Glossary of Rabbit Behaviours

An A-Z of rabbit behaviours

Bunnymad has compiled a glossary of normal rabbit behaviours, providing a description of each, a brief explanation of why wild rabbits exhibit it, then suggesting ways in which we can be sensitive to the behaviour and encourage our rabbits to display it. 

 

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  J  K  L  M  N  P  R  S  T  U  V  W  Y  Z 

 

 A

Alertness 

Approaching cautiously 

 

 B

Begging 

Binkying 

Biting 

Bowing 

Boxing 

Butt twitching 

 

 C

Caecotrophs/caecal droppings (eating) 

Chasing 

Chewing 

Chin rubbing 

Circling 

Clearing routes 

Communicating 

Crepuscular 

 

 D

Digging 

Dreaming 

Drinking 

Droppings 

 

 E

Ears 

Eating 

Eating droppings 

Eyes 

 

 F

Fighting 

Flattening 

Flicking feet 

Flopping 

Foraging 

Freezing 

Fur pulling 

 

 G

Grazing 

Grinding teeth 

Grooming 

Growling/grunting 

 

 H

Head flat/chin on ground 

Hiccups 

Hiding 

Hiding pain 

Hierarchical behaviours 

Honking 

Hopping 

Hunching 

 

 J

Jumping 

 

 K

Kicking 

 

 L

Licking 

Listening 

Loafing 

Looking 

Lowering head 

Lunging 

Lying 

 

 M

Mounting 

 

 N

Nesting 

Nibbling 

Nipping 

Nose 

Nudging 

 

 P

Panting 

Parallaxing 

Periscoping 

Purring 

 

 R

Rapid breathing 

Reacting to danger 

Rearing up 

Running 

 

 S

Scanning 

Scattering droppings 

Scent marking 

Scratching 

Screaming 

Shaking 

Sheltering 

Sitting up 

Sleeping 

Smelling 

Socialising 

Splooting 

Spraying urine 

Squealing 

Standing on hind legs 

 

 T

Tail 

Teeth chattering/grinding 

Throwing/tossing 

Thumping 

Toilet behaviours 

Trancing/tonic immobility 

Turning back on company 

Twitching nose 

 

 U

Urinating 

 

 V

Vigilance 

Vocalising 

 

 W

Whimpering 

 

 Y

Yawning 

 

 Z

Zooming 

 

 

A

Alertness

See Vigilance

Approaching cautiously

As prey animals, rabbits are instinctively cautious when approaching anything unfamiliar. They advance tentatively to investigate, in small stop motion-style increments, ears angled forwards, nose twitching to smell, tail pointing downwards, and head moving up and down, scanning with their eyes to gain a good perspective. They may stretch as close as they dare to the object, keeping back feet firmly rooted so they’re ready to retreat if necessary. Unfamiliar territory, new objects within their territory, or people might be approached in this manner. 

This behaviour will forewarn other rabbits in a social group, communicating that they should be alert to a possible threat. 

Objects in our home deserving extra caution have included newborn babies, vacuum cleaners, and unattended slippers.  

 

Like their wild ancestors, our pet rabbits constantly monitor their environment for potential dangers. They quickly detect anything unfamiliar and are instinctively cautious in their approach. 

We must be sensitive to their needs, remembering that our rabbits are prey creatures and constantly alert for threats – anything new, including people, should be introduced with consideration, watching carefully to see whether our rabbits are scared, and reassuring them. Talking gently and touching the new item may help to show our rabbits that it’s safe. 

Some characteristics bred into domestic rabbits (eg. lop-ears, red-eyes) have resulted in compromised hearing, eyesight, and sense of smell. These rabbits may take even more time to approach anything unfamiliar. 

We must always provide plenty of hiding places for our rabbits, for sheltering away from anything they perceive as a threat, and we should learn our rabbits’ ways of communicating how they are feeling, so we can recognise when they’re scared.  

Ebony exhibiting the classic stop-start motion of a rabbit approaching cautiously. 

 

B

Begging

See Rearing up

Binkying

A binky is a playful twisting leap, often accompanied by kicking out of the legs, or shaking of the head and ears. It’s thought that binkies are playtime practice for escaping danger, or performed when a rabbit has excess energy. Binkies are also performed during courtship, communicating a buck’s affection towards a doe.  

In Dijon's opinion, soil was for binkying on, not for digging.  

 

In pet rabbits, binkies are usually a sign of happiness – like an ecstatic dance. We must allow our rabbits plenty of space to express themselves (minimum 3m x 2m x 1m high).  

 

 A compilation of Dijon's numerous sofa dances, filmed over the years.  (Each one is a separate binky, they've simply been placed together in chronological order).

 

 

Biting

See Eating and Fighting

Bowing / Head flat/chin on ground / Lowering head

A rabbit requests grooming from a rabbit companion by approaching then lowering its head, in a bowing motion, nose-to-nose, usually with ears up. The rabbit may touch the other rabbit’s nose. If the other rabbit fails to give the attention demanded, the bowing rabbit may try nudging the companion’s head with their nose – if there is still no response, they may end up nipping the other rabbit, and chasing may ensue. This is one of rabbits’ hierarchical behaviours – the bowing rabbit is assuming a position of dominance and is seeking recognition of this status. 

This is a behaviour our pet rabbits will perform to request grooming from a companion rabbit. Bowing has an important role to play during the process of introducing and bonding two or more rabbits – the rabbit who wants to be the dominant one in the relationship will try bowing to the other rabbit. If that rabbit accepts the other’s dominance, they will groom them. If not, there may be chasing, which can quickly escalate to fighting if we don’t recognise the point at which we need to intervene.  

Ignore a bowing rabbit at your peril: Dijon asking for cuddles.

 

Rabbits use the same bowing motion to ask for pets from us – we risk offending them if we ignore this demand! It’s advisable to acknowledge their request – even if, as is often the case in our household, it happens when we least have time to sit down on the floor with them for a stroke!

Boxing

See Fighting

Butt twitching

Occasionally, the muscles on a rabbit’s hind quarters can start twitching when eating something – notably when consuming their caecotrophs. 

There are several theories as to why it happens: the twitching may be a response to the sensation of food touching rabbits’ highly sensitive whiskers, lips, or tongue (they have a highly developed sense of touch and proprioception); it might be due to their hind leg muscles twitching as they relax whilst eating; the twitching could be a result of neural activity in the spinal cord or brain, which is triggered by the act of eating, as rabbits’ nervous systems process and respond to sensory information extremely quickly; it could be behaviour which ensures they are constantly prepared to run from predators, even whilst eating; or it could simply be a response to their happiness or contentment, much like a binky. 

Many people have witnessed this ‘bunny butt twitch’ when their pet rabbits eat banana. Tempting as it is to feed our rabbits sweet food which they find delicious, we should only let them eat tiny pieces of fruit as an occasional treat, as their delicate gut balance can easily be upset.  

30 seconds of Ebony's backside twitching, in response to eating bay leaves.

 

A rabbit constantly twitching could have a medical problem, such as a neurological issue.

C

Caecotrophs/caecal droppings (eating)

See Eating

Chasing

Rabbits may chase other rabbits when establishing, enforcing, and maintaining social status – it’s one of their hierarchical behaviours. Often, nipping provokes a chase. If cornered, it may escalate to fighting.

During courtship, a buck may chase a doe. This is a way to display his vitality, and also to check the fitness of his chosen mate. He may also chase off rivals.  

Dijon pestering Mabel, when he was just 8wks old (before he was neutered).  

 

For pet rabbits, chasing may occur during the bonding process. It should be rare once rabbits are happily bonded, but may occur if a subordinate rabbit steps out of line by taking first pickings of, for example, food, water, shelter, or toys. This is why it’s so important to ensure we provide at least one of everything for each rabbit in a group. Chasing as a courtship behaviour should be minimal following neutering. 

It’s essential to allow enough space (minimum 3m x 2m x 1m high) for them to run away if their companion does start chasing, otherwise, if a rabbit becomes cornered, there is a risk of fighting.

Chewing

See Eating

Chin rubbing

See Scent marking

Circling

A rabbit may hop in circles around another rabbit when establishing, enforcing, and maintaining their status as the dominant rabbit – it’s one of their hierarchical behaviours. Circling may be accompanied by honking. 

Running in circles around another rabbit is also a behaviour seen during courtship.  

Mr Snoop displaying his love for Ebony, much to her annoyance.

 

Our rabbits might circle their partner, or us, to display their affection, or their excitement (eg. when food is approaching). Unneutered rabbits, or those kept without a rabbit companion, are more likely to circle their owners. We must ensure all rabbits are neutered, and that they have suitable companionship.

Clearing routes

Clearing routes by biting through or throwing/tossing obstacles in their path, such as branches or roots, is all part of rabbits’ foraging nature. 

Also, very importantly, it enables rabbits to keep escape routes clear – essential for any prey animal. 

Neroli demonstrating how to ensure routes are clear, by chewing through upholstery and gnawing furniture. 

Our domestic rabbits have retained this need to move things – that’s the reason for biting through our cables! They are naturally drawn to small gaps (eg. behind furniture), and will persist in their attempts to gain access, by chewing anything in their path, so we must ensure their area is spacious, secure, and rabbit proofed. Even with a suitably spacious area, our rabbits may rattle their enclosures or protest at closed doors, reflecting this instinct to explore routes (or to demand our attention!). Note that repetitive bar biting is a very different and far more negative behaviour, often in response to stress or frustration.  

Dijon pointing out that clearing routes and helping with the laundry are essentially the same thing. 

 

Try scattering some food in a tunnel, then add a few toys so your rabbits can be entertained by nudging the toys out of the way to reach the food (tunnels can be bought from retailers, but a length of pipe from a builders’ merchant, or even a cardboard carpet roll, are just as good – 8-inch diameter is usually suitable). Never block access to your rabbits’ sheltering places.  

Ebony expressing her opinion on silly balls obstructing tunnel entrances.  

 

Communicating / Vocalising

Rabbits communicate with each other using a variety of methods to express information such as affection, contentedness, displeasure, fear, or frustration, and to establish and maintain a social hierarchy. They’re generally quiet creatures, having relatively weak, poorly formed, and inflexible vocal cords. Vocalising in the same manner as other animals is not possible – they cannot modulate sounds produced (ie. they cannot change volume, pitch, or tone of sounds), and there is very little variation between rabbits in the sounds they produce. However, despite this, they can produce a range of sounds for communication, including:

• Growling/grunting
• Honking
• Screaming
• Squealing/whimpering
• Teeth chattering/grinding
• Thumping

 

They rely heavily on scent marking, including chin rubbing, scattering droppings, spraying urine, for communicating information including social status, age, and reproductive status. 

