BUNNY
BEHAVIOR
Marking Territory | Proctection & Defense | Rabbit Sounds | Other Behaviors
A rabbit's best developed
sensory organ is its nose. Wild rabbits recognize each other
outdoors by their smell. Rabbits recognize their human partners
by the scent of their hands.
Scented
Calling Cards
Rabbits have two scent
glands that they use to mark objects. One, under the tongue,
releases its scent (pheromones)-not detectable to humans-through
several pores located beneath the chin. The other gland is near
the anus. Rabbits also spray urine to mark objects and areas.
1) Rubbing
objects with the chin: This is the rabbit's way of
designating its territory and announcing to all other members of
its species "I live here. This belongs to me!" Wild
rabbits mark rocks, twigs, landmarks, and burrow entries and
exits. Rabbits kept as household pets will mark table and chair
legs and their cage, food dish, and sleeping house. A rabbit
feels safe and at home in surroundings it has marked. Territories
that are unmarked or marked by other rabbits, however, make the
animal extremely unsure. Dominant bucks and does do the most
marking.
2) Marking
with the anus: With their anal gland, rabbits can
voluntarily add a secretion to their droppings and thus leave
chemical nameplates and calling cards. Scientists have found that
rabbits, within their colony, not only recognize each other by
their common familiar scent, but also "read" droppings
to find out where a rabbit comes from, whether it is male or
female, and how old it is. However, wild rabbits can recognize
only a limited number of their kind in this way.
3) Urine
Spraying: Bucks spray with urine to express ownership
and to mark territory. Both males and females also spray urine
when frightened or as a defensive gesture.
Marking Territory | Proctection & Defense | Rabbit Sounds | Other Behaviors
How
Rabbits Protect Themselves ?
Hares and rabbits are
believed to be fearful animals. "As timid as a rabbit,"
we say. But this does not quite conform to reality, though these
animals are shy in the wild--they run or hide from
enemies--simple necessity compells them to do so. Otherwise, they
would eaten by weasels, martens,buzzards, hawks, foxes, dogs, or
ferrets. All these animals hunt and attack rabbits which are
unable to fend them off because they have no natural defenses.
Their only option is to take flight or crouch and play dead. To
put it briefly rabbits safeguard their existence fleeing their
natural enemies and showing fear.
This behavior is also
seen in pet rabbits. If a car drives by or an airplane is heard
the rabbit will flatten itself against the floor, with its ears
laid back, its eyes wide open, and its body quivering. A wild
rabbit, relying on the color of coat as camouflage, will crouch
motionless in the grass until a dangerous bird of prey has flown
past. A pet rabbit exhibits similar behavior. It doer not
"know" that its coat, which maybe white, is visible
from a great distance, like a flare signal.
Sometimes a sudden
noise that is extremely loud will cause a rabbit to take flight
in panic. In the close confines of an apartment, such behavior
may be dangerous. Otherwise peaceable. even-tempered rabbits may
react in this way, particularly if the surroundings are
unfamiliar to them. When your pet is allowed to roam free in a
meadow, keep its carrier close at hand. so that the rabbit can
seek refuge in it. Then the animal will have a chance to explore
the new environment bit by bit and, if need be, come back to its
sheltering "burrow".
If a rabbit is
confronted and has no where to run, or if a rabbit is defending
territory, it may fight vigorously. When rabbits fight they
assume an aggressive posture: ears laid back, hair on end, and
they will sometimes grunt or thump as a warning. After the
initial warning a rabbit will bite, lick and punch the opponent.
Intact rabbits will defend themselves more vigorously than fixed
rabbits. A fixed rabbit may not defend himself in an outdoors
situation (from cats or dogs) so it is advisable to keep you
rabbit in a safe outdoor run to provide exercise.
Marking Territory | Proctection & Defense | Rabbit Sounds | Other Behaviors
The
Language of Sounds
The sounds of wild
rabbits, like those of domesticated rabbits, are almost always
very soft and tentative. Often you will have to listen very
carefully or you won't hear them at all.
Violent
gnashing of teeth, in combination with a dull, listless
gaze and general apathy: Always a sign of great pain, caused, for
example, by tympanitis. Not to be confused with:
Faint grinding
noise produced by jaw movement: An expression of
contentment, this sound is produced primarily when the back of
the rabbit's neck is scratched. It is more pronounced in some
rabbits than in others.
Spitting:
Always a sign of aggression. A brief spitting sound may precede
an attack. It has little similarity to the spitting noises made
by cats, however.
Brief growling:
This sound usually is produced by bucks shortly after mating.
Cooing:
Dwarf does often coo when nursing their young, and rabbits may
produce this sound when communicating with each other, if they
feel safe, sound, and secure. The range of sounds is quite broad,
and the noises are similar to the cooing of doves, although the
rabbits' cooing is less even and deeper in pitch.
Reference:
Dwarf Rabbits
"A Complete Pet Owner's Manual".
Monika Wegler
Marking Territory | Proctection & Defense | Rabbit Sounds | Other Behaviors
Other
Bunny Behaviors
Mounting
or "Humping"
Rabbits mount
for two reasons: either to mate, or to express dominance. If an
unfixed male mounts an unspayed female, you can be certain that
they are mating. Even males that are fixed will often mount
unspayed females. Usually if a female is spayed and the male is
neutered, the mounting will stop as the male loses interest in
the female sexually.
But why do
females mount males? Or why do two rabbits of the same sex mount?
They are expressing dominance, and usually after the alpha bunny
has made it clear that he/she is in charge, the mounting stops.
An intact male
rabbit may hump his owner's leg, arm, or anything within reach. A
humping toy may be provided to alleviate some of these sexual
frustrations. A recommended "humping toy" is a fleece
stuffed dog toy. These are machine washable and are available in
the dog toy area of most pet stores.
Marking Territory | Proctection & Defense | Rabbit Sounds | Other Behaviors
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