Flopping. When rabbits suddenly flop down on their sides like they've had some kind of horrible and sudden seizure, it's actually a great indication that you have a happy rabbit on your hands. For Ronnie, this usually happens in his cage and it means that he's totally relaxed and completely comfortable.
Rabbits do a “Happy' flop or as some call it the 'Dead bunny' flop. If you see your rabbit do this, it means they are very happy & relaxed. From standing they flop on to one side quite quickly and lay still for a few seconds or minutes.
Flopping: A flop is when your bunny rolls over onto their side. This indicates contentment when bunnies roll over and flop down to relax.
In most cases, a rabbit laying on their side is just sleeping. They aren't sick or dying in any way. Instead, this is a position rabbits will sleep in when they feel completely safe and secure in their environment. This is what's called a rabbit flop.
Angry and unhappy rabbits
Signs to look out for include: Tense and 'up' body. Rather than crouching and tensing, like a stressed or worried bunny, your rabbits may tense in a more aggressive stance if they're unhappy. They might crouch and angle their head up, rather than having it flat against the floor.
You should avoid leaving a rabbit alone for more than 24 hours. This is because rabbits can get sick suddenly and require immediate medical attention. Conditions such as GI Stasis are very common, so you should always have someone checking in on your rabbit daily even if you are only away for the weekend.
Rabbit ears that are pinned flat back with a tense body may indicate the rabbit is upset, angry, or scared. Rabbit ears that are flat back with a relaxed body just mean the rabbit is resting.
Domestic rabbits will bite as hard as they need to. Sometimes your rabbit will just give you a little gentle nip. This can sometimes be your rabbit showing affectionate or trying to groom you. A nip may also be a gentle, first warning when your rabbit is trying to tell you something.
When your rabbit lays their head down flat on the ground, they are enjoying being pet and are laying still so that you continue. They might even close their eyes or nudge your hand if you stop petting them.
Signs of stress may include: appearing nervous (freezing, hunched up with ears flat against the body) being excessively jumpy and watchful (bulging eyes) being aggressive to people or other rabbits, particularly if the behaviour is unusual.
They put their head on the ground and close their eyes in contentment. They also love getting a good back scratch around the shoulders. That said, they tend not to like being touched on the ears, neck, feet, stomach or tail. Usually, my bunnies are most receptive to petting when they're relaxing after a meal.
A rabbit with ataxia may be unable to move properly. It may stagger, stumble, or fall over when attempting to move. Other neurological signs that can be seen alongside ataxia include a head tilt, or a tendency to walk in circles or fall to one side.
Some bunnies are fine with being held, but never assume that your bunny likes being picked up just because they don't struggle in any way. Many rabbits hate being held and will actually freeze with fear. Our advise would be that it is always better to get down to your bunnies level and have a cuddle.
It's important to remember that rabbits are prey animals. Prey animals interact with their environment very differently than predators like cats and dogs. In general, rabbits do not like to be picked up.
Yes! If your rabbits aren't getting enough mental or physical stimulation, they'll be spending a fair amount of their day sitting around, bored. Over time, this can lead to destructive behaviours like chewing.
Stay calm and raise your voice, but do not yell. Example: Oliver the rabbit is digging at the carpet. You would say, "Oliver, NO." Oliver stops and stares at you. You give him a toy to play with instead of digging at the carpet (redirect his attention and train him to dig at something else instead).
Rabbit nipping or biting
Bunnies will nip to get your attention or to politely ask you to move out of their way. Rabbits usually don't bite, but if one does it generally doesn't mean they hate you. There are many reasons that might cause a rabbit to bite — for example, if you grab at a rabbit or surprise them.
Because rabbits are social animals, they will often get depressed if they are left alone for too long.
Many rabbit caretakers struggle with behavior problems that include destructive digging and chewing behaviors. Some rabbits also develop bad litter box habits. Other rabbit behavioral problems include fear and aggression toward humans and other animals.
The best places to pet a rabbit are their forehead and behind their ears. The cheeks and strokes down their backs are also good spots. But rabbits dislike being pet on their bottom, feet, chin, and underside.
Rabbits need exercise equipment too; ramps to run on, buckets of hay to jump in and boxes to climb on are great fun. Cardboard tubes, large enough for your rabbit to run through will make great rabbit tunnels. Toys, both chew toys and toss/nudge toys, can be added to this environment.