Play or frustration?

[RexEnabler]

I purchased a bundle of willow sticks from BB for my little guy who enjoys peeling bark. He quickly unbundled the sticks and sort of lost interest in them as individual items. A couple nights ago, I was straightening up his pen a bit and picked up the sticks, bundling them together in one hand. He hopped over to me and grabbed one of the sticks in his teeth, pulled it from my hand, and tossed it to the ground. He then grabbed another stick and did the same…and again, until there were no sticks left in my hand. I picked the sticks up again and he pulled them out, one by one, again. Last night, curious to figure out if he was enjoying the activity or if it was a fluke, I bundled the sticks and he hopped over to pull them out of my hand, but this time, he batted-at/dug at the sticks in my hand between pulling them out.

After he empties my hand, he doesn’t hop away, but circles me, head-butting my feet or head-butting and briefly digging at my legs or arms.

Is this play or frustration with me bundling the sticks he carefully unbundled? Any ideas?

[RexEnabler]

Oh, and the ativity is happening outside of his pen. He hops out of his pen to the bundle of sticks in my hand if he sees or hears them.

[RabbitPam]

It’s play! He has started a game with you and he wants you to do it again.

I have a new game with Sammy where she has her old rattle around her pen, pulls it under her basket with her, I reach in and grab it and she pulls it back out of my hand. I reach again, and she either growls at my hand or lets me grab it and pulls it away again. But she’s been placing it within my reach under the basket in case I didn’t get it, so she’d be sure to be able to continue the game.

They like repeat games, and you have found one he likes. Have fun.

[Rei]

Aww how cute he is playing with you!! I think if he was frustrated he would be thumping at you. Seeing as he isn’t, and continues to push on in the activity, then he is just playing

[RexEnabler]

I suspected he was playing, but the digging actions made me wonder if he was actually playing or if he was frustrated with my actions. Thanks!

[Stickerbunny]

Buns dig when they want your attention and sometimes when they are playing with you, it’s a way of communicating for a rabbit. If he was annoyed he’d box you and thump, or bite hard enough to hurt.

[Author]

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