bunny body language

[Gina.Jenny]

Eight weeks ago, my son and I managed to capture a small brown bunny who had moved in to next doors back garden. My son said he had seem a similar looking black bunny round the corner, on his way to college a week or so before, and we wondered if they were a pair that had either escaped together, or been dumped. We hadn’t much hope of finding the black one, til early last week, when my son spotted her in a nearby garden. She vanished again until Friday, when she made her way next door, and we were able to get to her and eventually catch her.

We think that the two may have been together until they ended up loose, but when they first saw each other, it was claws and teeth through the bars, and not very promising. I rang the RSPCA for the second time, and due to being over-run, they asked me if there was any way I could keep both, and I explained that they didn’t seem to get on, and if I was to have any chance of getting them together, they would need spaying. The RSPCA said they could arrange to pay for both to be spayed if I would then keep both.

Jenny started making a nest, soon after being caught. Chances are its a phantom pregnancy, but given this, the RSPCA said she needed spaying straight away, so both girls will be spayed on Thursday.

I’ve tried giving the girls time near each other, but in two different runs, in the hope they will go from outright aggression, to toleration and eventually bonding.

Just wondered if anyone sees any hope in the body language in the first photo? I’m reading it as at least some curiosity, and this morning, out in the garden, they were both sat washing, about 2 feet apart?

 

[Bam]

From what little I know about bunny language, grooming in front of another rabbit is a good sign. It’s an appeasing sign, like saying I’m not planning to attack you and I’m not expecting an attack from you.

[Gina.Jenny]

Thanks bam, that’s my understanding too. I’d love to get these two together asap after the spaying, once their hormones have settled.

[Bam]

We’ll be looking forward to hear lots more about them and about their bonding!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Your post title reminded me of this webpage which is super helpful http://language.rabbitspeak.com/ It’s brilliant and could help you decode some of what you are seeing

[Bam]

That webpage really is super-helpful. I think my bunnies must have read it, because they behave exactly like the article says bunnies behave. Or maybe it was they who wrote it =)

[Gina.Jenny]

Yep, its a good web page. The two stars seem be a bonded pair, and I was really hoping for some help reading inter-bunny subtleties between two unbonded buns…

I know ears can say an awful lot, I’m just not very fluent in ear-talk

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m not much help here but just wanted to say Thank You for taking these girls in.

[Author]

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