Rabbit going senile

[Paisley&Sage]

Hello everyone. I have a 5 and a half year old neutered male holland lop mix named Paisley. Over the past 6 months, I believe he is in the beginning phases of going senile. For example, he will sit and face the corner of his hutch and just stare at the corner. He has more behavior which seems to indicate he just isn’t as sharp as he once was. I don’t believe he is sick because he is eating and drinking fine and seems happy. I simply think he is in the beginning stages of going senile. Is there anything like a supplement I can give him to keep him mentally sharp? Is there a chew or additive to his water? I do have another rabbit he lives with so the additive must be safe for her too if it’s put in their water. For reference for size, Paisley is 5.06lbs (2.3kg) and his house mate is a bit smaller so it would also need to be safe for a 3.3lbs (1.5kg) rabbit. His house mate, Sage, seems perfectly sharp mentally and like she does not NEED  an additive, but they live, eat, and drink together. Thanks for your help!

[LBJ10]

Thought – How is his vision? One of my bunnies started to act this way when his vision started getting worse as he aged.

[Paisley&Sage]

I don’t think he is losing his vision… he knows where his food and water is no problem and always seems to run over to me to say hi. I thought about that, but I don’t think it’s his vision.

[BrunosMama]

When he stares at the wall like that, is his nose moving? He could just have fallen asleep with his eyes open.

Nearly every lop we have had has exhibited this sort of behavior at one point or another. Not so much with the uppy ears. I just assumed maybe it was a lop thing, as they tend to be more chill. Sometimes they just stare off, as in deep in thought (or traversing the astral plane as we joke often).

As for a supplement, unfortunately I don’t know of one. You might consider asking your vet. They would know what is safe for buns. 🙂

[Wick & Fable]

I wouldn’t call it senile– it’s not a word that could apply to rabbits. It’s likely boredom and lack of environmental stimulation.

Some rabbits need more stimulation than others. This can mean rearranging the space, making food and hay puzzles, etc.

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.

[Bam]

Could he have a hearing problem? Lops are prone. Deaf/hard of hearing buns can get scared easily by things they see, typically fast moving things, because they can’t hear them coming. By choosing to stare at the wall he could be trying to eliminate scary visual stimuli?

Lops are prone to ear infections, which can heal on their own so the owner never notices. Ear infections can cause destruction and scarring deep inside the ears, and that causes deafness/hearing issues. It can be one ear or both and an infection could have happened years ago.

Deafness/hearing problems in humans can mimick dementia. Animals generally do better than humans though, because they’re not at all as reliant on communication via words.

Animals can get cognitive issues in their old age, but your bun isn’t geriatric.

That said, rabbits have a transparent third eyelid that enables them to sleep with their eyes open. So he could be napping. It can be scary for the human, the bun looks awake, but is actually sleeping.

 

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