The Rabbits Present Themselves: Rabbit Language and Communication

Rabbits are prey animals with instincts that influence both behaviour and body language. Loud, vocal noises or too many vibrant movements would just attract unwanted company from predators, forcing rabbits to develop other more subtle forms of communication in order to survive.

The wild rabbits main form of communication is through scent, leaving markings of urine or droppings. Living in underground colonies, they can be quite territorial, marking their living space in order to communicate position in the area to other rabbits. The domestic rabbits exhibit the same sort of behaviour as their predecessors, leaving markings and droppings in their living space.⁽¹⁾ They also have scent glands under their chins, and are often observed rubbing their chin on different objects around the house, as to make them as their belongings, as process that is referred to as chinning. ⁽²⁾

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For safety reasons, rabbits seldom communicate using noise. However, this does not mean that they are not capable of vocalising. Grinding of the teeth is for instance known as a sign of satisfaction. If they are irritated or discontent with the situation, rabbits can give out grunting like noises as a warning before an attack or bite. Thumping its hind legs on the ground may occur when a rabbit is startled or nervous, and is often used as a signal to warn other rabbits of danger. Rabbits that experience severe stress or pain are known to give out a loud, desperate scream.⁽³⁾

Although subtle, rabbits also communicate through body language, which in many ways is one of the only ways for humans to pick up on a rabbits signals, as we don’t have the ability to sniff out messages of scent. As mentioned earlier, a rabbits body language is often muted, as it is restricted by instincts of survival, actually making rabbits somewhat unsuitable as pets, especially for children, as they are easy to misinterpret. One should therefore always keep an animal in captivity under their own terms, making time and commitment to learn how to understand their behaviour and language.

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Rabbits are highly sociable animals, and a rabbit which wants attention and is contact seeking, will on its own terms come jumping towards you, often sniffing or nudging you with their nose, as this is their way of greeting. More powerful nudging and even pushing is simply a way of telling you that you need to move, as you are in the rabbit’s way. Licking, and casually settling its body beside you for a rest can show exhibitions of fondness and trust. A rabbit lying down on its side, totally relaxed toward its surroundings, is a great sign of complete trust, and should be taken as a compliment, as the rabbit in many ways is setting its instincts of escape aside, trusting you with its safety. ⁽³⁾

To avoid predators, wild rabbits will stay in their underground burrows during day, coming out at dusk and dawn to eat and play. Rabbits leaping through the air are displaying happiness and playfulness; a performance often seen when domestic rabbits are let out of their cages and are free to roam, referred to as “pop corning” or having a “binky”. ⁽²⁾ This act of playfulness also has a more serious background, training rabbits to be able to quickly change direction and cause confusion when being chased by predators. The underground borrows also often have quick escape routes through a hole in the ceiling, making it possible to get away from underground predators by simply making a giant leap into safer grounds. ⁽⁴⁾ 

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If a rabbits want to be left alone, it will turn its back on you, showing you no interest, or will simply just hop away. A frightened rabbit will with flattened ears press its body to the ground to make itself invisible, waiting for the right moment to escape. In some cases a rabbit will attack. This can come to several reasons. A rabbit can hop toward you, sometimes attacking, when you stick your hands into its cage to pick it up or change its food or water. The rabbit is showing a completely normal, territorial behaviour, and should not be punished! The problem can easily be solved by letting the rabbit jump out of its cage on voluntary grounds, and by giving it fresh food and water when the rabbit is already out of its cage. ⁽⁴⁾

More serious situations, such as anxiety or pain can also make a rabbit attack, as a last resort. Again, punishing it will only make matters worse, and it is the owner’s responsibility to figure out what is wrong by evaluating and fixing the situation. By learning a rabbit’s way of communication, you can use it to your advantage by communicating back; if your rabbit is being naughty, simply stop whatever its is doing, turn your back like a rabbit would do, and walk a few steps away, showing that you are not very impressed with its behaviour. ⁽⁵⁾

Learning the different ways of how your rabbit is trying to communicate with you is a crucial step in maintaining a healthy and peaceful relationship. After all, you have in most cases chosen to bring the rabbit home with you, making it a part of your family, meaning that you should treat it and its individual needs with respect

References

(1) http://www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/rabbits/factfile

(2) http://www.rabbit.org/behavior/body-language.html

(3) http://www.belgianhares.com/what-is-your-rabbit-saying.html

(4) The Great Book abour Rabbits, Marit Emilie Buseth. Tun Forlag, 2010.

(5) http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/communication/unhappy.html