# Are rabbits scared of thunder?



## ilovetoeatchocolate (Aug 22, 2008)

Hello,

It is beginning to Thunder here in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada. It is the first thunderstorm that the rabbits have had to deal with since I got them. Should I go downstairs and stay with them to calm them down? Will they be scared of the loud noises? Oreo and Miley live in the dinning room. They have been with me since August 6'th (Oreo a little longer as we got him first). They are brother and sister and are a bonded pair. I got them from the Humane Society in Winnipeg. They are in an expen together. They get scared and start running over a sneeze so I would hate to think what they are going through right now. All the lights are off downstairs. They do seem to get scared if we have to go downstairs if we forgot something at night time and we turn on one or two lights. They don't seem to be able to see too well in the dim light. Or the freeze. They are two Dutch mixes. Seven years old. They are my babies!:biggrin2:

Shannon


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Aug 22, 2008)

It may frighten them. I had always read that things like thunder storms would give them heartattacks and they'd die, so I was always worried about my bunnies, but they were always fine. They might be afraid of it, and if so, just try to comfort them. 

If you say they get scared of a "sneeze" then maybe you could put a box in their pen for them to hide in? That may make them feel less frightened. 

Emily


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## ilovetoeatchocolate (Aug 22, 2008)

They have three things to hide in while in their expen. A huge plastic igloo, a wooden tunnel and a cardboard box. So as long as they have things to hide in they should be okay? 

OMG that was a loud thunder. I asked hubby if we should take them into our bedroom in a spare cage we have so that they can be with us and he thinks that the rabbits will be okay, that we shouldn't bother. He is such a man hey! Mind you the transport to the new cage and up the stairs with it might be more traumatic then the actual thunder. Not to mention the new surroundings. They have never been up here. 

Shannon


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## AngelnSnuffy (Aug 22, 2008)

Hey!

None that I've had have been scared (inside). But, we've had some lighter of storms. Not too much "kabamo" as me and hubby call the huge thunders. But even then, the buns don't seem bothered at all by it. I'll even get scared sometimes and the buns don't budge, haha.


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Aug 22, 2008)

Shannon, yup as long as they have each other (That definitley will help to ease their fears!) and something to hide in, they should be ok. If you want to check on them, don't feel obligated (< right word im looking for?) to do so, they will be happy. Also, make sure they have plenty of hay - hay is stress relieving so it should help with being afraid as well. It will take their minds off of the "evil" thing  

Emily


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## Jenk (Aug 22, 2008)

I'd wondered the same thing--until I watched my two girls weather two thunder storms (pun intended). Truly, they didn't seem to really notice the thunder, which shocked me.

Now, the 4th of July was another issue....When the fireworks were going off, I left our back deck twice to come inside and check on/swee talk to my girls. Both did seem rather frightened and were hunkered down in areas that make them feel more safe. They seemed to bounce back quickly, though, once the hooplah had ended.

Jenk


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## Raspberry82 (Aug 22, 2008)

Max has been through a number of very loud and long lighting and thunder storms here over the past 2 years. I'm sure other people may feel differently, but I believe (depending on the bunny's temperment) that buns can adjust to noises and sounds that they may consider frightening at first and become used to them being completely harmless. Of course every _new _sound will scare them for a bit, but they handle it better the more they experience it in a protective environment, you being there to make them feel safe.

Max is startled when the thunder/lighting first starts, but he quickly realizes they're not hurting him and are just a loud annoyance, so he stops caring. But this is the bunny who LOVES our stereo and dances and binkies around the place when we play upbeat CDs, so he isn't easily startled like he was as a baby. 

Their first few times, I would go down and hold them, pet them and speak soothingly to them during the storm until it is over, I think this will not only help them feel better, but also strengthen the trust between them and you that you're their protector.


I always believed that if you never exposed a bunny to loud noises or strange sounds, and then they experience something really loud, that's when they have the potential to be scared to death. When you safely show them noises don't hurt they seem to not care about them as much afterwards.

Just my 2 cents.


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## Becca (Aug 22, 2008)

I've always worreied about that but then i realise rabbits in the wild don't have us they survive the thunder so however hard it may be for us to watch them being scared itsnot going to hurt them :?


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## Dublinperky (Aug 22, 2008)

Storms scare me very much and they don't scare my bunnies very much. They are outdoor buns so if it gets bad I take them inside. I check on them a lot even if it is sprinkling! Yesterday it was raining really hard and Merin didn't even go in her shelter. It scared me so bad that she got wet I brought her in a nd dried her up!


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