Shave & a Haircut-2 Bits? (rimshot)

[MimzMum]

Sooo…the mystery continues to deepen.

As some of you know, I’ve been trying to bond Pip and Mimzy now for almost two months. We were going to attempt a one cage living situation this weekend, and it pretty much ended in disaster and separate bedrooms.

I noticed yesterday, that the spot on Pip’s neck where she (or Mimzy, not sure) appears to have torn out fur (about a week ago) has gone from being a quarter sized piece to easily the area of 50 cents. I was hoping this had begun growing back, but no such luck.

There is no redness, injury or sign of parasites (hard to find those in Alaska anyway) but she does itch and scratch a lot (her nails are getting a bit long) and I occasionally catch her grooming her neck very roughly.

She doesn’t fight with Mimzy when they are in the xpen together. In fact, she begins grooming HIM almost from touchdown to the time I remove them to their personal pens. (I’m afraid she’s going to lick his ears off!)

She is also back to throwing her litter box and hay manger at night (especially if she doesn’t get exercise time during the day.) She will chew on just about anything that comes within reach of her toofies. (Which I have checked along with her ears and feeling her jawbone and all seems fine there too.)

When she is not doing any of the above, she is tightly bundled in her sleeping box to the point where you can’t see that she even HAS a neck. The least noise jars her terribly and she doesn’t seem to enjoy being held as much as before. And I had thought that getting her out of my daughter’s room would get her to settle down a bit, since she seemed more nervous in there.

So does this bunny have some kind of anxiety disorder or is she just going bald? 0.o;

One more note: she was overgroomed on the forehead by a bunny at the petstore where we got her, and any bunnies placed in the tank with her after that she tended to groom quite a bit also.

And yes, we are planning a trip to the vet.

[JK]

I wish I could be of some help but I have no idea what’s going on. It does sound like something is up and she is not comfortable. Let us know what the vet says.

[Gravehearted]

hmm – overgrooming isn’t uncommon during bonding, it generally calms down over time. also stress can cause bunnies to overgroom themselves – so it very well could be a combination of both things. some bunnies that are overgroomers need another outlet – you might try a stuffed bunnay to give her something to groom. if there is any sign of redness or irritation, you’ll want to get some silvadine or bunny safe cream to treat it. hopefully you can avoid the dreaded collar – especially since the boo-boo is near her neck.

edited to add – if the doctor does give you a cream, make sure to let it be on the boo-boo at least a half an hour before a bonding session, so  Mimz won’t lick it off Pipp

[charlie82]

Hi!

Is Pip a lionhead x? ‘I’ve noticed on my lionheads that sometimes their necks can look to be going bald when they are shedding. 🙂

xx

[MimzMum]

Well I’m leaning more toward the nerves and her adapting to my daughter’s crazy night owl schedule (just read the post on bunny sleep). Pip is VERY agitated and easily spooked. Just last night I had to change her litter box no less than four times because she’d dirty it in one little corner and start tossing it around to let me know. Just opening a plastic shopping bag to put the fouled litter in as quietly as I could would have her spinning into her corner. I gave her plenty of hay and straw mats to chew, but this didn’t hold her attention long. (Bunny ADHD anyone?) Early this morning, it was DigDug time, (as in it was time to feel like I was trapped in the video game-scratchy toenails on plastic floor…URGH!). Poor Mimzy, he must think he’s in bunny hell, with a noisy neighbor upstairs! He just gets comfy on his sleeping shelf and she would spazz and he’d be up looking around like, “WHOWHATWHEREWHYHOWWHO?”

I personally think Pip is more jumpy now than she was when we first got her. It is unfortunate, but I guess I’ll have to be patient in working her back to some source of normalcy and I do realize it’ll probably take a while. She has to want some kind of routine and schedule, I just have to find out what it is.
I like the idea of the ‘stunt bunnay’ for her, we do have one, I just haven’t left it in her cage because I don’t want it to become a meal some time when I’m not looking and poor Pip would become a ‘stuffed’ bunny in more ways than one.

Sorry I sound kind of circular in my reasoning here, I just had to attend a math tutoring class with my daughter and my head is still replaying percents and PEMDAS on a tape loop. Haven’t made the vet appointment yet, I want to see if I can get bun to calm a little bit on my own. If anything looks awry, I’ll get her in a.s.a.p.

BTW, anyone remember what the Rescue Remedy spray dosage is for a bun of about 5 lbs? For now I just give 2 sprays in her sleepy box, hoping to aromatherapy her to sleep at night. Sometimes it works and sometimes not.
*sigh* I wish I’d insisted on her being int he same room with Mimzy from the start, maybe we wouldn’t be having this problem now.

[poopy]

maybe its mites?

[kimberleyanddarren]

i dont really have anything to say mimzmum but i do have my fingers crossed for u and i hope everything goes ok! keep us posted wont u? (((vibes)))

[MimzMum]

Well since adding the ‘stunt bunny’ to the cage, it seemed like Pip was going to stop chewing that area and I thought I was seeing some hair grow back. But today she is back at it again and I just can’t find the cause. Unfortunately, my vet is off for the weekend, but I think next Monday I’m going to have to make a call.
I am wondering though…I hadn’t given her oat hay in the last week, only wheat. Today, I gave her oat hay and she was picking at herself within the hour. Could she be allergic to oat hay? I can’t imagine, because she just loves it. (Of course I love a good baguette from time to time, but I can’t eat those without consequences either.)

No mites. I’ve checked for any signs of irritation…the skin is as smooth as a baby’s bottom. We have precious few parasites up here and if she had those, Mimzy would be scratching too, I’m sure. They spend too much time together. It’s just this one spot under the left forward portion of her jaw. Hasn’t gotten any bigger…but she’s left it alone all week too, so….
Urgh. I will not rest till I find the source! >.<

[MimzMum]

Just thought I’d add a quick aside, Pips hair is finally growing back in on her neck. She still tends to chew at it a bit, but it looks like she’s on the way to having that spot back.
Thanks to everyone for their advice!

[BinkyBunny]

A strict routine can sometimes help calm down a nervous bunny. IF you can manage it, try to feed, clean and offer exercise and attention at the same time everyday.

Regarding allergies to Oat – I haven’t heard of a bunny being allergic to Oat hay, but she could have some sensitivity to it. I am more likely to think that it’s just part of a the post eating routine. Most bunnies chow down, then do some grooming and then rest, but just put it to the test and try a few days with Oat and a few days without, then with, then without and see if there really might be something to it.
I’ll also check around and see if I can find anything about bunny allergies to hay.

[MimzMum]

Thanks BB! Please don’t go to any trouble on my part at this stressful time, but I appreciate your assistance, thank you!
I do find she does better on a routine, which we are slowing building. She really hates any strange, and even some familiar, noises, so I’m trying really hard to get the whole family to give her some slack. The poor thing will jump a foot in the air everytime a door shuts or a voice sounds too loud. She must have some stellar hearing, even for a rabbit! 0.o;
I do notice that as I’m trying to get her and Mimzy back together now though, she is showing herself to be the ‘boss bun’. She chases him around the cage more now than he ever did her! Luckily they eventually calm down and groom one another, or I’d be worried. ^_^

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