Is this Normal?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 13sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 3 months ago by Hazelbunny.

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- 12/18/2017 at 2:41 PM
  Hazelbunny
  Participant
  75 posts
  A few nights ago I went to pet olaf (my rabbit) and he growled at me, which was very strange for his personality he never growls… especially not at Me. The next night I left him alone because I was very tired, last night I went to take him out to snuggle he growled louder and nipped Me! He than jumped out himself and we snuggled for a bit and there where no more problems. This morning I went to check on him and he didn’t growl or bite me at all.
  
  He got neutered a little over 2 months ago and has been acting different since, could this all be normal? Or is something wrong?
  
  I’m bonding him with one of my other bunnies, could he be stressed from that? (He never seemed stressed) or is it just new attitudes from the neuter?
  
  He is 3 years old.
  
  If any one has had similar experiences I would love to hear it. thanks!
- 12/18/2017 at 2:53 PM
  Wick & Fable
  Moderator
  5834 posts
  There’s a hormonal spike which occurs following a neuter, so it could be from that.
  
  The bonding is a significant change as well, adding in threats to one’s territory. How is bonding progressing and what steps are you doing? Maybe it’s going a bit too quickly and Olaf has become defensive because of this.
  
  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.
- 12/18/2017 at 3:04 PM
  Hazelbunny
  Participant
  75 posts
  Posted By Wick on 12/18/2017 2:53 PM
  
  There’s a hormonal spike which occurs following a neuter, so it could be from that.
  
  The bonding is a significant change as well, adding in threats to one’s territory. How is bonding progressing and what steps are you doing? Maybe it’s going a bit too quickly and Olaf has become defensive because of this.
  
  The bonding is pretty much finished and is now like play dates. I really could do the cementing session but I want to be extra sure they are ready.
- 12/18/2017 at 3:09 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Ophelia never grunted at me before her spay. Afterward, I noticed that she would grunt a lot more frequently, especially if I was going near her tummy. I wonder if rabbits get a kind of “PTSD” after the surgery. Ya know, they go there normal, then they get knocked out and wake up in pain and stressed, so maybe they make this association like “what the hell man, last time hooman touched me I ended up really hurting” ???
  
  Could also be that you are bonding him. When Ophelia would smell the other rabbit on me she would scratch at me, dart around like crazy and grunt like she was so pissed off.
- 12/18/2017 at 3:15 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Well how have you done the bonding? Play dates are really like the first step of bonding. They should be able to spend long sessions together (like 8 hours) without any aggression before you start doing marathons of spending overnight together, which is the cementing part before transition to full on living together.
- 12/18/2017 at 3:20 PM
  Hazelbunny
  Participant
  75 posts
  Posted By BunNoob on 12/18/2017 3:09 PM
  
  Ophelia never grunted at me before her spay. Afterward, I noticed that she would grunt a lot more frequently, especially if I was going near her tummy. I wonder if rabbits get a kind of “PTSD” after the surgery. Ya know, they go there normal, then they get knocked out and wake up in pain and stressed, so maybe they make this association like “what the hell man, last time hooman touched me I ended up really hurting” ???
  
  Could also be that you are bonding him. When Ophelia would smell the other rabbit on me she would scratch at me, dart around like crazy and grunt like she was so pissed off.
  
  Ophelia was probably hurting because spays are actually surgerys and the surgery was around her tummy, so she would grunt and growl if you touched her tummy because it hurts. Olaf was neutered and was not a big surgery, and his neuter was 2 months ago so everything is all healed up. He just started growling now that’s why I’m confused.
- 12/18/2017 at 3:29 PM
  Hazelbunny
  Participant
  75 posts
  Posted By BunNoob on 12/18/2017 3:15 PM
  
  Well how have you done the bonding? Play dates are really like the first step of bonding. They should be able to spend long sessions together (like 8 hours) without any aggression before you start doing marathons of spending overnight together, which is the cementing part before transition to full on living together.
  
