Bun tantrum or just trying to scare me?

[furballlover]

THUMP!THUMP!THUMP!!

Midnight, I’m topping off an aquarium, and Alfred starts thumping repeatedly and with grunts. I drop everything, race to her, and she hops away, pausing to thump again and again. I can’t see anything wrong with her space, Karou her not-yet-bonded neighbor is laying down for a post salad nap, so I go back to what I’m doing. As soon as I walk away, Alfred starts again full blast thump thump thump thump (this feels like a horror story 😕 ) I go back, get her to come over, and crinkle her snuggle bat (bat animal not bat bat). Give her a pet, run my hands all over, no flinching or tooth grinding. Move the dirty blanket bin so it’s not in her view.

Good now?

Nope! THUMP THUMP THUMP *spins in circle* THUMP!

So I figure she wants more pets and play so I do until she calms down.

I walk away and she starts again THUMP THUMP THUMP even louder and faster than before. At this point I think she’s just wanting attention so I figure I’ll finish what I was doing and then give her my full attention.

Two minutes later she’s slowed the thumping down and I walk past her. When she jumps up and slams her foot down so suddenly I jump and nearly drop what I’m hold.

And not another thump is heard.

The little stinker

[Celia & Clover]

My rabbits never thump loudly unless they’re scared. There must’ve been something bothering her. It makes sense that she was less thumpy when you were in sight, because everyone feels safer when someone else is around. It’s possible her last big thump when she saw you was her trying to warn you about the danger you were ‘carelessly ignoring’ 😛 I’m glad she was able to calm herself. If it happens again I’d just go sit with her and make a big show of sitting still and looking around so that she knows there’s two people on guard duty. And then while you’re sitting there if there is something obvious bothering her you might be able to think of what it could be.

[DanaNM]

My rabbits will sometimes get spooked by something and start thumping. My guess is she heard something you couldn’t and was trying to alert you to the danger. Or she couldn’t see you that well and you startled her!  Or maybe you smelled weird for some reason and she didn’t recognize you. Often one of my three bunnies will start thumping and even the other rabbits don’t know why!

Who knows what’s going on in those little bunny brains?

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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