Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum THE LOUNGE Do you think your rabbit “loves” you?

Viewing 32 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • kinggoblin
      Participant
      416 posts Send Private Message

         Some people say rabbits can’t love or care about their owners, but sometimes when my bun comes up and nudges me for ear rubs and then he binkies around and comes back and flops over on his side I think they really do love or appreciate their owners, even if they mostly like to be left alone.

        What do you think?


      • Sarita
        Participant
        18851 posts Send Private Message

          I think they like companionship but not sure if they understand the concept of love or anger.

          I don’t think rabbits have the capacity to be malicious or rebellious, but they do react and must be fearful as they are prey animals.

          I totally understand though where you are going with this. I think they like the security and routine that good owners like us can give them and while they probably don’t “love” us, they do probably feel secure with us and for me that is love enough.


        • kamdynandsunshinesmom
          Participant
          910 posts Send Private Message

            I think my rabbits do love me. I have a disabled rabbit and over the past year of him being disabled. We have grown closer then ever. I know he loves and appreciates me as I am taking care of him. My female I do believe she loves me and loves her grandmother. I will ask her where is grandma and she goes looking around for her. They show there love in giving us kisses!


          • Silly Sungura
            Participant
            451 posts Send Private Message

              They definitely feel affection for us, if not love. When Hodari and I were first getting to know each other I would pet her and rub noses with her, and she accepted my friendly gestures; then out of the blue one day, she practically tackled me, climbed onto my chest and shoulders while I was lying next to her, and began to lick my face. She was so enthusiastic about it. Ever since then, she has always lifted her face to groom mine after I have been petting her for a while. It’s her way of saying “thank you” and “I like you for being nice to me.” I am sure of it.


            • SirThumpsey
              Participant
              539 posts Send Private Message

                Awww Silly Sungura, that is soo cute

                Aftter a long session of petting Bud when i first got him he started to randomly groom my eyebrow…..it made me melt…so cute! also id have to go away for months for college and when i came back he remembered me (which i didnt know if he would) so it made me feel like he loved me…


              • FrankieFlash
                Participant
                1710 posts Send Private Message

                  I think they do but maybe that’s what I want to believe. Haha. I recently got the bunny sign of affection about a month ago by Bunji asking for pets and he circles me and my boyfriend who are his main care-takers when we enter the room or let him out in the room. I can’t imagine it’s because he doesn’t like us when he does crazy happy binkies while he’s circling. And since he doesn’t do the circle thing for just anybody who lets him out or hangs out with him. Sometimes I’m still in shock they he actually decided to like us. And when he decided me first, it was quite rewarding and one of the best feelings after having to make so many changes to make him happy. I’m still holding out for kisses


                • bunnyfriend
                  Participant
                  2368 posts Send Private Message

                    Hmm well I hope my rabbits feel at least some kind of good feeling towards me. I certainly love them


                  • Sam and Lady's Human
                    Participant
                    2001 posts Send Private Message

                      I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Love isn’t that complex, IMO. And I know dogs and cats (ok well maybe not cats ) can love, so why not rabbits?

                      Lady loves me. Heck Lady loves everyone. She’s the kissiest bunny I’ve ever met And she loves to snuggle, whether with me or my 4 year old. Samson tolerates me, but loves my husband She hides/sleeps in the bedroom until my husband comes home, then she socializes and binkies for him, comes when he calls, gives him kisses etc.


                    • Stickerbunny
                      Participant
                      4128 posts Send Private Message

                        Anyone who has seen an animals devotion to their owner go to something extreme – braving a fire to save their owner, mourning their owners grave even though it means no food/water for themselves, sitting next to them to guard/keep warm/take care of when they are injured, no matter how long it takes for help to come – has to know animals can feel love. I don’t see how it can even be a question. Humans don’t have a monopoly on feelings. Animals have love, fear, anger… with a very healthy helping of forgiveness.

                        When I am upset Powder will come by me and hang out, even skip his daily nap to stay near. I can’t even go to take a shower some days without getting this little white nose (along with a feathered body in my cockatiel, ha) sticking under the door like “hey, no leaving me!”. Powder will leave food to get pets and kisses and his favorite thing in the world is attention from his humans. Sure there is the bond of caretaker, but with that usually comes a bond of love as well between a pet and owner.


