Thumping under the bed, for excitement?

[Manda]

Alice and Serenity are real thumpers. When they were younger and I would round them up to get back in their pen (at the time I let them roam half my room with the dangerous places blocked off), they (especially Alice would thump at me). Now they know that I let them out for 1-2 hrs at a time and they know when bedtime is. Now that I have more time than before, I’ve given them access to most of my room with the bed blocked off (since I have an outlet under the bed I worry about) and I let them roam until they go in their cage in their own (usually after an hour). One time Serenity was able to get under my bed and she started thumping. I got so worried that she was terrified under there. So I made Alice go in her pen so I could move stuff away from the bed to let Serenity get out without Alice getting under. Both girls are currently 7 months old. They aren’t spayed yet, but I’m working on it (since they are in separate cages most of the time and only are together for supervised roam). They both are very mischievous and try to get into trouble. Serenity has managed to sneak under my bed a total of 3 times and she always thumps. I feel like it’s because she knows I’m going to make her come out. Today I noticed that she was trying to get under the bed again. I have bales of hay blocking the way: so she was digging down the hay like usual (too smart), but she started thumping. I’m guessing she really likes my bed and was thumping because of the baricade. I’ve read several forums about different bunny thumping, but I wanted to post my specific situation. Part of me wants to give her access to my bed once I get that Outlet covered (I have a electric bar, the ones out can plug multiple in, plugged into it that goes up to my bed so there’s nothing else she can really chew that’s dangerous under there). As I’m typing, she made her way under and didn’t start thumping until I called her to see if she was under… I plan to get some boards to block under the bed soon until I can bunny proof down there. I’m just thinking if anyone else sees this thumping as her way of saying “come on, let me under there… let me stay! Leave me alone”.

[Deleted User]

I’m wondering if it’s not a case of her thumping at you about not letting her under the bed but if she’s thumping at the other rabbit. You said your bunnies have supervised playtime and aren’t spayed. Maybe she is trying to claim this as her territory or this is somewhere she feels safer away from the other rabbit during the playtimes. I know you say they are supervised and you are working up to the spaying but they should really be completely separated until after they are spayed and hormones have died down. Even though your rabbits might not appear to be aggressive towards each other there is likely a lot of communication and language between them that humans don’t understand. But your rabbits will know where they stand with one another and it could very possibly be that hormones are coming into play and they are both trying to claim areas and warn the other away. Just something to think about. You could see how they act having playtime separately. It might not be the reason but it is still recommended that they are separate

[Wick & Fable]

Thumping can mean a few things.

1) Thumping to warn of danger: Rabbit senses something dangerous and is thumping to inform you; will typically flee somewhere safe at the same time.
2) Thumping in excitement/impatience: Typically when you have food/treats, or are letting the rabbit out and the rabbit is waiting for you.

In a worst case scenario, Serenity and Alice may have a more hostile relationship than what’s being observed, and Serenity is going under the bed and thumping because she sees everywhere else as dangerous since Alice has the run of the place. Being under the bed may be Serenity’s attempt to find a safe place, but she’s still thumping because she feels endangered.

Best case scenario, the thumping is occurring as a way of saying, yes, I want under here please because it’s fun for me; however, if you’re saying she’s thumping while under there, I am less inclined to take this route, and more the former.

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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