Favourite petting positions?

[Poppyhani]

After almost two weeks with Poppy, I’ve discovered she’s a sucker for pets. She’ll live for pets alone. She wants pets on my leg, on my tummy, on my shoulder, but oddly enough, her favourite position is when I pick her up (which she has surprisingly no problems with at all) and sit her between my legs with her little feeties sticking up in the air. I discovered this by complete accident when she slipped through my lap but just stayed there, and wow, she really loves it?! She’ll sit there for ages and just bask in my hand, even close her eyes. I have no idea why.

Do any of your rabbits have favourite positions for petting? I’m always curious on if this is just a thing Poppy likes or if anyone else’s bunnies like this too.

[Deleted User]

Be careful of that position as it looks very similar to having a bunny on its back which is very dangerous and known as trancing. It causes the bunny extreme stress even if they appear to be enjoying it. It’s a gut reaction to appear dead for predators in the wild, and trancing simulates that. Some bunnies have actually died from it. So just be very careful with her in that position

Asriel loves to hop on my chest and bury his little face in my chest and lay there for ages while I pet his little snoot. If I stop and rest my hand somewhere near his snoot he’ll frantically sniff around and then lodge his snoot under my hand.
Bombur loves laying next to me and my husband for hours. He’ll rest in the little groove your body makes while laying on your side and he’ll let you kiss him and rub him all night long. He’ll even lean his cheek in for kisses too.

[Poppyhani]

Oh, really? I had no idea! She usually starts facing me but then slowly lies back the more I pet her, which is why I’ve found it weird. I’ll definitely be more careful with it from now on!

Asriel and Bombur are so cute. Poppy also chases my hand for pettings, but laying into the groove is super adorable! I trained my dog to give kisses, so I’ve always wondered if you can do the same with rabbits.

[Finnigan!]

My rabbit Hiro would do the same thing and end up in about the same position in my lap but it made me nervous so I would move her so she would be ears-up on her side.

Now I have Finn who nudges and rubs my hands and legs when he wants to be pet. His favorite position is loafing in my lap while I pet his ears and cheeks

Finn also gives kisses freely to anyone who pets him but I’m not sure if you can train them to do it. I know that with both rabbits that I’ve had, petting certain parts of them like behind their ears and places they cant itch, usually get the most kisses and love.

[MountainBuns]

My bunny likes to become a loaf in front of me so I can pet her head and cheeks then spread to her back???

[Gordo and Janice]

Icey’s was getting as flat as possible. Arms, neck, chin, everything as flat and extended out as possible. I think she spent a long time training me and when she successfully completed her project to perfection that was her favorite position. All splayed out for the full body massage.

[Wick & Fable]

Wick likes one of my hands covering half his face so he can nuzzle in it and the other hand petting his head and body like usual.

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.

[DanaNM]

Posted By Gordo and Janice on 5/30/2018 4:18 PM

Icey’s was getting as flat as possible. Arms, neck, chin, everything as flat and extended out as possible. I think she spent a long time training me and when she successfully completed her project to perfection that was her favorite position. All splayed out for the full body massage.

This sounds like Bun Jovi! I almost wanted to rename him Flapjack because he is always so flat! He sticks his little foot out to the side to lean more into the pets. It is sooooo stinkin cute. 

. . . 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.  

[Gordo and Janice]

@DanaNM – Yes! Icey would do that too! If I was petting straight down in the middle starting at the nose to the tail she would just splay. But if I would start on the left side she would pull in her right leg to try and push into the pet but it was wood flooring so it would just slide back out to the right. Same thing with the left leg if I started the pet on the right side of the nose. So I would be playing a game with her. Right leg, right leg, left leg, right leg, down the middle, left leg. I would indirectly manipulate her legs like a puppet. But I don’t think she noticed or even cared. I am so angry that I didn’t video tape the special little things like that…just memories now. Forgotten until we talked about it. It makes me wonder what else I am forgetting now.

We met a girl at a veterinarian who had a rabbit named Pancake. We never asked while we were there but later we assumed that was the reason.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Poppi! And honestly the amount of love these little creatures can give is astonishing and I’m amazed by it every single day.

[GarfyTheLop]

What a lovely thread

Garf loves a head rub but recently he really enjoys a full body rub even more which is really cute! Especially when he’s got his legs stretched straight out the back

[Bladesmith]

Me: Clover, what’s your favorite petting position?

Clover: Yes.

Seriously, though, she prefers me laying on the floor, where she can stretch out next to me.  She then lays her head on my biceps (After a proper licking to make sure I’m clean enough to suit her majesty…) so I can stroke her nose to toes (slowly, hooman, slowly….) interspersed with head scritches, nose boops and nose kisses.  Sometimes she’ll lean over and I can rub her tummy a little bit.

If I stop stroking, there will be nose nudging, and if I’m really slacking off, a nip to remind me of my purpose in life at that moment.

Then she usually falls asleep, twitches, grunts, snorts and then poops in her sleep.  It’s like being married, except she has long ears and a fluffy tail.

Dawn on the other hand is good with coming over, standing up on my shoulders, and chinning my face, nose and glasses.  Then she’s like, “I’m good!”  and booples off.

[GarfyTheLop]

Hahaha @Bladesmith your bunnies sound amazing! Those little nips though, I get those whenever I’m in the way or taking too long getting fresh hay out haha

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