Sometimes life gives you cherries. Other times, life gives you lemons.
But what do you do when life gives you little bunny pooh balls?
That’s what I’ve been wondering lately. Buddy Rabbit, who for his first 3 years in our home, has been wonderful. He poohed in one corner of his pen or outside in one spot, but for the last couple of days, he has been going wherever he wants to and it has to stop.
We gave him a lecture yesterday and banished him to his pen early. He poohed all over the pen last night, even on his bedding. He normally doesn’t do that.
Is there a bunny psychologist out there that can offer suggestions? Is he unhappy? Is he trying to tell us he doesn’t like his Christmas gifts? Or is he just getting old and can’t quiet make it to his regular pooh spot?
I’m beginning to relate to getting older. With 2010 fast approaching, I’m feeling my age more and more. Little aches and pains are magnified with each day and drop in the temperature.
My formerly thin body has added four inches to its waistline that for the life of me I just can’t seem get rid of. And every time I pick up a book, I have to grab reading glasses just to read the title.
Why didn’t my high school coach and health-ed teacher warn us about this phase of our lives. No, we had to learn about the evils of smoking pot (which, Coach, isn’t so evil). We had to learn about evils of alcohol (better to teach us moderate drinking, Coach).
Coach should have warned us about achy joints and middle aged spread. Of course, back in high school I never dreamed that "erectile dysfunction" would be a nightly discussion on TV.
But I guess we are lucky in some ways. As animals, humans are one of the few species that can die from old age. Maybe Buddy is just getting old. He’s three and a half which might be old in bunny years. Maybe he just can’t control his bowels the way he used to.
Nah! He’s more likely to be unhappy with his presents.
I hope Buddy is ok. Maybe see a vet? Rabbits are supposed to be able to live up to 10 or 12 years. three and a half is still relatively young... *worry worry*
ReplyDeleteAs for Moose, I agree, they should teach you this stuff back in school, but then again, would you have listened when you were 18? prolly not...*smiles*
Hope Buddy feels better soon!
Sending Lots of LOVE!
Zackary xoxo
Hey, Buddy! Fairly certain yer not sick... My people currently have two "elder buns", both age 13, one of which had a "bladder sludge" issue, which was a symptom of a, since surgically-removed, $800 calcium stone... that could have been deadly, and was causing our bunny great pain. Later, da same bun underwent daily administration, by my person, of subcutaneous fluids (saline bag & needle); the vet taught us how to safely do it at home. This particular rabbit was sooo GOOD with his litter-box, (fur 9yrs!)until this illness, now he urinates & poops wherever he happens to be at the moment, so we've had to make many changes fur him to accommodate his behavior, age, and illness. You are not "old", Buddy, dat fur sure, as house-rabbits can live up to 15yrs... (i think the oldest, on record, is 20yrs... but that is of course rare), however, the average lifespan is only 5yrs if yer bunny lives in a hutch outside. Does yer poo look normal? Does it look the same as it always has? Are U exhibiting any other new behavior other than the poo thing? Are u still eating well and active, etc?
ReplyDeleteHave u been neutered yet? Does yer person clean out yer external scent gland pockets? Have there been any new visitors, non-human or otherwise, to yer home recently? Are you producing an abnormal amount of Cecotropes? Are u eating the Cecotropes or leaving them wherever? Was the time out of yer pen recently decreased or increased prior to this new behavior? Has yer litter or bedding recently changed? Do u utilize a litter box, or do u use just an area of bedding within yer pen? Is this urine related at all, or purely a poo thing? Buddy, i urge yer Daddies to READ: http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/litter.html#spot ...if they suspect any illness related behavior, it's best to see yer vet fur an exam soon :) Plz let me know how u make out... i am eager to help, as my people have spent years caring for bunnies of all ages, and have experienced similar behaviors with many of their house-rabbits. My wuv to u, Buddy, and also to yer Daddies!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the info. We have a doctor visit scheduled for Monday, 1/4/2010.
