Small as your adorable pet rabbit may be, the aggressive stomping of his back feet can make a surprisingly noisy, disruptive and jarring sound. If your wee bunny stomps one or both of his hind legs down onto the ground every once in a while, he's not trying to annoy you, but instead trying to express something to you. Pay attention to your rabbit's mode of communication. If your rabbit is loudly thumping his back leg over and over, he could be trying to courteously alert you -- along with everyone else in your home -- of any impending threat that he perceives.
If your bunny heard an unusual noise coming from outdoors, for example, he may be trying to warn you beforehand. He may just be worried and scared that predators are on the way. We have to remember, rabbits have much stronger senses of smell and hearing than humans. Rabbits will keep this behavior up until they feel the threat has passed. Your rabbit is trying to give you a warning.
Soothe your rabbit as best you can. Offer delicate strokes, and reassure them by speaking in a calm tone. Your rabbit may smell or hear a cat in the distance. Alternatively, they may have been startled by a loud noise. Car doors slamming, for example, can be deafening to a rabbit. All the same, show your rabbit that you are taking their fears seriously. Acknowledge their thumping, and take action.
If necessary, return them to their hutch. Most bunnies feel safer in their own home. Calm them down first. If your rabbit is afraid, this terror will be magnified when alone in an outdoor hutch. This sends a message that warning their family of danger is a bad thing.
If the rabbit thinks they have a chance to defend themselves, they may take it. By stamping their foot, the rabbit will be hoping to scare the predator away. A rabbit would rarely take this tact against a large animal, such as a fox.
They may do it against a smaller predator. Bunnies can be emotional animals. If your rabbit is stomping in anger, the behavior will likely be accompanied by vocalizations.
Snorts and grunts denote unhappiness. Rabbits are capable of hissing and snarling when agitated. There are many reasons why a bunny may react this way. Rabbits also dislike being stopped from indulging in an activity.
Take chewing electrical cables as an example. Your rabbit will be grumpy if you pull them away from their snack. Even specific verbal cues can provoke this response. As Bunnyhugga explains, rabbits understand a number of words. Some of these may be pleasurable, and result in binkying.
Others will result in indignation. Your pet may not be prepared for this, and want to run free for longer. A foot-stomping tantrum to rival a toddler can follow. Calm your rabbit down before attempting handling, though. An angry bunny can bite surprisingly hard. You should make friends again before scooping your rabbit into your arms. Attention is a common explanation for a rabbit stomping their foot.
They realize that it makes a surprisingly loud noise. There is a difference between looking for attention and misbehaving. Your rabbit may want to play with you. They may even want to show you a trick. Many house rabbits like attention. If your rabbit is stomping, check your watch.
Have you missed a mealtime? Are they due time out of their cage for exercise? We think he was trying to show that he wanted out of his cage. Could this be the case? My foster rabbit lived out back. Knowing nothing about rabbits, I was fascinated to see this rabbit go all the way up to them and thump very loudly and distinctly. I scooted her away and the raccoons left. No harm done. My rabbit has only just started thumping in the night! Try to spend time with him on the ground, rather than picking him up, to let him get used to you.
Just so you know I have him in a cage and let him out daily. He also bites an tries to lift up the cage. Username or Email Address.
Remember Me. Thank you for your help. A member of our team will investigate this further. Why is my Rabbit Thumping? How does a rabbit make a thumping noise? What sort of things cause a rabbit to thump?
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