Destructive Behavior During Molt

[Korana]

Hello!

I have a 3 year old neutered Havana male. He’s normally a very sweet boy, who is very clean and particular about his hutch and room.

However, whenever he molts he goes into “hulk mode.” He tries to destroy everything. His favorite thing is to start throwing his liter box upside down, often times dragging it to his ramp and dumping it on the carpet (thankfully, the whole box doesn’t fit through the hutch opening!) He also pays extra attention to his toys during this time – a toy barely played with for the past few months may suddenly turn up in shreds. He has been mean towards me a time or two in the past during his molt, but is still generally well mannered towards his people.

I’m curious if this is normal behavior for a molt, or if he’s trying to tell me something. Googling results just brinks back this behavior if it’s regular, which it is not, and the answer there is usually to neuter, which he is. I brush him daily during this time. Eating, drinking, and box contents are normal.

Anyone else have a molting-hulk?

[RabbitPam]

It’s normal for them to become cranky during a molt. Your guy is pretty bad, but it is still probably normal for him.
My bunny Spike has just gone through a molt, and he has been Mr. Growlypants a lot lately, especially this morning. I thought he was done, but we had a little upset in the house early this morning and he reacted like it was just terrible. (It was not about him, but you wouldn’t know from his behavior.) So he growled, ran around his house, ran out, tore paper towels and tried to get to the floor lamp. He growled, pushed at me and was generally a little bad bunny. I told him to get back into his house.
He did!!!! I was so shocked, but he ran into his xpen and settled down, waiting for the rest of breakfast.
So yes, they can get moody and mean and obnoxious. That’s why they’re cute. Protection.

[Korana]

Oh, how cute (the going back home, not the growling!) Mine takes patience and a bit of dried apple slice every night before he goes back in his. If he goes in, and it’s not before bed, he literally will not let me shut the door!

On a whim, I replaced his litter box with an identical litter box (both clean) and suddenly he stopped dumping it. He’s still quite grumpy, but momma splurged and bought him a giant bag of wicker balls today, so hopefully those will get him through the rest of the molt!

Thank you, it’s good to know this is normal and he’s not undergoing some horrible experience that I’m not helping him enough with!

[Author]

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