Cage anxiety after coming from the clinic

[BigJ111]

Hi, we have had happy bunnies in the family for over 17 years, so I’m not new regarding their behaviour and needs. But I’m facing something new at the moment and was wondering if anyone else has been through this and would have suggestions.

The bunny recently had to spent a night on IV at the clinic after a GI stasis episode. Apparently he got really agitated over there in the cage, trying to get out of there for most of the time… He’s been back home for two weeks now and we noticed a form of cage anxiety he didn’t have in the past. He has no problem going back in to go to the toilet for example or eat hay, however, the second we close the cage door behind him, he just stops whatever he was doing, gets anxious and agitated. Does anyone have an advice about how to help him with this? We of course pet him in his cage to help him calm down, but sadly, we live in an old house that cannot be fully bunnyproofed and letting him free range all night or when we’re away is not an option, if only for his own safety.

Thanks in advance.

[prince dorian the bun]

Could you put an x-pen fence around the cage? Not sure, but maybe it would maybe make him feel less trapped if he has a bit more room.

[BigJ111]

He is used to be free range most of the time, if there’s a gate/fence on his way, he just gets really annoyed. But I don’t think the problem is space per se, as before we had to leave him for a night at the clinic, there was no issue whatsoever. he knew in the evening that it’s time to get in, have snack and got to sleep. I suspect he got scared alone in a cage that wasn’t his at the clinic and maybe being enclosed now reminds him of that. Just not quite sure how to help him. Not even certain if it’s the cage itself, or some kind of separation anxiety.

[prince dorian the bun]

if it is separation anxiety maybe music could help, I play my buns either really mellow classical or lofi, or even just videos of water with bird song or such. It seems to calm them.

[BigJ111]

That’s a great idea, thanks! He usually goes to a specific spot in the room to listen (for the best acoustic I guess) when we play music he likes, but I somehow haven’t thought of trying to play him some relaxing music in the evening.

[DanaNM]

Aww poor little guy 🙁  How long has it been like this?

I wonder if you could try some calming herbs or rescue remedy?

perhaps also a bit of positive association with the fence? for example, if you feed him his salad and pellets only when the cage is closed, but then open it right back up again?

I also wonder if he will settle again in time, if this happened recently?

Some buns also get upset at bars, but they are ok if they can’t see through the barrier. You could try hanging some towels or a sheet over the fence walls to see if that helps him settle a bit.

. . . 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.  

[BigJ111]

He’s been like this for over a week.

There’s always a towel covering part of his cage at this time of the year because the nights are very light and short in summer here.

Regarding the calming herbs, we’ve been trying lavender from our garden in the past 2 days, as we have this Pet Remedy calming spray, but they use it at the clinic and the whole place smelled like this, so I think that instead of calming him down as it should (and did in the past), it just reminds him of the clinic…

The main issue is in the evening when we go to sleep, so reopening the cage after giving him food can’t really be done. That’s also why, somehow, I’m not sure if it’s the closed cage itself or some kind of separation anxiety. There’s almost always someone home, so it was a first for him to find himself without familiar faces in a strange place at the clinic. I’m convinced with time it will get better, but trying right now to find ways to help him get back to normal.

[DanaNM]

Hmm, what about an extra special “boredom buster” toy that you can give him only in the evenings when it’s time for bed?

What are the main stress behaviors that he’s showing?

. . . 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.  

[BigJ111]

We tried to give him activities he usually enjoys outside his cage during the day, like apple sticks, hay rolls/cookie but that doesn’t help. Basically, he has no problem getting into the cage on his own when it’s bedtime, as per usual, and start checking his food bowl or hay stack, but the second we close the door behind him, he freezes, jump on the elevated level of his house and look at us with big eyes (he has his typical anxious face and posture). And then he tries to push the top of cage open with his head, which he has never done before, and keeps going up and down his house. We pet him for a while, he calms down, and as soon as we leave the room, we hear him getting agitated again.

The vet confirmed his behavior is clearly related to the night he spent at the clinic and it should pass and get back to normal soon once he realises that everything’s fine and there’s no reason to get anxious, but it’s still heartbreaking to see him like this every evening. It has been less bad in the past two nights, still clearly a bit anxious but not as agitated. So I’m mostly here to see if someone had that kind of experience as well and found a way to help the bunny relax in the meantime.

[RabbitPam]

I haven’t had this per se, but I think your description of separation anxiety contains the solution. Is it possible for a couple of nights, to call to him as your approach his cage later in the evening and go in to say Hi, hang out (not with more pets)  for a few minutes, then leave again? Don’t go in when he is agitated-he’ll think he can call you back that way- but pop in and out unexpectedly several times over an hour or two. The idea is to let him know you are still there, all the time, just out of sight when he’s home. You haven’t left him as long as he’s at home. Any minute you could show up, so he may get reassured that you’re always in the house even if not in the room.

[BigJ111]

Sounds like a good idea, I’ll give it a go tonight. Thanks

[Author]

Messages