Rabbits’ physical behaviours, expressions, and mannerisms are all powerful communication tools, conveying a wealth of information – from these, rabbits can recognise whether a companion is relaxed or frightened, approachable or hostile, happy or frustrated. Some of these are instinctive, others conscious. Examples of body postures and actions which can be used include:

• Approaching cautiously
• Begging
• Binkying
• Bowing (head flat/chin on ground, lowering head)
• Chasing
• Circling
• Ear position
• Openness of eyes
• Fighting (biting, boxing, kicking, lunging)
• Flattening
• Flicking feet
• Freezing
• Fur pulling
• Grooming
• Hiding
• Hunching
• Loafing
• Lying/flopping
• Mounting
• Nipping
• Nose posture/speed of twitching
• Nudging
• Rapid breathing
• Rearing up
• Shaking
• Sitting up
• Tail position
• Turning back on company

Even the fact that a rabbit is foraging or grazing, or sleeping, dreaming, or yawning, demonstrates to other rabbits that their companion is relaxed and doesn’t perceive any immediate threat, but is also a signal that they should take on the duty of vigilance whilst their companion is less alert. 

Communication in rabbits is subtle and complex, especially when compared to that of dogs or cats; pet rabbits’ attempts to express themselves are often missed by their owners, and their body language is frequently misinterpreted. Through patient observation, it is possible to learn to ‘listen’ to our rabbits, and gain a valuable understanding which enriches our relationship with them, and helps with early detection of any problems. The language of rabbits varies with personality and context (and type of ears!) – we must learn these different ‘dialects’ for each of our individual rabbits. For example, for most rabbits, throwing back their ears and holding them tightly to their body if something approaches, is a warning of aggression, but Ebony performs the movement when accepting a treat. 

 

Communication isn't always subtle!: Dijon coming to the kitchen to tell us he's hungry (again); Dijon telling Ebony there's a kale delivery; Ebony telling us to open the door because she wants to go out in the rain.

If we interact with our rabbits regularly, demonstrating that we understand what they’re trying to tell us, it will encourage them to communicate more with us. They are intelligent creatures. They’re capable of learning their name and to come when called. 

At 12.5yrs old and slightly blind due to cataracts, Dijon benefitted from an understanding that a tapping of his bowl meant his special secret-from-Ebony portion of softened nuggets was ready.  

 

They can even be taught commands to perform tricks, which adds further enrichment to their lives. 

Ebony and Snoop showing how well they have trained hoomin to give them treats when they spin... everyone involved enjoys it! 

 

 

Crepuscular

Wild rabbits are non-hibernating, and they are crepuscular, meaning they are most active above ground during twilight hours. This is a safer time of day for them – neither diurnal nor nocturnal predators have adequate vision in the low light, whereas rabbits’ eyesight is optimal in this light. It also enables them to avoid being out of their warrens in the hottest part of the day, which is important given that rabbits don’t cope well in high temperatures. 

Rabbits spend most of the hours of daylight and darkness in their warren, although it’s rare for them to be sleeping continuously throughout this time – they often emerge for short periods, especially if it’s a cloudy day, or bright, moonlit night. 

Our domestic rabbits have retained their crepuscular nature – most are more active at dawn and dusk, preferring to sleep in the middle of the day. However, they tend to be slightly more active at times outside twilight than their wild counterparts, as they don’t have to avoid predators; furthermore, our rabbits (especially those kept as houserabbits) have adapted to our routines. Some of our rabbits are more strictly crepuscular than others. 

We must recognise that our rabbits may wish to sleep when we are most active, and be active when we are either busy elsewhere, or asleep. They require a spacious, secure area (minimum 3m x 2m x 1m high), with a constant supply of hay/grass and fresh water, so that they can choose when to eat, drink, exercise, and perform other natural behaviours. Our rabbits need a place where they can rest whenever they wish, without disturbance, noise, or bright light.  

Dijon demonstrating his crepuscular nature, sleeping during the middle of the day: for him, a quiet sleeping place wasn't essential!

D

Digging

Dijon enjoying the soil, in his own Dijon way. 

Wild rabbits dig extensive networks of interconnecting burrows (warrens), which are used for sheltering – some may extend to 3m deep. They use their forelimbs to scrape the surface, scooping it under and out behind them, and also shunt soil forwards, pushing it away from them. 

Rabbits additionally dig shallow, cool areas above ground, to rest on. 

Using their front paws to dig whilst foraging helps rabbits to find concealed bits of vegetation or roots.  

Ebony trying to extend her 'warren': 5-way tunnels provide a place to hide, shelter, explore... or dig! 

 

Digging is an important activity for all rabbits. It’s in their nature to seek out opportunities to dig, whether that be in a digging pit we’ve provided for the purpose, or on a corner of our carpet! 

Bunnies will always dig: Mabel digging the sofa, Ebony emerging from her armchair burrow, and digging out her hay bale.

 

Ebony proudly presents the dug out litter tray – a bunny favourite.

Apart from keeping them happy, digging is good for our rabbits’ physical health, and keeps their nails trim. A box of shredded paper, or a plastic dog basket filled with sand or topsoil, is perfect. 

We built a digging pit in 2021 – a gift for Dijon, on his 10th Birthday. However, Ebony soon took ownership of the soil, and despite watching (not always from a safe distance), Dijon never really mastered digging. Watch to the end to see how Ebony even tried bringing the contents of the pit into the house to encourage him, but to no avail... Dijon preferred rolling in the soil. 

 

Always ensure outdoor rabbits cannot dig out of their enclosures.

Dreaming

See Sleeping

Drinking

A rabbit’s normal water intake is between 50-150 millilitres per kilogram of bodyweight daily. However, a significant portion of their water requirement comes from the vegetation they consume. Much of wild rabbits’ water intake is from dew on the grass they eat – as they are crepuscular, most grazing occurs during twilight, when it’s cooler and dew accumulates on vegetation. 

Mabel showing off her beautiful pink tongue. 

It’s important that we ensure our rabbits stay hydrated, to keep them healthy – water plays a vital role in keeping their guts moving, flushing out excess calcium, protecting cells and organs, regulating body temperature, and it helps to dissolve nutrients and minerals, and carries them, along with oxygen, to cells. Our rabbits should have constant access to fresh, clean water, preferably in bowls, rather than bottles. Soaking greens in water can help to make sure rabbits stay hydrated if they don’t seem to be drinking enough.  

Dijon enjoying a drink from his bowl.  

 

Droppings

See Toilet behaviours

E

Ears / Listening

In the wild, rabbits depend upon vigilance for their survival, monitoring their environment for signs of danger with their ears, eyes, and nose. Their ears are vital to them as prey creatures, able to move independently, rotating 270 degrees, to enable them to listen for sounds from different directions simultaneously. They can detect higher frequency sounds from as far as a couple of miles away.  

Dijon using his superb hearing to detect the journey of his evening snack from the kitchen.

 

Rabbits’ ears assist with thermoregulation (their noses also help, to a lesser extent). Their ears contain many blood vessels, which dilate in hot temperatures or constrict in cold temperatures and this, combined with the thinner fur covering and relatively large surface area, helps to maintain body temperature. Rabbits have their ears up to release heat in hot weather, and keep them close to their body to maintain warmth when it’s cold. Most rabbits cope far better in cold temperatures than in the heat.  

Ebony angling her ears to hear what her wood pigeon friend has to say. 

 

Rabbits’ ear movements and positions can also indicate how they are feeling, and therefore convey information to other rabbits, such as whether a companion is relaxed, curious, cautious, on high alert, or aggressive, so that they are ready to respond accordingly. For example:

• Both ears up, forward, and rabbit sitting up or standing facing forward – rabbit is listening attentively to something.
• Both ears up, pointing ahead, and rabbit leaning forward – rabbit is curious about something.
• One ear up and forward, and rabbit sitting up or resting – rabbit is slightly intrigued by a sound and fairly alert.
• Both ears back, body relaxed – rabbit is relaxed and resting.
• Ears held tightly against body, body tense – rabbit feels scared or upset.
• Ears held at 45 degrees to back, body tense – rabbit is angry; this body language is a warning to others that the rabbit may become aggressive – it’s often a precursor to lunging).
• Shaking ears – can be a sign of annoyance, rather like flicking feet (alternatively, rabbit may be shaking away dirt; repetitive ear shaking can indicate an ear infection).
• Flicking ears, hopping playfully – rabbit is happy, and may be binkying.

It’s important to observe rabbits’ posture along with their ear movement when interpreting this body language.  

Lupin had limited ear movement – we learnt to understand her by observing her ears alongside other body language. 

Our domestic rabbits have retained this prey instinct of vigilance, and, like their wild cousins, have an acute sense of hearing which they use to monitor their surroundings. The functions of the ears in lop-eared breeds have been impaired – they have poorer hearing, due to their downwards pointing ears which have limited movement, and, consequently, are prone to being startled due to a failure to hear things approaching. Additionally, their ears are not as efficient at regulating their body temperature. 

We need to recognise that our rabbits have sensitive ears and might be frightened if they’re exposed to loud or unfamiliar noises. We can predict when some noises may frighten our rabbits and can take measures to reduce exposure to them – for example, by moving them indoors when fireworks are expected, or away from building work. If it’s impossible to move rabbits away from noise, it may help to provide some gentle background noise, for example, from a radio or television. However, we might be surprised to find that seemingly safe sounds could scare our rabbits – for example, when Snoop first came to live with us, he was terrified by the sound of a bowl being scraped. 

Mabel premiering another of her piano concertos:  she regularly jumped up onto the keyboard, unperturbed by the volume – it's not easy to predict which sounds will scare rabbits.

We must always provide plenty of hiding places for our rabbits, for sheltering away from sounds they might perceive as a threat. 

Our rabbits also use their ears as a means of communication, although lop-eared breeds, due to limited ear movement, have impaired body language. We must learn to interpret this form of body language so we can respond accordingly.

Eating / Biting / Caecotrophs/caecal droppings (eating) / Chewing / Eating droppings / Foraging / Grazing / Nibbling

Dijon – probably a messier eater than his wild cousins!

 

Wild rabbits spend about 80% of their time awake grazing and foraging, most intensely between late afternoon into the evening. They prefer to eat close to their warren, so they can run for cover, sheltering if necessary, but may wander further afield, especially if food is scarce. 

Rabbits are herbivores. Grass is the primary constituent of their diet, but they also eat a variety of green plants, clovers, branches, roots, bark, and, of course, crops. This requires exploring their territory, rearing up to reach leaves, stripping bark with their sharp teeth, and digging for roots, and nibbling and chewing the fibrous vegetation and grass. When foraging, they select the highest energy vegetation first. 

