Tail Wagging

[skunklionshow]

Last night Jessica and Leo were doing their bonding routine….chase, hump, jump, etc.  Well we noticed that she kept doing a tail wag.  A major wag, almost like a dog w/ a nub tail (i.e. rottie).  We weren’t sure if it was a girl bunny thing like, "here I am, I’m so cute!". 

Our geckos tail wag when they are hunting crickets.  They wag right before they pounce.  It was very cute!

[poopy]

Be careful, tail wagging can mean she is about to attack/ become aggressive, or she is thinking about it.

[lucygoosey]

Aggressive? My bun wags her tail whenever she does something she knows she’s not allowed to do. Like sneak into the washroom. She’ll do it as she runs out kind of like "Haha I got my way again!"

My bun is a girl too… I always thought tail wagging was just playful kind of like doggies… hmm I should do some research.

[skunklionshow]

I found this on a site linked to the language of lagomorphs.  I needed a break from my dissertation.

Tail Wag

Susan R. posted to the guestbook about a "lateral tail wag." She wrote,

I’ve seen several of my rabbits do this (a side to side move of a relaxed tail) as they hop away from another bun. This is usually after Bun #1 (the wagger) sniffs Bun #2. Sometimes a slight head binkie from Bun #1 is involved. From the expressions of the wagging buns, it seems that wagging may be similar to a "foot flick" or may be a sign of mild annoyance.

I’ve seen it a few times now in our own rabbits (addressed to me!) and I’m pretty sure she’s got the meaning exactly right. It’s a milder put down than the foot flick, but definitely seems to have a related meaning. It’s just amazing how one can totally miss some of these signals, but once you know to watch for them they become all but obvious.

Some folks on the alt.pets.rabbits newsgroup have reported that the tail wag is a happy signal. Reading Susan’s description of the circumstances above certainly can lend itself to that interpretation too, but I admit it didn’t appear that way the couple of times I’ve seen it. I think the closest human signal might be sticking your tongue out as a mild mocking gesture.

This one needs more study.

[cookie627]

wow very interesting. never knew buns could wag their tails!

[BinkyBunny]

That is very interesting! I also didn’t know that geckos wag their tail too. well, what have I ever known about geckos anyway, That would be fun to see. I wonder if they do it to confuse their prey.

Anyway, I noticed Jack and Rucy do the tail wag, very obvious side to side shimmy move, but not often. Usually they will do it right before they do an empty spray. Meaning they do let a little out, but it’s more of a mini limpish squirt. (shaking head) does that make sense? So I always thought it was a bit of a territorial or dominance move. I hadn’t read anything on it , until you just now posted about it.

Anyway very interesting – fun to research more so thanks for sharing!

[lucygoosey]

Here’s what I found on the HRRN Library:

# Tail-wagging

Believe it or not, your rabbit can, and will wag his/her tail. Indicates defiance – “No, I don’t want to go to my cage!” -or- “You can’t make me!” -or- “You’re not the boss of me!” Watch closely and you’ll see that your rabbit will occasionally “back-talk” – they just think you won’t notice!
# Begging

[cookie627]

oh buns are just like children but they have two long fuzzy ears and a bushy tail!!!!!!

[Hedi]

I need to get Carrera on tape because if you pet her behind close to her tail then her tail starts wagging goes a hundred miles an hour wagging back and forth. Its histerical! Just goes back and forth really really fast.

[Hedi]

I need to get Carrera on tape because if you pet her behind close to her tail then her tail starts wagging goes a hundred miles an hour wagging back and forth. Its histerical! Just goes back and forth really really fast.

[BinkyBunny]

Hedi, I’d love to see that. If you ever get a clip of that and you want to see it in the video gallery, let me know.

[skunklionshow]

I think the tail wag is very cute…I like to think she’s saying "nah nah nah nah nah"!

[Author]

Messages