Post spay - bunny won’t come for hugs anymore ☹️ And digging excessively!!

[Nala-Bun21]

Hello, my little Nala was so affectionate and loved cuddles before her spay 2 weeks ago.

She used to spend ages in my arms on the sofa but since her spay she seems scared of me in that respect!

Her litter box use has massively improved and she isn’t marking on the sofa or spraying my feet! She had also started humping my arm which is why we decided to spay very soon after that.

She is also digging like crazy, way more than before and is hellbent on getting out of the gate between our living room and hallway… we let her explore out there when we can supervise but she is destroying the carpet out there with the digging I thought this might calm down after surgery… she has plenty of chew toys and scratch mats to use!

Does anyone know why she doesn’t seem to want to cuddle or lick much now? It’s very sad but I’m hoping to try and bond again in that respect. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[Blue eyes]

Couple of things going on here. One is that her spay is so recent. It takes time for her to fully recuperate from surgery. So bear with her for now.

Second is that she is coming into her adult personality. Baby rabbits can be so very different from their adult selves. This isn't the "fault" of the spay but merely the natural change in personality that occurs as a rabbit grows into adulthood. Most babies are compliant and docile -- not so for adults!

The excessive digging may be a lingering result of the spay. I'd try to keep her off of carpet for now so it doesn't become a behavioral habit. It may subside in time. In the meantime, you could create a dig box for her to allow her to get that digging desire satisfied.

As for bonding, avoid trying to 'force 'her to cuddle. Just be nearby. Sit or lay down near her and let her be the one to approach you. Only offer her petting if she seems to be asking for it (bowing head or nudging). As she feels more comfortable knowing that she isn't going to get accosted every time she comes near, she will warm up and allow that bond to grow. (Treats can help with the process as well!)

 

[Nala-Bun21]

Couple of things going on here. One is that her spay is so recent. It takes time for her to fully recuperate from surgery. So bear with her for now.

Second is that she is coming into her adult personality. Baby rabbits can be so very different from their adult selves. This isn't the "fault" of the spay but merely the natural change in personality that occurs as a rabbit grows into adulthood. Most babies are compliant and docile -- not so for adults!

The excessive digging may be a lingering result of the spay. I'd try to keep her off of carpet for now so it doesn't become a behavioral habit. It may subside in time. In the meantime, you could create a dig box for her to allow her to get that digging desire satisfied.

As for bonding, avoid trying to 'force 'her to cuddle. Just be nearby. Sit or lay down near her and let her be the one to approach you. Only offer her petting if she seems to be asking for it (bowing head or nudging). As she feels more comfortable knowing that she isn't going to get accosted every time she comes near, she will warm up and allow that bond to grow. (Treats can help with the process as well!)

hello thanks for the advice again I think the disheartening part is that our bond took a little while in the beginning and we’d got to such a great place and it feels like it’s been undone now but I know that she’s had a lot of changes so I’m being patient with her.

I am able to bond well with prey animals and I think I just got a bit worried that I’d done something wrong!

I’ll definitely look into a digging box as that is the reason for us getting the gate in the first place - because she was ruining the hallway carpet

for now I’m stroking her on the floor and using treats to get her a little closer but definitely not forcing her to do anything she doesn’t want to do

 

[JBun]

Sometimes soon after a rabbit gets fixed, it's like they can have a final surge of hormones that makes them act a bit crazy with energy. This will usually subside over the next several weeks. In the meantime, I would suggest offering things (like the dig box) to distract your bun.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Toys_and_games