                      • SirThumpsey
                        Participant
                        539 posts Send Private Message

                          Anyone who has seen an animals devotion to their owner go to something extreme – braving a fire to save their owner, mourning their owners grave even though it means no food/water for themselves, sitting next to them to guard/keep warm/take care of when they are injured, no matter how long it takes for help to come

                          those stories always make me cry…they are sooo sweet!

                          On the vid. for my dirty lil secret by AAR there was a card that said “i fear that nobodt will love me like my dog does….” change that to bun and i believe it….animals love nomatter what and never judge. take care of them,they take care of you…in their own way. its amazing!


                        • LoveChaCha
                          Participant
                          6634 posts Send Private Message

                            I feel love for Chacha bun

                            I get excited to go home from work. When I open the front door of the apartment, I instantly forget about work. It is all about Chacha and her needs.

                            A few days ago, I put my face up to Chacha and she licked my face, and thumped… yeah, she did both at the same time. I think it is her way of showing her happiness and displeasure with me?

                            I snoozed on the living room floor once, and when I woke up, she was flopped a few inches away from me.


                          • Rabbit lover
                            Participant
                            258 posts Send Private Message

                              I think my rabbits love me when I pet them!


                            • LBJ10
                              Moderator
                              16870 posts Send Private Message

                                Mine certainly love each other. I fear though that all I’m good for is food and naners though. =\


                              • RabbitPam
                                Moderator
                                11002 posts Send Private Message

                                  I just started a book on bird behavior and intelligence which touches on the thinking about animals over the past 40 years or so. What’s obvious is that, given the right approach by humans about animals, we learn more and more about the intelligence of other living creatures.

                                  So I believe that we don’t begin to know yet what our bunnies think, feel and can understand. I would be surprised if they couldn’t, given the demonstrations of affection we’ve all received.

                                  That said, my bunny does not love me TODAY, as I just trimmed her front paws’ toenails and it was so hard to do this time that I didn’t do the back. I have the scratches to prove it. She has the treat and apple slice to prove that I love HER, and am sorry I upset her.


                                • bunnyfriend
                                  Participant
                                  2368 posts Send Private Message

                                    Posted By LBJ10 on 12/30/2011 01:27 PM
                                    Mine certainly love each other. I fear though that all I’m good for is food and naners though. =\

                                    Exactly how I feel sometimes 


                                  • kralspace
                                    Participant
                                    2663 posts Send Private Message

                                      Mine tolerate me. Sometimes.


                                    • Huckleberry
                                      Participant
                                      972 posts Send Private Message

                                        Posted By RabbitPam on 12/30/2011 02:41 PM
                                        That said, my bunny does not love me TODAY, as I just trimmed her front paws’ toenails and it was so hard to do this time that I didn’t do the back. I have the scratches to prove it. She has the treat and apple slice to prove that I love HER, and am sorry I upset her.

                                         ROFL Pam! 

                                        I think animas love in the same way that a small child loves their parents. It’s not a “I love you for WHO you are” like with a mate… but a “i love you for WHAT you are”. Often times, we are their whole world. They depend on us for food, care, and attention. We are the ones that intereact with them. I think that all animals have a sense of companionship. I think that buns show it by trusting that we will not eat them. They bump us to say “Hi” and they groom us as we groom them. I feel like the best thing a bun can do to say “I love you” is to lick your eye. I read on http://language.rabbitspeak.com/     that cleaning each other’s eyes is a very intimate exchange. When I clean the goo from Huckles eyes, she always tooth purrs and licks my hand. Sometimes I get my eye licked too. 


                                      • SmokeyBunnyRobinson
                                        Participant
                                        356 posts Send Private Message

                                          I swear Smokey and ChaCha are twins because she’ll nudge me and want pets but right before will growl at me and try to box with me. It makes no sense! ”I love you but hate you at the same time” ?

                                          And Smokey is pretty funny since her condo cage is across from my bed, if I take a nap, she usually takes a nap too but facing me. And when I eat she’ll usually stare at me, then hop over to her hay and veggies and begin munching.  Whenever I walk by her cage she’ll jump up and follow me around too. Or thump. One or the other. I can never tell if it’s love or displeasure I’m receiving that day!


