My rabbit's behavior has changed. Anyone know why?

Question

My rabbit used to be introspective and would often sit in the corner and look at me. She's always been good at only urinating and defecating on newspaper.

Lately, though, she has become MUCH more affectionate, to a point where she won't leave me alone. She stays under foot at all times. In addition, she has started urinating and defecating all over the place. I can find no reason her behavior would have changed so dramatically, and I was hoping one of you had an answer.

Answer 1

When rabbits reach sexual maturity, it becomes a lot harder to potty train them. You're best bet is getting her spayed! It'll make her easier to litter train. Hitting sexual maturity can lead to a whole host of behavioral changes and problems, as well. Having rabbits altered calms them down and reduces those sexual urges.

http://www.rabbit.org/care/litterbox.htm...

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-...

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/age-re...

Answer 2

i would say that your rabbit needs company and sees you as the perfect companion the urinating and defecating  everywhere is probably your rabbit trying to get attention from you

by the way female rabbits can fight when they are at the age of sexual maturity so when my old rabbit that recently died aged 8 was showing signed of being lonely i put her with a young rabbit who seemed ok but when i was little my mum put two female rabbits that where not related and at sexual maturity together and they really fought so if getting a companion get  guinea pig they tend to get along with the rabbits much better believe me i have loads of them with rabbits even one now it will probrably be to feeling lonely so if you get a companion she may leave you alone a little more than she is now

Answer 3

There are a few reasons why her behavior may have changed, and it could be a combination of all of them as well. How long have you had her? If she is only a few months then you couldn't have had her too long (obviously), so maybe she is just getting used to you and sees you as a friend and playmate. She could now be used to your presence and accepts you into her territory (your house).

It could also be her age. Depending on the rabbit, somewhere between 3-8 months is when they reach maturity. This is basically the equivalent of a human teenager; full of hormones. She may also be trying to decide if you are a possible mate, by circling you and other little mating "dances". Although males tend to mark more often, females can and do mark territory (and possibly you) through urination. Generally any litter training that was accomplished before puberty will have to be reinforced or relearned after the rabbit is fixed.

Once a rabbit hits puberty, you're going to be stuck with their new behavior until they are no longer able to reproduce, which would be quite a few years, unless of course you get them fixed. There are also so many other benefits for your bunny if you get them fixed besides having them calm down. You can get them another rabbit companion (who is also fixed) to spend time with and play with. They can keep each other company when you cannot be around, and two rabbits are twice as fun to watch play than just one! Rabbits also have a ridiculously high risk of cancer of their reproductive organs, I believe it is somewhere around 80% for females, so you would probably be saving your bun from a horrible sickness (and yourself a lot of money and grief) by having her fixed.

Once she is spayed, if you adopted from a shelter you could find her a friend that fits her, since any reputable place who knows rabbits will have you bring her in for a "meet and greet" so you can find someone she gets along with. Male/female pairs are the easiest to bond (and it is a process over several months, not just throwing them together), then male/male, and female/female are supposed to be the hardest to bond as females are the most territorial, even if they are both spayed.

And please get her a rabbit companion if you decide to. Guinea pigs are very good pets as well, but they should be kept with other guinea pigs and not rabbits. They are two separate species that do not speak the same language and have different habits and traits. It would be like putting yourself in a room with a native Russian; you would not understand much of anything, and rabbits and guinea pigs can't use their hands to speak either.

Please check out rabbit.org. They have a lot of information about basically every rabbit question you could have, including information about hormones, spaying, bonding, and rabbit language.

Answer 4

I think it is because she is getting older and needs companionship. and you are the one she knows , as far as the pooping and peeing all over it may be she needs to be confined a little more . May be she needs a rabbit companion , a female unless you want a house full of rabbits.  

Answer 5

The reason she's urinating everywhere is probably because she is in her pre-menstrual syndrome. (period)