If grooming precedes the kiss, your intention will be clear. Many rabbits enjoy being kissed on the top of the head. Your rabbit will not kiss you back, but will return your affection in other ways. Licking is a key sign of affection from rabbits.
My rabbits like being stroked on their forehead and cheeks. They put their head on the ground and close their eyes in contentment. They also love getting a good back scratch around the shoulders. That said, they tend not to like being touched on the ears, neck, feet, stomach or tail.
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. They might even groom you with little bunny licks to show you love!
We usually tell our adopters that we expect the average bonding is going to take about two and a half weeks.
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.
Licking is a way bunnies groom each other. If your bunny licks you, it's a sign of affection as you'll often see pairs of bunnies grooming each other this way. A bunny lick is a sign of a bond.
Small pieces of apple, banana, bell pepper, and carrot are often good treats to try. It's sure to make them super happy. To really tell your rabbit you love them, you do need to keep the treats to a minimum though.
Licks and Nibbles
Bunnies show affection by grooming, so if your rabbits gently nuzzle, lick, and perhaps even try to nibble you gently, they are showing you that they love and care for you.
Rabbit nipping or biting
A bunny nip is gentler than a bite. Bunnies will nip to get your attention or to politely ask you to move out of their way. Rabbits usually don't bite, but if one does it generally doesn't mean they hate you.
Rabbits will remember the people that they spend a lot of time with, and this includes their owners and caretakers. As prey animals, they have neurologically developed with a strong long-term memory for places and routines. You can use these associations to help strengthen your rabbit's memory of you.
They constantly want to be pet
They love spending time with you, and they love the attention you're giving them. It also shows that they're not afraid of being picked up every time you interact, since most rabbits do not like being held. Rabbits will lay down next to you if they trust you.
Signs of stress may include: appearing nervous (freezing, hunched up with ears flat against the body) being excessively jumpy and watchful (bulging eyes) being aggressive to people or other rabbits, particularly if the behaviour is unusual.
Baby rabbits leave the nest when they're 3 weeks old and about the size of a chipmunk. If you find a chipmunk-sized but fully-furred rabbit with eyes open, ears erect and the ability to hop, they are meant to be on their own. As small and helpless as they may look, they are not an orphan and don't need your help.
Help them feel secure by holding all four feet against your body. Never pick rabbits up by their ears - this would be extremely stressful and is highly likely to injure them. Minimise restraint - reduce stress and minimise the risk of injury by using the minimum level of restraint necessary.
If you're just bringing a new rabbit home, you'll want to give them some time before you allow them to roam free all the time. This will give your rabbit time to get used to the new environment. It will also give you the time to watch your rabbit's habits and prepare your home for your bunny's personality.
Rabbits are prey animals and can become easily spooked and scared. They don't really like to be picked up and handled too often, even by humans that they like!