when buns go into boarding...

Not sure if what happens with Stewie is just because he's a single house bun, or if this happens with other buns, but it happened with Bertie too, which makes me wonder...

Bertie: went into boarding 3 times, after each trip he became more approachable, friendly, and connected to us. The change in him on each occassion was startling, esp. as he wouldn't even let us touch him prior to his first holiday.

Stewie: Been in twice, once for a week, then recently for two. After the first time he came back more friendly and cuddly, but still a destructive little bear (!). This time, he's literally all over us and the change is dramatic. He follows us round all the time, apart from down time, jumps up and just sits on me, licking my hand.head etc. for ages. Does the same to Paul and his bro Chris, who's staying here at the mo.

More significantly, he hasn't even attempted to chew or wreck anything. For the first time ever, he seems really content just to sit and 'be', rather than be on the move all the time. I even accidentally shut him in the lounge y'day (didn't know he was in there - we have to shut all the doors if we're going out), and he was in there for a couple of hours - not a scratch on anything.

I'm not complaining ( ) I'm really happy that he's settled, but I just can't figure out why, in rabbit (not hooman) terms, why this would happen. It would be easy to think along the lines of 'he missed us' or 'realises what he's got here' or similar, but these are human explainations, but could they also explain the change in him?

Dunno if it's relevant, but the boarding place is not somewhere that he would want to get away from,. it's bloomin palatial, he has a massive hutch, exercise area, and heating (not something I requested, but he gets it anyway!). The boarder lady loves him to pieces, and I know that he gest a lot of attention and care when he's there.

Anyone else experienced this, or have any idea why this might happen?

That place sounds amazing! VIP bunnies.
I wonder what they do to them there Some sort of trade secret

They are human explanations but I often wonder if buns consider it too.

Maybe they didn't give him attention much and he missed that he gets lots of attention with you. Or vice versa, they gave him lots of attention and then he thought hey i like this

Funny youve said this Jay, Since leaving Buttons at my OH's parents for 3 days while we went away over christmas, he has been soooooo loving to us since we have been back!!

Obviously Buttons was already pretty loving beforehand, but he had started to run away from us more just before christmas and didn't really want touching!! But now it's hard to get anything done when your home because he just wants stroking or to lick us to death!! He even came on the sofa for attention last night (He never comes on the sofa!)

I haven't been able to think of an answer yet as to why he has acted like this! I kept thinking, maybe he just missed us and is glad to be home?! but like you say it is such a human thought, there must be another meaning!! (But in my head im going to keep thinking he just missed me and loves me lots! )

I get the opposite. Flo always seems pleased to see me but Bruce sulks. It doesn't matter whether he has been away to the cattery or whether he has been looked after at home (maybe he picks up ideas from the cats?!) The lady at the cattery adores the buns and lets them run up and down outside the cats' enclosures when she is around and feeds them allsorts of home grown veg and they have lots of space as they use the cats facilities.

I think that he prob did miss you. Buns feel too, and I think he missed you!

Please can I have number of said boarding place for my new buns :-)

Interesting responses, maybe I should have left it open and just said 'Are your buns different when they've been away and how?'

Katieb wrote:I think that he prob did miss you. Buns feel too, and I think he missed you!

Please can I have number of said boarding place for my new buns :-)

Will PM the site etc over

I can see that he may have some 'missing you' type things going on, but I can't make the connection between that and him being so much better behaved and all over us. Thing is, with both of them, these changes are permanent, so something has to be affecting them.

Bertie went to a different boarding place than Stuart, so it's not nec. down to who looks after them, but more than they've not been here then returned.

Im sending Daisy over this afternoon!

maybe its a change in him that was happening before hand but you never really noticed before, and because of the short time away from him its just heightened his behavior when you then do see him.

Then again maybe it is missing you, being very attached to you maybe he thought you were going to leave him there, and then when you went back to get him made him a super happy bunny. I know that when i leave [if i happen to go somewhere for a night] and my mum cares for Marshall he wont eat as much hay .... its like he goes on hunger strike :/

Then again maybe its the rabbit company, they are obviously in close quarters with other buns and would be able to communicate ..... maybe that extra conversation with someone who actually knows what hes talking about fulfilled a need for him.


I dunno, would be interesting to see what hes like when your not around, like how he is when hes boarding there.

Amelia66 wrote:maybe its a change in him that was happening before hand but you never really noticed before, and because of the short time away from him its just heightened his behavior when you then do see him.

Then again maybe it is missing you, being very attached to you maybe he thought you were going to leave him there, and then when you went back to get him made him a super happy bunny. I know that when i leave [if i happen to go somewhere for a night] and my mum cares for Marshall he wont eat as much hay .... its like he goes on hunger strike :/

Then again maybe its the rabbit company, they are obviously in close quarters with other buns and would be able to communicate ..... maybe that extra conversation with someone who actually knows what hes talking about fulfilled a need for him.

I dunno, would be interesting to see what hes like when your not around, like how he is when hes boarding there.