ReplyDeleteThe humans think health is ok. We've had a lot of human visitors over the Christmas holiday so Buddy may be a little stressed over that.
Also, we had a lot of Christmas decorations up in the house. The new behavior started when the decorations came down. He may not like the house undecorated. He's going around chinning everything in sight so he may be just marking his territory again.
Buddy gets one hour a day play time out on the deck. He has a poo and pee place there. Then has free reign in the house for about ten hours.
He used to go back to his pen to poo. All that looks very normal. He peed outside of his pen for the first time yesterday. Normally he goes to the back door to be let out into the yard or back to his pen.
He's eating well. He loves to run and play. I really think this is territory marking or he wants to find a little girl friend. He hasn't been fixed.
I know he should be, but I just hate the idea. He sees the vet every month, so we think she'd see any issue that would be caused by not being fixed.
I really don't think there is a problem. It is just really annoying for him to start this up when he's been so well trained for several years.
Buddy sounds sooo well-cared for & very loved! U is one fortunate rabbit, Buddy! Me tend to agree with the whole territory-marking thing... with the extreme-chinning, recent visitors, & changes in decor, and all :) It's good u taking da safety measures, like da upcoming scheduled vet appt, to rule out any physical problem or illness. It's quite amazing dat u have not begun to "spray", as all of my people's un-spayed or un-neutered bunnies have eventually adopted that undesirable, hormone-driven, behavior... which later ceased, post operatively... thank goodness! I bet yer vet is excellent, Buddy, and you ultimately need to do what makes yer Daddies feel comfortable. However, there are many benefits to bun-buns getting neutered... i think it would be a really GOOD thing, even if there's no impact on the new behavior, currently in question.
ReplyDeleteIt's better to do now as "routine", than to do later as "emergency". Dat happened with one of our younger female rescue buns (who has since passed away)... we waited too long, then, at the age of 5, she started bleeding on a Christmas Eve. It resulted in emergency surgery for uterine cancer. Well, anyway, Having yer people place a few litter boxes, using the same bedding or litter as yer pen, in some "choice" locations, throughout the house, would be a good next step to try. My people use a knock-off version of the "Unscented - Yesterday's News"(the one marketed for cats)... think it's called "Fresh News"... my people like it a whole lot better than the brand stuff, & it's MUCH cheaper, too! Hope all goes well at yer appt... wishing you many BINKIES! Keep me posted, please, cuz i be thinkin' of ya, Buddy!
ReplyDeletePS. You are a C U T I E , Buddy... truly adorable!!! Oh, and please tell yer Daddies, dat da house looked totally amazing in da Christmas pics posted here! In fact, if i were a bun, living in dat purrty home, with all da warm & peaceful lighting, i wouldn't want it to ever change either :) ...can't it be Christmas everyday? Plz?
ReplyDeleteWe'll consider getting him neutered. It is probably a good idea. Sure don't want anything to happen to the little guy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for saying he's cute. He is greatly loved for sure!
Just read your blog post - neutered! I member dat. He'll be fine, he's a lovely wonderful little pal of mine. By da way, I fink bunnies is beautiful - dey make fun fwiends!
ReplyDeleteLub and hugs - Mattiedog
Buddy might just be marking out his lay of the land again after the holidays. Especially if he isn't neutered. Our bunnies do that. The smell of things gets all changed when there are things moved around, people visit, cleaning with products that take his own smell away. That's my first instinct. Something to check is the size and smell of his pooh balls and the smell of his urine. If there are differences, especially foul smells or changes in consistency then a vet visit might be in order.
ReplyDeleteLove your photos and love the little guy buddy. Buddy is still a young bun. And I can relate to the aches and pains, as well as the whole reading glasses thing except now I have the bifocals without the line in them (I wonder if they still make them with the line? Not that I want a pair or anything such as that.) On why didn't our coaches and health ed teachers didn't warn us about aging, we were young-- do you think any of us would have really listened? LOL. Thanks for the nice and fun read. Hope Buddy is okay! Nosebonks, CuddleLop(Twitter)/aka MaryEllen