Rabbit: Animal behaviour and problems.

General information

Rabbits live in groups under circumstances close to nature, are digging caves as a refuge as well as for the young breed and are moving mostly running or bunny hopping. They are very inquisitive, extensively scout out their habitat and also need material like young trees and bushes where they can wear and tear their teeth. Domestic rabbits that have been bred over many generations still show these behaviour patterns, if they get the possibility. The life expectation of the rabbits comes to 8 to 10 years.To be able to reach this age, however, they must have the possibility to move around a lot and must live in an appropriate and large enclosure. Bunny hopping, digging, gnawing, social contact and hiding are a necessity!

Behavioural disturbances

Most abnormal behaviour patterns such as grille gnawing or biting of people have to be attributed exclusively to the fact that the rabbits are kept in ways not appropriate to their species. Whoever locks a rabbit up in an eclosure that is too cramped, possibly alone and without any other animal of the same species, must not be surprised if these group animals who love to move and enjoy contact with other animals almost crack up. Keeping this animal in an individual cage is cruelty to animals! If female rabbits are quarrelling, it is advisable to integrate a castrated buck. Two bucks only get along well during the first months. Violent social ranking fights with injuries are not an abnormal behaviour but rather a normal social behaviour pattern. Rabbits, too must like each other. It can happen that new integrations need a lot of patience.

Man-Animal communication

Whoever wants to understand and get along fine with his rabbits must know their demeanour, i. e. their body language, because the vocalizations happen rarely and are for the most part scarcely audible. Putting his ears back, streching his head forward and sticking out his tail indicate danger. The animal is then ready to bite. If he stretches himself out flat on the floor, this means that he is taking cover. Drumming on the floor with the hindlimbs is to be understood as a warning sign, as aggressive posture and anxious state. Animals of the same species can thus be warned so that they are able to hide as quick as a flash."Standing up on the hind legs" - for instance in the high grass - means that the rabbit wants to have a better overall view which will enable him to immediately perceive smells. It only takes him little time to get used to the voice of a human being and to become tame.

Animals "talk" to their fellow species by body posture, position of the tail, facial expression, vocalization and many more. If the human being has the position of companion and substitue for fellow species, then he must try to make up a little bit for the big deficit. The easiest way to to this is to talk calmly to his pets. Just the way he would talk to other human beings. Animals are extremely capable of learning and understand very quickly what words, the tone of voice and gestures want to say.

Undesirable behaviour

One should let the rabbits move freely about in the apartment only under supervision, because they might get up to mischief and endanger themselves by gnawing at carpets, wires and furniture. In order to be able to use the steadily regrowing incisor teeth, rabbits have the natural need to gnaw at evereything everywhere. A wire out of tough synthetic material is, therefore, most tempting! Moreover, for reasons of territorial marking the animals deposit their droppings and their urine and often also can have an accident resulting from rash fright reactions and escape behaviour. The pet owner can, therefore, influence and turn off an unwelcome behaviour.

Mood barometer

Looking at the body posture already reveals a lot. If he puts his ears back and is in a crouching posture, this means that the rabbit is afraid. If he stretches his head forward and the tail away, again with his ears back, he would like to bite immediately. In principle, one should not touch the rabbit while he is eating or having a rest and should let him have these most important hours all on his own. Also in the mating season and when cubs are around, there are special rules to be observed. The animals ought not to be dragged out just like that.

Psychology of animals

The fact that the lovely, but not particularly economic dwarf and "sport" breeds are gaining ground, shows that rabbit ownership has changed from a mere meat production to a hobby. We should not forget here that the rabbits, regardless of the kind of use, have the same needs for contact to other animals of the same species, to a run-out yard, to the possibility of retreat and that this has to be the center of attention when keeping and looking after these animals.