  Oh the play dates are pretty long I forgot to mention that ?. The play date are usually 2 hours or more and if I have free time I will play with them both.
- 12/18/2017 at 5:56 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Well, I wasn’t talking about right after her spat. Yes, naturally that would be a problem. But before her spay she never grunted. Even months later, I cannot touch the tummy without getting grunted at lol. So I was just saying that maybe it was something that stuck with her, like a “PTSD kind of thing”, but not really ptsd. Lol. I know most buns don’t like their tummies touched, it’s just that she started grunting at me after her spay.
- 12/18/2017 at 6:13 PM
  Hazelbunny
  Participant
  75 posts
  Posted By BunNoob on 12/18/2017 5:56 PM
  
  Well, I wasn’t talking about right after her spat. Yes, naturally that would be a problem. But before her spay she never grunted. Even months later, I cannot touch the tummy without getting grunted at lol. So I was just saying that maybe it was something that stuck with her, like a “PTSD kind of thing”, but not really ptsd. Lol. I know most buns don’t like their tummies touched, it’s just that she started grunting at me after her spay.
  
  Oohh ok lol. Maybe she thinks that if you touch it that it would hurt still.(or what you said)
- 12/18/2017 at 7:06 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  I’m not sure you’re understanding me, but nevertheless!
  
  In addition, they should be spending more than 2 hours a day together. Usually, when you cement a bond, you want the rabbits to be able to be together for extended period of time (more like 6-8 hours) without any aggression. You’ll want dates that are 6-8 hours for at least a week, then you can try a few days marathoning to “cement”. The issue with them just having dates of 2 hours is that buns are sort of like humans, and they can get testy after spending 3,4,5+ hours together. You want to ensure that they don’t get “testy” and start to have little disagreements that lead to fights. It’s important to ensure that they won’t be springing into random brawls when you aren’t around. If you want to make a thread in the “bonding section” we can give you advice.
  
  Just to be clear, I’m not saying that you’ve done anything wrong, and it’s great that they spend 2 hours together. But, as I said, it is imperative that you establish that they can tolerate each other for many hours, and after that you can move to cementing. I just would hate for you to consider them bonded and hen something horrible happen, like a fight, when you aren’t around. That could really set them back so you want to make sure they are absolutely ready!
- 12/19/2017 at 5:23 AM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Maybe he growled because he didn’t realise who you were at first.
- 12/19/2017 at 7:07 AM
  Hazelbunny
  Participant
  75 posts
  Posted By sarahthegemini on 12/19/2017 5:23 AM
  
  Maybe he growled because he didn’t realise who you were at first.
  
  I was thinking that somthing like that happened. Or maybe he didn’t see me and got scared.
- 12/19/2017 at 7:18 AM
  sarahthegemini
  Participant
  5584 posts
  Posted By Hazelbunny on 12/19/2017 7:07 AM
  
  Posted By sarahthegemini on 12/19/2017 5:23 AM
  
  Maybe he growled because he didn’t realise who you were at first.
  
  I was thinking that somthing like that happened. Or maybe he didn’t see me and got scared.
  
  Definitely a possibility. Bunnies don’t have great vision. Although mine don’t growl, they’ve thumped before when I’ve gone into their room because they didn’t realise it was me. When I check on them during the night, I always make sure to talk to them quietly as I’m entering their room and that definitely helps.
- 12/19/2017 at 7:25 AM
  Hazelbunny
  Participant
  75 posts
  Posted By sarahthegemini on 12/19/2017 7:18 AM
  
  Posted By Hazelbunny on 12/19/2017 7:07 AM
  
  Posted By sarahthegemini on 12/19/2017 5:23 AM
  
  Maybe he growled because he didn’t realise who you were at first.
  
  I was thinking that somthing like that happened. Or maybe he didn’t see me and got scared.
  
  Definitely a possibility. Bunnies don’t have great vision. Although mine don’t growl, they’ve thumped before when I’ve gone into their room because they didn’t realise it was me. When I check on them during the night, I always make sure to talk to them quietly as I’m entering their room and that definitely helps.
  
  That’s actually a good idea I will definitely be doing that. Thanks!
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