funny sounding rabbit..?

[Etty89]

I wasnt sure if this was a health problem or not, but hopefully someone might be able to help me. My rabbit Thumper has started making a really strange noise, it is like a wheezy, buzzy snort really strange! I hadnt ever heard it before until the rabbit sitter lady who was looking after him for the weekend, pointed it out to me. She knew a lot about rabbits, and said how healthy he is, and that she didnt think it was anything serious or she would have called the vet. He doesnt make this noise all the time, usually when hes hopping around all hyperactive, or eating a lot. Its probably nothing im just curious what it is, because other than this iv never heard him make any noise at all! He is a 6 month old btw...thanks in advance...

 

[gmas rabbit]

Is Thumper neutered? Does he do this and then circle. I am wondering if it is like a honking sound that some rabbits make just before circling you and then spraying you with pee. THey usually start about purberty. Other than that I don't know unless his noise is a bit plugged??

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Sounds pretty normal for a hormonal male. Tesla will do the same thing, he also circles me and chins me (I don't let him hump me, that's what he bed is for). Getting him neutered should help with this, but it can take a few weeks for the hormones to die down enough to notice a change in his behaviour.

 

[JimD]

I think you might just have a happy bun that likes to let you know about it.

"Buzz", "Hum", "Zoom", are a few of the words I've heard owners use to describe the sound.
And it's usually when they're eating or just running around being a bunny.

It could be hormonal or it could be part of the buns special personality.

 

[LaylaLop]

My female who was unspayed did a similar sort of noise and would chin me, hop around me, nudge me, and try to hump me if I was on the ground.. Yes, I had to protect my head from being violated by a bunny, haha. Thankfully she never peed on me.

 

[bowser]

My Buns buzzes all the time. Is that the same as the 'purr' that others talk about.

When I first heard it, I thought it was a bumble bee I'm actually changing his name to either bumble or buzz - Buzz Bunny lol

 

[Steph16]

Jacob still snorts when he is around the cat. He will also run around in a circle, but he has never peed on anything. I don't think he has ever sprayed either, unless it was in his litter box and he is about a year and a half.

 

[Etty89]

thanks everyone, thumper hasnt been neutered yet and he is about that age...so that is probably it. I havent noticed any of the other behaviour, but i'll just keep an eye on him

 

[MiniLopHop]

My mini lop makes all kinds of soft sounds. She has a little grunt for when she's eating like a little piggy; two kinds of tooth purring/chattering depending on where I'm rubbing (cheeks or behind the ears); and another sound I guess would be humming that she only would make when snuggled up with her mate (RIP).

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Lilli honks at me in the morning when I put her treat dish in--think she's say "hurry up you slow human!"

 

[tonyshuman]

I wouldn't push this to the back burner too quickly. He could be having congestion that is exacerbated by exercise, or something that is making his throat swollen. We had a bunny with thymoma, which is a cancer that occurs in the chest cavity. He had sneezing/coughing due to his airway being impinged upon by the tumor. I know a lot of people who have bunnies with chest masses don't find out until too late, and difficulty breathing or swallowing is one of the earlier signs. Definitely bring it up to your vet and you may want to have him get chest x-rays.