Calling any bunny psychiatrists!! Come and translate what my bunnies are trying to tell me please .... furry sort, sorry to disappoint!!

[PositiveAttitude]

Hi,

We have had 2 bunnies for nearly a year now. They both came from the local RSPCA. They appear to be really happy and live in bucks palace a large hutch, inside a run of 12 feet x 4 feet - also they have made burrows underneath their area, so masses of space and are well looked after. Cleaned out thoroughly a couple of times a week. Clean water and fresh food twice a day.

Since yesterday morning they have been ripping out their paper that i use under their straw and just making a huge mess with it, moving it out of their living area and into their run and burrows. The only time they did this before was the first day that we bought them home from the RSPCA.

I am wondering if they are scared of something. Could it be a fox? I know we do have foxes and badgers around here, but they could not get the bunnies, but I suppose the smell of a fox would scare them????

Or are they trying to tell me something else?

Thank you very much.

Shameless bump for the evening bunch.

It does sound like they are nesting, my two go through odd times of making nests, and they are rubbish at it so always looks quite a sight
Mine have ripped up those fabric pop out tubes and ragged grass up, mixed with hay and shavings - buggers! Good job they are so cute and fluffy or we'd be having words

I wouldnt worry, ensure that nothing could get to them - digging under or fit through the mesh etc, but they sound like lucky bunnies to me

nesting....maybe due to weather change, ie spring clean type thing, perfectly normal. or one is pregnant, but nesting is normal without pregnancy.

if afraid they would stamp alot and move around less.

Def fake nesting. Wannabe mummy! Bless. Like a Phantom pregnancy. Not real as you've had them a year. Never heard of celibate buns.
Can I move in with them, sounds palatial.

what sex are they? Femals do nest at this time of year especially. They can start grunting and being a bit mad as well.

Have they been neutered? It's important to neuter females at around a year old to minimise hormonal mood changes and aggression.

Thanks for all the replies. I knew you lot would come up trumps!!

One male, one female. Definitely been neutered, so a phantom pregnancy, then!

It looks like my attempts at spring cleaning!! And with 5 teenagers in the house the grunting and going mad is quite normal here!!

Oh well, I am pleased they dont seem scared, so that's good.

Thank you

You need to be careful if they have made underground burrows. A friend of mine's bunny did that and popped out the other side of her run to be greeted by a hungry fox...... Also have they definitely both been neutered, not just the male? It could be that they have been "socialising" with wild bunnies in their burrow/lovenest!

Thanks runoutofideas. Their run is surrounded by concrete, so they wouldnt be able to come up anywhere else. And no visitors could get into them, either - in the run its grass, I dont want you to think I am being cruel.

The RSPCA said they were both "done" so I assume so. Surely something would have happened before now?????? They had been "paired" for 6 months before we had them, so now 18 months in all.

Its the male one who is making all the mess "nesting". Is he having an identity crisis, or is he a very modern, 21st century wannabe daddy??