Rabbits’ teeth and digestive systems have developed to cope with their diet of poor quality, high fibre vegetation: 

Teeth 

Rabbits have just one set of teeth during their lifetime (unlike many species, eg. humans, dogs, and cats, which have the deciduous teeth (milk teeth) replaced by adult teeth when they fall out). They use their razor-sharp incisors for biting through stems, and their molars for chewing, grinding down the food – they have a chewing action of around 120 cycles per minute. They have 28 teeth, and these are open-rooted, growing continuously throughout their life. The incisors grow 2-3mm per week; the molars grow 2-3mm per month. This continuous growth ensures wild rabbits’ teeth don’t wear away from all the chewing. 

They also use their sharp teeth for clearing routes, chewing through anything in their pathway.  

Biting with these sharp incisors is also a fighting technique which may be used in a confrontation to establish dominance within a group, or used in defence against predators. 

 

Digestive systems 

Rabbits are coprophagic, meaning their digestive system relies on caecotrophy – eating caecotrophs/caecal droppings to extract important nutrients from their high-fibre, low nutrient diet, and to maintain their gut flora.

The cell walls of most plants are composed principally of cellulose, which the digestive enzymes of mammals are unable to break down. To extract all the nutrients from their diet, rabbits have a complex digestive system. After chewing and swallowing food, some nutrients are absorbed as the food passes through the stomach and small intestine. The partially digested food will then move into the large intestine, which is split into a fermenting chamber (caecum) and the colon leading to the anus. In the caecum, partially digested food undergoes hindgut fermentation: it is mixed with bacteria, yeasts and other micro-organisms which digest cellulose and turn it into sugar. 

The remains are separated into digestible and indigestible parts. The indigestible part helps the rabbit’s gut to keep moving, passing through the digestive tract, and then excreted as hard, fibrous faeces (the droppings we might see on the ground within a rabbit’s territory). The digestible part of the food material will stay in the caecum (or re-enter the caecum if it has reached the colon) for further fermentation, for up to 4 hours, to absorb as many nutrients as possible. The contents of the caecum pass into the colon, and are excreted as soft, moist pellets (caecotrophs), which are rich in vitamins and microorganisms and coated in mucoprotein. These are eaten directly from the anus by the rabbit, as they are produced.

Charlie eating caecotrophs.

It’s essential that rabbits consume these caecotrophs, to keep in good condition. They are swallowed whole, without chewing. This keeps the mucus layer that coats the pellet intact, so that the good bacteria inside aren’t broken down too quickly by the stomach acid. The vital nutrients are extracted from the caecotroph as it is broken down by fermentation in the stomach and small intestines. After this, they pass out as hard faecal pellets – rabbits can produce 200-300 of these daily. 

Our pet rabbits’ teeth and digestive systems have the same dietary requirements as their wild ancestors. Without the correct diet, consisting of 85-90% grass/hay, they can suffer from many health problems, including overgrown teeth and dental disease. In addition to a constant supply of grass/hay, our rabbits need suitable things to chew and gnaw, such as twigs, branches, and chew toys. This also reduces the risk of them chomping on our furniture and belongings! (Note that repetitive chewing of unsuitable items, despite having appropriate alternatives, may indicate a health problem requiring a health check).  

Dijon showing some of his favourite things to chew ('I Love Hay Cube', willow sticks, apple twigs, dried dandelion roots),while Ebony proves that providing suitable things to chew doesn't always stop rabbits destroying our things!  

 

Maintaining rabbits’ natural foraging behaviour, by scattering and hiding food rather than providing it in a bowl, helps to keep them busy and healthy, and ensures they eat more slowly. Domestic rabbits enjoy exploring to find food; however, just like their wild cousins, they are motivated to select the highest energy foods, so we should only give a limited quantity of healthy treats, and a tiny amount of fruit. There are numerous possibilities when it comes to providing opportunities for foraging, and it’s rewarding to be creative and watch rabbits find the food! 

Some DIY ideas include: 

• Scattering pellets, treats, or dried forage into hay. 
• Hiding greens and pellets around the bunnies’ room or enclosure. 
• Concealing treats in toilet rolls stuffed with hay. 
• Filling brown paper bags with hay and treats, tying the opening with jute twine and cutting a few small holes to encourage rabbits to engage in more challenging foraging behaviour. 
• Hanging leaves and branches from enclosures, or pegging to jute twine. 

There are many toys and other foraging ideas for rabbits available to buy, including: 

• Treat balls. 
• Snuffle mats. 
• Puzzle toys. 
• Stacking cups. 

Snoop presenting his stacking cup skills.

 

Always monitor to make sure everything is safe. Try different ideas each day, and rotate toys, to stop rabbits getting bored.

Eating droppings

See Eating

Eyes / Looking / Parallaxing / Scanning

In the wild, rabbits depend upon vigilance for their survival, monitoring the environment for signs of danger with their ears, eyes, and nose. Their eyes are vital to them as prey creatures – with eyes on the side of their head, rabbits have a near 360 degree field of vision and are far-sighted, meaning they can spot a predator approaching from any angle, and in the distance. They have two very narrow blind spots: one directly in front of the nose, and one directly behind the head. 

Due to the position of their eyes, only about 30 degrees of a rabbit’s field of vision is seen with both eyes (binocular vision), and therefore they cannot easily perceive depth. They have difficulty perceiving the distance from an object, or the speed of its approach, so move their head up and down/side to side, scanning/parallaxing to gain better depth perception, especially before approaching something unfamiliar. If, as they move their head in this way, the object appears to move a lot, then it’s close; if there’s little movement, it’s far away. 

Rabbits are far-sighted, having evolved to spot predators in the distance, so they rely on their nose and sensitive whiskers to identify close-up objects, which they cannot see so clearly. 

Rabbits’ eyes are kept moist by their nictitating membranes (third eyelids), which means they don’t have to blink as frequently with their actual eyelids, so their vigilance is uninterrupted even for the blink of an eyelid. Another of the rabbit’s adaptations for survival is sleeping with their eyes open – their eyes continue to detect potential dangers, and predators may be less likely to approach if they think a rabbit is awake. 

Their eyesight functions best in low light, as they’ve evolved to be crepuscular. In complete darkness, they rely mostly on their other senses. 

Rabbits can only see colours within the blue and green spectrum. 

Rabbits’ eyes – or, more specifically, how open the eyes are – can also indicate how they are feeling, and therefore convey information to other rabbits, such as whether their companion is relaxed or scared, so that they are ready to respond accordingly. For example:

• Eyes half closed, body relaxed – rabbit is relaxed, resting.
• Eyes are open, rabbit may be loafing or lying, body relaxed, nose still/twitching slowly, but rabbit’s body, nose, or mouth are twitching, and ears may be rotating – rabbit may be asleep and dreaming. (Ability to sleep with eyes open is one of the rabbit’s prey animal adaptions).
• Eyes are wide open, rabbit is sitting up or rearing up, with nose twitching – something has caught rabbit’s attention, so rabbit is curious and poised for action, if it turns out to be a threat.
• Eyes are wide and bulging, third eyelid may be visible, body tense – rabbit is scared or stressed; may be accompanied by rapid breathing.
• Eyes half closed, body tense and hunching – rabbit may be in pain or unwell.
• Moving head up and down/side to side, eyes wide open, sitting up or stretching forwards – rabbit is curious, or cautious, of something ahead – rabbit is scanning/parallaxing to gain a better depth perception before advancing.

It’s important to observe a rabbit’s posture together with their eyes when interpreting this body language.

Our domestic rabbits have retained the prey instinct of vigilance, and, like their wild cousins, have heightened vision which they use to monitor their surroundings. 

Dijon watching for incoming treats.

The eyesight of some breeds, including lop-eared and red-eyed rabbits, has been compromised – these rabbits tend to approach objects even more cautiously, taking more time to scan what’s ahead of them, and, just like breeds with poorer hearing, may be startled by a sudden approach.  

Rosie's Lionhead mane limited her field of vision, so she approached unfamiliar objects more slowly.

 

Rosie investigating some peculiar items in her territory. 

 

We need to understand our rabbits’ eyesight so we know what might cause them to be scared or stressed. We should ensure that they’re not constantly exposed to bright light, especially if we have red-eyed rabbits, who have increased sensitivity to light. We need to be aware that our rabbits might be frightened if unfamiliar objects appear in their surroundings – it might be something seemingly innocent which sends them running off, such as a pair of slippers left unattended, or washing hanging from a clothes-line outdoors! Although adding items for enrichment and making minor changes in rabbits’ set ups can help to reduce boredom, we should monitor to ensure they’re not scared. If they’re fearful of something unfamiliar in their area, we should reassure them by spending time at their level, talking to them gently, and touching the object to show that it’s safe. 

We also need to remember that they might not spot objects directly beneath their nose, may be startled by approaches from the rear, and to a rabbit, someone appearing from above can be as terrifying as a bird of prey hovering. 

We must always provide plenty of hiding places for our rabbits, for sheltering from perceived threats and bright lights. 

Our rabbits also use their eyes – or how open/closed their eyes are – as a means of communication. We must learn to interpret this form of body language so we can respond accordingly.

F

Fighting / Biting / Boxing / Growling/grunting / Kicking / Lunging

In the wild, rabbits rely mostly upon vigilance and agility to avoid their many predators. However, if cornered, they will employ various methods of self-defence against an attacker. They may use the same techniques to fight off any interloping rabbits entering their territory. 

Fighting may also take place within a rabbit colony – rabbits fight, if necessary, to establish or reinforce hierarchy, especially if another rabbit challenges their status. Female rabbits use the same measures to defend their nest.

In escalating levels of aggression, here are the primary techniques: 

• Growling/grunting – This sound, produced by forcing air up from the lungs and through the nostrils, is a warning not to come any closer. 
• Lunging – This is a sudden forwards lurch, usually accompanied by growling. The rabbit’s ears will be flat against its body. This is the final warning to retreat. 
• Boxing – A rabbit boxes and scratches with forelimbs, often growling, to push another rabbit/a predator away. 
• Biting – An open mouth bite is an act of severe aggression. Rabbits’ teeth are extremely sharp, and can inflict a serious wound. 
• Kicking – Rabbits can inflict a swift and painful kick with their powerful back legs – this is more likely if a rabbit is cornered. 

If caught with no chance of fighting off the predator, a rabbit may enter tonic immobility. 

A lunge, accompanied by a growl, from Ebony, to warn Snoop to stop disturbing her rest with his amorous yet relentless circling. 

