernie's Boscov is behind it!!

Click to expand...

That reminds me of 101 Dalmations...the cartoon one...hmmm...now I'm in the mood to go watch that!