                                        • bunnytowne
                                          Participant
                                          7537 posts Send Private Message

                                            I love reading your stories.   So sweet.

                                            Yes I think Cotton  loves me he only comes to me and allows me to pet him.  With other people he boxes or runs off.   Cotton has recently started giving me kisses.  I think he is saying thank you I love you  for his lip being well again.

                                            He stretches n yawns now his mouth doenst’ hurt thats great.  I was gone all day.   He was anxious to see me.  I took his run off his cage and he hopped up next to me for pettings for a little bit then he went to eat some.  

                                            I think they do have feelings and can love unconditionally.  Though with rabbits I am not sure about the unconditionally.   If the owner scares them or doesnt’ take good care of them they are not happy and probably don’t trust that person,

                                            When Cotton goes to the vet and the vet is done Cotton leaps into my arms and tooth purrs.  So sweet

                                            Then when I do his nails after he runs off n cleans up he comes to be petted and gives tooth purrs.  Lucky me


                                          • Mandyyy
                                            Participant
                                            376 posts Send Private Message

                                              If mice and rats can love, why not bunnies? Then again R/m are very complex creatures, and have a lot of human characteristics. But I have seen many animals love and have compassion for other beings as well. I know my rabbit Nava loves me. She likes to follow me around, and she’ll hop on me when I’m sitting down. She likes being around me, getting my attention, and she loves it when I even just talk to her from the other side of the room.

                                              I think animals are A LOT more compassionate, affectionate, smart, and self-aware then humans give them credit for.


                                            • Michelle&Lolli
                                              Participant
                                              2347 posts Send Private Message

                                                Despite what I say and how I act around animals, I am not sure THEY feel the concept of love. It’s an abstract feeling and who knows what or how animals feel things. With that said………

                                                I do think rabbits have affection, if you will, for their human companions. They are social animals after all. But they can be very subtle about it. Some will be very blatant like Eddie was who groomed (licking aka kisses) everyone and everything all the time. He was also very easy to interpret. If he was happy, he raced or did binkies. If he was unhappy, he thumped, foot flicked, and ignored. Lolli will probably continue to surprise me as it’s taken quite a while (and Eddie’s death) for her to bond to me and “open up” if you will. She is very subtle. Unless she’s growling over food. lol It sometimes take a bit for me to realize that “hey, she was giving me her butt” or “hey, she was being sweet”.

                                                I think rabbits communicate in such a different way than other animals that unless you learn about them and their body language and spend time just observing them, you have no clue how fascinating they are.

                                                I think Lolli likes me.


                                              • Monkeybun
                                                Participant
                                                10479 posts Send Private Message

                                                  Squirrelly buzzes when he sees me and binkies around like a goofball.. i think he likes me


                                                • Cassi&Charlie
                                                  Participant
                                                  1260 posts Send Private Message

                                                    These simple questions are actually incredibly deep. I guess we have to answer the question, ‘what is love?’ before we can answer this question properly

                                                    I know Charlie recognises my emotions and tries to make me feel better when I’m sad. I don’t think they feel ‘love’ in the same way that people define love, but I’m sure that they have very strong bonds with us, after all, we are part of their warren 🙂


                                                  • RabbitPam
                                                    Moderator
                                                    11002 posts Send Private Message

                                                      I agree that it boils down to the “what is love?” question. Humans have been hard pressed to answer that one, so it’s even harder to assess what it is for animals. I happen to believe it exists for them. But since humans experience it in different ways that are subtle, it will remain a mystery to us. I think that the young, hormone-charged Eros type experienced by teens and up is not just a concept, but chemical designed to propagate the species. What’s really mysterious is what is felt by humans that can’t or no longer need to breed. Why feel love at all if it is only the first kind? Maybe bunnies and their slaves fall into Family/Friends-type love. Those you choose to be with and take care of.


