February 17, 2021
by Dr. Lorelei D'Avolio
Many rabbit behaviors are directly related to the fact that they are prey species. This means that they are innately wired to be aware and responsive to the threat of being eaten. As crepuscular species (most active at dawn and dusk) a rabbit’s primary predators in the wild include:
Rabbits are highly perceptive to sounds, visuals, scents, and ground vibrations that may indicate a predator.
Rabbits live in large groups, sometimes sparring for territory, sometimes grooming and comforting, and sometimes protecting each other from predators. In pets, this translates to interesting behaviors that they use to communicate.
When a pet rabbit is comfortable and not feeling threatened, they exhibit a host of fun and engaging behaviors.
The rabbit “binky” is used to describe a physical jumping, twisting, and jiggling sort of dance that rabbits do when they are happy and playful. Sometimes it appears as a simple and spontaneous hop straight up or to the side, other times it comes as a series of wild running, zooming, and popping up in the air while twisting.
Most rabbits do not lounge on a lap for hours as a cat may, but they do enjoy physical contact and comfort. Sometimes, when very relaxed, they will sporadically flop over on their side and lay completely still to take a nap.
Other important behaviors of rabbits that owners should be aware of are that in the wild, rabbits are very hygienic. They do not like to urinate and defecate where they sleep and will dig ditches to deposit their waste. They also use their waste to mark territory. In captivity, rabbits will happily use a litter area. Spaying/neutering rabbits at a young age (under one-year-old) will help prevent some of the territorial/sexual markings with excrement.
As a pet parent, you may see your rabbit bend forward to reach their underside in an action that means they are eating their cecotropes. This behavior may be alarming to a new rabbit parent, but rest assured it’s a normal, healthy part of their routine. Cecotropes are a special kind of feces that are an important part of their diet!
Chewing is a vital and normal behavior of all rabbits. They spend a lot of time chewing fibrous material and require lots of safe chew items to perform this function. If not given appropriate chewing materials, some rabbits will turn to chewing electric cords, furniture, rugs, or baseboards.