Shaking Head

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 7sd replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 17 years ago by MsBinky.

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- 11/09/2007 at 2:13 AM
  lucygoosey
  Participant
  42 posts
  I’ve been noticing that Lucy shakes her head quite often and I was wondering whether it is something to be worried about. She seems to scratch her ears with her hind legs a lot but she’s always done that. She’ll scratch with her hind leg really hard and rapidly then she will proceed to groom that leg.
  
  However, now I’ve noticed that she’ll shake her head (as if saying no). She’ll do it either after or before the ear scratching. She also does it when she’s annoyed at us (this is accompanied by the tail wag as she runs away and can be quite hilarious because it’s literally meaning: "No! I don’t want to!&quot.
  
  I’ve checked her ears (she’s a straight ear bunny) and there is no dry skin or patches that might indicate mites. So I was wondering is this normal bunny behaviour or something I should get checked out?
- 11/09/2007 at 3:56 AM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Shadow does the same thing. Mainly when he has run of the house. I was thinking it was semi binkies, as his ear appear clean. Now you got me curious.
- 11/09/2007 at 5:42 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  It could be both – even though you don’t see anything it might not hurt to have your vet look in the ears with the otoscope so she/he can see way down in the canal that we cannot see.
  
  However many of my buns do shake their heads to show various emotions – I think it’s usually a sign that they are content.
- 11/09/2007 at 7:34 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Meadow just started doing that since her spay… the vet did give her a total check while she was there and everything is fine with her… so i’m thinking it’s just happy or annoyed bunny language. Meadow only does it while she’s running around… so maybe a half-hearted binky? lol…
- 11/09/2007 at 10:24 AM
  Megsabelle
  Participant
  30 posts
  Dexter does the same thing, especially when he has “the crazies,” is hungry or is happy to see me, so I’m jumping on board with the half-hearted binky. Granted, I’ve only seen him do a full on binky a few times, so I think it is the “lazy bun’s binky”
- 11/09/2007 at 1:17 PM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  yeh, it is a “head binky” …You usually see a couple before a full on binky!
- 11/09/2007 at 6:09 PM
  Scarlet_Rose
  Participant
  4293 posts
  I think it might be part of the grooming routine, when they itch their ears with their foot, I theororize that little bits of fur get inside the ear and tickle, so they shake it out. Kind of like how a dog does.
  
  This an excellent bunny language site:
  
  http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html
- 11/09/2007 at 6:18 PM
  MsBinky
  Participant
  62 posts
  A head binky is usually not accompanied by as much scratching. You need to pay particular attention to the frequency of scratching. If it’s daily, especially if it’s multiple times a day, I would have the bun checked for a possible ear infection or build up of wax etc. Just in case.
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