Changed behaviour overnight

[Vicky]

Hello, I need to know if this happened to anyone or someone knows whats “wrong”

My bunny is all cuddly, she naps a lot during the day.. she is a 4 months old bun, I’m going to spay her in maybe two months so idk if this behaviour has something to do with “puberty”..

She always sleeps from 1-5 pm but yesterday she didn’t sleep much, and today her behaviour changed a lot. She is active all day, not napping, always following me around everywhere I go whatever I do. She licks me all the time too then nip a little with teeth but it does not hurt (she has done this before too) She thumps once or twice (I think it’s for attention?) But I pet her literally whole day so I don’t understand. I assume it’s not from feeling danger because there is no strange noise or anything that could cause it.

I don’t know if it is something bad or tomorrow it will be again back to normal. She is eating, pooping and drinking like always.

But I don’t really know what she wants from me, she even got treats so…

Has anyone experience such a thing?

Thank you for any response!

[DanaNM]

Sounds like puberty. The nipping and following could mean she is feeling amorous. 😉

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Really? But could it change literally over night? Like yesterday she was the same as always and today she is like that? 🤨

Should I give her more attention? Because you know I cannot sit all day around her and be with her haha I have stuff to do.

If she is spayed, she will be less like that?

 

[LBJ10]

Yes, it’s like turning on a light switch.

[DanaNM]

Spaying will probably calm it down (especially the nipping) but she will still be friendly and want pets.

You will probably notice some fluctuations in the behaviors, because her hormones will be fluctuating until she is spayed.

Don’t worry about having to spoil her all day. She will be OK if she doesn’t get her way all the time!

 

 

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Yeah of course she has been always cuddly and wanting pets but not like that 😅

I’m really sensitive person so I always want to give her everything she wants even if I have to do other stuff, I hate this. It’s like I love her too much but I give her all my attention and my day just passes by.

Do you think spaying her at like 6 months is okay?

 

[DanaNM]

Anywhere between 4-6 months is normal for spaying. Some vets like to wait till 6 months, especially if the bun is very small, so it’s really up to what your vet thinks.

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Yeah okay because she is nipping me like crazy it hurts hah I hope it stops once she is spayed.

Thanks

[DanaNM]

You can try making a squeaking noise when she nips you (similar to how a bunny sounds when they scream …:( ), sometimes that communicates to the bun that they are hurting you. Bunnies nip each other a lot and it doesn’t hurt them because of all their fur.

Also notice whether you are unintentionally rewarding the nipping behavior. Are you giving treats or pets when she nips you? Our pets all try very hard to turn us into vending machines, so we have to be careful that we aren’t accidentally training them to do things we don’t like!

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Oh yes thats a good idea. And I even think I sometimes pet her when she nips me so she would stop doing that.

I’ll try that!

I have just one more question.

She started to be real cuddly and I can even pick her up however I want. Before we couldn’t even catch her. Do you think it will stay like it is now? (I really like this change in behaviour haha)

[DanaNM]

It’s funny, she sounds a lot like my newest bunny, Cooper. When I got him he was pretty recently neutered and didn’t mind being picked up. He was also very nippy! Now that his hormones have settled he still doesn’t mind being picked up, but I prefer to let him hop up on my lap when he wants to (he still does, and pretty much demands a cuddle session each day). He is also getting a bit less nippy, but will still “tooth groom” sometimes (he will start off licking me and then will start chewing my cloths a little).

So I’m not sure exactly how she’ll be, but I don’t think it will be a complete change to not wanting to cuddle at all.

. . . 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.  

[Vicky]

Yep she was also nipping just like that but now it really hurts sometimes haha

Of course i dont pick her up a lot just sometimes for cuddles and she seems to like it a lot. I don’t understand because three days ago there was NO chance to pick her up 🤨 it’s soooo weird. So I’m hoping she will stay like that from now on (after being spayed too)

 

 

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