 

Our pet rabbits will use these defence techniques if they feel threatened by a predator, another rabbit, or a human. We must protect our rabbits from predators by ensuring their enclosures are secure, and always make sure they are introduced carefully to any new companions, using proper bonding techniques to reduce the risk of a dangerous fight breaking out between rabbits. 

It’s not uncommon for rabbits, especially does, to growl when we are cleaning their area/litter trays, because they regard our action as encroaching on their territory. It may help to distract them with food, and to undertake the cleaning slowly, with no sudden moves. 

In the same way that wild rabbits would struggle and thrash if a predator picked them off the ground, our domestic rabbits may struggle, scratch, or kick if we attempt to pick them up, so we should handle them only if necessary and do so carefully and considerately. 

We should learn our rabbits’ methods of communicating, so we recognise their warnings to back off, and understand signs of stress or fear. That way, we can reduce the stress or retreat as necessary, before our rabbit feels the need to defend themselves or their territory. Most rabbits will only bite as a last resort – very few rabbits are aggressive by nature, and in most cases of biting, the rabbit has been put in a very stressful or frustrating situation, and warnings have been misinterpreted or ignored.

Flattening

Submissive, subordinate rabbits may lie flat, with their ears flat against their back, displaying subservience to a dominant rabbit – it’s one of rabbits’ hierarchical behaviours. This behaviour usually helps to prevent any conflict. Sometimes the dominant rabbit will lick them, to accept this act of submission. The position is very similar to bowing – the subtle difference is that the rabbit’s head won’t be stretched so far forward, and their ears will be flat against their back. 

Our pet rabbits also use this body language to display their subservience to a dominant rabbit. It’s easy to confuse this posture with freezing – rabbits keeping flat and still from fear will hold their abdomen to the ground, have ears flat against their head, and their eyes may bulge.

Flicking feet

A rabbit hopping away and flicking its hind feet is expressing irritation about something that has just occurred – perhaps an interaction with a companion. The action may be accompanied by turning their back on the other rabbit. Wild rabbits might flick their hind feet to kick soil/dust in the face of a predator, as they run to escape.

Rabbits also shake and flick their front paws before grooming their face, if they've been digging, or if they've been on wet ground, to shake off any dirt/moisture.  

Mabel flicking her feet after being given her medicine (for the dental abscess, highly visible at this stage); Snoop and Ebony flicking and shaking mud from their front paws before washing their faces, having been outside in the rain to dig in the soil – they managed to cover the freshly-decorated living room walls with specks of mud! 

 

Our rabbits usually flick their hind feet when we let them out of the carrier following a vet appointment, but the same action can express unhappiness about any situation – especially if they have been picked up against their will, or when they don't like food which has been offered. They can also flick their feet if they've been given an extra tasty treat, as they run off with it, to deter anyone from following to steal it!

It’s important to take note – if the feet flicking is because we've upset/offended our rabbit, we should try to avoid repeating the offensive action.

Flopping

See Lying

Foraging

See Eating

Freezing

To avoid being spotted by nearby predators, wild rabbits may keep completely still. They will use heightened vigilance to monitor the situation, and be primed for running to a safe place for sheltering if necessary. Rabbits may freeze in a lying position, flat to the ground, ears down, to remain inconspicuous. They will also freeze if they’re cornered by a predator, in the hope that the predator will lose interest. 

Our domestic rabbits have retained this instinct to freeze when under threat. Unfortunately, this body language is often misconstrued as a rabbit being compliant. For example, a rabbit sitting on a child’s lap is not necessarily keeping still because it is happy being petted – the rabbit may be keeping still in the hope that the child (or, from the rabbit’s perspective, the predator) will release its grip, so there's a chance to escape. It’s important for us to understand our rabbits’ body language, so we can differentiate between a happy, relaxed serene rabbit, and a stressed rabbit, too scared to move – these rabbits will have a tense body, rapidly twitching nose, and rapid breathing.

Fur pulling

If a doe is pregnant, she will pull some of her fur out for nesting. 

When Mabel was 4 months old, shortly before she was spayed,  she made a nest and lined it with her fur.

Rabbits may pull fur from other rabbits to assert dominance when establishing, enforcing, and maintaining social status – it’s one of their hierarchical behaviours. 

Some fur may be pulled when rabbits first meet each other, as one of their hierarchical behaviours. 

It’s important to ensure our pet rabbits are neutered to avoid the risk of accidental litters. However, even neutered rabbits may display nesting behaviours, such as fur pulling, especially in spring. 

Regular fur pulling can be an abnormal behaviour – a sign of boredom or frustration.

G

Grazing

See Eating

Grinding teeth

See Teeth chattering

Grooming

Mabel and Dijon allogrooming.

Rabbits are fastidious groomers. In the wild, it's vital that they keep their coats in great condition, to protect themselves from the rain, help with thermoregulation, and also avoid odours which could attract predators. They groom themselves many times each day, licking their fur, teasing any dirt out by nibbling with their teeth, and twisting their body to reach their back; they use their front paws to clean their face. Back feet are used for scratching inside and behind their ears. They also use their front paws to pull their ears down, so they can lick them. 

Magic lived as a single bunny, so had no help with grooming.

Ebony helping Dijon to keep his ears clean. 

Grooming is an important social activity for rabbits. Grooming one another (allogrooming) not only helps with hygiene, by having another rabbit clean areas difficult to reach by autogrooming, and with stress relief, but it’s also a way to strengthen bonds between companions or mates, and to reinforce social hierarchies. Within a social group, the dominant rabbit will receive the most grooming, from the subordinate rabbits, but occasionally two rabbits may groom each other simultaneously. A rabbit assuming a position of a dominance will request to be groomed by approaching another rabbit and bowing. If they don’t receive any response, they may try nudging the other rabbit. Failure of the other rabbit to acknowledge this demand may result in chasing. 

Dijon carefully washes his face. 

Grooming is just as vital for our pet rabbits, and has a critical role to play during the process of introducing and bonding two or more rabbits – the rabbit who wants to be the dominant one in the relationship will try bowing to the other rabbit. If that rabbit accepts the other’s dominance, they will groom them, and often this is the point at which the bond is established. If not, there may be chasing, which can quickly escalate to fighting if we don’t recognise the point at which we need to intervene. Part of the joy, as an owner, of having more than a one rabbit is watching them groom one another, but it is also important for our rabbits to have a companion to help with cleaning, especially for the less accessible parts of their body – this becomes even more vital for disabled or senior rabbits. As with their wild cousins, it helps them to relax. 

Allogrooming displayed by Dijon and Mabel, then Dijon with his second partner, Ebony; also showing how Dijon struggled to groom his ears as he grew older, which could have resulted in problems had he not had Ebony to help.  

 

Our rabbits may request to be ‘groomed’ (petted) by us, by putting their head flat/chin on ground, and, if we ignore them, maybe nudging or even nipping us for attention.   

Dijon loved his cuddles, requesting them from each member of our family in turn. 
He especially enjoyed a shoulder massage! However, he would never have tolerated being picked up or put on our lap for cuddles.  

 

In return, if we’re lucky, our rabbits may also groom us, licking and sometimes nibbling to tease out any ‘dirt’ they find on us (apparently, from a rabbit’s perspective, our rings, watches, and even our knuckles do not belong on our skin!). 

Dijon grooming the eldest minihoomin's hair: hair has occasionally been restyled, thanks to the bunnies. 

 

 

Dijon washing his ears... or shutting out the world?!

Growling/grunting

See Fighting

H

Head flat/chin on ground

See Bowing

Hiccups

A rabbit with small, regular body jolts may have a bout of hiccups. Hiccups are caused by a spasm of the diaphragm muscle, and can last from a few seconds to a few minutes – they often seem to occur after intense activity. 

 Dijon often had bouts of hiccups.  

 

A rabbit with hiccups is no cause for concern – unless the hiccups continue for longer than a few minutes, or the rabbit suffers from regular bouts.

Hiding

See Sheltering

Hiding pain

In the wild, showing any sign of injury, pain, or illness renders a rabbit vulnerable to attack – predators often target sick, elderly, or young animals. One vulnerable rabbit may draw attention to the rest of the group, but the unwell rabbit could also spread disease to the colony. Therefore, rabbits showing signs of any injury, pain, or illness are often outcast by their companions, to protect the rest of the colony, and so rabbits have become adept at hiding pain. 

Due to our rabbits’ instinct to hide illness, it’s vital that we know and understand our rabbits well enough to spot even the most subtle signs of poorliness, and conduct daily observations and basic home examinations. Without familiarity and careful observation of our rabbits, problems can be missed and remain untreated for some time. When symptoms become noticeable, it’s likely that they are only visible because our rabbit is too unwell to hide them any longer, and successful treatment may be difficult or impossible.

Hierarchical behaviours

Rabbits maintain a social hierarchy, with dominant rabbits having first choice of food, burrow, resting spot, mate, and the privilege of being able to demand grooming from subordinate rabbits. Dominant does give birth in the best nesting chamber, which is usually the safest one, near the centre of the warren. Within a colony, young rabbits are born into (and usually accept) their status in the hierarchy. 

A range of behaviours is exhibited to maintain and reinforce this hierarchy:

• Scent marking communicates important information about a rabbit’s status to other rabbits in the group.
• Chasing, nipping, fur pulling, and even fighting, may all be used if one rabbit questions another’s dominance – for example, a dominant rabbit may chase subordinate rabbits away from their food/territory/chosen mate, to show who’s boss. Serious aggression (eg. biting) is only used if the subordinate rabbit refuses to back off/submit.
• Chasing is more likely when rabbits are newly introduced and need to establish their hierarchy, but the dominant rabbit may continue to chase subordinate rabbits, sometimes circling them and, unless they move away, mounting them to demonstrate dominance. Mounting is mostly one of rabbits’ reproductive behaviours but is also used to display hierarchy – a rabbit will attempt to mount another rabbit, regardless of sex, to establish dominance over that rabbit. If that rabbit doesn’t accept the other’s claim to dominance, they may turn and start chasing, fur pulling, or nipping. They may turn and try to mount the rabbit who attempted to mount them – things can escalate, if neither rabbit backs down, and turn into what’s known as a ‘tornado’, with both rabbits chasing in tight circle until one ends on its back. Serious wounds may be inflicted at this point. 
• A rabbit approaching another and bowing is assuming a position of a dominance, by requesting grooming. If the other rabbit ignores the request, the dominant rabbit may try nudging with its nose. If they accept, then will lick the dominant rabbit’s head, ears, and nose, showing that they are subservient and accept their lower position in the hierarchy. If they continue to ignore the request, or try bowing back because they think they deserve to be the dominant rabbit, there may be chasing, fur pulling, or nipping. 
• A submissive, subordinate rabbit lying flat but without head stretched so far forward, and with ears flat against back, is flattening, demonstrating their subservience to a dominant rabbit, and this behaviour usually helps to prevent any conflict. Sometimes the dominant rabbit will lick them, to accept this act of submission. 

