Inexplicably withdrawn rabbit

[Lemony]

Hi all, I’m looking for some advice. This may be lengthy so I apologize in advance. I’ve had my Luna for almost a year now. She’s about 2 years old and most likely a blue Havana. She was spayed before I adopted her and up until now she’s been a social butterfly.

We spend most nights hanging out and playing with her toys, she knows the words “dinner time” and “breakfast time” and comes running into the room when she hears it. Super intelligent, super playful girl.

The last 2 weeks or so she goes right from eating dinner to underneath my bed and hides the rest of the night. She’s eager for breakfast in the morning, but in the evening I had to start crinkling the bag to get her to want to eat, which is super unusual. She eats all her food (mixed greens and some pellets), and she is still getting a lot of hay (mostly orchard, some Timothy) . I’m concerned because she no longer plays with any of her toys, even her favorite log that she would chew on all day every day, she only lays underneath my bed all day long. She has a bowl of water and pile of hay under there that I make sure she eats. She’s peeing and pooping in her litter box normally.

The only thing I could think of that’s changed in her environment is that a few weeks ago she had to take antibiotics every day (for a UTI) , which she really hated. I had to hold her while she took them and she hates being held. That was over two weeks ago now. I’m leaving town for Christmas and a friend is going to be watching her for 3 days. I’m very nervous about her health suddenly declining or if there’s some sign I’m missing, and I won’t be there for her.

When she’s under my bed she shows no signs of pain. I lay down there with her and pet her while she tooth purrs. I’m just so at a loss as to why she suddenly stopped playing and being an overall happy bunny. Her health seems perfect, and I’m constantly offering new toys. Any ideas on what else I could do to get her spunk back?

Edit: I forgot to mention that for the past year she’s been tidy-ly peeing and pooping in one corner of her litter box. When all of this started she started going in a different corner. Just thought that was odd.

Thank you so much for reading and any advice would be appreciated!

[jerseygirl]

When she was on the antibiotic, did you typically give it in the evening after she’d eaten?

Edit: I forgot to mention that for the past year she’s been tidy-ly peeing and pooping in one corner of her litter box. When all of this started she started going in a different corner. Just thought that was odd.

Do you mean different corner of the litter box? Is her box set in a corner also? If so, did she use to use the corner in the corner but now isn’t? Hope Im making sense!

[Lemony]

Thanks for the reply! She was on antibiotics every 12 hours, so it was after dinner and after breakfast.

I just discovered she’s limping with one leg up! that would explain the change in litter box position. It’s a very slight limp and I only noticed it because she couldn’t go up the stairs. But when she runs away she seems to be using it normally. There are no visible cuts on her and she seriously doesn’t seem to be in any pain which I find weird but good I guess. I suppose it’s time to bring her to the vet as soon as I can

[jerseygirl]

That could explain the change in her habits..

My first rabbit, Jersey, once sprained her front leg. She hopped around on it normally but when she was still, she would pull it up close to her chest. It took about 2 weeks to come good. It happened when I had been holding her and she jumped only a foot down… I still don’t know how she managed to be injured!

She was on antibiotics every 12 hours, so it was after dinner and after breakfast.

I had thought perhaps, being a smart cookie, she was making herself scarce when she thought it was medication time..

[Author]

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