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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.

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Forum THE LOUNGE Do you think bunnies know you love them?

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    • ChesnutKC
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        Do you think your bunny understands when you give them kisses and cuddled and pets? We have ways to tell if your bunny loves you, but do bunnies know we love them?


      • JackRabbit
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          I’m going to take a leap of faith and say yes. I think if a bunny knows they can trust you then that’s their version of knowing you love them and won’t eat them!


        • Deleted User
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            Gosh! Till I read JR’s reply I was going to say no. I was also going to say – I think Henry LIKES us lots! If he didn’t he wouldn’t hangout with us. I believe 100% Henry likes us – love? I hope!

            Edit to ADD – Sorry, my mistake, I read that wrong….Does Henry know we love HIM? Gee, I honestly don’t know? I often think he doesn’t care? If he does he doesn’t show it – not like our dog’s who will run to me when I come home. Lay so close to me in bed I have to move them cause I can’t rollover/move, and sometimes when I’m sad they will come to me for no other reason – like they know. They are after my approval/love.

            Henry? He shows no interest in my affection towards him. He appreciates my pats and that I spoil him – but whether he knows or cares that I love him, I don’t think so. I honestly believe he thinks we are in his life for his comfort, happiness and to serve him! Not to love him!

            I know that sounds weird/strange, but that’s my honest thoughts based on my relationship with Henry. By the way, I’m in LOVE with Henry. Dam bunny! I wish he cared!


          • scubahood
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              i’m not a bunny expert.. i’ve only lived with 2.. but my first bun was kissy and hugs and hands on

               

              the one living with me now is a bit more hesitant .. but i think she probably had a hard life..

               

              she’s already hanging out and hand feeding, she loves cranberries.. and she’s starting to love pets

               

              rabbits are everyone’s dinner.. so if they don’t love you right away, forgive them……. they have a hard life


            • Bam
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                I think cuddles and kisses and pets are very important to bunnies. They feel connected to the person/other bunny that bestows physical tenderness on them, and they are often eager to reciprocate. This creates bonds between bunny and person/other bunny/other pet. Whether it can be called love or not is a bit difficult to say.


              • Emmi
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                  Right now, Addie thinks we are just awful. She can’t run, certainly no binkies, so we are big meanie pants. Granted, this is for her own good. But she’s a toddler/teenager and can’t see anything other than mean people denying her fun.

                  River loves us, but she loves everyone. She likes to be snuggled and cuddled up to you. She’s just a big love.

                  Idris is figuring it out. She’s happy to follow River’s lead, but she’s more what I’d expect from a prey animal. Plus I don’t know her well yet (I don’t know any of them well yet) so we’re both still figuring out the new family.

                  Doctor. He really has a hard time figuring out people. His wife River needs his protection because she’s too dumb to get any danger. He’s standoffish but that saved them more than once most likely. He was thrown out in the cold, he can’t as openly trust yet. But he will give you the “Gimme your treat” stare, and likes firm petting. Light, careful petting weirds him out for some reason.

                  But I do think all four are happy that they’re inside, safe, warm and together, with all the hay they can eat and lots of veggies, including refills on demand. So I think we’re to at least tolerate, maybe even like.


                • BrunosMama
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                    Do they know? yes. Do they care? Absolutely not! lol If they did care, it would only be so they could figure out how to manipulate more raisins from you. I’m sure my love of my bunnies borders on annoyance to them. lol


                  • Avantika
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                      I share A LOT of physical contact with Moshu. I pick her up very, very often, give her a lot of kisses on her nose. How she reciprocates back suggests me that she knows I love her. Every time i kiss her or pet her, she licks me back. 90 % of the times. She knows she is safe around me, around my family members. There are times when I tease her – hold her up high in the air for a few seconds xD (Trust me, I am not cruel to her) and when I bring her down, she doesnt bite me but clutches me tighter. Sure, she bites and scratches me a lot too. But licks even more. I think she knows she can find shelter in me. She’s a REW, so that contributes too.


                    • Zombie
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                        I believe that at this point (since we’ve only had Delilah for a month or so), she knows I wont eat her. She seems to have a lot of trust in me. Just recently has she been ok with me picking her up and cuddling up with me. She doesnt give kisses (im hoping eventually) but today was the first day she curled up in my lap and fell asleep. I believe that took a lot of trust on her part.


                      • MoxieMeadows
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                          Hmm, that’s a great question which I was actually thinking about the other day. I think Moxie knows that I am the one who provides food, water, treats and toys. She likes it when I brush her, so does that count for anything? But I actually think she knows I love her, even if she doesn’t “care.”


                        • bunnnnnnie!
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                            I find it interesting, out of three bunnies I’ve had they all like attention/affection in very different ways. Zeus loooves scritches and pets all over, he even likes when you rub his paws and gently tug on his ears. He also goes crazy for butt scritches, and will even try to groom your hand if you give him butt scritches.

                            My bunny West (may she rest in peace) was a very aloof girl, but would close her eyes and do tooth purrs if you kissed her on the head. Not pets on the head, not pets anywhere else, just kisses on the head.

                            My bunny Hera likes very light nose-rubs, just with one finger. Even then, she requires “permission” first – if she doesn’t loaf and rest her head on the ground, then she doesn’t want pets and gets offended, LOL. She also likes to chin her humans – that would be I’d say her most often-used display of affection (or just saying the humans are HER humans, LOL).


