Foot Flicks Whenever I Set Bun Down?

[Sam]

So, I’m getting a lot of mixed singles from my bun. I’ve done a lot of research, and I know that foot flicks from your bun are pretty much a huge F you. My bunny will always foot flick me whenever I set him down. He’ll do this when I take him to my bed, to his outside pen, or back to his cage. I know that he enjoys going outside, and I think he likes my bed… He loves cuddles and will chatter his teeth when I love him up. When I’m setting him down, and he flicks his feet, is he mad that I set him down, mad that I picked him up in the first place, mad that I took him out of his cage? I don’t understand what he’s so mad about! Is this negatively impacting our relationship every time I pick him up?! Or are foot flicks a forgive and forget thing…?

[Wick & Fable]

Probably mad you picked him up and put him down. It’s something that’s naturally uncomfortable and puts fear in rabbits because they’re being moved without knowing what’s happening (you know what your intentions are, but he doesn’t), and also generally vbeing off the ground is frightful.

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.

[Sleepy]

Foot flicks are def expressions of “F YOU”. However, it likely won’t negatively effect your relationship in a significant way.

We’ve had Bleu for about 2 years now and, because of where the pen is, we have to pick him up basically everyday for out time. He enjoys his time out and is usually quickly binking and zooming as soon as he’s free to run but foot flicks are a daily routine. He knows he’s coming out and nothing’s happened to him but he just doesn’t like being picked up. If we could just let him run out to the living room or outdoors himself, we probably would.

[Taloan7]

Our bun does the same. Her enclosure opens from the top, so we have to pick her up to put her in or out. When we get her out in the morning she is totally fine with it, no thumping. At night it’s a different story and when you pick her up she is fine, but as soon as you put her in her enclosure she thumps at you, kind of like “thanks a bunch a*hole”, but then she stretches out and goes right to sleep, so it’s not something that she cares about too much. She doesn’t hold a grudge either, you can tell she associates it with a time of day so if you pick her up before bed time she doesn’t have the same reaction.

[Bam]

My Bam often does the same. They don’t like being picked up. Maybe a bunny that escapes a predator tries to kick up dust into the pursuers face? That would make a little bit of sense. (Not that the bun consciously chooses to kick up dust, it would be more of an instinctive behavior).

[Author]

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