Bunnies don’t like us?

[Bamboe&Mini]

My girlfriend and I are the proud owners of Bamboe and Mini, two bunnies that we love very much. However, after reading up on rabbit behaviour and the meaning behind it, I got the feeling that they actually don’t really like us. They often exhibit behaviour that, from what I’ve read, is negative towards us. They often flick their feet when hopping away from us, Bamboe often sits or lies with his back to us and they often hop away to just outside our reach when we try to pet them. Bamboe will also often come up to us and nudge us with his nose, like he’s trying to get attention. But then when we try to pet him, he hops away. They also won’t often come up to us themselves, circle our feet or ask for a pat on the head etc. 

Other than that they’re quite happy, they regularly flop onto their sides, do binkies and the bunny 500. Mini is lying on her side as we speak, chilling against the wall. 

Any ideas why they’d not like us?

[Sarita]

I don’t think you should take the rabbit behavior information so literally – I know there is a website (which I do enjoy reading) that gives their interpretation of rabbit behavior but I really think it’s just more for fun than anything else.

It sounds like your rabbits are being rabbits – very few rabbits come up for pets – it doesn’t mean they always won’t and sometimes it’s just a matter of them trusting you (and I don’t mean trust in a negative way).

They really do sound happy to me and must enjoy being around you if they binky and flop. Personally, it sounds like to me they do like you.

[Stickerbunny]

Sounds like they are just being bunnies. Mine foot flick if I have done something annoying – loud noise, didn’t give them food when they expected it, grooming, etc. But, sitting with their backs to you could just mean they are comfortable and running out of range when you try to pet them is just rabbit behavior. Not many buns are into being pet a lot. Powder loves being pet but he’ll STILL run out of my range and make me stretch to go pet him, even though he’ll sit for 2 hours letting me rub his head.

[Peony]

My rabbit did the foot flick to my mom just now. I know it means she did not like something and well she did have the smell of barbeque on her hands. Could also been from not moving when nuged.

That is another thing, I think most of the time nugging is to move, not that they want pets. Least that is what mine wants. (nugging your hand might be for pets though, something mine never did yet) She nugged my waist, nipped my waist, nugged my arm all to mean move. She even nugged me once where I moved right away then she ‘groomed me’ when I was in a new spot. Guess that is her for thanking me for moving. Another time she pawed at me and did a somewhat aggressive nip once when she was mad and wanted me to move (And I did not move from the first nuge)

The turning away from you could just been from found something interesting.

If you try to pet them and the hop away, it just means they do not want to be petted. I have to play a guessing game with mine still with that.

I did get the side look death glare once.
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/
The page that is titled “Alas, Woe is Me” then has the picute that is titled “I am just not sure about you, Bub.” The one to the far right, head up, one ear facing me like that.(note the look of the eye too, that is another key for that glare)

What caused her to do that to me was this:

I was trying to sing a song while clapping, and every time I clapped she made some kind of movement. So when I got down on the floor she gave me that glare. Then there was this wooden toy in front of her that I sometimes try to play with her that I went to touch. (still keeping up that glare) As soon as I touched it she thumped at me. I pulled my arm back a bit and touched it again. Got another thump. Then did it a 3rd time and got a thump. Yeah she did not like me clapping or that song I tried to sing to her…

That glare is rare for her to do, she does it less then she thumps. So I know she is mad when she does it.

So for the nuge, if they nuge you just move, I think it would start letting them trust you. Try stay away from petting and just let them come to you on the floor a bit more.

[DaisyBunz]

Bunnies are stubborn, spoiled creatures. Most rabbit owners refer to themselves as bunny slaves. Which is VERY true. Your rabbits definitely like you. In a group of wild rabbits, rabbits do this. They play with each other, teasing one another, sometimes even nipping and being, well, wild.
Rabbits are not like a dog, where a dog respects his owner as his master, rabbits are often your master. The only time you would need to worry is if your bunnies are scared of you, or bite or act aggressively. The behavior you described sounds very much like your rabbits are actually comfortable in your home. Very comfortable.
One thing I learned over the years of caring for buns is, don’t always try to analyze bunny behavior, as bunnies are really mysterious, strange little creatures. They can be grumps, and other times binkying all over the place.
Sometimes I believe my bunnies just do that kind of stuff, like hopping out of reach, on purpose. When they want a petting, they want it
NOW , and will shove anything you are doing out of your hands with their noses, grunt loudly, and butt their heads into your leg. They are spoiled, but with bunnies, it’s a good thing. If the behavior you are describing was being displayed by a child, then you would have a behavior issue. But they are bunnies, it’s different. So I would say they most certainly do like you, they are just comfortable, which is good, and just having a little fun.

[Bamboe&Mini]

Thanks for the response people, guess there’s nothing to worry about. We try to treat them very well so I was kinda worried.
Bamboe actually likes getting petted, when he allows it. He grinds his teeth and looks like he’s gonna fall asleep. He also enjoys massages.
We just finished giving Mini antibiotics (she got neutered a couple of days back), what a chore that always is. She’s gonna hate us for half an hour now.

We never had the death glare from them, worst thing that happened was when Bamboe pissed on the floor once. The rabbitspeak website defines that as the nuclear bomb of ‘I hate you’. It happened when it was time for them to go back in the cage, but he kept running away so we had to chase him all over the apartment. You’re absolutely right when you say that they’re spoiled and stubborn creatures. Lucky for them that they’re so cute and fluffy.

[Peony]

Yeah I gave that reference before. It might not mean they hate you, just that it was there and fluffy? I guess?

You have to learn what your rabbit likes and don’t like and what they do.

Any kind of food she is not supposed to have she runs away from. Well There was yogurt with banana in it and she just ignored it. (First thing I found she never bolted from yet) I said to my Mom she did that because she knows the banana is fake or something.

I got death glare from clapping.

She runs in her hutch hearing nom nom song and runs from my mom’s tablet.

[DaisyBunz]

While some reality is on the rabbit speak website, most of it’s more meant to be funny.

[Peony]

I found some funny ones here too:

http://www.cramptonarts.com/rabbits/r_language.html

BEHAVIOR: Female: Ripping her own fur out from all over her body, and collecting it in her mouth. Later burying it in your bedsheets when you are not looking. Running around the house with small stuffed animals or socks in her mouth.
WHAT IT MEANS: This is where I am having my babies.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Move out of your bed and sleep on the floor where you will be available for late night petting.

Hehehe

[Sarita]

I agree with DaisyBunz about the rabbit speak website – you cannot take it literally.

[Diamond]

Heh, Lily does the same things. She’ll take treats from my hand, but won’t let me pet her, the brat.

[Leese1015]

Our Dexter will kick his feet out at us when he is annoyed but we have also noticed that he does it when he is happy as well. When slicing up an apply we will give him a small thin slice as a treat and he hops away kicking in a manner similar to a happy kid with a piece of candy. I think it just depends on the situation. He is prone to digestive issues and when we have to force feed him his annoyed kick after we finish definitely gives off a different vibe than his “I’ve got an apple” kick.

[Annabel93]

All I’ve learnt from having rabbits is that they’re incredibly rude! Mine come and nudge and nip me if i’m sat in a spot they want to be in, they’ll flick their feet if i’m doing something like tidying their pen or moving their “furniture”. I agree with DaisyBunz, they are just like spoilt children, and it’s something that we have to accept and love them for! The flopping, binkying etc are all good signs that your buns are happy, so I don’t think you have anything to worry about

[Author]

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