Smokey – Mean Behavior (help)

[SmokeyBunnyRobinson]

 

Hello everyone,

 

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve been here but this place is the reason why I know SO much about rabbit care and was able to help others, too. But now I am at a loss for my Netherland Dwarf rabbit Smokey. She is spayed, litter traiend and four years old and has been around preschool kids for almost her whole life. This year I took her out halfway through because she didn’t want to come anymore in the mornings.

 

Let me clarify before anyone jumps on me — She is in a supervised classroom with my mother and a teacher I trust very much. They teach correct ways to handle her, only let her out during supervised times, and no one is allowed near her cage to put fingers in, etc. She is VERY well taken care of and seems to like the teacher there more than me : /

 

Moving on, Smokey has become mean, in a short way of saying it. She used to be very friendly and loved pets. But now she doesn’t seem to want to be held, growls at me a lot and boxes at me. All she wants is treats and hay, she doesn’t play with toys or chew woods, and I can’t even brush her while she’s doing her big molt because she tries to box at me and the brush.

 

I am just completely baffled and upset. I don’t know why my bunny is acting like this. Nothing has changed in my house, her cage, her food, her hay, etc. She is eating, urinating, drinking, and pooping all completely normal. She has not had one thing change at all and this change for me was sudden and very confusing.

Has this happened to anyone else? Please, any advice would help me so much. I am at a loss of what to do.

[Bam]

If she were a dog I’d suspect she was in pain of some sort. Joint-pain, early-onset arthritis, sth like that? Adult animals who suddenly change their behaviour from sweet and cuddly to aggressive and don’t-want -to-be-touched would suggest pain of some kind. (At least in dogs. My main experience with animals is with dogs.)

Just a suggestion, I’m sure you’ll get better answers from more experienced rabbit-owners.

Did she change suddenly or over time? Some adult animals grow to be far less cuddly than they were as babies and youngsters. Then they can become cuddly again when they get really old.

[jerseygirl]

I agree Bam. That was my first thought also.

Being a ND, they’re notorious for dental problems. Even though she’s eating as normal I’d still get her molar checked out.
She’s not too young to develop arthritis either : (.

I hope you can figure out what’s troubling her. (((Smokey)))

[LittlePuffyTail]

I agree with the others. Sudden change in behavior can indicate pain or discomfort. I would have the vet check her out asap.

[SmokeyBunnyRobinson]

It was over a period of time, but I just thought she was in her little diva mood because she can get that that sometimes. But it’s every day now. I watch her when I let her out to play in the afternoon and she still does binkies and eats while she’s out of the cage, but she doesn’t really come up to me the way she used to.

When you mean dental problems, do you mean like a cavity or abscess?

[jerseygirl]

Molar spurs. They grow in toward the cheek or tongue.

It’s just one of the things I think is always to good to check with rabbits.
Vets usually look in the mouth with otoscope but its not easy to see the very last molars that way.

[Sarita]

I would get her to a vet for a thorough exam.

[jerseygirl]

What about any changes in the classroom?
Like:New class pet putting her on edge.
Position of her cage moved. Machinery/equipment installed near her cage.

[SmokeyBunnyRobinson]

No changes in the classroom, either. Same spot for 3 years. I made an appointment with my vet for 4:40pm and I’m about to leave with her now. So I’m hoping the vet there (she’s really great with rabbits) will be able to shed some light. I’m really worried because a coworker said if it IS molar spurs, you’re supposed to check them every 6 months to get them filed down — and this gets expensive. And that no matter what her diet and play toys are, that they will just keep happening.

Is this true? Has anyone else been through this?

[SmokeyBunnyRobinson]

So good news from the vet, who was the same vet who spayed her way back when (I was very happy about this because she knows rabbits). She said everything is fine with her weight, health, belly, etc. She checked her teeth and she said the top ones are worn down and the bottoms are “slightly pointy” but nowhere near her upper gums or tongue. She said there was no gum damage or irritation; same with the tongue.

She suggested that I cut EVERYTHING out of her diet except her veggies, unlimited hay and ONE bright colored fruit treat a day. She said having other treats (which my sister is notorious for doing because she begs her) may be giving her “slow gut” and this may be causing her irritation. She said if in 2 weeks it’s not better, then they will sedate & grind down her teeth. If that doesn’t help, it’s on to bloodwork and ultrasounds. All of which will cost me about $600. So I told Smokey this better work! It’s more expensive now because now my vet considers rabbits “exotics”; so I was charged almost $10 more than I used to be charged for her (now $50).

I’m just hoping cutting out her treats and pellets is the trick. She has never been like this before and I will be so happy if her major issue was that the treats were making her grumpy!

[Beka27]

Molar spurs are usually chronic. The time frame for treatment varies. I’ve known some rabbits to have to get them ground down every 2 months… Some can go 6 months or longer.

The molar spurs are usually due to changes in the jaw. Just like with people, rabbits can develop a form of periodontal disease as they age. The sockets “loosen” and can cause the teeth to shift, resulting in the occlusion being off.

[Sarita]

Beka is right – molar spurs aren’t caused by diet but by age. It will most likely be chronic. It is due to a loss of bone density.

[Beka27]

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/dental.html

This is a really good article. It even has a picture of what the spurs look like in the mouth.

Keep us posted on how the diet changes work out for you. I hope you can get this all figured out.

[Deleted User]

Has anything changed that could cause distress? Maybe even a new cage. Some bunnies are sensitive to any little change. I’d also just make sure she is well at a vet.

[SmokeyBunnyRobinson]

Maurice, in my starting post I mentioned absolutely nothing has changed. I literally meant absolutely nothing in her life has altered in any way.

[Author]

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