Small attitude change?? (I think???)

[PureElla]

Hi, so I have started to notice something.

I got Toby in May, and for a while, he has been laying/flopping EVERYWHERE. He would superman/flop on my bed daily, lay on my office chair, lay in the middle of the carpet, BASICALLY EVERYWHERE! Starting around Mid July - Early September, Toby started to do the "loaf" position more than flopping or laying down turning the day. At night, he will flop/lay everywhere, but only when it is dark. Around late August was when Toby sexually matured, so he was neutered at the beginning of September.

I rarely see him layout in the open and by that, I mean just relax in the superman pose in the middle of my rug. Toby lays in the load position under my desk when he isn't eating or running around. Sometimes he will flop right onto my foot, too. I believe I saw him flop out in the open around 5-ish times after he was neutered.

He is not showing signs of being sick or being in distress/pain. He is eating hay, eating his pellets when given, drinking water, running, and he follows me everywhere. Typical behavior, just him laying in the dark corner under my desk.

Does this have to do with him sexually matured and then being neutered? Is he not feeling comfortable?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you!

 

[JBun]

I wouldn't say that it's because he doesn't feel comfortable. You would notice other behavioral signs and possible changes in eating and poop output if he wasn't comfortable or happy.

The choice of flopping or loafing often have to do with the environmental temperature. Though it's true that if a rabbit isn't comfortable in their environment then they aren't likely to do a full out flop, but loafing doesn't mean they aren't feeling comfortable. If you had AC going this summer and your house was cool, that could account for him loafing more, as that's how they conserve body heat, by tucking everything in and loafing. Flopping out, particularly on a hard cool surface, is often done if they are warm and need to cool down, plus feeling comfortable in their environment. But when they loaf it doesn't mean they are uncomfortable or unhappy, just that they aren't feeling warm enough to want to flop.

The loss of hormones could possibly have some effect too. Intact males tend to be more active and busy looking for a prospective mate, so it could possibly keep their body temp on the warmer side, which could account for more flopping to cool down. But this is just me making a guess as to whether it contributes to a warmer body temp.

 

[PureElla]

Ohhh, I get it. Usually, in the morning and nights, it tends to get quite cold, even with the heat. We have central AC and the vet is under my bed, so it doesn't get the warmest at times.

Whenever it warms up during the middle fo the day, that is when he flops under my desk.

Would the placement of where he flops/loafs be affected by temperature, too? He tends to loaf in a corner, under my desk. I am guessing he does that since it can keep him warmer???

 

[JBun]

It could but not necessarily all of the time. Some rabbits like to go to a vent blowing ac and park themselves in front of it to cool off, and some like to flop in front of a heating register to stay warm. But sometimes a rabbit will just want to be in a certain spot regardless of temperature, so they will then loaf or flop there depending on how warm or cold they feel.

If there's a heat vent under your desk, that could be part of why he likes it under there, or your rabbit may be loafing under your desk just because it's a nice cubby to rest in or because he likes to be near you.