Ebony telling Dijon that, as her subordinate, he has no right to go in the special hidey-hole.  

 

Our domestic rabbits also require social hierarchies to enjoy peaceful, harmonious relationships. Whether we have a pair of rabbits, or a large ‘fluffle’, their relationships will be built upon their social hierarchies.

When rabbits are introduced for the first time, they will perform the behaviours mentioned above to establish their hierarchy, determining which rabbit will be the dominant and which the subordinate in their relationship. This process, known as bonding, can be dangerous for the rabbits involved if we don’t understand their nature and behaviours. Inevitably, their territory will not be as large as that for wild rabbits, with fewer opportunities for escaping confrontation. If there is any dispute over dominance, with neither rabbit willing to accept a lower position in the relationship (eg. not allowing the other to mount, or running away when chased), then slightly aggressive behaviours, such as nipping, can quickly escalate to ‘tornado’ – chasing in a tight circle, until one rabbit ends on its back, resulting in fighting, with serious injuries inflicted from biting. 

If we are responsible for rabbits, we have a duty to ensure they are introduced carefully to any new companions, so that they can establish their hierarchy safely (see our information on companionship).

Honking

A gentle ‘hmm-hmm’ sound, often accompanied by circling, is one of rabbits’ hierarchical behaviours to display dominance. It is also used as a way of communicating affection, as one of rabbits’ reproductive behaviours.  

Volume up to hear Snoop serenading Ebony.

 

Our rabbits might honk at their partner, or at us, to display their affection, or their excitement (eg. when food is approaching). Unneutered rabbits, or those kept without a rabbit companion, are more likely to circle and honk at their owners. We must ensure our rabbits are neutered, and that they have suitable companionship.

Hopping / Jumping / Running / Zooming

Most mammals walk, but, as prey animals, rabbits have evolved to hop, to evade predators and increase chances of survival. Rabbits’ hind legs are longer than their front legs, with exceptionally powerful muscles that facilitate speed and agility. Being able to outrun and outmanoeuvre predators is a rabbit’s best defence. In short bursts, they can attain speeds of around 50mph, and have a massive lateral leap of about 3m in one bound. They're also adept at jumping, able to leap to around a metre vertically (these figures vary with age and health). Their ability to zoom in erratic zigzags, changing direction abruptly and unpredictably, helps rabbits to evade capture by making it difficult for predators to anticipate their route. Showing the white underside of their tail when fleeing may also help further disorientate predators (simultaneously warning other rabbits of the threat). Rabbits practise these moves when at play; their leaping, twisting, and turning in the air is known as binkying. Their hind feet are padded with fur to absorb shock, their long toes are webbed to prevent them spreading and breaking during high stress movement, and their feet have evolved so the claws sink into the ground, providing grip. 

Furthermore, hopping is more energy efficient than other forms of locomotion. Rabbits use elastic energy stored in their tendons to propel themselves forward with great force and rapid acceleration, allowing them to cover more ground with less energy expenditure than with the continuous movement required for walking or running. It’s particularly efficient for navigating the rabbit’s natural environment – usually uneven terrain and thick vegetation – as they can leap rather than having to climb. 

Hopping animals have a relatively low oxygen consumption rate compared with mammals that use other forms of locomotion, as hopping requires less oxygen to power the muscles, due to the foot’s shorter time in contact with the ground. 

Ebony spooking Dijon with her zoomies, followed by Snoop practising his moves.  

 

Our pet rabbits can also move with speed and agility, if we provide a spacious environment (minimum 3m x 2m x 1m high). We must also provide suitable flooring (with traction and cushioning), so they can move naturally, without slipping or causing discomfort to their feet. 

As with wild rabbits, speed and agility vary with age and health, but also with breed. Like any overweight creature, obese rabbits have far more difficulty hopping and jumping.  

Ebony demonstrating the efficiency of hopping, as opposed to walking.  

 

It’s thought that when we see them playfully binkying, or doing ‘zoomies’ (their sudden circuits around the room/enclosure, with erratic movements and abrupt turns), our rabbits are responding to their prey instinct to practise moving and navigating through the fastest routes, in case they ever need to escape danger. To prevent boredom, it helps to swap things around occasionally, so our rabbits can practise zooming around the rearrangement of furniture, tunnels, toys, and other items in their area. It’s important not to make major changes, which could be stressful for them; their litter tray and main shelter area shouldn’t be moved. 

Dijon mid-hop.

Ebony jumping effortlessly from a planter.

Hunching

A hunched, tense position indicates that a rabbit is in pain or unwell – it’s a similar posture to loafing, but the body is more tense, and often held slightly off the ground; eyes may be narrowed, and the rabbit may be making loud teeth grinding noises. 

Snoop hunching during an episode of gut slowdown – notice how he's holding his sides in, making his haunches even larger than usual.

 

Our rabbits, like their wild ancestors, are adept at hiding pain. We need to observe their behaviours, so we know them well enough to spot signs of pain or unwellness.

J

Jumping

See Hopping

K

Kicking

See Fighting

L

Licking

Rabbits use their tongues to lick themselves and their rabbit companions when grooming. Licking is also performed as a form of scent marking, to mark territory.  

Dijon licking various items: he seemed to simply enjoy the tastes or textures, and loved his medicine!  

 

Our pet rabbits also lick when they groom themselves and their companions – some rabbits even lick their owners when being petted. 

Neroli licking (in hope of extra treats).

 

They may also lick to mark territory. Rabbits might lick objects if they like the taste, especially if it’s sweet or salty (they do not require salt or mineral blocks – a suitable healthy diet should provide all the nutrients and minerals they require). 

However, if a rabbit starts repetitively licking objects, it may be a sign of boredom, indicating a need for more enrichment. Excessively licking themselves may indicate a problem, such as an infection or parasites, and requires veterinary attention.

Listening

See Ears

Loafing

Rabbits may form a ‘bunny loaf’ when resting or sleeping, sitting in a neat shape, with their front paws tucked beneath their chest, and back feet also neatly under them.

Dijon loafing.

Rabbits can recognise that when a companion is loafing, he/she is relaxed, and as such, loafing and other body postures are powerful ways of communicating, conveying a wealth of information. 

Snoop forming a longer loaf – demi-baguette? – with front paws on show.

Loafing is a far more relaxed posture than hunching. 

Dijon and his mini-Dijon demonstrating the perfect loaf.

We need to be able to recognise our rabbits’ various body postures and interpret what they tell us about how our rabbits are feeling. 

Mabel and Dijon – batch baked loaves?!

Looking

See Eyes

Lowering head

See Bowing

Lunging

See Fighting

Lying / Flopping / Splooting

Dijon using Mabel as his cushion. 

Rabbits may lie down on their side with legs stretched out to one side, on their front with both legs out behind them (known as ‘splooting’, when seen in pet rabbits), or, very occasionally, on their backs with their legs off the ground! Their head may be up, or may be resting with chin or cheek to the ground. A rabbit in this position is relaxed, and may be sleeping, often after eating. Rabbits may suddenly throw themselves over, flopping onto their side and remaining lying down – this indicates that they are extremely relaxed and content. 

Lupin demonstrating the bunny 'sploot'. 

A rabbit approaching a companion then lying with head flat/chin on ground may be requesting grooming from another rabbit. A similar posture with a different meaning is flattening, whereby a subordinate rabbit may lie flat, with their ears flat against their back, to demonstrate their submission to a dominant rabbit. 

However, a rabbit lying flat to the ground with tense body, hind legs tucked under, ears down, and eyes wide, keeping completely still may be freezing, trying to make themselves inconspicuous to avoid being spotted by a predator. 

Rabbits can recognise these subtle differences when their companion is lying down, and know what it means, and as such, lying and other body postures are powerful ways of communicating, conveying a wealth of information. 

We need to be able to recognise our rabbits’ various body postures and interpret what they tell us about how our rabbits are feeling. Seeing a rabbit flopping for the first time can be somewhat concerning – they may appear to have experienced an attack, as they suddenly fall over to one side, legs in the air. In fact, this behaviour shows that they are completely happy and relaxed. 

Ebony forming the bunny sploot, as Dijon keeps guard.

M

Mounting

A buck mounts a doe to mate, but a rabbit may mount another rabbit, regardless of sex, to establish dominance over that rabbit – it’s one of rabbits’ hierarchical behaviours.  

Snoop chasing then mounting Ebony during their bonding process.  

 

Mounting as a reproductive behaviour mostly stops after pet rabbits are neutered, although occasionally it may occur in spring.  

Dijon was constantly mounting Mabel before he was neutered... and it continued after, as some testicular tissue remained and he required further surgery. See here for the full story. 

When rabbits are introduced for the first time, they will perform hierarchical behaviours, including mounting, to establish their hierarchy, determining which rabbit will be the dominant and which the subordinate in their relationship. This process, known as bonding, can be dangerous for the rabbits involved if we don’t understand their nature and behaviours. Inevitably, their territory will not be as large as that for wild rabbits, with fewer opportunities for escaping confrontation. If there is any dispute over dominance, with neither rabbit willing to accept a lower position in the relationship (eg. not allowing the other to mount, or running away when chased), slightly aggressive behaviours, such as nipping, can quickly escalate to ‘tornado’ – chasing in a tight circle, until one rabbit ends on its back, resulting in fighting, with serious injuries inflicted from biting. 

If we are responsible for rabbits, we have a duty to ensure they are introduced carefully to any new companions, so that they can establish their hierarchy safely (see our information on companionship).

N

Nesting

If a doe is pregnant, or has a pseudopregnancy, she will build a nest (usually in a dead-end burrow – nesting chamber), collecting grass and straw, and fur pulling to line it. 

Neroli was neutered, but occasionally would start collecting nesting material.

It’s important to ensure our pet rabbits are neutered, to avoid the risk of accidental litters. However, even neutered rabbits may display nesting behaviours, especially in spring. 

Mabel collecting nesting material – including carpet – during a bout of spring fever.

 

 

Nibbling

A nibbling action is used when eating, when grooming, and also to investigate unfamiliar objects. 

If we’re lucky, our rabbits may groom us, just as they would for another rabbit, licking and sometimes nibbling to tease out any ‘dirt’ they find on us (apparently, from a rabbit’s perspective, our rings, watches, and even our knuckles do not belong on our skin!). Whilst it can be a shock, at first, when a rabbit nibbles our finger, it rarely hurts and is usually momentary.

