Being social creatures, bunnies have a lot to say. Their behaviors can tell you exactly how they are feeling. Are they annoyed? Do they want your attention? Are you in their way? How they use that little bunny body will tell you all of these things and more.
Thumbing/stomping: when a bun stomps her feet on the floor, usually they are annoyed or trying to get your attention to alert you to danger (real or imaginary).
Binky: When a bun is really excited or happy they will run, jump and do a little twist in the air.
Nipping/biting: Nipping is much more common and it's your bunnies way of getting your attention or politely asking you to move. If you do get bit, the bun might feel scared, threatened or have poor eyesight and be startled. To discourage nipping you can make a loud OUCH sound. Rabbits more often than not do not want to hurt you and will get the hint that you don't like it and will stop after a few times.
A flop: A rabbit that flops over on its side (an adorable thing to witness) means they are very content and probably tired.
Chinning: When a rabbit rubs their chin on objects or you, they are claiming them. Under their chins they have scent glands. It's not something we can smell but other animals can.
Grunting: rabbits grunt when they are angry or feel threatened. They might do this when you are trying to clean or rearrange their cage as they are not a big fan of change. They can also be territorial (especially non spayed or neutered rabbits) which will lead to charging and grunting when you get in their space.
Teeth grinding: Soft teeth grinding can be a sign that your rabbit is content. Loud (sounds painful to hear) grinding can be a sign of a health issue and you should take your pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Spraying: Both male and female rabbits will spray urine to mark their territory. A good way to stop this behavior is to get them fixed. Spaying/nurturing usually deters the behavior but not always.
Scattered droppings: Finding little bunny kisses (poo) scattered around an area is another way of claiming territory. If the poo is all in a pile it more so means that the rabbit is not fully litter box trained.
Shrill scream: Rabbits will scream if they are seriously injured or dying. Seek medical attention immediately.
Digging: In the wild rabbits will dig burrows for their homes, they are natural diggers. Some like to dig more than others and will even dig on your pants or hands for attention. Best way to curb this? Give them something that is okay to dig, an old blanket or towel.
Zooming: When your bunny runs around the room at top speed. This means your furry friend is very happy and excited. It's also very entertaining to watch.
Nose nudging: In a means to explore something a rabbit might bonk or nudge it with its nose. It's their way of figuring out what something is. It may be followed up by a nip in a way to get someone or something to move.
Licking: Rabbits are very social and part of the socialization is grooming one another and themselves. It's adorable, just be sure that they are not ingesting too much hair. You can do this by brushing out their coat every so often, especially around a molt.
Lunging: Typically rabbits are not aggressive but they can be territorial. You may see a rabbit lunge at you if you are messing with or trying to clean their cage. They will aggressively lunge at you sometimes followed by a charge and a nip/bite. It's their way of saying "get out of my house". You can try offering some treats or a new toy in another location while you clean your rabbit's area.
Chewing: A favorite pastime of the rabbit is to chew. And this is not really a habit you can break. Rabbits' front teeth never stop growing, so to keep them at a reasonable length they chew....on everything. Always providing access to hay will help keep your bun bun's teeth at a good length, as well as tossing them some cardboard toilet paper rolls (these can be made into some fun and inexpensive toys). They best way to handle this behavior is to make sure they have plenty of things they can chew and rabbit proof what they cant (*electrical wires being a big no no). This is one of the reasons we strongly believe that rabbits should have a rabbit proof enclosure for times they are left unsupervised.
I think that covers most rabbit behaviors but if I missed one, feel free to share! We'd also love to hear from you if you have found tips and tricks that have worked with your own rabbits.
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