Thumping?

[lily2521]

We've had Gizmo for going on a year now. She's been a great pet, and seems to be happy living with us. Last night though, she started thumping. This is new behavior for her, so it's got us a bit worried (and confused!).

She would thump her back feet once, about every 5 minutes, and this went on for about an hour. We had a heck of a time getting her to go into her cage last night (she normally just goes when we offer treats, and has learned that as her routine). Overnight I was up and could hear her thumping in her cage, she was in her enclosed box we created for her, her safe place (I think she started doing it when she knew I was in the room, it didn't start until I turned the light on)

Aside from trying to groom her yesterday (she's in the middle of a shed) we didn't do anything to aggravate her. We haven't had any changes to her schedule or anything. I don't know where this behavior is coming from. Then this morning, when I gave her lettuce, I tried to sit on the floor with her, and when I reached out to give head pets she hopped back, and turned her back to me. She never leaves her lettuce bowl, and aside from when she's playful always accepts head pets. This is unusual for her, and has us quite stumped!

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

[Ivythelionhead]

Show old is she? Has she been spayed? Rabbits will often go through grumpy times especially when they get of age and are not spayed.

 

[Ivythelionhead]

How*

 

[lily2521]

She's 3 years old, and is spayed. The thumping has stopped, but she's still acting very odd. She's not out and about with us like usual, she has a hiding spot she likes in our house, and she was in that spot most of the day yesterday, and so far all of today. She never hides away this much.

 

[amandaaaa_xxo]

When my rabbit Thumps, it usually means that he wants someone to aid to his attention. We have two cages for him, one inside the house that we put outside when he's outside running and playing, and the other is a deluxe hutch placed in the garage. When it's either very cold or very hot, we place him in the cage that we put outside for inside. During the nights when we all sleep, sometimes he would thump very loudly and I would go to him and see what the problem
Is. Normally it just means (to me) he's lonely and wants attention and so I would sit there stroking him and playing with him
For a bit followed by giving him his favourite treat and then I would go back to sleep and he wouldnt thump after that.

I know that when rabbits constantly hide and constantly turn their back to you it's usually because they're in discomfort and experiencing pain. I know this because my rabbit used to do this when he had dental problems. He already had his surgery to file down his pointy teeth and everything though. But what I'm getting at is that when rabbits tend to hide especially in unusual places and turn their backs to you, it's more than certain that they're in discomfort of some sort.

 

[Akzholedent]

I think Butterscotch likes thumping just so he can hear himself do it. Lol. (I also think my house might be haunted, as it's built in a town that was a constantly fought over area during the US's civil war, and he's trying to scare the spirits away). Pippi tends to thump when it's thunderstorming, in order to scare the thunder away.