14 Signs You Have a Happy Bunny
Please note, this article first appeared in the 14 Signs of a Happy Bunny published on BunnyLowdown.com.
Do I have a happy bunny?
It’s a thought that I bet enters your mind every now and then when you’re staring at your little fluff monster as they’re trying to sleep.
I know I used to wonder — or rather, stress about it. A lot.
But the truth is, I don’t really have to wonder (or stress) about it and neither do you. As we discussed in our 4 Signs of an Unhappy Bunny article, Rabbits are great at communicating their emotions — you just have to learn their language to understand what they’re trying to tell you.
A happy bunny is no different.
For a happy bunny, there are actually 14 distinct signs that your little monster will use to tell you they’re happy. Yes, you read that right: 14. That kinda smashes the 4 signs they use to tell you when they’re unhappy right out of the water, doesn’t it?
So, What are the 14 Signs of a Happy Bunny?
Here’s the list:
- Binkying and Zoomies.
- Licking.
- Chinning.
- Clicking.
- Purring / Clicking Teeth Noise.
- Circling and Honking.
- Lying on their bellies, with their legs outstretched.
- Neutral Ears.
- Sleeping.
- Nose nudging.
- Tugging on your clothes.
- Jumping on your lap.
- Flopping.
- Playing.
Let’s take a closer look at these signs.
Binkying and Zoomies
When Ronnie is happy, he does zoomies around the living room. Okay, so you might be thinking: what the hell are zoomies? Well, zoomies is the name we call it when the little fella runs around the room like an absolute lunatic. It’s a bit like me running towards a beer on a Friday night.
Licking
Licking is another great sign of a happy bunny. When your little fluff monster licks you, that means not only are they comfortable around you, but you are also very special to them. Essentially, they love you and are happy.
Ronnie is fond of licking my wife and I. Particularly when he’s in trouble and he’s trying to get himself out of it.
He always does get himself out of trouble too. Too. Damn. Cute.
Chinning
Happy Bunny’s also have a tendency to rub their chins on you (aka “Chinning”). This is a rabbits way of marking their territory as they have special glands under their chins which allows them to leave their scent on you.
Basically, your little fluff monster is making you “theirs” and that’s so cute it hurts.
Ronnie rubs his chin on us all the time, especially if we’ve been petting another dog or, heaven forbid, another rabbit.
Lots of chinning happens then. Lots of it.
Purring / Clicking Teeth Noise
This is a tricky sign of a happy bunny.
On one hand, soft teeth clicking sound can be a sign of contentment, especially if you’re stroking them; it’s actually the way your Bunny purrs.
However, loud teeth grinding sound can mean something completely different; it’s usually a good indication that your rabbit is in discomfort or stress. With this behaviour, your bunny may be hunched in the corner of their cage and it might be worth a trip to the vet’s if this behaviour continues.
Circling / Dancing and Honking
Another good sign of a happy bunny is if they circle and honk at you.
For non-neutered / non-spayed rabbits circle and honking is a kind of sexy dance that informs the other rabbit that they want to mate.
Doing this to humans, thankfully, means something completely different.
They run circles around you and honk because they want your attention and really want to play with you.
If Ronnie is doing something naughty, like eating table legs, and I get up to make him stop, as soon as I get close he immediately stops being naughty and begins to run in circles around me, or sometimes changing it up by darting in between my legs.
This is often known as dancing and is a sign of a very happy and playful rabbit.
Lying on their Bellies, Legs Outstretched
One of the primary signs Ron uses to tell my wife and I that he’s both comfortable and happy is to plonk himself down on his belly and stretch his legs out behind him.
At the moment, Ron has taken control of the poof and perches himself on there with his legs outstretched before falling asleep. He can be up there for hours if we let him and god help anything that’s been put on there. As soon as he gets up there, it immediately gets launched off the edge of it.
Neutral Ears
Rabbits sitting with their ears in a neutral position is a sign that they’re relaxed, at ease and are feeling pretty happy at that moment in time. However, if there’s a sudden noise they don’t like that can change in a heartbeat.
Obviously, this all depends on your bunny’s ears; if your little fluffer is a flop I’d wager it’s a lot more difficult to tell if something’s up. Or would it be easier because they’re massive? I can’t decide.
But that’s not a worry we have with Ron; because he’s a Netherlands Dwarf and doesn’t have floppy ears, he just has small and pointy ears. Those things tell us a story and let us know whether Ron is relaxed or not straight away.
Sleeping
If Rabbits are sleeping, it means they feel safe and happy to do so.
If Ronnie isn’t munching on curly kale, nugs or hay or tearing around the living room like an absolute lunatic, then Ronnie will be sleeping. Most of the time, he feels safer doing it in the comfort of his own cage, but he’s also been known to climb onto his throne (the poof) and take a little bunny nap.
Nose Nudging
In the rabbit world, nose-nudging can mean a few things but depending on the situation, it can be another sign you have a happy bunny.
If you’re not playing with them, it probably means Pay Attention to Me! Play With me! Which only a happy bunny, comfortable with you will do.
Or it could also mean, Stroke My Head! Pet Me Now!, which is also a sign of a happy and comfortable rabbit.
However, if you’re blocking their way and they nudge you, this could just mean Move it! You’re in the way! which doesn’t necessarily mean you have an unhappy rabbit but you might be annoying the little fluffer.
Ronnie has a game with us. He’ll do something incredibly naughty, like nibble the wooden table leg so that we’ll shout at him and come to try and stop him. As soon as we do, he lowers his head and looks at you, expecting head strokes. If you submit to his head stroke demands and then stop for any reason, he will then nudge your hand for you to continue. If you don’t, he will lick your hand and then nudge you.
Tugging On Your Clothes
Tugging on your clothes is the same cry for attention as nudging you: they like you and want to play.
Sometimes, when we’re sitting on the couch Ronnie will come to join us and tug at my t-shirt to get me to play with him, whereupon I have to lie on the floor and let him jump up and down on my back. Then I have to stroke him too.
He has us wrapped around his little pawsies.
Jumping on Your Lap
Just like nudging you and tugging on your clothes, jumping on your lap is another sign that your rabbit wants your attention.
They are happy, they trust you and they want to play!
Ron jumps on my lap all the time. The game is when he jumps on my lap and I try to stroke him, he does a zoomie and runs away. If I don’t try to stroke him for a little bit, he’ll wander all around my lap, even climb on my chest, until I do try to stroke him.
Flopping
When rabbits suddenly flop down on their sides like they’ve had some kind of horrible and sudden seizure, it’s actually a great indication that you have a happy rabbit on your hands.
For Ronnie, this usually happens in his cage and it means that he’s totally relaxed and completely comfortable.
Playing
A playful rabbit is a happy rabbit. So, if your little fluffer wants to play with you or if they’re playing with their toys it’s one of the strongest signs of a happy bunny there is.
Conclusion
As you’ve read in the article above, it’s easy to understand whether you have a happy bunny or not.
Rabbits are really good at communicating their feelings with us in their own little ways and if you know what you’re looking for, it’s easy to pick up on.
So, I just have to know. Out of the list above, what’s the best way your little fluffer lets you know they’re happy?
Let me know on the BunnyLowdown Facebook page!
