Depressed bunny?!

[lillian]

Me again today lol. I usually am trying to answer questions I know, but, today I ran into something that I just do not know!!!

So, Ill start from this morning. Woke up at 4am to bid my father farewell. My buns are very routine and 4am usually means treats. I had fed my buns their normal morning treats, then returned to bed
I didn’t let them out as soon as I re-awoke as I usually do, and then as soon as my dad returned home, we went shopping. We don’t generally shop on Thursday afternoons
When we returned home, something seemed weird. My oldest bun was sprawled out on the bottom of her cage. Usually she is sitting on the top section of her cage. Weve never seen her lay on the bottom. She also is one of those buns where “OMG. BAG. BAG. I HEARD BAG. BAG MEANS FOOD” and will rip anything out of your hand that is food. Weve had times where we ended up accidentally pouring some food on her head as she shoved her head in the bowl before we could get any food in it. Seeing she was sprawled like she was, we put some food in her bowl. She didn’t even budge. Put it in front of her, she turned her head away.
So we let her out, took like 10 minutes for her to even come out, and went straight to her hidey-house. I finally got up and went over to her house and laid in front of it to watch her. She would stand, move her blanket, sprawl, stand, move her blanket, sprawl, over and over again (she barely ever sprawls out. Has always balled up when she sleeps) so I began petting her, and, me being the pessimistic one, began searching the internet for possible causes. My first thought was bloat due to her already having a sensitive belly. Began gently massaging her belly. At this point she got annoyed and moved behind our rocking chair.
I soon followed after a little more searching and went to pet her. She jumped like she had no clue I was coming, then let me pet her. I pulled my hand away a minute later and went to pet her again. Jumped again. Instantly drew my hand back thinking I was going to be bit, then tried to pet again, and jumped again. Okay. This really isn’t like her. Finally I scooped her up and sat on the rocking chair and gently rocked her and snuggled her.
SUDDENLY, she was back to normal

Now, the weird part. At this point, its way past when my little one comes out to play, and, he began acting strange! I  let my older bun go and play since she seemed fine now, and pulled him out and sat him on my lap on the ground. My older one got interested (and jealous I’m sure) and came over to investigate. My little one just laid there. Usually when shes around, he goes crazy wanting to snuggle up to her, player with her, etc. Not today. Just laid there. I checked to make sure he had no wet nose, checked his butt and paws for any problems, all that stuff. Nothing seemed wrong! That’s when I noticed he was doing what she was doing earlier to her blanket! He kept standing up, scratching at my skirt, sprawl in my lap, stand up, scratch, sprawl.
Okay, cuddles made her feel better, and that’s the thing she loves most. He loves exploring and chinning! So I took him to the unexplored room of my fathers, sat on the ground so he knew it was okay to be in there (when the door is wide open to my fathers room, he doesn’t go in there. Hes a little smart boy!) and let him go. He was a little shy at first, ut, within minutes, he was running around hyperly and chinning everything

I cannot for the life of me figure out what caused them to act this way?! Even when its bed time or their schedules get messed up, they don’t act as strangely as they did today! Can bunnys get depressed? Or is there an illness I’m not noticing?
Both of my bunnys are eating fine now, both are running around, and my little one has even done a binky from the time all this started to the time I’m writing this. I really don’t have the money right now to take them to the vet to hear “Oh, your buns are fine. Thatll be $200 a piece”

[Bam]

Could it have been gas? Sth they both ate that caused gas? That could perhaps explain their swift recoveries, if they passed gas when they were being handled it could’ve given them instant relief.

Sprawling, standing, sprawling don’t seem like symptoms of depression.

I hope they’ll stay well now!

[lillian]

I was really hoping it was gas but I’m not quite sure. My oldest definitely had her experience with gas as she was so delicate to foods, and she usually bunched up and would grind her teeth in discomfort when she had it. Both my buns are on very similar diets and have been since Ive gotten them both under control. Morning treat, same brand, for the last year. Timothy hay, pretty much since I got the both of them, and their pellets for about 6 months now. Theres nothing else I can really think of that they may have gotten ahold of. Same brand of filtered water (I do not use tap on my buns because I live in California where there is a drought, and, the water literally smells different every single day…), same bedding, all that good stuff lol.

They are both doing great now. Was working on my studies and my youngest sat at my feet like he usually does. Switched them out and my oldest is now running about. She helped me finish my studies by sitting on top of my book as she usually does. As I’m typing this, my oldest is running through the blinds (I swear, she likes to be as loud as possible at 3 in the morning).

[Bam]

Let’s hope it was just sth very temporary then. It sounds like they’re fine now. One of my buns like to sit at my feet when I sit at my writing-desk. It’s so cute! Only he wants me to pet him with my feet like all the time, which is kind of distracting. I imagine a bunny sitting on your book while you’re trying to study would be rather distracting too. But super-adorable! =)

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