# what the heck? honk and thump?



## selenaaahhh (Mar 22, 2014)

So I've been making progress with my new female bunny, Skye- shes about 6 months old and is getting spayed this week. Today was a weird day though-I let her out of cage to hop around and had a nice plate of spinach and apples ready to reward her with while I pet her and then I put the gate up and decided to sit at the top of the stairs on my laptop to do some homework while I watched her hop around and explore...I went to go back down the stairs into the room she was in and she froze in fear and started thumping her back legs really loudly- as I got closer she ran under the table and started thumping more and making a honking noise? I laid on the floor and talked to her to come here and showed her I had a piece of apple for her but she continued to thump and wouldn't come near me...I went back up the stairs and as soon as I cleared the room she came right out and started hopping around happily again...did I do something wrong?


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## selenaaahhh (Mar 22, 2014)

Ok and I just went back down there again to see what she did and she hopped towards me sniffed my hand, nudged it and was completely fine again, even took some spinach out of my hand and followed my feet as I walked around...maybe I just startled her before and she didn't know it was me?


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## selenaaahhh (Mar 22, 2014)

Just went back downstairs again to lay on the floor with her and type up my paper on my laptop while laying on floor and there she goes running away from me again and hiding! So weird- maybe she is starting to become hormonal? I'm just gonna lay here on the floor minding my business and hope she comes back out soon!


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## lovelops (Mar 22, 2014)

thumping means she ain't happy or something is going on she does not like typically. My lop did that the first time I tried to get her out of her carrier from the rescue I got her from. 6 months is like a teen ager in a way, she is a bit hormonal at times and they can be a bit wild... don't take it personally. She is just sewing her wild oats!
Just sit near her ignore her and do your work and let her come over to you. IF that is her pic she is really really cute! All our bunnies have different personalities and some times they just want to be alone and act up like little kids!

Vanessa


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## selenaaahhh (Mar 22, 2014)

Yes that's Skylar! Haha yeah I think she is getting a little hormonal and bratty on me- good thing she's getting spayed this week! LOL now I just have to figure out how I am going to get her bratty butt into the carrier! She calmed down finally and came up to say hi to me again- I tried to put my arm around her to pick her up and she started smacking my arm with her front paws like "get away i dont wanna be picked up!" lol I feel like I have a 13 year old daughter lol


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## PaGal (Mar 22, 2014)

When she was smacking you with her front paws is what we call boxing. Hopefully being spayed will help with that.

Typically bunnies will thump when frightened and as a warning of danger. Sometimes it's difficult to say what sets them off. Today I was pouring my dogs food into his bowl slowly. He has a metal dish and because I was pouring so slowly a few pieces would fall out and clang into the bowl. That got Shirley thumping yet when I pour the food all at once and it really makes a clatter she doesn't thump.


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## selenaaahhh (Mar 22, 2014)

ooh! boxing is the perfect term to describe what she was doing! the last time she did that was when I tried using a pooper scooper in her cage she boxed that right out of my hand! Is that a hormonal thing too? Like "GET THAT OUT OF MY FACE, THANKS!" lol I hope it doesn't get worse this week before her spay it's going to be a fight to get her into that carrier!


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## Nancy McClelland (Mar 22, 2014)

Hormonal teenagers! I told my mother that I was going to bury my teenage daughter in the back yard more than 20 years ago. My mother told me not to do it as I'd go to prison. I assured I had thought it out and had a plan. I was going to make sure everyone on the jury had a teen daughter living at home with them. My mother thought about it for a tenth of a second and said "you're right, you'll get acquitted". Neuter should help with behavior issues, but I always make some noise while I'm going down the hall before I get to their room so they know I'm coming and that it's me. Lilli, our huge lop girl is the only one we've had that would honk.


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## lovelops (Mar 22, 2014)

Nancy McClelland said:


> Hormonal teenagers! I told my mother that I was going to bury my teenage daughter in the back yard more than 20 years ago. My mother told me not to do it as I'd go to prison. I assured I had thought it out and had a plan. I was going to make sure everyone on the jury had a teen daughter living at home with them. My mother thought about it for a tenth of a second and said "you're right, you'll get acquitted". Neuter should help with behavior issues, but I always make some noise while I'm going down the hall before I get to their room so they know I'm coming and that it's me. Lilli, our huge lop girl is the only one we've had that would honk.


 
You are too funny Nancy. I read this and cracked up laughing!!!

Vanessa


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## FreezeNkody (Mar 22, 2014)

I have 4 rabbits. 3 are in their own room and xpens and the 4th is in the living room. They have "thumping wars" I find it funny. But I end up defusing the situation with some treats. I should get it on video sometime.


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## PaGal (Mar 23, 2014)

Boxing can be normal with hormonal females especially. She is probably just being territorial and protecting her home from that horrible pooper scooper. Hopefully most of these behaviors will stop after being spayed and the hormones die off.


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