Nipping

A nip is a small pinch-like bite, much gentler than open mouth biting, and may be used to warn off another rabbit or to demand their attention (especially grooming). It’s one of rabbits’ hierarchical behaviours – the dominant rabbit will nip subordinates. 

Our pet rabbits may also nip us, either to demand attention or to ask us to move out of their way. We need to observe our rabbits closely to understand this behaviour in its context and interpret the meaning – if a rabbit is nipping from agitation or fear, body posture will be aggressive (ears back, tense body), and we need to respond to calm them or remove the problem before it escalates to further aggression.

Nose / Smelling / Twitching nose

Mabel sniffing the breeze.

In the wild, rabbits depend upon vigilance for their survival, monitoring the environment for signs of danger with their ears, eyes, and nose. Rabbits are macrosmatic animals, meaning they have a very strong sense of smell – crucial to them as prey creatures. They have around 100 million olfactory receptors in their nose (about 20 times more than humans), which help them to detect predators. Rabbits sniff the breeze whilst rearing up, to monitor for any signs of danger. They will also sniff new objects, to discover more about them, and rely heavily on their nose (and whiskers) to detect items close to them, especially to select food, as their eyes are not good at seeing things near to them.  

Dijon displaying his all-important nose and whiskers (in the days before Ebony came to live with him, and subsequently nibbled off his whiskers!). 

This highly developed sense of smell also plays a vital role in their social relationships, in detecting and interpreting scent marking left by companions. 

Rabbits’ noses constantly twitch – this twitching enhances their sense of smell by exposing the receptors to the air. If they are frightened or detect an unfamiliar or interesting smell, the twitching accelerates (it can reach 150 times per minute), but slows or becomes still if they are relaxed.  

Snoop's nose twitching after a robin's alarm call catches his attention. 

 

Fast twitching can also be due to rapid breathing which could indicate illness or stress. 

As obligate nasal breathers (meaning they must breathe through their nose rather than their mouth), rabbits can smell danger even whilst eating. 

Rabbits’ noses also help to regulate their body temperature – there are glands in their nostrils which moisten the air (their ears play a greater role in thermoregulation). 

The rate of this nose twitching can also indicate how they are feeling, and therefore convey information to other rabbits, such as whether a companion is relaxed, stressed, or overheated, so that they are ready to respond accordingly. For example: 

• Fast twitching, tense body, sitting up or rearing up, ears up, eyes wide – rabbit has detected an unfamiliar/threatening scent and is investigating, but is poised to run if necessary. 
• Fast twitching, rapid breathing – rabbit may be recovering from a period of intense activity, be very hot, or be unwell. 
• Slow twitching, relaxed body, sitting up – rabbit is relaxed, and hasn’t detected anything threatening. 
• Slow twitching or still, relaxed body, loafing or lying – rabbit may be either resting or sleeping. 

Neroli sleeping, with a still nose and relaxed body. 

The shape of a rabbit’s nose can also indicate how they are feeling: 

• A relaxed, comfortable rabbit will have more of a shallow ‘U’ shape nose. 
• If they are unwell or in pain/discomfort, their nose may appear more pointed, in a sharper ‘V’ shape, as rabbits in pain tend to grimace, tightening their facial muscles which draws in their cheeks. 

Our domestic rabbits have retained this prey instinct of vigilance, and use their nose to monitor their surroundings. Like their wild cousins, they have an acute sense of smell (although it is compromised in some domestic breeds), which they use to monitor their surroundings and use to detect scent marking. 

Unfamiliar or strong odours, or highly scented fragrances, can frighten a rabbit, in much the same way as the scent of predators (including dogs and cats). Many rabbits have an instinctive fear of smoke – blowing out candles on a birthday cake may cause fear in our rabbits. We may find our rabbits suddenly become afraid of or hostile towards us, if they can smell the scent of another rabbit/animal on us. 

We must always provide plenty of hiding places for our rabbits, for sheltering away from smells they might perceive as a threat. 

The speed of their nose twitching and the shape of their nose can also indicate how they are feeling. We must learn to interpret this form of body language so we can respond accordingly. 

Dijon showing how a relaxed rabbit's nose may be still, or twitch more slowly.

Nudging

Rabbits use their nose to push objects out of their way, but also nudge with their nose to shoo away another rabbit or to demand their attention (especially grooming).  

Poor Dijon was regularly nudged out of the way by Ebony! 

 

Our pet rabbits may also nudge us, either to demand attention, or to ask us to move out of their way. We need to observe our rabbits closely to understand this behaviour in its context and interpret the meaning – if a rabbit is nudging from agitation or fear, body posture will be aggressive (ears back, tense body), and we need to respond to calm them or remove the problem before it escalates to further aggression.

P

Panting

See Rapid breathing

Parallaxing

See Eyes

Periscoping

See Rearing up

Purring

See Teeth chattering

R

Rapid breathing / Panting

The fear response causes an increased rate of respiration in rabbits. As prey animals, the ‘fight or flight’ response makes breathing shallow and rapid to increase oxygen, so the body is ready to run. 

Other causes of rapid breathing or panting in rabbits include unwellness, overheating, obesity, and overexertion (especially during attempts to establish social hierarchies).  

Snoop being overexcited about spending his first day in his forever home.  

 

It’s important to understand and recognise rabbits’ body language to see what they are communicating, and respond accordingly. In rapid breathing from fear, the stressed or scared rabbit may also respond by freezing. If our rabbits are breathing rapidly from fear or stress, we need to act quickly to make them feel secure and comfortable, and, if possible, remove the perceived threat; if it is from overheating, we must take measures to make them cooler; if from unwellness, they require immediately veterinary attention.

Reacting to danger

See Vigilance

Rearing up / Begging / Periscoping / Standing on hind legs

Wild rabbits often stretch up high, standing on their hind legs to reach tasty vegetation and strip bark from trees. 

Mabel stretching up to reach some tasty strawberry leaves.

Standing on hind legs, often on an elevated area (eg. fallen tree trunk), allows wild rabbits to gain a better view, and listen and smell for danger, using their incredible ears, eyes, and nose. This is known as ‘periscoping’. 

Just like their wild cousins, our pet rabbits need to be able to stretch up, so they can ensure there’s no nearby threat to their safety. It helps them to feel secure, and is also good for maintaining their musculoskeletal health, so it’s important to make sure our rabbits have enough room to stand up tall, without their ears touching the top of their enclosure. We should provide different levels and platforms, such as boxes, stools, or upturned flower pots, so they can climb up to monitor their environment. 

Consider hanging leaves and branches from enclosures, or pegging to jute twine, to provide some opportunities for rabbits to reach up for food. 

Begging is another reason for rearing up – pet rabbits quickly learn to rear up if they’re near a source of food, shamelessly begging for food from us, communicating their demand for something tasty. It’s easy to give in to a rabbit looking up at us, but we need to resist giving them unhealthy treats, especially if it’s human food they’re begging for! 

Some of our bunnies' shameless begging over the years: Neroli usually got a nibble of whatever she wanted, in the days before we knew better!  Rabbits should only be fed tiny portions of fruit as an occasional treat,  and should never eat bread, toast, or Cheerios! 

 

Running

See Hopping

S

Scanning

See Eyes

Scattering droppings

See Toilet behaviours

Scent marking / Chin rubbing

Scent marking is an important method of communication for rabbits. Wild rabbits mark with scent to denote territory and deter intruders – they mark the boundary by spraying urine, scattering droppings, and by chin rubbing (rubbing their chins on objects within their territory to leave scent from the gland beneath their jaw). 

Mabel making sure there's no mistake about who owns the sprig of rosemary.

 

They may also spread their scent by licking objects in their territory. Scent marking is one of their hierarchical behaviours – it reinforces hierarchy by communicating the rabbit’s sex, reproductive status, social status, group identity, and even age. They may scent mark prominent objects within their territory and even other rabbits. The dominant buck in the group has the best developed scent glands and will conduct most of the scent marking, but females also scent mark – especially at the entrance to their nest. Rabbits use their sensitive nose to detect scents left by other rabbits.  

Dijon chinning things – the old broom was a favourite! 

 

Our pet rabbits also scent prominent objects in their area – some may even scent a finger held out to them! Providing enrichment items allows rabbits to ‘chin’ objects in their area – swapping toys or adding other items prevents boredom and keeps rabbits busy with chinning all the new ‘territory’!

Scratching

Rabbits use their hind feet to scratch their face, neck, or body when grooming. 

Princess Neroli briefly pausing her relentless quest for treats to scratch her pretty face. 

Rabbits may scratch with their front claws if boxing another rabbit, either as one of the hierarchical behaviours to establish, enforce, or maintain status, or to tell another rabbit to back off. They can also scratch in self-defence if cornered by a predator. 

Pet rabbits also use their hind feet to scratch themselves to groom – we need to ensure their claws are trimmed to the correct length so that they can use them without wounding themselves. 

Mabel licking her toes before resuming scratching of her ears. 

We must ensure our rabbits are introduced carefully to any new companions, using proper bonding techniques to reduce the risk of a dangerous fight breaking out between rabbits. 

We should learn our rabbits’ methods of communicating, so we recognise their warnings to back off, and understand signs of stress or fear. That way, we can reduce the stress or retreat as necessary, before our rabbits feel the need to defend themselves or their territory. 

It’s not uncommon for rabbits, especially does, to try boxing, scratching with their front claws to force us to back off when we are cleaning their area/litter trays, because they regard our action as encroaching on their territory. It may help to distract them with food, and to undertake the cleaning slowly, with no sudden moves. 

In the same way that wild rabbits would struggle and thrash if a predator picked them off the ground, our domestic rabbits may struggle, scratch, or kick if we attempt to pick them up, so we should handle them only if necessary and do so carefully and considerately.

Screaming

This is a terrible sound, only heard if a rabbit is in excruciating pain or extreme terror. The sound is produced by forcing air up from the lungs and through the rabbit’s mouth. 

Hopefully we will never hear this noise from our pet rabbits, but if we do, they require immediate veterinary attention.

Shaking

If a rabbit is shaking, it may just be worn out from racing around, in which case the shaking should calm down once the rabbit has rested, but it could also indicate illness (rabbit may be hunching), stress/fear (body will be tense, eyes wide), or overheating (temperature of ears will be hot). An extremely frightened rabbit may tremble, as the adrenalin rush increases their heart rate and causes their muscles to twitch.Shaking is often accompanied by rapid breathing. 

Rabbits also shake their coats, especially after grooming, to straighten their fur and shake off any loose hairs or dirt. 