That's fascinating, a non bunny owner friend of mine suggested exactly the same thing! I didn't put it up because I wanted to see if anyone else thought that Mmm, I wonder.

Thank-you

I wish some of our customers would answer this. We always get in touch with the owners after a few days of them collecting their buns to make sure the buns have settled in back at home and it's surprising how many owners have said their bunny or bunnies seemed so much calmer and what had we done. We have a radio on low in the boarding shed and the indoor suites and some of the customers have now put radios in their shed's as they wondered if that was the reason why. I personally think if they are happy boarding and get looked after well and get fresh greens and herbs and the space to play they go home happy and contented bunnies and it's a case of 'Thank you for sending me there I loved it'. At the end of the day they are on holiday and that's what it should be, humans enjoy their holidays away and so it's only right that their bunnies do to

Our boarding buns over Christmas had stockings with treats in and homemade organic bunny biscuits

Does this mean your contemplating getting another bun jay?!

That could be one reason why, but it doesn't help me explain why Buttons is more affectionate now! Because when he was at my OH's parents house he was still alone with definatly no other buns around in their laundry room!!

lizzi_blackwell3 wrote:Does this mean your contemplating getting another bun jay?!

That could be one reason why, but it doesn't help me explain why Buttons is more affectionate now! Because when he was at my OH's parents house he was still alone with definatly no other buns around in their laundry room!!

Maybe they made him do the washing and he is happy he doesn't have any chores at your housse!!

It is a really interesting topic. It's times like this you wish they could talk so you could ask them

Tuckerbunnies wrote:I wish some of our customers would answer this. We always get in touch with the owners after a few days of them collecting their buns to make sure the buns have settled in back at home and it's surprising how many owners have said their bunny or bunnies seemed so much calmer and what had we done. We have a radio on low in the boarding shed and the indoor suites and some of the customers have now put radios in their shed's as they wondered if that was the reason why. I personally think if they are happy boarding and get looked after well and get fresh greens and herbs and the space to play they go home happy and contented bunnies and it's a case of 'Thank you for sending me there I loved it'. At the end of the day they are on holiday and that's what it should be, humans enjoy their holidays away and so it's only right that their bunnies do to
Our boarding buns over Christmas had stockings with treats in and homemade organic bunny biscuits

I love that it's a great way to look at it, and is entirely possible, given that the lady is really very in love with him!

lizzi_blackwell3 wrote:Does this mean your contemplating getting another bun jay?!

That could be one reason why, but it doesn't help me explain why Buttons is more affectionate now! Because when he was at my OH's parents house he was still alone with definatly no other buns around in their laundry room!!

No it doesn't, but it still intrigues me!

We've been discussing another bun for ages, and have kinda committed to makng a decision about it in the Springtime. At the moment it looks unlikely, but I don't really want to discuss it at the mo, will do when we need some input

I understand that with horses, one can be excluded from the herd for a period of time if it upsets the dominant horse(s). It is rarely sent completely packing, just kept at a distance until the rest of the herd decided to allow it to rejoin them, on the understanding that it is on its best behaviour.

I wonder if it is the same with buns, that they feel they have been excluded from their home herd (no matter how happy they may be in their temporary accommodation) and have to behave well to be allowed to stay within it on their return. Although that might credit buns with a better understanding of human expectations of 'best behaviour' than is reasonable to expect.

Personally, I know nothing about best behaviour - I am a very norty bunny

Yes, sparky, I think a few weeks in boarding might do wonders for you ....... but then again, it might not!

Sparky I just wanted to say something nice to you as I know that you have been duffer up by your mother today, you Dad has had a pop at you publically, and Nicki has told you off on at least 2 threads in the last 5 minutes. If you do go on to use street drugs and mate with any bun who gives you the wink, I think at least part of the blame can be given to the members of this forum who tell you daily how very north you are.
So, to break away from the norm, and so as not to be a sheep, I will simply say this 'sparky you are very very good girl' xx

'norty' (never get an iPhone sparky, they suck) xx

I got a bit confused - for a moment there I thought there was a suggestion that Mrs Doyle had got Sparky up the duff which would have been highly improbable!

Felix&Willow wrote:Sparky I just wanted to say something nice to you as I know that you have been duffer up by your mother today, you Dad has had a pop at you publically, and Nicki has told you off on at least 2 threads in the last 5 minutes. If you do go on to use street drugs and mate with any bun who gives you the wink, I think at least part of the blame can be given to the members of this forum who tell you daily how very north you are.
So, to break away from the norm, and so as not to be a sheep, I will simply say this 'sparky you are very very good girl' xx

That's given me the biggest laugh all day!!!!

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:I got a bit confused - for a moment there I thought there was a suggestion that Mrs Doyle had got Sparky up the duff which would have been highly improbable!

And morally very concerning - thank goodness sparky has humum and hudad to protect her

I don't think reverse psychology is going to work you know!

NickieM wrote:I don't think reverse psychology is going to work you know!

I like to call it 'positive parenting' ... (though it's not working with my daughter today lol)