I know dogs cuddle when you’re sad, so how do rabbits react when you’re sad or stressed?

[Mimosa]

Mimosa can definitely tell if there’s something up with me. There have been a few times this past month when I’ve been really depressed, but Mimosa just sits and stares at me. Other times when I come home stressed, he starts acting out and chewing or digging in places he normally wouldn’t. I was just wondering what your rabbits do when you’re not feeling at your best. Are there any super sweet bunnies who try to comfort you?

[Stickerbunny]

When my grandmother had to go in for open heart surgery, she was given a 50% chance to make it (she came out fine). Powder came over and put his tickly whiskers in my face when I sat on the floor and Stickers even allowed her royal presence to remain near me, instead of running away when I didn’t have food like she normally does.

[Mimosa]

Aww, that’s so nice. I’ve only had Mimosa for a little less than 2 months, so I’m hoping he will one day be more sensitive to my feelings.

[Muffinluv]

After reading lots of entries and poems in the rainbow bridge I was so sad and depressed I had to go an hug my bunny.
I ran to his cage half crying and said “Muffin baby can I cuddle you?” and reached in his cage and started to pet him. He stood up fast and took a hop back and I thought I had scared him so I sobbed a bit more. Then he hopped right next to my leg and flopped. He let me give him all the cuddles I needed to give.

I think that when the day comes that Muffin crosses the bridge, this will be my favorite memory of him.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Bindi is always good for a cuddle so that’s what I do when I’m sad or stressed. Stormy used to give kisses when I was sad. Bunnies are the greatest anti-stress.

[LBJ10]

Ha! I think mine could care less. I’m only good for 2 things. Food and treats. I read stories on here about sweet bunnies that like to cuddle, but mine don’t. Leopold will tolerate sitting in your lap for a bit, but he doesn’t cuddle. He walks all over you and sniffs (probably looking for food).

[Stickerbunny]

Posted By LBJ10 on 08/18/2013 03:27 PM
Ha! I think mine could care less. I’m only good for 2 things. Food and treats. I read stories on here about sweet bunnies that like to cuddle, but mine don’t. Leopold will tolerate sitting in your lap for a bit, but he doesn’t cuddle. He walks all over you and sniffs (probably looking for food).

 

Powder doesn’t cuddle, but he is a sweet bunny that likes pets and given the chance sleeps beside my pillow. But, I read the stories about cuddle buns too and get jealous. I want a bunny to cuddle on the couch with while watching a movie! Ah well. I still love my two terrors. Stickers 99% of the time reacts to me with “Do you have food? No? Then why are you bothering me? Go away.”

[tanlover14]

Interesting topic.

I have one bunny, Simba, who is the best for when you’re having a horrible day. He loves cuddles and he gives anyone who will allow him to lots of kisses.

But I do have one really great story – my Tans are total crazies and aren’t the cuddley/lovey type at all. I have three – Fleury and Sidney came to me unaltered and Tanger came to be already neutered. They are all siblings from the same litter. So on the day of Fleury and Sidneys spay I was really freaking out. When we brought them home, Sidney was a wreck. And wouldn’t move from the corner of her cage. Which basically made me feel like the worst person ever. I sat on the floor and just bawled. Tanger was out and about as the others were in cages due to their spays and neuters. Now Tanger is my worst when it comes to being aggressive and biting. ABSOLUTE WORST. And this particular day he came right up while I was crying, climbed into my lap, and nudged my chin like he was trying to comfort me. I was in absolute shock and I will never forget him doing that. I instantly stopped crying. It was wonderful. Not sure I can ever hope for that to happen again – but I definitely keep that memory close to my heart with him. <3

[MoveDiagonally]

I don’t know if my bunnies sense my stress or sadness at all but they do seem extra attentive when I’m not feeling my best.

Generally when I’m feeling down I’ll sit in the bunny room or lay on the floor with them while they play. I find watching them go about their business is really relaxing even if they’re not interacting with me. A well timed flop, binky, or bunny kiss is an instant mood brightener.

TL – That’s a lovely story!

[Rufus]

My first reaction when I’m upset is always to go and see Rufus. He has always been fine being picked up and carried around but mostly he gets sick of it after 5 minutes and starts wriggling. But when I’m upset he always curls up right under my chin and stays there for as long as I let him. I rub his cheeks and he purrs. Occasionally he licks my hand while I’m rubbing. It’s the best thing to cheer me up in the world

[LittlePuffyTail]

Animals are so perceptive to emotions. I really believe they know when we are sad, stressed, etc. Whether they care or not, lol, that depends on the individual.