We need to observe our rabbits closely to understand this behaviour in its context and interpret the meaning – if a rabbit is shaking from fear, we must make it feel secure; if it is from heat, we need to ensure we make it cooler; if shaking is from pain/unwellness, we must seek veterinary attention.  

Some slow motion footage of coat shaking. 

 

Sheltering / Hiding

Sheltering is a vital behaviour for rabbits as prey creatures. Before grazing or foraging, rabbits always check that they are near a safe place for hiding, to avoid predators if necessary. They usually perform any behaviours that make them less alert to their surroundings, and therefore more vulnerable, in a sheltered place (eg. sleeping, eating caecotrophs, grooming). 

Wild rabbits construct extensive networks of interconnecting burrows (warrens) to use for shelter, by digging soil – some may extend to 3m deep, and there are many entrance/exit points, so they can enter quickly, but also escape if a predator enters. They spend many hours sheltering in their warrens, resting or sleeping, but even when above ground, they prefer to be near the safety of their burrows, although they will also shelter in vegetation or other safe, concealed areas. 

Charlie in one of his hidey holes.

Our pet rabbits feel safer if they know they have access to hiding places – they will feel stressed and exposed if there’s no covered place provided for retreat. They often choose to rest in darker, covered areas, so it’s important that we make sure they have plenty of sheltered areas to choose from, by providing various ‘hidey holes’ in their area, such as carboard boxes, small tables and chairs, stepping stools, or large flowerpots turned on their side. There are many different styles of shelter available to purchase, from small hidey houses to elaborate castles. 

Dijon takes a break from Ebony in his hidey house. 

We should provide several hiding places, some large enough for all our rabbits together, others big enough for just one rabbit, so that they can spend time away from their companions, if they wish. It’s best if hiding places have more than one opening, as rabbits don’t like to feel trapped – they can be territorial about these places, and one rabbit could be hurt by another if cornered. 

Dijon was always a ray of sun on a rainy day.

We must learn our rabbits’ body language – it’s normal behaviour for them to seek shelter to rest or to hide for a short while if they feel threatened/scared, but it’s not good for rabbits to constantly feel the need to hide. If a rabbit is hiding rather than sheltering for rest, its body posture will be tense, perhaps freezing to reduce its visibility – it’s a behaviour which is communicating fear of something detected in the environment, and we must make every effort to make them feel secure, so they don’t feel the need to hide, removing anything they might perceive as a threat. 

Has the scary vacuum cleaner gone?
Ebony checking to see whether it's safe to come out from her hidey house.

Sitting up

Mabel sitting prim and proper.

Rabbits sit with their weight on their rear end, front legs standing straight, and ears usually up; they don’t tend to stay in this position for long – they are usually about to groom, wander off, or settle down to rest. 

Rabbits can recognise that when a companion is sitting up he/she is relaxed but alert, and as such, sitting up and other body postures are powerful ways of communicating, conveying a wealth of information. 

Snoop posing for the camera.

We need to be able to recognise our rabbits’ various body postures and interpret what they tell us about how our rabbits are feeling. 

Ebony waiting for treats.

Sleeping /Dreaming / Yawning

Wild rabbits remain active throughout the year (they don’t hibernate), and they are crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk), so tend to sleep for periods (often taking several naps) during the daytime and nighttime, averaging at around six to eight hours of sleep over 24 hours. 

Rabbits can sleep with their eyes open – their eyes continue to detect any danger approaching, and predators may be less likely to approach if they think a rabbit is awake. 

They may sleep lying down but are just as capable of sleeping whilst loafing. 

When one rabbit is sleeping, at least one other rabbit in the group will usually be on watch for danger.  

Even when apparently resting, most rabbits are ready to flee at any moment, if a potential threat is detected (Dijon had an extremely reduced fight or flight response!).

 

Our pet rabbits have a similar sleep pattern, although many have adapted to our schedules. It’s important that we allow our rabbits to rest during the day, ensuring they have comfortable places for sheltering away from noise and light, if they wish. Sometimes, because they can sleep with their eyes open, it’s difficult to know when a rabbit is asleep – but a rabbit’s twitching nose usually slows during sleep. If a rabbit is in a relaxed resting position and starts twitching (usually eyes, nose, and lips) or rocking, even if they still have their eyes open, they are probably dreaming. Their ears may turn like radar, and their front paws make small digging actions; sometimes they may even fall to one side… any sudden noise and they will be alert again in an instant. A yawning rabbit is a relaxed rabbit! Rabbits’ yawns can be very dramatic – often after sleeping, they may stretch their front legs out, gripping the ground with their claws, and pulling back their head to yawn.  

A compilation of all the bunny yawns we've captured over the years.  

 

Snoop shows rather questionable prey creature instincts. 

Smelling

See Nose

Socialising

Rabbits are extremely sociable – wild rabbits live in colonies with up to 50 individuals, divided into groups of between 2-10 closely-bonded rabbits, with an established hierarchy (see hierarchical behaviours). 

Rabbits prefer eating, foraging, and grazing in these small groups, which gives them a greater chance of spotting predators – at least one rabbit is always alert for danger (see vigilance). They also prefer resting and sleeping together – if they choose to rest or sleep alone, it will usually be in a place where they are in sight of another rabbit, for safety. 

Mabel and Dijon resting together.

Again, as for all activities that increase their vulnerability, at least one rabbit is always on watch for danger – they rely heavily on vigilance for their survival. 

Mabel and Dijon 'mirroring': rabbits copy one another's behaviour, eg. grooming at the same time. 

Our pet rabbits also need companionship of at least one other rabbit, and they enjoy eating, grooming, and sleeping together. Rabbits do like some time alone as well, so we should provide at least one of every item per rabbit (water bowls, hidey-holes, and other enrichment items), but, like their wild cousins, they prefer to be within sight of another rabbit. Having the companionship of (an)other rabbit(s) will help them to feel less stressed and more relaxed.  

If in any doubt as to whether rabbits really do need companionship of another rabbit, watch this compilation of photos showing the amazing bond between Dijon and his first partner, Mabel. We selected Mabel and Dijon (in 2011) from 2 litters of Dutch rabbits (now, of course, we know to always adopt from a rescue centre). They shared the same father - Mabel was Dijon’s half-sister. They were put together by the breeder so they could bond as soon as they were old enough to leave their mothers, and we brought them home shortly after. Rabbits from the same litter don’t necessarily get along – they can fall out, especially when hormones kick in. Dijon pestered Mabel a bit when they were young, and his first neuter didn’t help – he continued to mount her and spray urine around our living room, until, in desperation, our vet agreed it was worth going ahead with ‘exploratory surgery’ to see whether anything had been missed! It had – she found testicular tissue lodged in his inguinal canal, thank goodness, and once it had been removed, Dijon became the perfect gentleman. He adored his Mabel, cared for and protected her, and, as you’ll see toward the end of the compilation, loved to throw himself at her feet! They were inseparable. Mabel finally lost her battle to a mandibular abscess in 2018, and we adopted a new companion for Dijon – Ebony. 

 

Splooting

See Lying

Spraying urine

Urine is sprayed for scent marking purposes and during courtship (also see Toilet behaviours). It’s mostly a male behaviour – it’s common for a male to spray, often over a doe. It is performed to mark territory (which may include other rabbits) and communicate social status as one of rabbits’ hierarchical behaviours.  

Dijon spraying urine (before he was neutered).  

 

Fortunately, for domestic rabbits, the behaviour is usually eliminated by neutering. 

The sheet of plastic we used to protect our living room walls: Adolescent Dijon sprayed urine every time he was excited – especially when we approached with food, but frequently when circling Mabel. Unfortunately, it continued after he was neutered, to such an extent that we agreed with the vet to conduct investigative surgery. See here for the full story.

Squealing / Whimpering

Rabbits make a squealing or whimpering noise when communicating displeasure. For example, a doe may produce the sound to tell a male his advances are unwanted; a rabbit might squeal/whimper if another rabbit attempts mounting. 

This sound may also be heard from our pet rabbits, if their partner approaches and they’d prefer to be left in peace, and particularly during the process of introducing and bonding two or more rabbits. 

Rabbits may also squeal/whimper if they don’t want to be picked up – in this situation, it’s important we take note and try to avoid picking them up unless essential.

Standing on hind legs

See Rearing up

T

Tail

Dijon, just a couple of months old, showing off the white underside of his fluffy tail.

Most wild rabbits have a white underside to their tail, which they show as they are hopping at speed to flee danger. It may seem to us that this would not be in their best interest, given that their coat colour provides a good camouflage whereas the white tail would draw attention from the predator, but research suggests that the bobbing white tail confuses a predator trying to chase a rabbit. Their white tail is also a way of communicating a warning to other rabbits, along with thumping of their hind feet. 

Rabbits also use their tail in other ways for communicating within their social groups. For example: 

• Tail pointing upwards, ears up, rabbit is alert, and may be binkying – rabbit is excited, for example during courtship. 
• Tail pointing upwards, ears back, head up – rabbit is feeling threatened and is prepared for aggression. 
• Tail lifted upwards, rabbit may reverse into a corner, sitting with hind legs slightly apart – rabbit is about to start urinating (the tail is raised to keep it clean). 
• Tail pointing downwards, stretched out, rabbit stretching forward with hind legs stretched back and feet rooted to the ground – rabbit is cautious or curious about something ahead and approaching cautiously. 
• Tail flicks/wags in a small, rapid, side-to-side motion – rabbit is showing defiance, or disapproval – often in response to something another rabbit has done. 

 

Rabbits’ tails provide some help with balance, although not as effectively as the longer tails of other animals. 

Dijon's tail was often pointing up when was young and permanently excited!

Although not all domestic rabbits have white undersides to their tails, our pet rabbits still show the underside of their tail if frightened. We need to make them feel secure and comfortable, and, if possible, remove anything they perceive as a threat. 

Like their wild cousins, they use their tails to express other feelings, so it’s useful to know what their various tail positions and movements can mean. 

Our pet rabbits may also show the underside of their tail for communicating, in the same way as their wild counterparts (although domestic rabbits’ tails are not always white on the underside). The tail flick is also used and can be directed towards us – it’s a form of bunny ‘backchat’! 

We need to observe our rabbits closely to understand this behaviour in its context and interpret the meaning – if they display the underside of their tail as a warning of a perceived threat, we must make them feel secure; if it is from feeling threatened and warning us to back off, we should take notice. If we see them raise their tail because they’re about to urinate and it’s not in their toilet area, we might have just enough time to give them a gentle reminder by ushering them towards their litter tray!

