Baby bunny thumping and missing litter box

[Bella's mom]

Hi everyone,

Hope you’re all well! I have some questions to ask. We just got our cute Holland Lop bunny, Bella about a month ago! Bella will be 4 months on May 1st. Yesterday we took her out of her cage to play in her pen, we have done this for less than a month (every day). She jumps into her litter box as she hates being handled. She was fine but then she started going haywire!

She was running a 500 and doing binkies and then would thump hard with her hind leg over and over. We got scared. I put her back in her cage after 20 mins of this. She was scared of us for a good 25 mins and hid in her alcove in her cage. She eventually calmed down and ate, drank and went back to normal!

Yesterday morning she peed all over her cage floor and missed her litter box and did the same this morning! I don’t know if this is typical behaviour? My daughter looked it up and they said it can be puberty, too! Any insight would help!! She doesn't seem to be in pain, eating, drinking and hopping!
TIA, Bella’s Mom!!

 

[Blue eyes]

Don't know if the two incidents are related. When she went crazy and thumping, she could have seen or heard something that startled her. It could've been something that you didn't even notice or hear but was unfamiliar to her (trash truck, loud thump, sudden shadow passing).

As for the peeing everywhere, yeah, that can happen to a formerly potty trained bunny when those hormones kick in. Are you planning on having her spayed?

Is her litter box large and roomy? Is it topped with hay? Have there been any changes to the litter or location?

 

[JBun]

Rabbits will sometimes thump when they are playing. It's usually in the middle of them hopping around while playing, or I've had rabbits do it right before jumping up on something. Just like they practice their escape moves while they play, I figure they also practice their thumping.

If she seemed to have stopped playing and was sitting still thumping seeming upset or alarmed, then it's likely something startled her. Unusual sounds, strange smells, new people or pets, furniture moved from it's usual spot, even something such as a piece of clothing left on the ground can be enough to startle a rabbit. I've even heard of someones rabbit getting upset at seeing a spider.

The peeing could be hormonal, but if the thumping was due to being startled by something, the peeing could be related to that and may be her establishing her boundaries due to whatever startled her.

 

[Bella's mom]

@Blue eyes and @JBun

Thanks so much for your feedback. Much appreciated! You guys are awesome! Bella thumped again yesterday but it was more like a 250 speed run and a few thumps. She moved her littler box to the other side of the cage and I put some hay like you suggested. I am definitely going to be spaying her @Blue eyes. The vet suggested in August because they have to be at least 3 lbs and she was 2.5 lbs in March and has since grown. I am going to keep track of her behaviours and note any strange things causing her to be skittish! It's quite incredible how their eyes and ears are so sensitive!! Thanks everyone and happy Saturday!!