Scratching door at 6am

[Nikki]

Hello Everyone!

I have a spayed 9-month-old holland lop, Fiona. I live in an apartment. I have a good size room and a bathroom with a common room. Fiona free roams in my room, it is bunny proofed. She has her own little area in the walk-in closet (I never close the door). Her cage is in there with her litter box and some bunny toys/beds. I put a large pen around it when I leave for class. (I am a junior in college) Other than that she has free range of my room, it is nothing new to her.

She usually jumps on my bed around 5 or 6 in the morning to let me know she is hungry. I feed her and try to sleep in a little more. Every single day for the past 7 days she has been scratching on the bedroom door at 6am. It is a totally new behaviour and I try to get her to stop by feeding her, it doesn’t work. I turn her light on, it doesn’t work. I snap twice and she knows that means “NO” but she doesn’t listen and continues to go back and scratch at the door whenever I stop her. 

She will only do it at 6am. She has never done it at a time other than that. I am very confused as to why she has suddenly adopted this new behaviour. Any ideas?

[Wick & Fable]

Just to clarify – She never roams outside your room, so the door she’s scratching is the one to the rest of your apartment, which she’s not allowed in. Is that correct?

Also, how long ago was she spayed?

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.

[Nikki]

She does roam out in the common room but not very often. Yes that is the door she is scratching at. She was spayed 3 months ago.

[Mikey]

Two things I can think of:

1. She wants more room.

2. She doesnt like the door being shut because she cant see out. Consider a baby gate instead of closing your door.

[Q8bunny]

Sounds to me like she has you well trained. Since bunnies are crepuscular animals, 6 is a prime active hour for them. She has figured out that scratching on the door gets you up and interacting with her. Buns are sneaky hoomin slave trainers that way.

[Q8bunny]

And in case you’re perplexed by the 6 on the dot phenomenon, bunnies can tell time with the best of us. My Chewbacca nose boops me right before my alarm goes off in the morning.

[Author]

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