                          • LongEaredLions
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                              I think I would have to say yes. But I would also have to agree with JR that to a bunny, love is probably mostly a trust thing. And also that they may tie love to one specific action. Like “She is giving me a crasin, she loves me” and “she is clipping my nails, she doesn’t love me.” But as a whole, I would say they know we love them. A lot of animals can sense people’s emotions, so if you are feeling extra-lovey towards your bun, they might pick up on that. I can definitely see that my bunnies know I love them through their actions toward me (running up to greet me, kisses, etc.)

                              Although I think BM made the most valid point. They know, they just don’t care!


                            • JackRabbit
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                                I’m gonna add protection to the trust thought. I think my bunnies know that they can trust me and that I will protect them. When a “stranger” comes in their room, Marlee will hide behind me and thump. Last time she was at the vet, she let me put my arms around her while she was on the table and she never lets me do anything like that at home. Today at the vet, Kieko was practically velcroed to my chest (interesting considering she normally won’t even let me pick her up). So I think to a bunny….trust, protection, food, pets, all tell them that we love them.


                              • bunnytowne
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                                  I think Cotton loves me.  I think bunnies feel love.  At least a strong liking.  A safety trust n protection by their human.  

                                  Cottons vet said he never saw a bunny try as hard as Cotton to get to me and back into my arms.  His safe place.  He has a really strong bond with me.

                                  Cotton has also leapt into my arms when a friendly cat came near.  Cotton is scared of cats n dogs.  

                                  He is always glad to see me.  Loves getting his lovins.  We do have a very strong bond.  I do think they feel love for us.  Some just dont care tho.  That may be true too


                                • Avantika
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                                    I agree with you, JackRabbit.. Its mostly trust, protection, cuddles and food. Thats what is “love” for them. I also can say from my experience that Moshu bonded a lot more with me after i nursed her during her 2 month long period of sickness.

                                    @BunnyTowne :  Cotton sounds like such a sweet friend <33


                                  • Cottontail
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                                      Just to make a point here… humans are pretty bad at defining what love is… and I can’t expect any other animal to be able to define it any better. On that point, I believe that when you love someone they make you feel safe and you want them to be safe. In some way or another love is simply accepting that this person, blood or not, is family. The same thing goes for inter-species relationships.

                                      Peter becomes distressed if kept away from Zoey (his adoptive kitty-mom/sister?), and she cries at us until she has access to her bunny again. When we are at the vet he will try to hide from the strangers by burrowing into my arm or my hair, or even using me as a living wall/nest. And when I’m sad/upset I know I can count on nudges at my ankle and finger-tip kisses from Pete; and chirping and purring from Zoey.

                                      Over time, you learn what makes the other one happy; and in times when you see they are sad (or visa versa) those are the actions taken… a lick on your hand, scritching behind their ears, a nuzzle, a treat… being happy and making others happy—that’s love.


                                    • MoxieMeadows
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                                        When Moxie get’s scared, she will run and hide into her cage. If her cage door is closed, it’s straight to me! (I’m her second choice, how does that happen?)


                                      • RabbitPam
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                                          I’m going to step up and say that yes, Sammy knows I love her. She is NOT a snuggle bunny. She won’t let anyone pick her up and doesn’t like to be touched beyond her head and ears. But, she is now 6 years old and starting to mellow and has a relationship with me and other family members.

                                          She sticks by me. She hangs out with me, like when I eat lunch near her, she’ll get up from a nap and eat pellets. She will sit close by me when I watch TV at night. She puts her nose near me to get head pets every morning. I work at a dining room table sometimes in another room, but she comes out and watches me from her house when I’m there. I am not saying it’s because she loves me, but she knows I love her, am her bonded, special person, and different from all the other people she’s met.

                                          I think when you care for a bunny daily, pet them and treat them with compassion doing things that are for their well being, they understand they are special to you. I think they bond with you, and if there are no other bunnies in their lives, they get their companionship from you. Bunnies need to snuggle and be touched by other bunnies daily, so if it comes from you it fills that need. They are social animals, and it’s possible they also love back that big giant without fur. They are very, very smart animals. Watch them carefully and you’ll see how they differentiate among the people in their lives.


                                        • JackRabbit
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                                            RP is definitely right about differentiating…. Mommy can touch me, Daddy can touch me today but not tomorrow or Friday and maybe Saturday but no butt squishies, Morgan can only touch me if he has treats, the vet cannot touch me . . .!


                                          • Deleted User
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                                              Henry must know I love him then…… thanks RP!

                                              Just today (Christmas Day) after lunch, everyone wanted to see Henry. The hubby coaxed him out from his nap under the bed and he came willingly till he reached the end of the hallway and saw everyone – GASP! No amount of banana was going to get him to hang out with everyone! If it was just me, the hubby and Blair, Henry would have already been out in the room napping under the table.

                                              YEP! Henry must know we love him! He trusts us (only) 110%! Spends all his time with us (moves from room to room as we do) and doesn’t hesitate to come out of no where to jump on my chest if I’m eating macadamia nuts in bed! We have to step over him every night (he claimed laying across our doorway) and to this day we have still never seen him thump or show signs of fear. Even when he jumps on Sam and she snaps and growls at him – nothing!
                                              Now that I think about it…. I’m sure he thinks everyone loves him! Doh!


                                            • Stickerbunny
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                                                My bunnies don’t care who is their caregiver, they just want food. lol Give them craisins, they’ll love anyone. I know I am not special to them. That’s OK though.


                                              • RabbitPam
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                                                  LOL “…no butt squishies”…exactly!

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                                              Forum THE LOUNGE Do you think bunnies know you love them?