My Rabbit Goes Crazy When I Leave

[Liz]

So here’s the thing..

I was on a business trip for 2 weeks in Norway, and I had my mom watch my rabbit. She’s one of the very few I trust to watch him because he can be a handful at times. His normal behavior is pretty tame. He’s very social and likes to run around on the carpet, lay down, sit with his animals, eat (a lot!), jump in his bed, sleep, and be rubbed while watching TV. (I know, it’s the life we all wish for). He knows what places are OFF LIMITS! (e.g. behind the couch, on the coffee tables, up on/in the bookshelf, over by the fish tank, etc.) I never have to tell him twice, a simple NO usually gets him to back away.

Anyways, during my trip, my mom keeps calling me saying Peanut is acting insane!! He’s running behind the couch, throwing bedding out of his cage, climbing up the bookcase, chewing my carpet, and chewed through his whole food bowl!! I’ve only seen him do that once when he had surgery and was on pain meds and acting crazy…then he fell asleep LOL.

When I got home, all Peanut did was hide (probably because he knew he was in trouble). Can anyone explain his behavior?? Why did he act so crazy for my mom? He’s met her a million times! She even slept at my apartment so he wasn’t alone.

Any thoughts?

[Luna]

Not speaking from personal experience, but other members here have had their buns act a little different while they are away from home for an extended period of time. Assuming he has no medical issue, he should return to his normal behavior in a while .

[Wick & Fable]

Probably because you weren’t there, he felt less required to adhere to the usual parameters. Wick does this commonly with peeing on the couch. Rabbits are definitely capable of state-dependent learning, where something applies as long as a “state” is present. In this case, when I am present (state), Wick knows he needs to use the litter box and he can’t go in the bathroom or the coffee table. When I’m not there, he does whatever he wants. Goodness.

If you leave again in the future, best to barricade those places. You may want to begin having your mom be associated with the parameters, so if there’s a certain way you say “no” or dissuade him against doing those things, that way he picks up that when she’s there, he too must adhere.

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.

[Liz]

Thanks guys!

Yeah he’s starting to get back to normal now that it’s just me and him again. My mom had to barricade off all the ‘off limits’ zones with blankets and pillows, so he’s learning all over again. No medical issues or anything – he can just be crazy and thinks he’s the boss of the living room!

[JoeyThumper]

this happened to me as well when I went away for a month, I now find that I try and stay away for only a week at a time or they are to spend 99% of their time in their big cage with supervised time out of their cage! mine just tripped the electrics twice and broke my tv and Xbox so nothing major *rolling eyes*

[JoeyThumper]

this happened to me as well when I went away for a month, I now find that I try and stay away for only a week at a time or they are to spend 99% of their time in their big cage with supervised time out of their cage! mine just tripped the electrics twice and broke my tv and Xbox so nothing major *rolling eyes*

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By JoeyThumper on 12/14/2017 9:30 AM

this happened to me as well when I went away for a month, I now find that I try and stay away for only a week at a time or they are to spend 99% of their time in their big cage with supervised time out of their cage! mine just tripped the electrics twice and broke my tv and Xbox so nothing major *rolling eyes*

Oh my god. I think my partner would freak out if the rabbits broke his xbox. He’d probably want to rehome me if I broke it 

[Author]

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