Not sure what to do

[Lemski]

I am seeking some advice and input. This forum has been so helpful and supportive I need some input. I have a bonded pair. The female has always been a tad standoffish but lately I notice she has been pretty antisocial. She will come out for treats then immediately goes back in their pen and stares at us. In the summer she had what seemed like a bald spot on bad back so I took her to the vet, the vet thought maybe it was stress related and unsure if it was her or her mate. There is nothing new in the environment. We have had her almost two years. We do have a cat who was adopted after her and I’m wondering if he is the reason she seems so on edge. I’ve been debating reaching back out to the rescue to see what their thoughts were or asking to trail her in a different environment. I’m not sure if this is the stompy teenager phase or if she would thrive in a different environment. She hasn’t ran, zoomed, or did a binky in idk how long. This is really hard for me to even write. I feel like a failure but want what is best for her.

[LBJ10]

Some bunnies just don’t handle stress well. I had a self-mutilator… he would pull his own fur out. It would be for some of the stupidest reasons too, like a weird noise outside. The vet said to give him melatonin. Boy was it hard to find 1mg tablets. LOL  Oddly enough, it seemed to help though. I’ve also heard of people having luck with XS Thundershirts. I think it would just depend since some bunnies do no tolerate something constricting around their body.

For the record, bunnies do change as they become adults. Sometimes they go from hyper, binkying babies to very lazy, sluggish adults. LOL  So the fact that she doesn’t do zoomies, etc. anymore isn’t really that alarming. I think all bunnies are different. I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong.

[Lemski]

How did you give the 1mg tab of melatonin? I wouldn’t even try to put anything on her lol I would try the melatonin to see if it helps.

I know they change and go through stages. She use to be such a delightfully silly bun. Hopefully it’s just a stage.

[LBJ10]

Sorry, I didn’t see this. I don’t know what the dosage is. My bunny was probably around 3.5lbs at the time and the vet said to give him 1mg. How much wiggle room there is on the dosage, I don’t know. Anyway, it was a tablet that I found at a health food store. They weren’t very big, so it was easy to grind one up and mix it with some unsweetened applesauce or baby food. Since I didn’t give it to him all the time, it was OK as a “treat”.

[Lemski]

Thank you! I called and talked to the rescue I got them from. They don’t think she is stressed from the environment and said some bunnies lose patches when molting? I think the rest is just her diva personality LOL but I maybe try the melatonin if it get worse.

[LBJ10]

Rabbits can definitely have bald spots from molting. I only knew it was self-mutilation because I saw him do it.

[RabbitMom2020]

It could be that you smell like the interloper kitty and she isn’t a fan.  For a while I wasn’t allowed to pet my Mango if my hands smelled like my dog Jasmine haha.  My other bun Kiwi was like More Pets for Me!

Mango and Kiwi

[DanaNM]

Can you describe their set up and her interactions with her bond mate?  2 years is a bit old to be going through the teenager phase. Shy bunnies really benefit from having a lot of hides and tunnels around. One of my buns is pretty shy and wasn’t coming out to exercise until I added more hides in the exercise area.

Does she cuddle and groom with her bond mate?

Also how recently have you noticed her becoming more antisocial? My mind always goes to a source of pain, since rabbits hide things so well. There was a very antisocial bunny at the rescue, who was known to be very shy and scared, but that got worse at one point. Found out that he had liver torsion (which he fully recovered from)!

Does your cat tend to pester them? If so, having areas for them that the cat isn’t allowed should help.

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to cover all the bases!

. . . 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.  

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