My bunny got his foot stuck and now he is terrified! What do I do??

[Alfie and Ellie]

Hi everyone!

I was just walking up the stairs to make a phone call and noticed that my 18 week old Holland Lop, Alfie, was freaking out in his cage. He was running back and forth as fast as he could, which absolutely terrified me. I immediately went over to his cage to see what was wrong, and it looks like he had his foot stuck in his litter box from how it was positioned. There was also poop all over the wall directly behind the litter box.

I’m internally freaking out because I don’t know if he will easily recover from this, or if it’ll cause a lot of trauma for him.

Is there anything I can do to help calm him? I’ve been petting him and talking very calmly to him. He seems to be less shaky, but his heart is still racing and he is very aware of every movement I make.

Has anyone else ever experienced this sort of behavior from a bunny? I really want him to recover easily from this.

[Wick & Fable]

I think it’s a general, he’s spooked, whether it was caused by his foot being stuck (thinking it was something attacking him) or by a random noise that may not be perceivable to human ears. Either way, comforting him and just ensuring he’s safe (maybe give him a small treat) should help assuage any fears. If it happens again and frequently, try to ascertain a specific cause. Pay attention to his behaviors while you’re talking, moving about, and see if anything like that triggered him. Occasionally, there’s a sound I cannot perceive that Wick goes ballistic and thumps at for about 5 minutes. Happens roughly once a month, and I simply comfort him during it and he recoups.

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.

[Author]

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