Noises

[MousQwene]

Last night I was out in our living room where we keep our rabbits. They were both in their cages for the night and I was folding laundry when I heard one of them making a noise I had never heard before. It was kind of a mix between a coo and a purr. Short little spurts, rather quiet, and they didn't last long. Neither rabbit looked anything but relaxed, so I ignored it. Today, however, my fiance and I were in the living room chatting. Benny was out of his cage and nosing up to Penny's cage, like he often does (they're not allowed out at the same time for reproductive reasons). Penny was the noise culprit, but the noise was much louder this time. Every time Benny went near her cage she made the noise until he wandered away. She was lounging around, though, and didn't seem upset or distressed. We thought maybe she was crying because the two used to play together before Benny hit his teenage stage, so we let them out together under very strict supervision. She wouldn't stop making the noise and they seemed to be ignoring each other. We finally seperated them again, but we're very confused. Any thoughts?

 

[tonyshuman]

Have you heard the "tooth purr" that rabbits make? My guess is that she's either clucking/purring quietly to herself in happiness OR grinding her teeth in pain. However, there'd be other signs that she was in pain, like sitting hunched up instead of flopped out. Also, it could be growling to defend her space, if she's hit puberty, although that is usually accompanied with lunging.

 

[mouse_chalk]

Our Chalk coos as well. Her and Mouse have wire baskets in their cage that we use as hay racks, and they use as beds. Every day when she's tucked up asleep in there, Chalk will coo and 'beep' for ages! She sounds just like an owl or something lol. The only way I can type it is 'brrrrrp brp boop brrrp coooooo brrrlp!'

I think that some bunnies are just the vocal kind. Chalk didn't start making these noises until she was over a year old which was strange but she seems happy when she does it- eyes half closed, all buried under the hay.

It could also be a hormonal thing though, like Claire said, if she's only doing it whilst Benny is around?

 

[fwilson675]

hi, im new, my friend is irishlops
she has two rabbits and she says the girl caramel, purrs when she gets a treat. but the one that died, was grinding loudly, so he was in pain.