My bunny - depressed?

[Croxrox182]

Hello.

I have a 1 year old lop which lives in a one bedroom apartment with me.

I'm used to keeping her in the bathroom (where she likes it because it's dark) during the night because she would keep digging/chewing things in my room and i couldnt sleep. During the day i would let her roam free everywhere.

Lately since i got a job she became very destructive in my absence. Chewing the pillows on the couch and other things i have no bunnyproofing solution to. I have also observed the fact that she looks to be sadder. Is it because she feels alone?

I am also mentioning the fact that i have not yet sterilized her.

What should i do? I don't want to lock her in the bathroom for such a long period of time.

Thank you!!!

 

[Preitler]

My first house bunny was an intact doe, about that age, took Fury in to quarentine her from a myxo outbreak that killed my other 14 rabbits. I didn't know much about rabbits, or bunny proofing back then. In the 8 months she was my house bunny she thoroughly destroyed my apartment, left pee stains where I didn't find them until moving out, turned all plinth to splinters, wood and PVC alike, started a tunnel straight into the wall, after about 2" the bricks stopped her. She almost succeded twice in killing me by removing the insulation from power cords, don't get me started about USB cables or airbrush hoses. When I got a second "doe" in spring I was so happy that they got along at the spot, well, she had her first litter in my kitchen one month later. Their hormones can rage strong, and an apartment isn't that a great a place to live out that urges.
Fury is a very happy outdoor bunny for 6 years now.

So, you see - it could be worse

Now, with two free range house bunnys (intact buck, spayed girl) there's always some tree branch under the kitchen table to gnaw on, that's about 3-4 meters from my bed (door open), and it actually became a soothing noise hearing them gnaw, a sign that they are well and not up to some mischief.

I keep all of my 6 rabbits in pairs, when you see it you'll know why. There are rabbits that are fine alone, but not all, and I enjoy watching them interact and cuddle so much that this isn't an option for me. Second rabbit isn't much more work, and in my experience males make great house bunnys, and neutered ones are said to be even better.

Getting her spayed imho would help too, they are not themself when they have false pregnancies, or are under control of their hormones, yearning for what rabbits evolved for.

Anyway, putting scrap blankets over everything will give you some time to think about it.

 

[Niomi]

Bonding your rabbit with another rabbit is a good idea, but bonding rabbits can be difficult to do. Make sure to get plenty of information on how to do it before you try, or you could end up with two problem rabbits. Maybe you could get a cage, or make a little pen for your rabbit and let her out when you can supervise her. Rabbits are most active at sun up and sun down, and often don't do much the rest of the day.