Hershel has turned into a sex pest - U/D Results back - all clear

[Snowflake-George]

I wasn't sure whether to post this in the Behaviour and Bonding section but I am convinced that something is medically wrong with Hershel.

As some of you will remember, I successfully bonded Hershel and Maggie over the christmas holiday period. They have been living together happily loved up in their puppy pen and then free ranging when I am about for the last couple of weeks.


Over the weekend Hershel has started to incessantly grooming and trying to hump Maggie. I did consider if this was an issue with expanding territory but they have been so relaxed and happy with new areas to explore, showing no sign of aggression or dominance behaviours.

At first I thought that Hershel was finally making a play for dominance, but he then started to make the typical honking/grunting noises as if he was still an intact male looking to mate. Hershel was neutered at 5months old and has never shown any signs of sexual behaviour - the perfect gentlebun . This morning I checked underneath and it is definitely sexual and mating behaviour as his boy parts were out. And I think he has been spraying as there was a wet patch in the pen.

Up till now Maggie has been putting up with his behaviour with no aggression and just moves away from him, which ends with him running after her. I've put her a log tunnel in to give her somewhere to hide from his advances. I am going to make her a shelf tonight so she can get up out of his way. Obviously I don't want to separate them unless I absolutely have too.


Also at the weekend I mentioned to my sister and mam, that I wasn't happy with Hershel general health and was thinking of getting him booked into the vets for a check up. Nothing serious to rush him immediately to the vets, just a couple of niggles.

When he is sitting Hershel seems to make little shuffling movements instead of getting up to hop, it made me wonder if he could be arthritic but then he seems to move more freely and hops and binkies around like crazy when free ranging.

Also since he came inside he has been moulting constantly and he seems to suffer from dandruff when the new fur comes through, so he has been scratching a lot at the nape of his neck. He now seems to have some scabs and a couple of bare patches in his fur, so I was starting to wonder if it could be mites. Checking him out at the weekend, I have also noticed that he has hair loss between one of his hind legs and genetial area and the skin into the crease appears scaly.

Yesterday I have also noticed that he would appear to be drinking more (and I would guess peeing more). His appetite hasn't changed and he is still eating and pooping okay.


Obviously I am booking him into the vets for a check up, but I was wondering what to ask my vet. Advice greatly appreciated. Sorry about the length of the post.

 

[*Funny*Bunny*]

The humping could be Spring fever, you might have to decrease space again if Maggie is not coping well with it or if any aggression starts, I'd watch them carefully just in case, at this time of year lots of bunnies make dominance plays and get more humpy because it's Spring so especially with newer bond it's best to take things slowly if you're still in the increasing space stage as they'll be a little bit more sensitive!

The skin/fur issue could be nothing or it could be something so definitely mention it to your vet who'll be able to take a look and make suggestions

The shuffling and the water drinking could be a bladder issue? When Lilly had bladder sludge she'd shuffle a bit like she was wiping her downstairs area on the rug :roll: and she's clean it extra too as well as spending longer trying to wee. Could be arthritic too, although I've not experienced arthritis in a bunny so can't tell you what it's like! As long as you mention all your concerns to your vet they should know what's likely to be causing the issues and examine him properly

However the shuffling may be nothing, and the extra drinking may just be because he's being more active in the space and with all the humping so he needs more water! So don't worry yourself too much, just get him for a check up just in case

 

[Jack's-Jane]

How old is he ? One possibility is Adrenal Disease, similar to that seen in Ferrets.

http://www.dvm360storage.com/cvc/pr...Exotic_companion_mammal_endocrine_disease.pdf

 

[Snowflake-George]

How old is he ? One possibility is Adrenal Disease, similar to that seen in Ferrets.

Hi Jane. Thanks for the information. He is only 2½ years old (will be 3 in September) but has been neutered since 5 months old. He never showed any sexual behaviour before he was neutered or since. He has never sprayed or humped anything until now.

I did do a google search before I posted and that did come up. It does scarily list most of his issues as symptoms but obviously I didn't want to jump to conclusions and keep an open mind.


Hi FB. Thanks for your reply, I don't want to dismiss anything like Spring Fever but watching him I do think it is more than that. He is incessant about it. Maggie is coping quite well with his behaviour (she's a sweet heart), she will move away but then soon returns to sit next to him if he hasn't chased after her. She obviously is still happy in his company, so I don't want to split them up and I am justing trying to give her areas to relax in away from him.

I've not noticed him having any issues with him peeing, but I won't rule it out.

I guess I need to ring my vets and see when the Exotics vet is working.

 

[Snowflake-George]

I've got Hershel booked into the vets on friday. It's not with Andy the exotics vet I wanted to see, as he wasn't available until tuesday and I didn't want to wait to long. Although the vet I am seeing is still good with rabbits and I trust her to get to the bottom of Hershel's issues.

