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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR Listen to the Ears!!!!! Bunny communication.

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    • LittlePuffyTail
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        Thought this might be helpful, especially to new bunny parents.

         

         

         


      • JackRabbit
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          Wish there was a good way to tell with lops. With them it seems to be ears forward = curious/alert and ears just hanging down = everything else. Marlee has one part-time helicopter ear that usually means “I’m angry about something”. Too bad they don’t have a manual.


        • LittlePuffyTail
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            Yeah, Bindi has 2 ear positions: Normal down and what I call “his listening ears”. Thankfully, he’s a pretty easy-going guy, not moody like Miss Olivia.


          • kirstyol
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              Bramble has such a great range of ear movement (mum was lop and dad wasn’t) he sometimes reminds me of one of those moving satellite listening thingys because he moves his ears to the direction of any noise. His favourite is one ear down and one up ready for any interesting noises, then its as if the ear that’s up needs a rest and he changes them over, he cant lop them both at the same time but will occasionally do a helicopter.


            • JackRabbit
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                Kirstyol – I want a bunny with Bramble’s ears!


              • kirstyol
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                  This is his ‘where’s my food’ ears.

                  Although he is a lot younger in this pic, this is his ‘I look all innocent but I am still listening’ ears

                  He has many more ‘ear poses’ but unfortunately doesn’t seem to like having his photo taken.


                • Thump
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                    I disagree with the first two. When they are most alert their ears will be the most forward in what is labeled as “curious”. When my bunnies hear something strange or are frightened they have their ears like this but they are not curious, they are deciding whether or not to stay still or run for their lives and hide. They will move their ears (often just one at a time) backwards towards a noise that they are trying to hear better if it is non threatening just to keep a watch out.

                    I love making weird noise and seeing what things their ears will do. Hissing or growling will send the ears straight up and make them scared and super alert.


                  • BinkyMom14
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                      Mr Binks puts his ears forward when he’s curious but also when he’s scared, his body language with it is how I know what he’s thinking. He is normally pretty laid back though I only get the ears back when I pick him up (which he tolerates but like most does not like)


                    • manic_muncher
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                        Curious ears for me, but I will also like to add… many times I HAVE seen what you all are speaking about, the alert and deciding if they need to run… but from what I have noticed, it’s -because- what has startled them is something that one of us has done near them. So they’d have their ears pointed in our direction forward because they were already watching us and were looking in our direction when what scares them happens. Ears prick forward hard then, because it IS right there in front. Otherwise, with my rabbits at least, any other times that front-facing ear prick has been witnessed was because someone was looking to get into something I didn’t want them to.


                      • KittenMuffinPie
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                          I’ve had my lop bunny for a little over a month now and I had never seen him lift his ears until the other day. I walked in real slow trying not to startle him and he looked at me sideways and lifted both of his ears up (well.. more like out) but I was so confused at what his new expression of his was lol


                        • Avantika
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                            LittlePuffyTail and everyone else, I read in 1-2 articles that ears placed backwards may also mean that the bunny is sad.. Is that correct ? Have you noticed your bunnies keeping their ears back (as in the sleepy and relaxed state) when they are going through some illness ?


                          • LittlePuffyTail
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                              Yes my bunnies have had their ears down when ill. They usually are in a loaf position when not feeling well with their ears flat.


                            • kathybunny
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                                I’m happy to see this. I always thought ears straight back was mad or something.


                              • Chi Gin
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                                  Hi everyone, 
                                  Thanks for your useful information
                                  In addition, if your bunny has some signals of being sick, pls not only check its ears, you should check its body heat to make sure: Rabbits regulate body temperature by their ears. Very cold or hot ears could indicate a fever or a drop in body temperature. This, coupled with other warning signs, could warrant a trip to the vet

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                              Forum BEHAVIOR Listen to the Ears!!!!! Bunny communication.