Rabbit Care Fun: You Know You're a Rabbit Owner When
Written by Rabbit Hole Hay Team
Having a rabbit comes with a lot of responsibilities, but it also brings so much joy into your life!
Owning a rabbit opens you up so many different aspects of a rabbit's life and what they need. That's why we 100% know that there are just some things that only a rabbit owner will understand about rabbits and rabbit care. Knowledge like this comes with the time and experience of loving a rabbit.
We decided it would be fun to list out several of the best"You know you're a rabbit owner when..." sayings! It's good to see that your rabbit isn't the only one that wants to chew on things and that you aren't the only one to understand another language (rabbit-nese).
You know you're a rabbit owner when...
- You understand what a binky is and don’t misunderstand it for an item that an infant sucks on.
- You care for them as you would your own child.
- You have to hide every electronic wire around the house.
- You fight for the proper rabbit care of such sweet animals and are a part of a rescue, shelter or rabbit organization.
- You’ve lost a pair of shoes to being chewed on. RIP those heels/sneakers you loved so much.
- You've started a blog to educate others about rabbit care!
- You join forms to share your rabbit knowledge with people who have questions.
- You have articles of clothing that have rabbits on them. You know you’re guilty!
- Even better, you have articles of clothing that have YOUR rabbit printed on them.
- You have a social media account whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. set up for your rabbit.
- You get your rabbit a gift for Christmas, Easter, their birthday, etc.
What Your Rabbit Is Trying to Say
Most of all, you know you’re a rabbit owner when you can read what your rabbit is trying to say. Such as the following behaviors, posted by Rabbit Advocates:
Ears forward - "What's that you say?"
Ears back - Either "I don't like that," or "wake me for supper." Here it's important to know whether your rabbit is relaxed and resting or being threatened. If your rabbit puts his ears back, his tail up and growls, you'll know it's the latter.
One ear back, one ear forward - "I hear you but I'm not paying that much attention."
Nose nudge - "Pet me, pet me now" or "move, you're in my way."
Tooth clicking - "I'm so happy I'm purring!"
Nipping - Can be either a warning (see Aggression) or a way to groom since rabbits lick and nibble to groom each other.
Licking - "I love you" or "wow, you need a bath."
Lunging - If directed at you with ears back, chin forward and tail up, it clearly means "back off."
Circling - If your feet are being circled as you walk across the room, your bunny could be saying, "let's play!" If he has not been neutered or she has not been spayed, you're being targeted for love.
Dancing - A run followed by a jump and a 180-degree mid-air turn is an example of joyous abandon and says "Yippee!" This is known as a "binky".
Foot Thumping - It could be a warning to you("leave me alone") or a warning for you ("something is amiss here and you need to alert the others"). Something has startled your rabbit and he is informing the rest of the warren and trying to ward off predators with a big sound.
[Read more behavior tips from Rabbit Advocates here]
Last but not least, you know you’re a rabbit owner if you are reading our blog about rabbit care and love ordering our fresh timothy hay!
Have we sparked other ideas for you? Share with us by filling in the blank, “You know you’re a rabbit owner when ____________” in the comments below. We’d love to hear your responses!
Are you reading this wishing you were in the know about all things rabbits?? Don't worry, we have an eBook just for you! Our Rabbit Starter Kit is great for beginners learning about rabbit care and all the basics needed to begin the wonderful journey of caring for a rabbit in need. You'll learn about rabbit care 101, some words that are part of "rabbit-nese" and more. Download it free today!
