Decoding Bunny Language: The 5 Resting Positions

Bunnies don't nap and sleep for long hours like cats, but they do spend a considerable amount of time resting:

Bunnies adopt different resting positions depending:

• on their mood
• how they feel about their surroundings
• current health. 

Humans can learn to understand what a bunny is feeling from his/her posture. Here are the 5 common ways bunnies relax:

1. The 'side-leg'

• The side-leg is a very common position chosen. No particular meaning; the bunny is relaxing.

2. The 'patty'

• The 'patty' is another common resting position. No particular meaning; the bunny is relaxing.

3. The 'egg'

• A bunny may assume the 'egg' position for several different reasons:

• he/she is resting and dozing off

• he/she feels slightly cold (perhaps it's raining and you have tile flooring?)

• he/she is lethargic due to illness

• How to differentiate between resting and lethargy due to sickness?

• If the bunny hops up immediately and is very enthusiastic when his/her food is presented, the bunny was just relaxing. It is unlikely that he/she was in discomfort.

4. The 'super-bunny'

• The bunny is rather comfortable with his/her surroundings to completely stretch out. 

5. The 'bunny flop'

• The bunny is contented, happy and feels safe in his/her environment. Often, bunnies tend to fall asleep in this position. When bunnies sleep, their noses stop wiggling so often and they grind their teeth softly.

Additional notes:

• No matter the position, if the bunny rests at the same spot for hours without moving much (=not getting up to eat hay or grooming at all), it is likely that the bunny is sick. He/she is feeling uncomfortable and unusually tired.

• The names for the above resting positions can vary from bunny human to bunny human. These are the words I personally use. You are free to make up your own!

First published on 15/02/2015

Decoding Bunny Language: The 8 Basics

1. Eating

Dutchie eating Timothy hay

• Throughout the day, bunnies spend a significant amount of their time munching, chewing and eating. It is important to make Timothy hay available to a bunny at all times. Timothy hay is crucial in maintaining a healthy digestive tract and satisfying the bunny's natural chewing urge.

2. Grooming

Dutchie grooming the fur on his back

• Bunnies are neat creatures, they groom themselves frequently - it's a daily-must! Therefore, bunnies practically don't need baths. Baths also tend to be stressful for them.

3. Resting

• Besides eating and grooming, the third most common activity a bunny does is relaxing and simply watching the world go by. 

• One thing to note here is that, bunnies don't take long naps like cats. A bunny is constantly alert to various sounds and surrounding movements. 

4. Binkying

Jippie binkying!

• A binky is a high jump accompanied by leg kicks and head flicks. Occasionally, it is preceded or followed by a lightning-speed run. A bunny binkies when he/she is filled with happiness and joy!

• This is one of the many reasons not to keep a bunny in a cage 24/7. Without freedom at all, how could a bunny be happy? Furthermore, a bunny can't binky without space!

5. Standing on hind legs

"What are you doing up there?"

Dutchie checking out my dad, who was pruning his bonsai.

• A bunny might stand on his/her hind legs for several reasons:

• he/she is exploring a new environment. Bunnies are rather curious creatures. Standing gives the bunny a better view of his/her surroundings.

• he/she wants to eat something (eg: 'Hey, it's my routine treat time!', 'I want to eat something, please?')

• he/she notices something up above (such as apples on the kitchen counter), and is trying to get a better sniff and/or reach it.

6. Thumping

• Since bunnies do not bark, meow or produce any loud sounds vocally, they sometimes thump to communicate. 

• A description of thumping would be: lifting hind feet and stomping down.

• A bunny might thump for several reasons:

• he/she is showing displeasure and dissatisfaction (eg: 'Oi, stop reading that book! Pet me now!')

• he/she is trying to get your attention (eg: 'Hey, it's treat time!')

• he/she has sensed or heard something odd and potentially dangerous

7. On the alert

Dutchie feels that the plastic basket is suspicious

• When a bunny is in Alert Mode, he/she generally would:

• tip-toe towards the direction of the triggering object or sound
• angle ears towards direction of object or sound
• jump or run away at the slightest new sound or movement
• thump his/her feet

• Alert Mode is generally triggered by:

• a new object the bunny has never seen before (for example, a new potted plant in the living room.)
• a sound or movement that seemed, to the bunny, odd or dangerous.

8. Chewing and digging

"I need to dig here .. And fix that patch over there ... "

Jippie digging our garden's grass and soil.

• Bunnies love to chew and dig. It's their nature.

• Chewing:

• Chewing is an enjoyable activity that relieves stress and wears down a bunny's teeth, which never stops growing.

• Provide Timothy hay to a bunny at all times so that he/she would have something to chew on when he/she wants to. Otherwise, there is a high possibility of your wooden furniture or book collection ending up as the bunny's chew victim.

• Digging:

• Digging is another enjoyable activity. It also helps to naturally wear down their nails.