Rabbit Language
Rabbit Communication
Rabbits are very communicative with each other, and with humans too. It's not quite the same kind of communication that we use, but if you spend plenty of time with your rabbit, you will be able to communicate in a rabbity way!
Rabbit Society
The starting point of understanding rabbit communication is understanding the way that rabbits see the world, both in the wild and in domestic situations. Rabbit society is very structured, and in the wild, several rabbits live together with a distinct hierarchy. They look after each other, finding food together and warning each other of danger using their thumper foot. This also applies in the domestic situation, where you become part of the society and hierarchy. The place a rabbit has in the society is partly determined by who grooms them and who they groom. The number one rabbit will expect to be groomed by the others, but may not do any grooming of the others him or herself. Rabbits' understanding of hierarchy is different to humans - the rabbit at the top of the grooming hierarchy is happy to do what it's told by you as long as it keeps its place in the grooming order of importance.
Rabbit Body Language
A lot of rabbit communication is done with grooming as well as head and ear movements. Lop rabbits don't move their ears as much as up ear rabbits, but all rabbits use some kind of signals to communicate.
Being Friends
In order to be able to understand and communicate with your rabbit, you need to be friends with your rabbit. You should spend at least an hour or two each day playing with and stroking your rabbit. Different rabbits like different things, but they all like to spend time in company. Rabbits in the wild are prey, and so are naturally not very happy to be picked up. They prefer it if you sit on the floor so they can come up to you and sit next to you to get stroked.
As your rabbit gets to know you better, it will ask to be groomed when you are nearby - a gentle nudge with its nose is like a greeting. To return the greeting, at least a little stroke of the head would be appropriate. If your rabbit settles down and stretches its head out when you are stroking its head, it is asking for you to carry on. The rabbit will tell you which bits to stroke by shuffling around to get in to the best position. Ignoring a nudge from your rabbit will probably result in a much firmer nudge, and possibly if you ignore that you might get a little nip - you can seriously offend a rabbit by ignoring it! If your rabbit is lying near you, you can ask for a little bit of grooming in return by slowly putting your hand on the floor just in front of it, and the rabbit might give your hand a lick.
Playing
Rabbits are very playful creatures, and love to run around playing games. Playing chase is fun - you follow the rabbit and the rabbit runs after you. If you do this, play gently and remember that you can be a bit scary to the rabbit if you chase it too enthusiastically, or when it's not playing. Rabbits will play with all sorts of toys - there are plenty of things available from pet shops, but they are equally happy with a cardboard tube to play with, throw around and chew. Playing games will keep your rabbit active and healthy and use up some energy. Having toys that can be chewed (wood or cardboard) keeps the rabbit's teeth in good condition and it is less likely to chew anything that it's not meant to in the house.
Rabbit Territory
Most rabbits mark their territory in one way or another. Unneutered male rabbits are the most likely to show territorial behaviour, and often spray urine on things that they think they own - this could include corners of rooms, furniture, and even you. Usually neutering solves this, as neutered rabbits rarely do this.
There are other ways of marking territory that some rabbits do more than others, but these are not generally noticable to you. You might see your rabbit rubbing its chin on things, this is because they have a gland under their chin from which they scent things that are theirs. This is undetectable by humans, so won't cause you any problems, but the rabbit will be happier knowing that the table in the corner belongs to it because it's rubbed its chin on it.
You may also find a few rabbit pellets left in hidden corners of rooms, like behind the door. This is another way of your rabbit saying "this is my room".
Rabbit Dominance
If you have more than one rabbit together, you may find that one rabbit tries to be dominant over another. This usually involves the dominant rabbit pinning the other down by putting its head on top of the other rabbits head, or sometimes by doing something climbing on the other rabbits back. This looks like they are mating, but it can be done by either a male or female rabbit asserting its dominance over the other rabbit.
Inquisitive Rabbits
Rabbits are by nature very inquisitive, or some would say nosey, and are interested in everything that is going on around them. You will often find that if you are doing something, your rabbit will be nearby watching what you are doing. If you leave the room, your rabbit may follow you, at least to the door to see where you are going. When a rabbit is trying to get you or another rabbit to follow, it will go a short distance, then stop and look over its shoulder at you, then set off again. If your rabbit does this, it is polite to follow. You can also try this - if you want your rabbit to follow, walk away a little distance and then stop, look over your shoulder to make sure the rabbit is watching you, then carry on another short distance. Keep repeating this, and your rabbit might follow you to catch up each time you stop.
Rabbits' noses show they we are being nosey. Rabbits don't have to twitch their noses to breath or even to smell. The twitching shows how interested they are in whatever is going on. The faster the nose is twitching, the more interested they are. Try lying on the floor in front of your rabbit, and when it is watching you, twitch your nose at the same speed as the rabbit is doing - you will have to emphasise the movement as much as you can. Then try speeding up or slowing down, and your rabbits nose will probably do the same, to say "I'm as interested in you as you are in me".
Unhappy Rabbit
There are several signs that rabbits use to show displeasure, and the signs depend on how unhappy they are, and for what reason. A rabbit that is scared or worried might have its ears back against its head but turned outwards to listen, or ears straight up and pointing forwards if its listening for danger (or for lops, ears turned forwards at the sides of the head), and may stamp its foot and run away to hide. Rabbits can be scared by sudden loud or unexpected noises, and maybe something that the rabbit has noticed that you aren't even aware of as they are very sensitive. The foot stamping is a way to warn other rabbits (and that includes you) that there might be some danger. If your rabbit is doing this, don't rush up to it or try to pick it up - you might scare it more. Approach slowly and put your hand in front of the rabbit so it knows that it's you, and stroke its head to reassure it.
If you have done something that your rabbit doesn't like, it will make it very obvious that it's not impressed with you. The signs of this start with sitting near you but looking the other way as though there is something much more interesting over there, or slightly more serious is turning its back and completely ignoring you. If you have offended that rabbit even more seriously than this, you will probably see the rabbit flicking its back feet up at you as it runs away. Some rabbits also grunt when showing signs of displeasure. Any of these signs mean that you have some grovelling to do - sit near the rabbit and try to give it a stroke on the head - be aware that if your rabbit is very unhappy with you, it may take offence at you stroking it without being invited to, and then you will get the back of the rabbit to look at again!
Like most of the rabbit language, you can use these signals too. If your rabbit is being naughty, stop it from doing whatever its doing and then turn your back on it and walk a few steps away. Don't look back, and you will probably find the rabbit at your feet trying to make friends again. If you want to try running away flicking your feet, make sure that no one is watching!
Happy Rabbit
There are lots of different ways in the rabbit language to show happiness. The ears will be in a less tense position than a scared rabbit, and many rabbits shake their heads and make their ears wobble or flap when they are happy. This can develop into a twist of the whole body, usually whilst jumping in the air - known as a binky. These look very funny to watch, and a rabbit that is happy will run around the room jumping and twisting like mad.
A rabbit that is happy but sleepy will lie down in a relaxed position - the harder the position is to get up quickly from, the more relaxed the rabbit is. A rabbit lying on its front with back legs under it can get up instantly, and isn't as relaxed as one that is lying stretched out on its side with its feet sticking out behind it. This is a much harder position to run away from quickly, and shows that the rabbit is very relaxed and feels safe. If your rabbit lies down near you like this, it must be very comfortable with you, and feel that you are no threat whatsoever to it.
Rabbittalk: 50 Ways to Make Friends with Your Rabbit and many other rabbit books available in our store.
