Bizzare Behavior?

[Deleted User]

Quick – anybody have some answers? I have 3 quick questions about my 2 year old male Lionhead bunny, Mr. Wiggle-Wongle Bunny-Boy…(1) As soon as I pick him up and put him on my lap (BTW he’s a cuddler) he starts digging at me and when I move him to my chest and say “no no Mr. Wigs, that hurts mommy” he does it even more. Why? (2) He doesn’t chew things like everyone else’s bunnies. He does however like to toss old plastic yogurt cups to me with his mouth. A cute game we play. Why doesn’t he have the instinct to keep busy chewing? (3) He has no sex drive. He has never showed any signs of wanting to “hump” things – not even his little buddy Slick Willie the guinea pig. I’m not complaining since I don’t think I would like him doing this all day, but is there something wrong with him?

[Sarita]

1. Digging is a natural instinct for a rabbit. It keeps them occupied. I imagine when you talk with him it gets him excited and he digs more, but really who know, it’s just one of those rabbit things.

2. Lots of rabbits are chewers – some keep occupied and play in other ways.

3. Lots of rabbits don’t hump things – is he neutered?

[Deleted User]

No he’s not fixed. He’s been a loner up until we got his companion (guinea pig) Slick Willie to keep him company. He showed no interest in him and as a matter of fact avoids him. Slick is the one who wants to be next to the bun. Fickle. He is very cozy with me though. I feel bad though b/c I work during the day and he is basically all alone.

[jerseygirl]

Rabbits sleep most of the day so don’t feel bad. You’re likely around when he’s being most active and it sounds like he likes being with you.
I agree with Sarita on the digging etc. It’s probably his play style and chewing is not. When you have him on your lap and he digs, are you holding him there or is he free to hop off? Mine will dig or nip to be let go. But my doe also will dig and chew at my clothes even when she hopped onto me herself.

[Deleted User]

How long have you had the Guinea Pig with him? Is Slick the Guinea Pig neutered? They should both be if they are housed together.

[RabbitPam]

Rabbits and guinea pigs can get along, but they are not natural friends.
Bunnies are great pets for people who work, like me, because they will ignore you and sleep all day anyway, so it’s not at all lonely for them. Mid morning until about 5 is their natural sleeping time. Dawn and Dusk are their most active times.

They say that you watch a bunny to see what kind of toys it will like depending on whether it’s a chewer, digger, or jumper. So yours is a digger. You might entertain him by making a diggy box. Take a plain basket or a small cardboard box and shred some paper – you can shred up a yellow pages because the ink is safe – and fill up the box. Hide a few treats part way down, too. He may enjoy digging inside it, and finding the treats.

[bunnytowne]

Yep some like to dig.   Some people call it scrabbling.  Don’t know why.

Cotton will go through a couple of months of digging on me he jumps up and digs away.   Then he would leave 2 poos.  HE has stopped digging on me for a couple of months now.    The urge comes n goes.

Ruby is not much of a chewer.  Cotton loves to chew.   Ruby darts here n there doesn’t chew or dig.  She pushes too.

[Author]

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