 

[Jack's-Jane]

I've got Hershel booked into the vets on friday. It's not with Andy the exotics vet I wanted to see, as he wasn't available until tuesday and I didn't want to wait to long. Although the vet I am seeing is still good with rabbits and I trust her to get to the bottom of Hershel's issues.

Hope all goes well for him xx

 

[Snowflake-George]

Sorry I haven't been on to update you all on Hershel's status before now.

Hershel saw my vet Micaela last Friday and she gave him a really good check up but couldn't find anything obvious. He had lost weight from 1.81kg to 1.72kg since November, although she said he wasn't underweight or skinny but she wouldn't want him to lose anymore. So she asked me to get a urine sample from him which was fun, as he wouldn't use his litter tray with the non-absorbent litter they gave me. In the end he pee'd on the foam mats I have in the pen, so I was able to collect it from them.

His urine sample was dropped off this morning and they phoned up at tea-time when the results had come back. Micaela said that his urine was very diluted which could indicate problems with his kidneys and also that it contained a lot of debris in it which could mean bladder sludge. So she is wanting to do full blood works and an ultrasound scan of his bladder and kidneys. He goes into the vets tomorrow morning.

I am allowed to take Maggie in as well to keep him company, although I am wondering if this is the right thing for her. I don't want to risk the bond but Hershel is still incessantly humping her and is chasing her about and if they are in a reduced sized pen I am worried that she won't be able to get away from him and will ultimately risk the bond anyway. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MightyMax]

Sorry I haven't been on to update you all on Hershel's status before now.

Hershel saw my vet Micaela last Friday and she gave him a really good check up but couldn't find anything obvious. He had lost weight from 1.81kg to 1.72kg since November, although she said he wasn't underweight or skinny but she wouldn't want him to lose anymore. So she asked me to get a urine sample from him which was fun, as he wouldn't use his litter tray with the non-absorbent litter they gave me. In the end he pee'd on the foam mats I have in the pen, so I was able to collect it from them.

His urine sample was dropped off this morning and they phoned up at tea-time when the results had come back. Micaela said that his urine was very diluted which could indicate problems with his kidneys and also that it contained a lot of debris in it which could mean bladder sludge. So she is wanting to do full blood works and an ultrasound scan of his bladder and kidneys. He goes into the vets tomorrow morning.

I am allowed to take Maggie in as well to keep him company, although I am wondering if this is the right thing for her. I don't want to risk the bond but Hershel is still incessantly humping her and is chasing her about and if they are in a reduced sized pen I am worried that she won't be able to get away from him and will ultimately risk the bond anyway. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Best vibes that it all goes well at the vets tomorrow. I'm sorry it's looking like kidney issues. I've had more rabbits with kidney issues than I wish I'd had ..

As for taking Maggie - if you feel she could do with a quiet break, leave her behind. I have never found it broke the bond but you will know best. Use your intuition in the morning!

Good luck x

 

[Snowflake-George]

Thank you MightyMax.

I've decided to leave Maggie at home this morning as Hershel chased her around the pen all night. At home she has a log tunnel (to run through or sit on) and a table/shelf to get up out of his way. But in the vets she wouldn't have anywhere to escape too and I think that will risk the bond more than her staying home. Even as I type this he is chasing her around the bedroom trying to mounting and hump her. I think she needs a break.

I will try and minimise any risk when I pick him up by taking his blanket to rub on him and I'll take her as well for the ride home in the car.

 

[biscandmatt1]

good luck for today. x

 

[esupi]

Hope all goes well today and that you get some results soon.

 

[Zoobec]

Hope everything goes well today :thumb:

 

[icklepxy]

Hope you get some answers today. Good luck Hershel! :wave:

 

[Snowflake-George]

Just a quick update:

Hershel had his ultrasound on his bladder and his blood's taken earlier today, they didn't have to sedate him so he is doing okay.

The ultrasound was mostly clear and only showed up a tiny amount of bladder sludge. They are sending his bloods to be tested, which will take about 5 days. The vets are waiting until they get his results back to make a decision as to the next step.

Maggie hasn't been happy without Hershel today and wrecked the pen. But I still think it was the best thing to leave her at home especially since he wasn't sedated. I took her with me to pick him up once I finished work and they rode home together in the carrier.
They've spent the evening snuggling and grooming each other and then Hershel trying to mounting and hump Maggie and her running away. So at least it hasn't risked the bond today. Even with all the humping Hershel does to Maggie, if she runs away and he hasn't followed she soon returns to sit next to him. If he follows she either sits on her shelf or log tunnel, out of his way.

 

[Vegan_Bunny]

Hi I just wanted to say about Hershel's humping problem.

