Worried about Merlin (again)

[Silverpaws]

Hi guys, can someone shed some light on this?

Merlins been getting into a strange habit lately, after his usual OMG BREAKFAST routine and investigating under the bed and the desk, he will sit or lie staring at the wall for….hours.

I’m worried. Usually, he would go under my chest of drawers for a nap which I understood as he got a clear view of the room and could keep an eye on me while doing his afternoon doze, but now he’s tucked away out of sight between a cardboard box and the wall and will sit there for hours just staring. He will still groom and occasionally venture out to eat some hay, but other than that :S

I’m worried he’s depressed. I am planning on getting him a playmate when we move in 10 days and after he’s been neutered, but even now while I try to get him interested in toys or being brushed (which he loves.) he’s not interested. I got down on the floor with him to try and entice him out of his newest hidey hole, and though he came to see what the crazy human was doing on the floor, he didnt want to be petted (ducking away) or to play with his toys and settled back in his staring. I did watch and he did seem to fall asleep – eyes half closed, nose not wiggling, but still….

Whenever he’s on one of his staring jags he’s always either sat up, flopped or in the loaf position. Am I freaking out over nothing (again)? Or is Merlin sad?

Helpppp.

[Sarita]

I wouldn’t worry about the staring at walls – he’s just resting. Really it’s just part of aging – rabbits behaviors change as they mature and become comfortable. I don’t think he’s “sad” – I think he’s content. You really just cannot humanize your rabbit because they don’t think the same as us :~)

[manic_muncher]

Sounds normal to me. You mention that he’ll be getting neutered sometime (from your tone sounds like sometime in the near future), so I am assuming he’s a young rabbit. If that is the case, the changes you are mentioning sound like he’s growing up, and once he is neutered and mature you will really see his true personality.

If he’s meatloafing, he could be asleep then, and if he’s flopping, it sounds like he’s pretty content. He sounds like my Bumpy, and I often worried that he was sad. But then shortly after I’d wonder if he was sad, he’d move and flop over, or go off and do something that reassured me he was fine.

I don’t think you need to worry at all. As long as he is eating and drinking, pooping and peeing, I wouldn’t worry.

[Silverpaws]

Thanks guys, yeah hes a youngish guy, as he was adoptes we’re not sure but the nurse estimated at about two years.

[Author]

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