hoping around with food in jaws, what does it mean?

[Autumn's Dad]

for some time now I’ve noticed Autumn likes to carry food around for a long while before setting it down to eat, much like a dog does with a stick. It’s an odd thing to watch, almost like she’s trying to figure out where to eat it but not quite the same thing. I’ll give her the tennis ball filled with treats and she will take it in her teeth and hop around the room for sometimes minutes on end before setting it down, same thing with any large piece of food. Any thoughts? thanks for reading.

A.D

[Bam]

I don’t know why rabbits do this, but it has happened here as well. Maybe just looking for the perfect spot where there’s no risk of competition? Hoards of other buns could potentially come barging in and try to steal the food. You can never be too careful!

[jerseygirl]

A few of mine do it too, when it’s a treat. Hop around trying to find the best place to devour it I suppose. I agree, it seems to be so no bunny (or nobody) else can snatch it away.

 Gooseman does it the most here. He does a few laps then settles in the litterbox to eat the treat. By the time he’s finished hopping about, Potamus has finished hers and his is then under threat. So I have to stand there and guard. Lol

[Autumn's Dad]

Thanks for replying bam and jerseygirl, that makes sense. Food is the number 1 priority

[Mikey]

My Bombur does this is hes very pleased with the food he was given (he loves spinach, but they only get some every few weeks). He will take some and binky around before hiding somewhere and eating it. More often then not, the other two bunnies dont care that hes running off with it

[Madrhy]

Basil is doing this a bit too. We’ve only had him a few days (a week on Friday) but he dragged a bunch of hay under the couch where he could sit and munch on it in peace yesterday and I keep finding pieces of Kale but only the stalk, he’s eaten all of the soft leafy part and is just carting the stalk around lol

[Azerane]

Luna does it on rare occasions too, it is very funny to watch

[McCord]

My 10 mo buck learned my dog knows where food is and would steal apples carrots cucumber ect from my dog. (They are great Chase friends) they steal food from each other and when one has had enough one will grab food and run off to hide it.

Its just basic claiming of food.
Like keeping your phone in your pocket even if you arent talking on it. Its yours ergo, it goes with you!

[Autumn's Dad]

Great stories everyone! I didn’t realise how common this is.

[Vienna Blue in France]

Henry doesn’t care less about what he eats (anything) or where he eats it (anywhere!), but when I give him his weekly slice of carrot – WELL !! He hops about left, right & centre, wall to wall, looking left to right before settling down to eat it…. it’s very important that no-one else gets it and I’m the only one in the room with him!

As Az says… very funny….

[Autumn's Dad]

“Hey! Give me that! (grunts, snatches treat) This is MINE! ALL MINE!!”  They take no chances with those pesky humans

[vanessa]

Avalon runs off with his favorite greens so he doesnt’ have to share them with Morgana.

[mistyspatrick]

My bunnies do this also, my first bunny did not do it that much because I would sit on the floor and hold the food for him to eat sense the floors are tiled. However, when I give him something he really likes like a banana piece he will take it and run. Guess he wants to make sure I don’t take it from him. When I got my second rabbit he snatched and ran with his food. At first when I got him he could not eat anything hard because his lower teeth overlapped the top teeth and was grown almost to his nose so I had to take him to the vet to have them shaved down. I was afraid this would be a monthly trip to the vet but he is doing real well now and eating hard stuff to keep his teeth down. I think the person did not take care of him as they should have. He has stopped snatching food cause it is hard for him to eat it when it is sliding all over the floor

[Lucybunz]

Mine do that too. Often when I give them carrots or different treats. They are probably finding a ‘safe’ spot to eat it and one of mine will steal from the other, so she runs off to avoid him for a little bit.

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