dilemma…not sure what to title this :/

[bunnycutie]

 buttons has been doing really really good but latley he has been flipping litterpans, destructing any boxes, thumping and running in circle to get attention. we had been giving him as much as possible, but it doesnt seem to be emough. is he lonely? what are some solutions?

[Elrohwen]

It sounds like he’s bored. Try giving him new toys, new boxes, and more time out of his cage. Any bunny without enough exercise time will act a bit crazy.

When we got Hannah, her owner described her as pretty destructive of paper, cardboard, whatever and would throw things around her cage (like her litter box). She was like that with us for a few days, but since she had 3-4 times more space than before, she quickly settled down. Now she rarely bothers to throw things around because she has enough exercise and room to move around.

[RabbitPam]

Has he been neutered yet?
If not, it is partly teen hormones, but I agree with Elrohwen’s notion that he is bored and in need of exercise and space.
Also, some bunnies like to redecorate.

Try a diggy box for him to play in: shredded paper in a cardboard box with holes to go in and out of and stuffed with the paper to dig and push around.

[Nibbles_NZ]

I noticed my little Bella doing that. When she was in her xpen, she was a lot more noisy and would bounce off the walls in it…litterally! Now that she has the run of a room, she has calmed down a lot. She lounges a lot. She plays too and runs but she is not wild as before. She did eat a hole in the corner of the carpet though

[Beka27]

Pam: Buttons is neutered and he has been for awhile.

Have you given anymore thought to getting a companion for him?

[RabbitPam]

So sorry. Didn’t remember. My suggestion about a diggy box still applies.

[KatnipCrzy]

Bringing another bunny into the house would most likely increase those behaviors for at least a couple of weeks to a few months while adjusting to having another bunny around.  Plus each bunny will most likely do some poo and pee marking in their cage to claim their space before they are bonded.

Giffin and Schroeder have been penned next to each other for months and they both poo along the divider to make sure they “claim” their space.  At first it was poo and pee….so I don’t mind the poo so much- much easier to clean! 

[Balefulregards]

When I see that behavior, it tells me I need to “freshen” the environment. I will change the maze haven, add a new unchewed box for shredding- tie a couple of hay bungalows together with Hemp and cardboard in the middle, so she has to Chew her way through it. New Problems to solve, basically.

Otherwise, she becomes Demon-Bun and gets ever so naughty. Cords get chewed. Things get peed on. Once every Two weeks I will “freshen” the whole arrangement. I forgot the last changeover, cause it was my birthday, so they got bored and Yikes. Hay dragged out everywhere, Coco pees on the carpet – Just a whole political protest going on here. I fixed it all between yesterday and today and they are MUCH calmer.

[BinkyBunny]

The running in circles would have made think he was not neutered either, but since he is, he may be just having some Spring Fever going. The longer daylight hours of Spring/Summer can make even neutered and spayed bunnies a little more nutty. As the longer daylight hours can trigger mating and territorial instincts even if the hormones aren’t driving them as much.

So like the others have said give him things to take out his extra energy on. You could even get him a toy bunny friend for now to see how he reacts. Some bunnies ignore it, others will mount it, while others will snuggle and groom it.

Phone books, diggy boxes, toys where a treat his hidden inside—you can check out the toy test section to get some homemade toy ideas.

Good luck and let us know what ends working for him.

[bunnycutie]

thankyou so much for all the advice! rightn ow he is in the half-bath while we are cleaning his cage (emptimg the huge tray and litterpan, rinsing them both out, vaccuming his cage and so on). so today is dedicated to buttons day i will look for a stuffed bunny or other animal. i think he would enoy it. thanks for all the great toy ideas…maybe i should even buy him some stuff from the BB store….bunny shopping spree!!!! i am starting to work with buttons daily to improve his time out and provide him with toys.

while we are on topic of bunny care, here is how his diet is. it has been like this since he was neutered, last november. any tips, hints…how does it look? he looks and seems healthy on it. so here goes:

each morning(around 6:30 am): 1/4 cup of oxbow bunny bacis T

afternoon(about 10:30): my mom gives him a leaf of romaine, a grape or some baby carrots.

snack(about 3:00 pm):^^^ same as afternoon snack

dinner(about6:00 pm): 3 leaves of romaine, possibly a grape or baby carrot, and herbs if we have any.

cookies&milk before bed(about 9:00 pm): clean litterpan and fill with shaving and timothy hay. sometimes i mix in dried papaya or american et diner treats. then i give him clean water.

please note that times of meals do vary. and this is the guidline that shows when meals happen and what is in them!!!!!!

any adivce? thanks so much again!!!

[KatnipCrzy]

You are on the right track diet wise- but I think there are too many treats/grapes or carrots given- it would be better to have more of a variety of veggies or greens. 

How is he with eating hay?  He COULD get a smaller amount of pellets to increase his hay consumption if you think his hay consumption is low.  Veggies/Greens and Hay should be the major part of a typical rabbits diet- the pellets are just a bonus to add extra vitamins, minerals, etc in my opinion.

My full grown 5 1/2 lb rabbits only get 1 heaping Tablespoon of pellets a day- and I stopped using bowls and I just drop the pellets in so they have to scrounge around for them a little- keeps them occupied longer.

[bunnycutie]

he usually eats almost all the hay i give him, which is quite alot. thanks for the advice katnip. anyway, back on the topic of friends. my family and i have talked about this today and we are considering getting him a dwarf/tiny friend from the cleveland apl(animal protection league). what are your opinions?

[Monkeybun]

I say talk to Buttons about it Take him with you, and let him pick his friend

[Beka27]

That is definitely something to consider. The Cleveland APL has several buns available for adoption. Does your family realize that they would need separate housing until they bond? And that Buttons existing cage is not big enough for two bunnies to live in together?

[bunnycutie]

yes, we do. nd we think that would be a great idea and im glad you two agree anyway, we do have a se[erate cage for one to live in during the bonding process. i am getting my room re-done(laminate flooring, repainted walls, loft bed…etc.). we would keep the two rabbits loose in my room all the time and put them in a cage there at night for sleeping(once they were bonded).

if we dont end up getting another, then buttons s just going to use my room to play loose for several hours a day. good? yes no?

[Beka27]

If your room is configured in a way for there to be minimal bunny destruction, I think that sounds like a good plan!

[bunnycutie]

now that i have finally cleaned out the room… the laminate flooring will hopefully be coming in soon. and we have decided to move buttons into my room! he will still have his cage there, but the majority of the time he will be loose. i will probably be getting some stuff off the bb store for him… or just make my own toys. im putting all the wires in PVC piping and bunny proofing the room

[Author]

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