I have a rabbit called Fiver who does this. When I first bonded him Xena he was absolutely insane with humping her. He would not leave her alone and was pulling clumps of fur out of her because he was latching on to hump her. I had never ever seen him like that (and he had been bonded before) and it was a bit of a shock to me. I had to separate them every night to give poor Xena (and Fiver) a break. It took a while but eventually they calmed down. I bonded them at the beginning of March and I do think it was spring fever kicking in.
Now, however, he is bonded to Xena AND Shadowfax and whenever they go to a "new" place, like the run outside or the front room, he will chase them and hump them like mad. :roll: Only when I tell him off will he stop. I debated whether to stop moving them because he can get really bad and the girls get really annoyed with him. He isn't even the dominant one. :lol:

 

[Snowflake-George]

Thank you for the info Vegan_Bunny.

I am trying to keep my mind open at the moment and definitely don't want to disregard Spring Fever as I have witnessed it with George and Harry last year.

If it had just been the humping and sexual frustration, I would have be inclined to leave him to see if it was spring fever and if it would eventually settle down. But with his other issues, my gut feeling is that something isn't quite right with him. He seems to be quite lethargic and quiet except when he is chasing and humping poor Maggie. His general condition is off and he has lost weight. I have learn't over the past couple of years of owning rabbits again not to ignore my gut feeling.

I am just hoping that once we get to the bottom of it, it is something that can be solved. Paws crossed.

 

[Pets mum]

Sending vibes for Hershel, hope results come through quickly xxxx

 

[Sarah1989]

I'm reading this thread and I'm struck by the similarities between what you're describing with Hershel and my Slipper and Blueberry. Apart from the sex pest bit, I could have written this! I had them to the vets about 10 days ago and they had a week of antibiotics (septrin) and extra feeding of recovery food and I'm treating them on a 28 day course of panacur. I went back last Friday and they'd started putting weight back on. Im going to weigh them myself at home on Friday and see if there's any change. I don't know what the cause is so I'm not sure if I feel 100% confident they're 100% ok so I'm watching this thread with interest.

Oh I forgot, I was also given a small tube of clear gel (I forgot its name sorry) to apply to their shoulder blades where the "dandruff" and bare skin is. Maybe that's worth asking for?

 

[Vegan_Bunny]

Thank you for the info Vegan_Bunny.

I am trying to keep my mind open at the moment and definitely don't want to disregard Spring Fever as I have witnessed it with George and Harry last year.

If it had just been the humping and sexual frustration, I would have be inclined to leave him to see if it was spring fever and if it would eventually settle down. But with his other issues, my gut feeling is that something isn't quite right with him. He seems to be quite lethargic and quiet except when he is chasing and humping poor Maggie. His general condition is off and he has lost weight. I have learn't over the past couple of years of owning rabbits again not to ignore my gut feeling.

I am just hoping that once we get to the bottom of it, it is something that can be solved. Paws crossed.

Definitely go with your gut instincts. You are definitely right about not ignoring this. It's so important when it comes to bunnies.

I do hope you get to the bottom of this. Sending him lots of vibes. x

 

[Snowflake-George]

Hershel's urine and blood test results come back yesterday and Andy the exotics vet phoned me this morning to talk to me about them and Hershel. It has left me a bit puzzled what to do next?

Everything came back as normal, urine levels kidney function normal, calcium levels, bloods, etc all normal. Andy said that he did have a tiny amount of bladder sludge but it wasn't at a level to be concerned about, although I might cut his kale intake down. His teeth were checked whilst he was in the vets last week and they were fine, which rules out dental issues.

He said that if I was still concerned, the next step would be to take xrays to see if he did have kidney stones. Although if his kidney function is normal what is the possibility of kidney stones?

Andy asked me how Hershel was doing and I had a good conversation about the issues which I had been concerned about. He is still displaying the mating behaviour and occasionally spraying, drinking and peeing is still higher than normal but he doesn't seem to be straining to pee. He is still shuffling about on his bottom instead of getting up, and he tends to snooze most of the time when previously he has been quite active. I also mentioned my concerns about him losing weight (from 1.81kg to 1.72kg since November) and he confirmed that when they weighed him in the vets last week his weight had gone back up to 1.79kg which is good. His general appearance seems to have improved in the last week, he still has bald patches on the nape of his neck, but the scratches and redness seems to have improved.

I am asking myself if I have jumped in with two feet, got overly concerned with all the humping and read further into the "little issues".

I asked if he thought it might be best to just observe him over the next few weeks to see if the issues settle down as I don't want to put him through another procedure if he doesn't need it. But then I don't what to not do something and then find out he did have something wrong with him. So I think I am going to do that and see if the mating behaviour settles down but I am so confused now.