rachel19 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Our two mini lops are now 18 months old but still very stroppy and moody. Do they normally get over this at a certain age? We still love them anyway and i'm now resigned to the fact that they're just two of the moodiest rabbits on the planet! We now put them in the garage at night (its a bit warmer for them and we then don't hear the thumping at 2am ) and they go back out to their day hutch and have a run around the garden first thing. Every time we go to pick them up, they try and avoid us although much better when being held now but every time we put them down they glare and thump at us. This isn't out of fear, they are just angry - is this normal and will they sort themselves out at some point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I used to have a problem with a female Netherland dwarf rabbit. She would growl and scratch at you if you tried to touch her when she was in the hutch. I have 2 mini lops and I have only heard the female thump once and that was when she got back into the cat box following an examination by the vet. She was really annoyed! Sorry I cannot be of more help but maybe some other rabbit keepers will be along soon to advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Have they been spayed? Our bunny was stroppy, she was a lot improved after a trip to the vets. Also she was always very protective about her hutch. Exercise outside for most of the day helped a lot. If she didn't go out one day we knew about it! Also very firm stroking on the head helps (of the rabbit ) as this is showing you are dominant. Access to hay/grass helped too as it kept her busy eating. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Yes they were neutered over a year ago so it isn't that. They are let out to roam the garden first thing in the morning before going into their day hutch and run where they have as much hay as they like. They also have toys and today they had one of the natural treat sticks hanging up to keep them occupied for the half an hour its likely to last They don't try and kick us to death any more when we pick them up, they're fine now but when we put them down theres always a thump and a glare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagesguineas Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Hi, When I looked after my mums two bunnies when she had to go on a last minute trip all we had to put them in was a 5ft hutch and then we would add a run onto the front of that during the day and then let them free range supervised. However during the night they would stomp their feet so loud I was concerned they would break the hutch. It was because they were so used to having so much space during the night (4ft hutch on top of a 4ft square run with an 8 x 4ft run attached) and suddenly they were down to a 5ft hutch and they let us know how unhappy they were! It might be lack of space/boredom. They may be telling you they simply don't like their surroundings (mine stomp in their carrier on the way to vets). My Misty used to be very moody but now they've moved into the playhouse/run she has calmed down and is much more friendly. How big is their hutch/run? I don't want to seem nosy but Misty was moody in their old hutch (it was a chicken coop so hard to describe how big) but now she has much more space she is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel19 Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Hi, Thanks for the reply. They have a 4ft hutch with a 4ftx4ft run underneath and toys and hay. Weekdays they have about an hour in the mornings with free run around the garden and then all day at the weekends. At night they are in a 5ft hutch in the garage. They thump at us when we put them down whether thats in either hutch or just out in the garden so i don't think space is the issue. They like both of their hutches and will go back to them freely to be put away when i call them or if they want a nap when out in the garden. They are stroppy with us and will only come over to you if theres a chance of food. I think the thumping at night is purely down to them being spooked by something as they don't do it during the day and not as much now they are in the safety of the garage at night. Hope this helps -they have gotten better over time as they were incredibly anti-social when we first got them and would run away from you. They aren't scared of us now but everything has to be on their terms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
