Bonding with your rabbit: purring together to create a happy, relaxed vibe

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Heya, there’s something I’ve learned in the time that BB was down, and I’d like to share it here. Rabbits purr softly when they’re happy, and humans can learn it too, to create a happy relaxed vibe together with your rabbit(s). I use it to tell Breintje that I’m comfortable, and we purr back and forth when we snuggle. It can also help when you’re bonding with a rabbit, and you want to tell them that you’re calm and happy. Luckily we don’t have to click our teeth together to do this, 10/10 dentists approve of this method 😉

Here’s how it goes: wet your tongue and lay it against the roof of your mouth. Keep your lips closed and make a swift sucking motion with your tongue, as if you’re sucking something through a straw for a second. That sloshing sound can sound a lot like a rabbit purr with a little practice. Rabbits purr in short series of 3 clicks when they’re happy: *click click click* pause *click click click*. Practise it when you’re calm, and see if your bunny reacts. Breintje and I often have a little purring session when we’re snuggled up, and it helps him to calm down if he’s stressed by outside noises etc.

[prince dorian the bun]

this sounds cute, may have to give it a go. I have tried flopping next to Dorian… he usually looks startled for a second then gives me a quick wash.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Awww, it’s so cute when they wash you ^_^ Is he a kissy bunny often?

I always close my eyes a bit when Breintje grooms me. I’ll go into “relaxed bunny mode”: eyes relaxed and half closed, relaxed muscles and slow breathing, and purring softly. Breintje started to groom me more often when he got feedback like that 🙂

[DanaNM]

this is really nice Ellie!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Thank you! I’m very interested in how rabbits perceive the world around them. It’s interesting to read about the way they use their senses, because our human senses are very different. Knowing how a bunny might perceive the world opens new possibilities to connect with them.

Rabbits mostly seem to use sound, touch and scent. Their vision is quite poor and they mostly see things far away, like a bird in the sky.
We, on the other hand, are very visual creatures. For us it’s no problem if someone moved a chair, but a rabbit will be quite confused and needs to work out a new mental map of the room.

Sound is something you can use to communicate enjoyment, like the purring. It can also be used to tell them something, if you use the same words every time. Breintje knows the words for “enough”, “hutch” and “do you want to join me?”. When I say the last thing he often comes to sit next to me on the sofa.

Skin contact touch seems to be important for some rabbits as well. Breintje quickly falls asleep when I roll back my sleeve and lay a bare arm around him. He enjoys it a lot more than laying against a clothed arm, and he’ll sleep longer and deeper 🙂 Comforting touch releases bonding and happy hormones, and we’re no different from animals in that.

Scent is something we hardly use, but pets use it a lot. It’s why bunnies dislike some perfumes and cleaning agents, because it’s way too strong for them. I’ve switched to scent-free soap, and Breintje doesn’t recoil from me anymore when I’ve just washed my hands ^_^

All these things can also be used to calm down an anxious rabbit, or to bond with a new bun. Going away for a while? Leave an old shirt that you’ve worn, so your scent is familiar and calming. Meeting a new bun? Try to connect while sitting on the ground, so they can sniff you. I’ve tried a lot of these sense-related matters, and it adds a whole new dimension to the human-rabbit bond 😀

[prince dorian the bun]

Ellie, he is more kissy with my son than me, and his stuffed animals and bedding… and the chair. He will lay or flop next to me though, occasionally come on my lap. He’s very much a snuggle bun.

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