Odd chinning behavior?

[MagpieBunnies]

Ok, so this one really gets me. And I swear I’ve tried reading up on chinning behaviors on any credible bun website I could find and tried searching through the forum topics but none really seemed to fit.

Hemi is finally back to “normal” (I’ve only had him for a short period of time so we’re technically still establishing normal), however, he’s aquired this new interest in chinning my roommates belongings. He went to the vet and I’m getting him neutured but not for a while, just because the vet would prefer that I just wait until he’s a bit more settled before going through the procedure. But he doesn’t chin my belongings, just my roommate’s.

He’s not damaging anything or chewing on anything. Just chinning, especially shoes. I’m completely at a loss for a reason for the behavior.  It’s obviously nothing dire, but I thought I would toss the subject out there.

Thanks!

~Meagan

[Michelle&Lolli]

He’s just establishing that all your roommates’ things are his too! LOL He is probably not chinning your items because they already have his smell too and he’s content that “everyone” knows your things are his.

[LoveChaCha]

Oh, it is completely normal. Everything is HIS property now

[LizzieKnittyBun]

lol, don’t worry about a thing. Remy chins my fingers half a dozen times a day, as well as pillows, laundry, Stan, and anything else he feels needs a reminder of his ownership.

[Monkeybun]

Monkey owns everything her little chin can get to, including people she meets It’s totally normal

[MagpieBunnies]

Thanks everyone!

I knew it was a marking of territory thing, but I guess it does make sense that he’s always climbing all over my things and so his scent is already there. As I was reading all of your responses I look over at him and he was already chinning the new pair of running shoes my roommate got yesterday.  

[Elrohwen]

Definitely normal. Hannah has been spayed for almost 4 years and chins everything in sight. She’s even chinned my finger when I stick it in front of her nose. Haha. It’s like running around saying “This is mine! And this! And this is mine too!”

Otto chins only the corners of one particular box. Sometimes I wonder if he knows what he’s doing or only does it because he watches Hannah do it. He never ever did it before we got her. Bunnies are strange!

[MagpieBunnies]

Definitely! So adorable and provide great entertainment though!

[Michelle&Lolli]

What’s funny is when you have two bunnies who come after each other and re-chin everything. Eddie and Lolli used to do that all the time. Lolli would chin things, then go off to sleep. Eddie would come by a bit later and re-chin it as his, then go off. Then Lolli would come back….and the cycle goes on. It was quite funny to watch sometimes. lol

[brittbritt]

Gabby chins everything around here too. She even does it on the carrot when I’m handing it to her. She chins it a couple of times and then bites into it.

[MagpieBunnies]

I’m liking having a rabbit more and more everyday.  I can imagine having two rabbits re-chinning everything would be very funny. I explained to my roommate what he was doing when he started chinning her foot earlier today. And she could not understand why he won’t tolerate letting her just sit and pet him or hold him, but he is just perfectly happy marking her as his territory.   He pretty much rules the roost now. If he’s not happy he makes it known by continuously nosing the bell on his kabob toy. Not chewing on the toys, or nosing them. Just the bell.

[KatnipCrzy]

I always envision the bunny to be in “shopping mode” thinking “mine, this is mine too, oops almost forgot to mark this as mine too!”

[LittlePuffyTail]

I always envision the bunny to be in “shopping mode” thinking “mine, this is mine too, oops almost forgot to mark this as mine too!”

Lol, me too. I should bring her into the pet store some day.

[Cassi&Charlie]

Bunny behaviour can seem really odd sometimes…but it makes perfect sense to them. Charlie chins things daily, it gives him and me much amusement 🙂

[MagpieBunnies]

I had him out with a bunch of friends over last night and they fawned over him and he just ate it up, he went around to everyone’s shoes and chinned every single one. And finished off by flopping right at my feet. Cutest thing I’ve ever seen him do!  Well except for the wake up greeting I get every morning when I go to let him out. He’s a very eager bunny and loves to paw and nose the door until I reach for it and then he settles until I open it and then he sits at my feet until I give him is breakfast.

[Author]

Messages