[manic_muncher]

My lil shih zhu, Outlaw, consoles me when I cry. He runs to me and gives me kisses and paws at my face, sometimes he makes little whiny sounds like he’s upset and doesn’t know how to make it better. He loves me so much. As for Bumpy.. well, he’s still new here and isn’t really interactive with us, unless the raisin bag comes out with it’s delicious crinkling. I do hope that one day he will be a snuggle bunny, but I don’t think I will hold my breath!

Like MD and Rufus, just being in the presence of my lil bun cheers me. Watching him quietly chew his hay, or laying out relaxed watching him twitch his nose, head shake and do his little series of binkies just chases away the blues.

I honestly don’t know how people can live without little furry babies! I know I couldn’t.

[Elrohwen]

I’m pretty sure mine don’t notice or care if I’m feeling upset. Haha. They make me feel better just by being their cute selves, but they don’t change their behavior.

[Bam]

I haven’t noticed any kind of behavioural change in my buns when I’m sad and upset, but my dog always tries to comfort me. My buns make me happier by being cute. I don’t think they give a d-n about how I feel as long as I feed them generously.

[Mimosa]

I agree with littlepuffytail that animals are very perceptive. I’m so jealous of everyone whose buns react so kindly when their owners are feeling down, but it’s nice to know my bun isn’t the only one who doesn’t actively try to comfort me. Maybe it’s because I don’t react how he wants when he is moody, but then again there’s nothing that a treat can’t fix.

[tanlover14]

I have to agree with the others – just being around my buns when I’m depressed or upset really does make me feel a lot better.

It’s when I’m angry about something and come to hang out that I feel they feel it and get stressed out or annoyed also because I SWEAR they act their worst when I’m angry about something! LOL

[Mimosa]

hah, tanlover, I’ve been there! It doesn’t help at all when the bun starts acting out because that just puts me in a worse mood! When that happens I have to remind myself to calm down and up my patience level.

[Valkyrie]

Most of my buns, even when I was a kid and they were in an outside hutch, were pretty intune with my emotions. If I had a really bad day at school with bullies, I would go home and climb into my bunny hutch and cry. Peter would climb onto my lap until I was done, but Pal used to try to distract me. He would binky around like he was saying “don’t worry about them! But look at what I can do!” and toss me a toy. If that didn’t work he would box my arm to try to entice me to box with him (our favorite game). I also have to give credit to my German Shepherd, Sarge, who would shove his big head in the hutch with me and lick me non-stop lol.

During Merlin’s lifetime I had a few very low periods after losing people I loved. His cage was in my living room which was right beside my bedroom and I never had the door closed. A few times I woke up hearing him thump and would feel that my face and pillow were absolutely soaked in tears. After that I was awake and sobbing in bed and sure enough he started to thump. I walked into the living room and he was standing against the bars of the cage calling me over. As soon as I opened the door he hopped onto my lap and gave me kisses. He wasn’t much of a lap bunny, but we did have a very good bond. Being a rescue he really appreciated how spoiled he was at my house.

If I am crying when Bromley is out, he runs up to lick and nuzzle my face. this is usually just during sad movies, but he did it after Merlin died too. If I don’t stop crying, he will crawl onto my chest and snuggle into my neck, like he’s giving me a hug.

Last night I had a very bad leg cramp and I was trying to sleep on the couch because I could get my leg propped on the arm of it. I was in so much pain that I was sobbing (the cramp started Thursday night actually so I think I’m at the end of my rope with it). I noticed that Odette was standing against the bars trying to see what was wrong. I have only had her one week so I don’t think she would have been very attentive if I hobbled over to her, but I’m hoping it means she will be like Mer before long.

[hannaroo]

My bunnies always nudge me if I’m feeling a little down as if to say ‘chin up!’
When I cheer up they usually hop away and do their own thing as if to say ‘my work here is done!’
If I’m stressed they generally don’t come over so I try and keep positive as they pick up on it so easily

[LittlePuffyTail]

manicmuncher- I had a Shih-Tzu for 16 years and she was the sweetest little thing when I was sad. I had her during my teenage years so there was many a time I would lay in bed crying, and she would snuggle my face and kiss and kiss and kiss until she made me giggle. They are such affectionate little dogs. I miss her.

I think there is no better stress/sadness reliever than an animal friend. Patting a soft bunny or a purring cat. My horse is also a great comfort to me when I’m upset. I’m so glad to have animals in my life.

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