How do your bunnies show fear?

[tigerlillyrk]

Ok so I’m curious on how your bunnies show they are afraid? I know this may sound like a stupid question but I’m curious if all bunnies are different or what?

Also a sort of seperate question the other day my newbunny a flemish giant about 8 weeks old was in my lap and I let my dog come up and sniff her, my dog is very gentle with small animals but I’m sure such a big animal (she’s a pitbull) would worry the bunny. When my dog touched her the bunny went very still, she didnt compeltely stiffen and her heart stayed normal rate from what I could tell. After a minute she relaxed and kinda sniffed back and was fine. Should I be worried that she became so still? Or is that just a part of learning? I’ve just been worried because I’ve heard bunnies can be easily “scared to death” and I want her to learn the animals are friends but I don’t want to push her too much too fast

[Tana]

Well it depends.
When Hazel is alarmed she stomps her foot and gets up on her tiptoes. Her eyes get very big, her ears go forward (she’s a lop) and I can see the whites of her eyes. Her tail moves up and down or flashes. Then of course she’ll bolt. She won’t let me touch her or calm her.

When she’s terrified she just freezes, locks down. See the whites of her eyes and she tries to be unnoticed. (like in the car). At this point I can pick her up and she’s just frozen.

[Deleted User]

If my Henry gets startled, he will prick his ears forward and stand still, like he’s waiting for the ‘all clear’, so he can carry on doing whatever.
But if he really gets scared, he zooms under my bed (which is always available to him). For all his safe places, like his house, tunnel, etc., under my bed is his SUPER safe place.

So if he ZOOMS under my bed from wherever, I know something has scared him.

[manic_muncher]

Sometimes mine will thump. Bonnie, my flemish, she’s a big thumper, her eyes get really big and she just stomps repeatedly. Clyde freezes. Bumpy, my holland lop, does the ears forward and freezing thing, unless something really scares him. I’ve only seen him terrified once, he thumped once and zoomed under my hubby’s recliner (used to be his favorite spot), he also peed while running and then peed a huge puddle under the chair. He sat under there wide eyed and petrified.

[Deleted User]

Henry has zoomed under my bed twice, and for some reason I just knew he was scared, not playing around. I got up straight away to see what scared him, and to this day, I still have no idea. But something definitely scared him.

The only time Henry gets startled is when something startles the dog’s and they bark (ear piercing – it makes me jump too) without any warning. Henry never run’s – one time he had a piece of kale hanging out of his mouth. He just sat still with his lop ears pricked forward, and once the dog’s came back inside and gave the ‘all clear/everything is ok’, Henry went back to munching on his kale, ha ha ha!

[Author]

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