Change in Theo’s behaviour – otherwise seems healthy

[Theodorusrex]

Hi all,

After a short binkybunny hiatus we are back – seeking some reassurance I guess about Theo. 

The last couple of months have been super crazy, busy, stressful. We have recently bought our own home (woo!) and we moved in at the start of September. Since then I’ve been in Philadelphia for a week, Washington DC for a week and Banff for a week with work as well as my husbands hours being a bit crazy with his job – so you can imagine there has been quite a bit of upheaval for Theo with the move and also going to stay with my parents a few times while I was away or both my husband and I were working flat out for a few days at a time.

I’m a little worried about his behaviour recently though. We were worried about how he’d settle in the new house as when we moved his ‘base’ from the living room to the kitchen in our old house it took weeks for him to settle. But on the first day in our new house it was binkies galore from Theo which we were delighted about! He has a lot more space to run in this new house.

That only lasted a few days though and then he became very what I can only describe as restless and agitated but when I let him out of our living room (which is really a very large room for a living room) to free roam the hall/kitchen/landing/dining room area it seems to calm him, so I was wondering if he was just annoyed that he isn’t allowed to go between kitchen/living room at his leisure when no one’s about like he used to (we have expensive curtains/sideboard/stools in kitchen now so it’s just not an option having him there unsupervised).

But this past week to 10 days his behaviour has changed again and he has been almost too settled (by crazy fun-loving Theo’s standards!!). He has spent a lot of time being very well behaved  (are you ill Theo) and lounging probably 80% or more of the day which is really really unusual. I also noticed last night that his stomach was quite hard and bloated but he has been otherwise been eating like a horse as usual and pooping normally.

I’m confused. Is he just slowing down because he’s no longer a baby (will be 3 in a few months) or is there something in this I should be concerned about? Just looking for some insight I suppose because he’s been acting a little strange for a couple of months now.

Thanks! I didn’t intend for this to be such a long post 

[Luna]

Congrats on your new home! I think it’s always hard analyzing behavioral changes when there is such a big change in a bun’s life. It’s even harder because “you know your bun best” and when he/she does something different, it’s like “now what?” When was the last time the vet saw him? You could schedule a physical exam to help rule out any health concerns. Has Theo’s shedding been ok?

[Q8bunny]

I, too, would do a wellness check at the vets. After that, I would let him be his new?? self as long as he eats and poops and doesn’t seem depressed etc. Sorry it’s not very helpful, but there are so many newish variables in Theo’s life that I would have trouble gauging his state of being as well.

[Bam]

I agree with Luna and Q8. He might be adjusting to his new environment, of course. His age could play a role – at least in dogs, 3 years is like a magic number. It’s when a dog acquire impulse control and gets some sense into its head – ie when it stops being a little (adorable) monster. I do remember that my bun Yohio became calmer and less interested in bunny 500s and binkying in the hall every morning as he neared 3. A wellness check wouldn’t hurt. It’s difficult for a vet though when the “symptoms” are so vague that they might not even be symptoms of anything other than environmental change and becoming an adult.

I know you always keep a close eye on his tummy and eating, and a hard tummy is always worrisome. If it doesn’t soften up I’d see a vet. Is he still having those relatively frequent GI episodes he had a while back?

Congratulations on your new house!

[Theodorusrex]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

@Luna : He had his annual health check and vaccinations at the start of october and all seemed well then. It might be worth taking him in, I had considered it, but then I was thinking what do I say to the vet? haha ‘Hello there my rabbits acting funny fix him please” I still might take him in though.
He is actually growing his winter coat at the moment, but parts of it are starting to shed around his chest, which is of course the only place Theo won’t let me brush so I’ve been trying to pluck it everytime he scoots past me! I swear Theo sheds all year round.

@Q8 Yeah you are right – I was thinking the same myself. Perhaps he is just calming down and I will have to accept this new calmer version of Theo – as you say he is not acting depressed or anything, and seems really rather content. I always worry about him being content with him being a single bunny, and truthfully he really seems to enjoy his own company sometimes as long as he has plenty of space to run and explore, which he does. PS thoroughly enjoying Chewie’s new instagram!! Such a gorgeous bun.

@bam Is it bad that I’ll be really sad if he’s just growing up? lol I will miss his craziness if this is our new norm. He was doing some bunny 500s and binkies last night though which was good to see again – I hadn’t seen any crazy binkies in a couple of weeks!
I am quite concerned about his hard tummy as it still felt a bit bloated this morning. He has no other symptoms though he is eating, pooping, drinking normally and poops are nice and round and a normal size. I’m going to give him some simethicone here just to see if it helps, I figure it will do no harm. If hard tum continues will definitely be taking him in to see vet. He hasn’t actually had an episode in a couple of months now – long may it last! Having said that we have been in this position before and then another episode comes out of the blue.

[Bam]

Theo, I think we all get a little sad when our babies grow up =)

Great that his tummy has been so well! If he really had had a health problem, I think it’d manifest itself as tummy trouble first of all, because he has that proneness. I hope his tummy will stay healthy.

[Author]

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