Main question: Wick binkies and zoomies immediately before going to bed (recent behavior change; approx. 1-2weeks I’d say). It’s cute, but I’d like to get some opinions because Wick has picked up binkying/zoomying for reasons outside of happiness now, so I want to see if this could be him trying to confuse me (a predator) of where he’s going to sleep before he does it, or if he’s just super pumped to go to sleep. This happens at both his night time and day time sleep periods, so it does not always coordinate with everyone going to the bedroom to sleep. If anyone else’s rabbits do this, I’d feel much better in assuming he’s happily going to sleep, rather than doing so in slight fear.

Info on his non-happy binkies/zoomies:

I commented on another topic in regards to Wick and the fact that he’s adopted some new ways to express emotions. People have said in the wild, rabbits will do this typically happy-associated movements to veer predators and confuse them, and I think Wick has begun to do this. He may be on high-alert about me to some extent, because he is now on month 3 of daily topical treatment for fungal infection. This means for a cumulative half-hour to hour every day (15-30min in AM, 15-30min in PM) for the past 3 months, he’s put up with me washing and cleaning his face and neck with Q-tips, despite his daily attempts to run away and nip at me every time I go back in. So he’s learned a bit of helplessness during topical treatment time, but he still puts up a fight (which makes me happy actually. I don’t want him to become complete hopeless). From this, he’s come to lunge forward at almost quick movement in front of his face either in defense or because he knows after suffering the topical treatment, he’s always presented with food. For the past month, he’s adopted the non-happy binky behavior. Sometimes instead of just hopping away or a slight nip, he’ll literally jump and turn towards my hand when petting him. It’s a dice roll on if this is happy or him trying to leave, but he typically leaves shortly after doing it. He also does lots of zoomies and kicking binkies on the futon, and I watch him like a hawk during this, because historically it has built up to him peeing on the futon. He never does it when I watch him, but once my eyes are away, he’ll try. I think in many of those instances, they aren’t necessarily happy binkies. He also zoomies along the top of the bed (across the pillows on top without running over my face) multiple times in the morning to try and wake me and his other parent up. He’ll give up and go nap somewhere, but then come back and do it. It could be a happy frustration of “hey let’s get up and start the day!”, but knowing Wick, I think it’s more “Hey. I want my veggies. LET’S GO!”. During last-straw mentality for him, he’ll dig on the bed and pee in between my and his other parent in the bed. This has only happened once, but you can imagine we put a stop to that right away, haha.

On the plus side, his topical treatment is almost over. I think. It’s the third wave of ringworm, so who knows what can happen after I say it’s done. So I’m hoping he won’t feel as compelled to be so evasive (and cute) in his maneuvers once he realizes he doesn’t need to do topical treatments anymore.

Any thoughts?