Depressed bunny?

[katiep]

After we first moved to our new apartment everything was normal.  Smokey, our jersey wooley, wasn’t very nice to the other bunnies so we just started bringing her out on her own and doing everyone individually until we had more time to bond.  We had gotten a few more bunnies in hopes of giving everyone a friend for pairing. We almost have two bonded and were going to move onto her and Rupert next but since we had gotten the others she just doesn’t want to come out anymore and when we make her come out, all she does is sit by the bedroom door and wait for her time to be over and time for bed.  I try to go over and engage her by petting or playing and she will either just sit for pets or move just out of reach.  We tried bringing out Rupert, who we were trying to bond her with before the move, thinking she just missed the company and she could not care less that he was out and was only interested in going back to her pen.  She went to the vet about 2 weeks ago to be groomed and was not happy with me but her being weird has been going on longer than that.  Do I have a depressed bunny?  And if so, how can I help her??

[RabbitPam]

I’m glad you went to the vet 2 weeks ago, but did the vet examine her? Usually when a bunny sits still without any exercise like that daily, there’s something wrong. If her teeth are not grinding, then she’s not in pain. I would check her eating and pooping next. Are they normal? Is she binkying ever? Running? Walking with any difficulty? It’s possible that it is not related to the other bunnies at all, so I would rule out illness first.

If her health checks out, and it is behavior, it sounds like the changes don’t agree with her. Try to set up her habitat as much like it was in the former place. Check the rooms for smells you may not have noticed that is putting her off. Let her out into a different room that she can explore. See if she has lost interest in treats. Depression happens when a bonded pair is split up, usually when one dies, but is not the first thing to look for when a bunny is not behaving normally. I would get her a check up next.

[babybunsmum]

i agree ^^ a thorough physical is called for.

have her droppings been normal? pinky was acting uncharacteristically anti-social with me and the dog even before she showed signs of odd posturing. it’s posturing and changes in her poops that tips me off she’s having a health issue since she hasn’t ever ground her teeth in pain. but the behavior seems to be the earliest tell.

[katiep]

She has been eating fine, poops are good, her teeth are fine (as far as she’d let me see) eyes and ears clean, she has a bit of a bald spot from the grooming but she is the same weight and everything seems normal. She is happy as soon as the door opens she happy jumps the whole way back to her pen. She will approach us like “someone? please get the door?” Its just like she’s just not interested in hanging around with my husband and I anymore…I mean, I know we’re boring but even our bunnies don’t want to spend time with us….I will give her a little while longer just to make sure she’s just not REALLY mad at us and then I will make a vet appointment.

[mrmac]

My Davey and Delilah are not all that interested in me and hubby anymore. They just kind of sit by themselves and do their own thing most of the time and if they are feeling especially kind they will allow pets. They are no where near as active as they were. One day they just kind of gave up zooming and binkying (sad for me). They would rather be asleep by themselves in their pen, not being touched. Does she get excited for food, or anything for that matter? Treats? Toys?

[katiep]

Well, she is still taking good care of fishy (her stuffed animal) he gets regular trips to the litter box, her food dish and water bottle. She love carrots and raisins and is always straining on her tippy toes to try and get them as quickly as possible. She like most greens, can give or take them but carrots and rabbits are her favorites. She only gets raisins when she is out with us (or when mommy feels about about taking her to the vet to get groomed) and carrots maybe once a week 3 + or – 1 baby carrots. She use to be such a mommy’s girl that its sad for me that does not seem happy and I don’t know if there is something I can do or have done to change her feelings. Will keep watch.

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