If only they had some way to communicate what they want!

[dayna]

Rabbit crack me up on a daily basis. They are so smart and communicative.

Three examples from today:

Doe #1 as I'm walking up to her hutch she's sticking her nose out as far as she can! Then when I approach the cage she runs over to the door and shoves her head under my hand as I'm putting food in her cage. Somebunny wants pets! So I pet her for a couple seconds and move onto

Doe #2 who is making a HUGE racket with her food dish. Tossing it angry style all over her cage. Really beating the heck out of it. Somebunny wants FOOD! So I feed her and she's happy and I look over to see

Doe #3 who is shaking her cage in a weird way, hitting the cage with her feet in front of her top filling water bottle which makes the water splash out of the top and drip down the sides and down the nipple INTO HER WAITING MOUTH. Hmm. I think her nipple is clogged!

Geesh, if only they could communicate what it is that they want! hehe.

 

[Zass]

Mucky hops back and forth, licks the bottle a few times, hops back and forth a few more times(repeat as necessary), until one of us humans figures out what she's asking for!

Pancake climbs into my arms every time her hutch or cage is opened up. She always wants treats! Esper will quietly lay and look longingly at her empty dishes for as long as it takes to get noticed. Dovetuft inherited her mothers quiet and patient disposition. But I think every bunny knows to rattle their empty water bottles, or leap and stand over empty food bowls.

It kinda makes me wonder...they are smart enough to understand that they have to make US see their wants and needs. It almost seems like they are trying harder to communicate with us than we are with them sometimes.

 

[Comet007]

In our short time with rabbits, I've loved seeing how expressive they are.

Shaggy has his corner where he will go lay when he wants me to pet him - won't accept treats or play with his sticks with me if he's there, he just stares at me until I pet him. He also stamps his feet in frustration, or sometimes shakes his head if I'm not petting him where he wants.

Daphne sniffs and nudges my hand to tell me to give her pumpkin seeds.

I know there are other things they do, everyone but Velma - who just sits in her corner twitching her nose. We have no idea what's up with her, except when we were breeding her, then she was growling and grunting and nipping at Shaggy - we figured that one out right away!

 

[skysthelimit]

It kinda makes me wonder...they are smart enough to understand that they have to make US see their wants and needs. It almost seems like they are trying harder to communicate with us than we are with them sometimes.

Sometimes I just stand there wondering what they are trying to tell me.

Someone wanted a nest box

 

[DogCatMom]

Rabbit crack me up on a daily basis. They are so smart and communicative.

Three examples from today:

Doe #1 as I'm walking up to her hutch she's sticking her nose out as far as she can! Then when I approach the cage she runs over to the door and shoves her head under my hand as I'm putting food in her cage. Somebunny wants pets! So I pet her for a couple seconds and move onto

Doe #2 who is making a HUGE racket with her food dish. Tossing it angry style all over her cage. Really beating the heck out of it. Somebunny wants FOOD! So I feed her and she's happy and I look over to see

Doe #3 who is shaking her cage in a weird way, hitting the cage with her feet in front of her top filling water bottle which makes the water splash out of the top and drip down the sides and down the nipple INTO HER WAITING MOUTH. Hmm. I think her nipple is clogged!

Geesh, if only they could communicate what it is that they want! hehe.

Parsley has exhibited behaviors #1 and #2, but with a water bowl/crock, he doesn't have the opportunity to exhibit #3. I think your Doe #3 is incredibly smart! Not only has she figured out that the water bottle isn't working; she's figured out how to make it work for her! Whadda girl!

When I walk to Parsley's ex-pen with veggies/forage in my hands, he gets up on his back feet and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s out his neck, head, and nose/mouth as if to say, "Gimme that, woman!" I give him a piece or two of the forage, place the rest in his veggie bowl, and *then* put the small amount of kibble in his hanging feeder. I used to try to put the kibble in first, but he'd head-butt my hand so strongly, trying to get the kibble into his mouth, that a lot of it would go onto the floor. "Mommy" is a bit slow... ...I won't say how many of these experiences it took for me to start feeding him the forage first, followed by the kibble. :shock:

But he seems to feel that I don't wash the veggies adequately. Either that, or he's part raccoon: almost every time I feed him, I find pieces of veggies (esp. chicory leaves) in his water bowl. :lol:

 

[akane]

I think the rabbits communicate needs better than my dogs. All the dogs do is stare at you, wiggle when you look back at them, one will whine, and the other climbs on the bed when very needy. Whether they want water, food, outside, bones, or are just plain bored is anyone's guess. We have to go through a process of elimination. When the rabbits run out of food or water they attempt to destroy the object that gives those items and will pile their toys in empty bowls until you notice. When you walk by and they want treats they will shove their noses through the bars. Sometimes any of those with some thumping for faster attention.

 

[HoppinHalfPints]

One of my does will wag her tail when she gets food, then stand on the door for more! Wait, scratch that, all of my rabbits do that. When I walk out to feed the chickens (which I do first) they will pace back and forth until I come back with food. Then, they will push their noses through the wire to try to tell me, "Me first! Me first!" Thankfully, they know that the measuring cup and my hand are not predators. :roll: After they get their pellets, and if I have enough time to sneak it in, they get their greens. They don't stand on the doors, mostly they chomp on their pellets and wait till I deposit the leafy stuff in front of them. Spoiled little boogers. :lol: