Bunny Personality Change

[Mose]

When I got my Mini Rex, Moseley, I did ALOTof research to make sure I was taking good care of him. Anyway Mose is just over 2 months old and I’ve noticed a big personality change when he started living in a cage. He used to be in a bunny proof corner of my room blocked in by a makeshift barricade. It wasn’t convenient but I didn’t want him in a little cage and he could squeeze through the giant dog cage I bought him. He used to try and jump up on my bed and was super social. He didn’t want to leave me alone. Lots of licks and a few nibbles and he liked to cuddle. He’s in a 8 square foot cage now and I give him attention all the time. He has toys, a tunnel, lots of hay, eats good food and I have a frozen water bottle in the cage with a fan blowing on it and he totally digs it but now he acts like I don’t exist and doesn’t even get excited about leaving his cage. He’s not nearly as affectionate, any thoughts would help. Thanks y’all! PEACE

[Sofia]

How old was he when you got him? I’m pretty sure that they should not be separated from their mothers before 2 months of age, as it can cause health problems. But from what I’ve read rabbits are a lot more social and affectionate when they’re babies, and will get along with anyone practically. Maybe the hormones are starting to kick in already? He could be going through puberty and like humans, is starting to get a little moody. You should consider getting him neutered to get rid of the hormones and agression, but not now as he’s way too young. The house rabbit society says that you can get him neutered at around 3 and a half months of age. But if you want you can wait until 4 months to be safe, as surgery is riskier on younger rabbits.

[Mose]

Thank you so much for your reply! He was about 2 months when I got him from the pet store. Who by the way takes really poor care of their rabbits, I learned. I’ve had him for about 10 days so possibly. Is nuetering him concidered the best way to care for the bunny? I haven’t started doing that research yet but I have heard from many people to do it.

[kurottabun]

Pretty much all pet shop bunnies live in a situation that’s less ideal. Bunnies in general have their own ways of displaying affection – baby bunnies are generally cuddly but most of them stop being so once they’re older. 2 months old is a little young for hormones to kick in, but it’s not entirely impossible. If it really is hormones, then Moseley could just be growing up and becoming less affectionate, just like many other bunnies.

Like Boo said, babies should actually be with their mothers until they’re 2 months old. Although you got him at 2 months old, you wouldn’t know when the baby was actually weaned – he could’ve been weaned way earlier than supposed to. Have you brought him to a rabbit savvy vet for a health check? Apart from hormones, a sudden personality change could sometimes also indicate an illness. Is Moseley hunching in a corner all the time? How is his poop and pee like?

If Moseley is really a male bun (because baby bunnies are hard to sex and he could actually be a she), and if you’re planning to keep him as a single bunny, then neutering isn’t 100% necessary. A lot of people neuter their male buns to stop hormonal behaviour (humping, spraying pee, bad litter box habits, biting etc.), and it can also prevent testicular cancer, but it’s not as important as spaying a female bun. If Moseley turns out to be female, spaying is essential because uterine cancer is extremely common and an unspayed female can also have false pregnancies, which is a very stressful thing.

If you’re going to get another bun though, then neutering or spaying is 100% necessary for bonding purposes.

[Author]

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