A happy rabbit is a healthy rabbit. It may seem like an oversimplified statement, but it is true. However, you can learn how to tell if your rabbit is sad or depressed. By now you may be able to tell when your pet rabbit is happy. You may have noticed his appetite is hearty. He may hop and frisk about. Your bunny’s mood is important. Even though your pet bunny is largely unobtrusive, you can read his feelings. As a responsible pet owner, you should acquaint yourself with the signs of sadness and depression in rabbits. Once you know what to look for, you will be able to take steps towards making your bunny a happy camper again.
What are the signs of a depressed rabbit?
There are several signs that may indicate that your rabbit is sad. We explore them here:
- No appetite – Rabbits are usually nibbling on their hay throughout the day. If he is sad, your rabbit may not be interested in food. You may not even be able to tempt him with his favourite treats.
- Hiding – Your rabbit may persist in hiding in nooks and secluded areas in your home if he is depressed. He may stay all day in his bed and not come out even when you approach his cage or hutch.
- Anti-social behaviour – Rabbits are naturally sociable creatures. They form connections with their humans and their bunny counterparts. If you have other rabbits, she may refuse to play with them. She may not even engage in her usual playful activities with you.
- Pacing – If your pet rabbit is pacing around his cage or hutch, he may be exhibiting signs of depression. This is usually a symptom that your rabbit is stressed and anxious.
- Biting – By now you may know what is normal and what is not for your rabbit. Rabbits chew constantly, it is part of their dental routine. However, if your rabbit is chewing more than usual, even on the cage, he may be sad.
- Posture – Your rabbit’s posture says a lot about her mood. If your rabbit is sad, he might sit up most of the time. He may be reluctant to lie on his side to relax. His eyes may also appear half-closed as if he is not particularly alert.
- Lethargy – If your bunny is depressed, she may not play and frolic the way she usually does. She may lack the energy or interest to pursue her usual activities.
- Overgrooming – While rabbits are avid groomers, there can be too much of a good thing. If your rabbit is sad and stressed, he may groom until he pulls out clumps of hair leading to bald patches.
What can cause my pet rabbit to become depressed?
There are several reasons why your rabbit may become depressed. So, if your furry buddy appears to be sad, you will need to consider what is going in his life at the moment.
Here are some of the common causes of depressions in rabbits.
- Illness or Injury – Similarly to humans, if your rabbit is not feeling well or is in pain. He may succumb to depression. You may notice that she is moving less and unwilling to engage in her usual playful activities.
- Lack of mental stimulation – As you may know by now rabbits are pretty intelligent creatures and you cannot just put them in a cage with nothing to engage them. Your rabbit may become depressed if his cage or hutch is bereft of toys and activity equipment.
- Grief – If you have more than one rabbit, you will notice that your bunny may have a pal that he is close to. Unfortunately, if a fellow rabbit dies, your bunny can take this event quite hard. Similarly, a rabbit can grieve the loss of a human companion. Remember, you cannot explain to your rabbit that his friend is now gone. As such this loss will make your rabbit quite sad.
- Spayed or neutered – The removal of your rabbit’s sexual organs may cause your rabbit to become depressed. This procedure will affect the hormonal levels in your rabbit. Also, he may be in a bit of pain after surgery. All of these may cause your rabbit to be more subdued than normal.
- Loneliness – You may have chosen to have one rabbit. However, this may lead to your rabbit being left on her own quite often. Your rabbit needs social interaction and if there are no other bunnies around, you have to fill in the gap. A lonely rabbit can feel sad and abandoned.
- Cramped conditions – If your rabbit’s living conditions are not to standard, they may cause him to be quite sad. If your rabbit’s cage is too small and not cleaned as regularly as it should be, this may push your bunny into a funk.
- Seasonal depression – You may have noticed as the winter months approach; your rabbit’s behaviour changes. He may seem lethargic and generally disinterested in any kind of activity. During winter, rabbits produce less serotonin and as such their mood is affected.
- Moulting – You may observe that at certain times of the year, you have more hair to clean in your rabbit’s cage. You may also observe that your rabbit is generally miserable during these times. She may spend most of her time grooming and sulking.
- Change of environment – If you have moved, your rabbit may have trouble adjusting and become depressed.
What can I do to cheer my rabbit up?
Your course of action will, of course, depends on the original reason causing your rabbit’s depression. So, we will explore the solutions based on the reason your rabbit is sad.
- By soothing the grief – If your rabbit is grieving, you should try to pour on the attention and love during those first few days after the loss. You should try to spend extra time with her. You may want to offer her favourite treats and encourage her to play more. If your rabbit likes being stroked, you should make sure to give her that tender loving care.
- Making your rabbit comfortable – If your rabbit’s morose state is being caused by his accommodations, there is no need to worry, this is certainly one you can address! If it’s within your budget, you can invest in a larger cage or hutch. If you can purchase one with a pull-out tray for easy cleanups that could help you keep your rabbit and surroundings hygienic.
- Get your rabbit a buddy – If you don’t mind having another furry friend, you should get your pet rabbit a companion. It may take some time for them to get used to each other, but before you know it they may become fast friends.
- Spend more time with your rabbit – Your rabbit may be missing you if you have not been around lately. If this is the case, schedule some bonding time for you and your bunny. A good time to spend some time with your rabbit is after a long day of work or school. You are probably in need of destressing yourself. Playing with your rabbit is extremely therapeutic. This time could be mutually beneficial.
- Groom your pet rabbit regularly – Moulting season can make your rabbit quite sad, but you can help him out. Your rabbit needs a good daily brush when he is moulting. Removing all that extra hair might improve his mood.
Crank up the fun
A useful tool in your arsenal for a sad bunny is to bring on the toys and the activities. You probably already have several toys for your rabbit, what we recommend that you do is rotate your toys so that your pet rabbit does not get bored with the same items.
If you think that your rabbit is tired of the toys that you have, you can bring some household items into play like:
- Cardboard boxes – Rabbits love hopping in and out of boxes. They also make a safe chew toy.
- Stools – Everyone has a stool to reach things on high shelves, you can place it in your rabbit’s space so he can hop on and off.
- Toilet paper rolls – Rabbits like rolling them around and you and also stuff them with hay. Your rabbit will love this new way to nibble!
- While you can buy an obstacle activity set for your rabbit, he may get bored with the same stimuli all the time. So why not try these low-cost activities:
- Treasure hunts – You can hide little treats and set your pet rabbit off to find them.
- Excavation fun – Your bunny loves digging. If you have an old rectangular planter, you can fill it with soil or if you don’t have soil, shredded newspapers. This will provide loads of excitement.
Can my rabbit get therapy?
Unfortunately, therapy is not available for pet rabbits. So, your only recourse is to find out what is causing your rabbit’s sadness and take the necessary steps.
Determining whether your rabbit is sad or depressed may take some investigation on your part. You may need to check your rabbit’s health, environment and any new developments. Once you pinpoint why your rabbit is sad, then you can take steps to help your rabbit come out of his depression. With a little time and patience, your rabbit will be back to his usual self in no time.