Thumping?

[ANEarly]

I know they say thumping is a sign of fear or displeasure.  So why does Kratos thump when he wants something?  He will thump the when he wants out to run around his cage is upstairs directly above the living room or when he doesn’t think his food bowl is full enough or when he gets bored in the middle of the night.  It happens every morning between 3:30 and 5.  Could something be scaring him?  If I give him a handful of pellets or pick him up and snuggle him (he is a huge snuggle bunny now) he quits.  I am hoping its just him being a spoiled brat and I can just ignore him until he unlearns his behavoir but I don’t want him to be scared or upset and I make it worse by not coming running.  Please help, I haven’t had a full night of sleep in over a month. LOL

[Balefulregards]

Yes – It is the “Move it human,you know I want something and you aren’t getting/doing it for me fast enough”

Before Coco was a free range bunny, she would start thumping at 5 in the morning to be let out of her cage.

[jerseygirl]

It’s funny, I saw vid on youtube yesterday with a white diva bunny that thumped “to get want she wants”. I don’t know if they use this behaviour for that reason thou.  Who knows?  Do you cover the cage at night? That may cut down possible disturbances – lights, sounds etc. Other than that, I guess you can give him something to occupy himself if he is just an early riser. Maybe a willow ball or hay cube before you retire that he discover himself at those hours – hopefully!!!

[Lightchick]

Yeah, I think “fear or displeasure” is too strong a definition. I think it depends on the bun.

One of my buns NEVER thumps–except for yesterday when I took her in the car, which she hates, and then she thumped just once, and then sulked in a corner. That was definitely a little fear and a lot of displeasure! (It certainly caught me by surprise!)

But one of my step-bunnies (named Thumper, appropriately), thumps at EVERYTHING. And he is the sweetest, friendliest, most tolerant bun in the world. Thumping for him means, “Hey! How come you’re feeding her before me?!’ or “Excellent! You’re home! Lemme out!” or “Wow! Did you hear that thunder! Let’s celebrate…lettuce please!” For him, thumping is just a way of getting the silly human’s attention.

Buns are just vocal in different ways…

[MarkBun]

He is ‘displeased’ that you aren’t feeding him a treat as soon as he craves one or you aren’t letting him out when he wants to be out. It is a type of ‘asking’ if by asking you mean tantrum.

My Maryann really only thumps when she’s hiding from me. It is a “haha you can’t get me!” type of thump.

[Author]

Messages