Rabbits are capable of a wide range of emotions including jealousy, anger, fear, grief, love, irritability and insecurity.
Signs of Jealous Rabbit Behavior
The envious rabbit will shuffle over and start nudging you with their nose. They may also emit an annoyed grunt. The same will also apply if you are giving attention to a human. If your rabbit feels like it's their turn, they'll insert themselves into the moment.
Occasionally, rabbits will develop possessive aggression, in which they defend toys or other resources. Again desensitization and counterconditioning can effectively treat the aggression, although with an assertive rabbit it may be necessary to add gentle restraint when it charges people getting near its toys.
They can get mad or frustrated, and they're not afraid to show it! Rabbits can get aggressive if they want to, swiping at you with their claws, or even trying to bite. They might even growl or grunt at you, to vocalize how upset they are.
You may worry that your rabbit will be lonely. If you spend a lot of time with your rabbit, they will undoubtedly miss you when you're away, the same way you miss them. The two of you have developed a bond and friendship that your pet rabbit also understands.
Rabbits are social and intelligent creatures. They'll know that you love them; you just have to learn how to say “I love you!” in a way they'll understand. You can show your rabbit you love them by giving them gifts such as toys and yummy treats.
For a rabbit to be comfortable with being picked up, they must learn through positive experiences that being lifted isn't something that causes harm. This should start when they are just as few weeks old as part of socialisation.
Typically a rabbit will grieve for the loss of a partner for several weeks. They will be quieter than usual and may seem moderately depressed. But they won't stop eating altogether if you have followed the directions given above.
Grunting: Grunting noises are angry reactions towards another rabbit or a person and should be heeded as a warning to back off; otherwise the rabbit might escalate by scratching or biting. Rabbits grunt when they feel threatened or territorial. Thumping: Thumping is an attention getting behavior.
Rabbits are very loving, social animals, which means they not only love to spend time with their humans – they require it. Without human interaction, rabbits can get bored, even to the point of becoming lonely and depressed.
The first thought in a rabbit's mind when encountering another rabbit is "are you superior or inferior to me?" Classic signs of dominance are mounting (this can be done by either a male or female), chasing, circling and, if the other rabbit doesn't submit, nipping and fur pulling.
Nudging, head butting or rubbing against you is rabbit body language for loving attention. 'Give them a stroke or cuddle, or what you know they enjoy', says Rosie. 'Rubbing their faces against you is a way of sharing their scent profile, and showing that you really are friends.
Staring is very common in rabbits. It's likely your rabbit stares at you out of love and happiness, but they could also be hungry, or confused. Rabbits also have a transparent eyelid that they use while they sleep, which may make it seem like they are staring.
Rabbits love being stroked on their foreheads and backs. Always stroke in the direction of the hair, never against the hair (unless you are checking for skin problems). Most also like being stroked behind the ears.
Contrary to popular belief, most rabbits don't have very sensitive ears. While most rabbits aren't necessarily going to enjoy an ear massage, they don't mind when their ears are touched either. It's a neutral area for rabbits.
Many bunnies enjoy cuddles and affection
Bunnies are super-soft, and many will love cuddling with you as much as you love cuddling with them. Once a bunny is comfortable in their new home, they may claim you as their own by rubbing their chin on you to mark their territory.
Rabbits lick for affection, not for salt. Licking means “I love you, I trust you.” Lunging may occur when you reach into your rabbit's cage to clean, give food, or to take your rabbit out – a sign of disapproval.
Many rabbits will only hold a grudge until you let them know how sorry they are. If you take the time to apologize, your rabbit will forgive you in no time.
If he turns his back on his companion and sits or lies down, eyeing him over a shoulder, he is saying very adamantly, “I'm not speaking to you again until you apologize.” Although rabbits are easily offended, they easily forgive. A gentle nose rub or a scritch between the ears usually makes things right again.
Rabbits typically run away from people because they are afraid or angry. The rabbit has learned from past experiences that humans will chase them, pick them up, or trap them into a small cage. Naturally, their instincts will see people as dangerous predators that need to be avoided.
Rabbits are not the kind of pet that you can ignore and keep out of sight all day. If they are not given enough attention, rabbits can exhibit destructive behaviors or become severely depressed. They are social animals that need the company of others in order to be happy.