Teeth chattering / Grinding teeth / Purring

Soft grinding/chattering of teeth (also known as purring) is a rabbit’s way of expressing contentment – for example, when resting, or during grooming from another rabbit. Unlike a cat’s purr, it is not produced by vocal cords. 

However, loud grinding of teeth has a very different meaning – a loud grating sound indicates a rabbit is in discomfort or pain. Rabbits are adept at hiding pain, but clues include hunching and narrowed eyes.  

Listen to Dijon grinding his teeth to show he was enjoying his cuddles.  

 

Our rabbits may softly ‘purr’ by chattering/grinding their teeth when they’re being groomed by a rabbit companion, and sometimes when we’re stroking them. This chattering is a gentle motion, barely visible other than slight vibration of the mouth and whiskers, and may produce a soft sound, and they will appear relaxed and comfortable. 

A rabbit grinding its teeth loudly and hunching from pain or discomfort requires immediate veterinary attention.

Throwing/tossing

Rabbits pick items up with their mouths then throw and toss them to move them out of the way, especially when clearing routes whilst foraging, and to ensure they have paths ready for escaping predators, if necessary. They will also clear items out of their way by biting through with their sharp teeth.  

Ebony and Dijon demonstrating their ability to throw things.

 

Pet rabbits also perform this behaviour with branches and toys… or our belongings! Try filling old toilet rolls or brown paper bags with food and hay, so they can pick them up and toss them out of the way, at the same time releasing the tasty treats. Other popular choices include willow balls, stacking cups, and apple sticks.

Thumping

Rabbits thump their hind feet on the ground to make a sound. When they detect a threat, they thump their back feet on the ground, communicating an alarm to other rabbits – it’s one of their prey animal behaviours. They show the white underside of their tail to warn companions. The thumping may also be used to scare off predators. 

When courting a doe, a buck often performs circling and thumping to display his fitness and dominance.  

Snoop thumping when meeting Ebony – during the bonding process, thumping may be used to communicate dominance.  

 

Thumping is also a hierarchical behaviour, used to display dominance. 

Rabbits sometimes thump to show their annoyance, especially if another rabbit has done something to upset them. This type of thumping will be less persistent than thumping as an alarm signal. 

Dijon's thumping became weaker as he aged!

 

It’s important to understand our rabbits’ body language to recognise the contextual meanings of thumping – if the thumping is caused by fear, we should help them feel secure, if possible, by removing whatever it is that they perceive as a threat. 

Our rabbits might thump at their partner, or at us, to display their affection, or their excitement (eg. when food is approaching). We must ensure all rabbits are neutered. 

Thumping as a sign of annoyance is common, for instance, as rabbits are let out of their carrier following a trip to the vet, or after being brushed. However, thumping can have other meanings – for some pet rabbits, such as our Mabel, it can be a precursor to ‘naughtiness’!

Toilet behaviours / Droppings / Scattering droppings / Spraying urine / Urinating

Rabbits produce hundreds of spherical droppings each day!

All rabbits produce two types of droppings – dry, spherical pellets (as above) and soft, caecal droppings (also called caecotrophs). Rabbits’ caecal droppings are eaten directly from their bottom. Discover here why rabbits must consume their caecotrophs. 

As prey creatures, wild rabbits are scrupulously clean by nature. They deposit urine and dry faecal pellets above ground, keeping their warrens clean to avoid creating an odour that would attract the attention of predators. Some droppings are scattered throughout their territory, above ground, as a form of scent marking – these droppings are coated in a scented mucus from rabbits’ anal glands (another scent marking behaviour is spraying urine, which is performed mostly by male rabbits, to communicate social status or as part of courtship). However, most pellets and urine are deposited in ‘latrines’. These are created by the dominant rabbit in a group – the surface of the soil is scraped and droppings and urine carrying scent are deposited; other rabbits then mark the latrine by using it to deposit their urine and droppings, and it becomes a vital source of territorial and social information for the colony. Rabbits’ latrines help them to feel secure, and communicate social and sexual status between them. 

Siting of the latrines depends on their main purpose: those situated close to the perimeter of the colony’s territory act as a warning to rabbits from neighbouring colonies to stay out; for rabbit colonies free of threat from other colonies, latrines are more likely to be situated close to their burrow entrances – for them, it’s more important that the latrine is a source of communication within their own social groups. 

Dijon and Ebony demonstrating how to use a litter tray.

The instinct of wild rabbits to confine urine and most droppings to latrines is still strong in our pet rabbits. They are essentially clean animals and prefer to deposit urine and droppings in a single place (or, at most, few places), and, just like their wild cousins’ latrines, these places become vital sources of information. Due to this nature of our rabbits, it’s relatively simple to train them to use a litter tray, and easier to do so if they are neutered – scattering of droppings and spraying of urine is mostly triggered by hormones, most of which are eliminated by neutering.

Many rabbits continue to scatter some droppings, despite neutering, and this behaviour may increase as they age and find it more difficult to reach their litter tray.

For most rabbits, it’s simply a matter of seeing which area they choose to use as their ‘latrine’, then placing a tray in that place (filled with a suitable litter, a handful of hay for them to graze on when they’re toileting, and a few of their droppings to encourage them to use the tray). When they are consistently using the tray, it can gradually be moved to a different location, if necessary. Rabbits raise their tail immediately prior to urination, which is a handy warning if they’re about to wee in the wrong place – a gentle reminder often works! 

Rabbits are more likely to use a tray consistently if the toilet area is their space – a place which is not shared with us or with other animals in the household. If they can regard it as their territory, they will mark it – and, for rabbits, that means using it to deposit droppings and urine. The more we interfere with it, the less likely they are to view it as their exclusive territory. 

That said, due to this nature of using one place, a rabbit’s toilet area can quickly become saturated, and that can increase the risk of a range of health problems, including flystrike, sore hocks, respiratory problems, and urine scald, so it’s essential to clean out the toilet area or tray regularly, usually every couple of days (frequency depends on individual rabbits, type of litter used, and weather conditions). It’s also important to make sure our rabbits have space to move away from the area when they wish. 

Rabbits may start scattering droppings outside their litter tray if they are placed in a new environment, if a new partner is introduced, or if an unfamiliar object enters their territory. A rabbit that suddenly stops using a litter tray for no apparent reason may have a medical problem and should be taken for a check-up by a rabbit-savvy vet. 

Rabbits eat caecotrophs directly from their bottom, so it should be rare for us to see these droppings. Uneaten caecotrophs – either on the ground or stuck to a rabbit – could indicate a problem, so a vet should be consulted. 

Dijon and Ebony saying goodbye to 2020.

Trancing/tonic immobility

Tonic immobility is an anti-predation behaviour used by many prey animals, including rabbits. In response to an extreme, imminent threat, the prey animal assumes the appearance of being dead, which gives it a chance of escape: many predators torment or worry their prey before killing it, and lose interest if the prey animal becomes still; predators tend to grip tightly if the prey animal is moving, but may loosen their grasp if the prey animal appears to be dead. 

At 12 years old, Dijon tolerated us picking him up to check his underside – sitting like this is fine, but tipping further back risks inducing tonic immobility.

In the past, rabbit owners and vets have made use of this instinctive response in rabbits – when placed on their back, tonic immobility is induced, rendering them motionless and ostensibly calm. This enabled treatment to be administered, nails clipped, or other minor procedures carried out without a struggle. Some ignorant owners take advantage of this response, holding their rabbit on its back, so that they, the owner, can enjoy a long cuddle. 

However, studies have shown that ‘hypnotising’ or ‘trancing’ rabbits does not relax them but is instead extremely traumatic – their heart rate decreases and there are other physiological changes consistent with trauma. We should never ‘trance’ or ‘hypnotise’ a rabbit, and must never fully turn them onto their backs. There is a range of less stressful methods to aid care procedures, such as carefully wrapping a rabbit in a towel (‘bunny burrito’) to prevent struggling whilst nail trimming.

Turning back on company

Rabbits may sit with their back turned to a companion if they are annoyed – they are communicating that the other rabbit has offended them in some way. This posture may have followed the rabbit flicking feet in the direction of the other rabbit. 

Dijon demonstrating his irritation.

Our pet rabbits may perform this behaviour, both to their companion rabbit(s) and to us! If we upset our rabbits, for example, by trimming their nails or grooming them, they may turn their backs on us and refuse to acknowledge us. They need some time and space – often, they’re too proud to accept our offering of treats, but leave some nearby and they will usually forgive us… eventually! 

Dijon and Ebony being seriously offended. 

Twitching nose

See Nose

U

Urinating

See Toilet behaviours

V

Vigilance / Alertness / Reacting to danger

Wild rabbits are prey for around 50 species. They can be attacked by predators on the ground, under the ground, or from the sky. They rely mostly on avoidance to survive, and must be constantly alert for signs of danger, using their highly developed senses (ears, eyes, nose), to detect the presence of a predator in time to escape. To survive, they need to find food for themselves whilst not being caught as food for another animal. 

Reacting to danger – if they sense danger, rabbits may start thumping and showing the white underside of their tail as a warning signal to other rabbits, and to give themselves a chance to escape. They may try freezing to avoid being seen. If danger approaches, they will attempt to outrun and outmanoeuvre the predator with speed and agility, hopping to a known bolthole where they may remain sheltering until the threat has passed. If caught by a predator, they may defend themselves by fighting, or may enter tonic immobility. 

Domestication has reduced our rabbits’ ‘fight or flight’ response, compared to their wild cousins, but their instinct to be vigilant has remained strong, and they will exhibit the same behaviours as their wild ancestors if they feel threatened or frightened. We need to be mindful of this nature, ensuring we don’t put our rabbits in situations that may scare them, and being aware of any sights, sounds, or smells that may frighten them. We need to make them feel secure and comfortable, and, if possible, remove anything they might perceive as a threat. 

Nevertheless, rabbits have an inherent need to be vigilant, so it’s stimulating for them to be in a varied (but not stressful!) environment. If possible, we should ensure houserabbits have some outdoor space – the natural environment is more varied, with changes in seasons, weather, light, sounds, sights, and smells. Rabbits are less likely to become bored if they can enjoy monitoring an outdoor environment, and more likely to perform natural behaviours, such as rearing up to sniff the breeze). If it’s not possible to let them have time outdoors, it’s important to provide more stimulation in their indoor environment, by providing extra enrichment, swapping toys, etc. 

Dijon and Ebony monitoring the sights, sounds, and smells of the garden, in the knowledge that they can run to the safety of indoors at any time.

 

Rabbits find it easier to relax if they have the suitable companionship of another rabbit for shared vigilance.

Vocalising

See Communicating

W

Whimpering

See Squealing

Y

Yawning

See Sleeping

Z

Zooming

See Hopping