Thumping

[Carolyn]

Hi, I was wondering how everyone handles their bun when they thump for, with lack of a better word, selfish reasons (IE not fear or danger, but obviously having something done that displeases their highness).

My bun has been sneezing for reasons unknown to two different vets, and I received nose drops from one. I gave the nose drops as directed, but today my bun was just fed up with nose drops and started thumping like crazy. And LOUDLY I might add. I don’t want to encourage this behavior, so I just left bun alone to calm down, and of course I get a pile of about 20 cocopuffs and a big pile of pee on this blanket where he has never peed before (it felt like it was on purpose. Definitely did not seem like an accident.)

When I left my bun alone, he would come over to me and get my attention by being there, then step away and thump again, run to his cage, sulk for like a minute, and then when I wouldn’t go over there and just did my thing, he came back to me, when I looked, he thumped, and ran back into his cage, peering over his log at me.

After I left the bun alone for a while I cleaned up the mess and just gave the bun a nice head massage and kisses and now we’re good, but I was wondering how other people handle these bun-tantrums. Do you console right away after a thump? Or do you ignore and sort of show that that’s not okay to thump by turning your back and looking over your shoulder?

I was just wondering how everyone handled bun-thump tantrums. I know medicine and going to the vet and grooming aren’t fun things for a lot of buns, but its not like we’re doing it to cause displeasure. It’s to make things better!! Lol.

[DanaNM]

Oh the bun-i-tude!

I think you handled it the way I would have. I wouldn’t respond directly to the thumping (so as not to reward the “tantrum”), but once he’s calm again I think giving him lots of extra cuddles is a good plan. Also giving a treat and lots of pets right after the medication might help.

I know when I’ve had to give my buns meds they often will be pretty sassy and grumpy afterward, but they get over it. I’m sure the nose-drops are uncomfortable, but hopefully they help!

(Side note, have you considered that you could have ended up with an extra dusty batch of hay?)

. . . 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.  

[Carolyn]

Bun-i-tude!! I love that! (not the actual ‘tude, just that wording lol)

Oooh yeah, and you can totally tell by their eyes that they are displeased, but they’re kind of like “I want to be mad at you but I don’t want you to be mad at me”, and their technique is so obvious and SO CUTE. I had to hold back the laughter at the thumps.

Syrup has been playing the waiting-to-be-fed-pellets-so-I-don’t-have-to-eat-less-appetizing-hay game (which took a couple days but today he’s been surprisingly downing hay like non-other) so since I’ve been limiting his pellets, I think he was already in a not-so-great-mood, and the nose drops just set him off. 

Thanks! I did consider the dustiness, and tried everything from switching hays to dusting it off before giving to the bun, to wetting it a little (although until recently it didn’t get eaten all that fast, so it felt like a huge waste cause I ended up throwing a lot out) and nothing seemed to help. I clean the cage every day now  (before it was every other day ) because his poops have gotten so much bigger (he’s almost 3 months old and as his size doubled, so did his poops). I also tried a different brand of litter and he still has sneeze-fits. It’s been getting better with the nose drops, less frequent and shorter fits, but now who knows if I can get him to finish the nose drops now -_-;;; I have a follow-up appt this Saturday so hopefully I can get some advice on what to do about it. Now I feel I’m going to get more ‘tude when I bring him to the vet this time. This is his 3rd time to the vet in his 3 month life-span.. I feel so bad to bring the stress on, but I want him to get better, so he’ll have to deal. As long as it’s not life-threatening stress, I can deal with bun-i-tude. Lol. 

Thanks so much for your reply!

[Asriel and Bombur]

Bombur thumps a lot. Sometimes for no reason at all except you’ve made a sudden movement. I honestly just giggle at him and tell him to calm down.

[DanaNM]

Poor little bun, hopefully those nose drops finally solve the sneezing.

. . . 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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