                                                    • Sam and Lady's Human
                                                      Participant
                                                      2001 posts Send Private Message

                                                        Posted By RabbitPam on 01/01/2012 06:52 AM
                                                        I agree that it boils down to the “what is love?” question. Humans have been hard pressed to answer that one, so it’s even harder to assess what it is for animals. I happen to believe it exists for them. But since humans experience it in different ways that are subtle, it will remain a mystery to us. I think that the young, hormone-charged Eros type experienced by teens and up is not just a concept, but chemical designed to propagate the species. What’s really mysterious is what is felt by humans that can’t or no longer need to breed. Why feel love at all if it is only the first kind? Maybe bunnies and their slaves fall into Family/Friends-type love. Those you choose to be with and take care of.

                                                        You mean like, loooove-love or only like-love

                                                         

                                                        (Anyone else remember that from their school days?)

                                                        I agree its hard to define therefore we all see different answers. There’s also mannny different kinds of love. The love of a mother is completely different than that of a spouse, or that of a child, or that of a teen. The love of a bunny, who knows


                                                      • LBJ10
                                                        Moderator
                                                        16870 posts Send Private Message

                                                          I think you have an excellent point there Pam. This would also explain why humans will love a pet like they would a child. My buns are my babies, that’s for sure! The dog is too, she’s my little sweetie.

                                                          My guess is that what rabbits feel is not something that humans can define in our own terms. Love in a rabbit is likely very different from love in a human.


                                                        • equalsign
                                                          Participant
                                                          220 posts Send Private Message

                                                             I think Mr. Bunbun really likes me. I do think Bunny loves me. We have a really close relationship. She is extremely intelligent, so I think we are able to communicate really well.


                                                          • LittlePuffyTail
                                                            Moderator
                                                            18092 posts Send Private Message

                                                              I definitely think that animals can love.


                                                            • Elrohwen
                                                              Participant
                                                              7318 posts Send Private Message

                                                                I think my rabbits like me and definitely have positive feeilngs for me. I think a big part of their affection is because I feed them a lot (little pieces of pellets here and there when they come over to visit me) but over time positive reinforcement creates positive feelings unrelated to just getting treats.


                                                              • Stickerbunny
                                                                Participant
                                                                4128 posts Send Private Message

                                                                  Posted By LBJ10 on 01/01/2012 04:40 PM

                                                                  My guess is that what rabbits feel is not something that humans can define in our own terms. Love in a rabbit is likely very different from love in a human.

                                                                  There was recently a survey on care2 asking the members to define “love” - one in maybe 20 had the same answer, human love is so vastly different from person to person as well, only makes sense bunny love would be different again.


                                                                • LBJ10
                                                                  Moderator
                                                                  16870 posts Send Private Message

                                                                    Oops I just saw my post. I meant to say that we humans cannot define what rabbits feel in our own terms. You’re right Sticker, humans can’t seem to agree on what love is so how can we even begin to understand what a rabbit feels?


                                                                  • davebunnymin
                                                                    Participant
                                                                    1 posts Send Private Message

                                                                      hi i just joined but have had rabbits for a very very long time sorry im a very bad speller so try stick with me i can be prity sure that yes they do love and trust a GOOD owner i have an 11 and 1/2 year old english butterfly called pook/mogen depends if shes been bad depends on name used and she understands them both shes also a bit disabled now down to age but happy as as you read on you will see  …… over the years shes been my trusted best pal i know she loves me as the things she will let me do that know one else gets to we will just say shes a girl not scared to tell you blunt way she does not like you lol but never been the case with me i prity much do all her cleaning now that she cant do and during and after im dun she snuggles licks and gives bunny kissis i talk to her she responds in happy loey ways if you get me i know my little baby trusts me to the end of the world just by the things i get to do that others would end up leeking red stuff from fingers for doing like now a days as i sead i clean her or help her do what he can  inc the censord areas …… so without any maybes maybe nots they dofo love you if you give them the reason to …….. and as sead iv had a few all with there own we things they do id probs say to an out sider pooks a grumpy bunny but with me big soft lump of love 


                                                                    • Bam
                                                                      Moderator
                                                                      16838 posts Send Private Message

                                                                        davebunnymin, this is an old thread (2012), and we ask members not to revive old threads since it might create confusion. Do feel free to start a new thread on the same or a similar topic though.

                                                                        I’m locking this thread.

                                                                    Viewing 32 reply threads
                                                                    • The topic ‘Do you think your rabbit “loves” you?’ is closed to new replies.

                                                                    Forum THE LOUNGE Do you think your rabbit “loves” you?