I need some advice on a doe who seems a bit crazy!
She is a Dutch doe about a year old, who is really odd. When I first got her (about 6 months ago), she would spend all day in the dark in the sleeping area of her hutch licking the walls. I moved her in with one of my English does and she stopped doing that, but started moving all the hay and wood shavings out of the sleeping area and pushing it all up into a heap in the middle of the hutch, until the floor was bare everywhere else. She does this whenever I clean the hutch out, and if I put the bedding back she will immeditely move it into a pile again.
I also noticed a bald patch on the English does head a day or so ago, and when I was watching them earlier I thought the Dutch was grooming her, but then realised she was plucking her hair out and chewing it!
Does anyone know what might be going on here? I just don\'t know what to do with her!
Sometimes lack of fiber or low protein in the diet causes fur chewing. Sometimes this is a vice that just becomes habit.
What was the physical condition of this doe when you got her? It almost sounds as though the conditions she came from were less than ideal. Her \"nest building\" behavior is territorial. She apparently wants her living quarters arranged in a particular way.
I recommend that she not share a cage with the English doe or you will continue to see bald patches appear.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
She is on the same diet as the rest of my rabbits, and I have never had a problem in that area.
You are right about the conditions she came from, she was a sort of \'pity buy\' from a pet shop, the owner told me she had come from a breeder trying to breed for show, but he wanted to get rid of her because her markings were wrong (why they waited 6 months before getting rid of her I don\'t know). She was quite thin, her nails were overgrown and she was very nervous. I had seen that pet shop still sell a young rabbit even though it was clearly very sick and in pain before, so I didn\'t want to leave her there in that state and let the situation get worse!
Do you think all this strange behaviour may be because of her bad start in life?
I think it is very likely. Just like people, rabbits can develop \"nervous behaviors\" as a response to a stress environment. Just continue being kind to her.
Good luck.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
I think its just terrible that a pet shop can conduct business like this. The people that you would think are in the business because they love animals, we are finding more often are open for business for all the wrong reasons. Our local news station recently did a hidden investigation story involving a small pet shop, and revealed just terrible conditions and mistreatment of animals. It was pitiful. Fortunately, this owner is closed down and facing charges, but it makes you wonder about so many more...
About the territorial thing, we get such a kick out of \"cleaning Petey\'s cage day\" because he spends so much time \"fixing\" his cage, after we\'ve cleaned it out. He rearranges all the toys, pushes boxes around and replaces his stuffed animals just where he wants them! He sure lets us know that our ideas on his living arrangements are unacceptable. Very funny!
I agree! I recently visted a shop from a very big, reputable pet store chain, and one of their rabbits was in obvious pain and had a very mucky bottom, despite this, I had to convince the staff that there was anything wrong with it at all! When I pointed the rabbit out, they said, \"Oh, he\'s just sleeping.\"
There are only two very small pet shops that I trust now!
I\'m glad someone else has a fussy rabbit! Petey sounds like a funny little character!