OK, bear with me while I try to describe this odd behavior, or rather, what I did to evoke it. I was calling Shadow to me from another room, and was trying to pique her interest with a different sound. I was sitting on the floor and used my fingers to quickly "crawl" back and forth over the carpet, making kind of a small critter scampering sound. She came to check it out, and started grunting and lunging at my hands. She never grabbed me - no biting or scratchingor anything, just chased-grunted-lunged at my hands. When I stopped she just went on to hop around until I did it again, and she resumed the behavior. Just a few minutes after I quit doing it she flopped down next to me for a while. I don't think she was scared or upset about it. Is this just a playful behavior? I've never heard her grunt before.
Strange grunting & lunging behavior.
- Thread starter Kim1218
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elrohwen
Well-Known Member
Is she spayed? Sometimes unfixed buns will make love grunts.
It sounds like she was playing with you! I've never seen a bunny play this way, but that's what it reminds me of.
It sounds like she was playing with you! I've never seen a bunny play this way, but that's what it reminds me of.
Pipp
Well-Known Member
Sherry, one of my dwarfs, plays like this. She can get pretty aggravated in the process though! I've never been able to completely figure it out.
Oh, and both her and Pipp grunt, growl and snort up a storm!
sas
onder:
Oh, and both her and Pipp grunt, growl and snort up a storm!
sas
onder:
pamnock
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't provoke this agressivebehavior as it may lead to biting as well as anxiety leading to other behavioral problems.
Pipp
Well-Known Member
pamnock wrote:
I didn't encourage the behavior but she was living with my neighbor for awhile and that's how he played with her.
She was deemed 'cage aggressive' and unadoptable before I got her, and another neighbor who wanted her called me four hours later telling me to come get my 'emotionally disturbed rabbit', LOL!
So while it is 'playing', I'm sure it's also part of her 'behavioral problem' and best avoided. That said, she really is a sweet rabbit! You just have to remember she only weighs 2lbs and she can't do too much damage.
sas :bunnydance:
Yes, with Sherry she is 'playing', she loves chasing the hand around and she doesn't run from it. BUT she also gets very worked up and it doesn't seem to be a playful 'excited' type worked up, she gets aggressive and anxious.
I didn't encourage the behavior but she was living with my neighbor for awhile and that's how he played with her.
She was deemed 'cage aggressive' and unadoptable before I got her, and another neighbor who wanted her called me four hours later telling me to come get my 'emotionally disturbed rabbit', LOL!
So while it is 'playing', I'm sure it's also part of her 'behavioral problem' and best avoided. That said, she really is a sweet rabbit! You just have to remember she only weighs 2lbs and she can't do too much damage.
sas :bunnydance:
Shaded Night Rabbitry
Well-Known Member
XD
One of my rabbits destroyed my art hand for days when he bit me. It hurt to move it for about 4~5 days after the 'attack'.
XD While they may not be fierce, they can do some nasty things.
(btw, this was the sweetest little buck. Unfortunately, he had accidentally run into another one moments before, and was all worked up from that. Plus I probably smelt like the other buck, from breaking up the fight, and him being the first I could put back in the cage.)
One of my rabbits destroyed my art hand for days when he bit me. It hurt to move it for about 4~5 days after the 'attack'.
XD While they may not be fierce, they can do some nasty things.
(btw, this was the sweetest little buck. Unfortunately, he had accidentally run into another one moments before, and was all worked up from that. Plus I probably smelt like the other buck, from breaking up the fight, and him being the first I could put back in the cage.)
She was spayed a little over a month ago. I definitely won't provoke this behavior again if it could lead to any kind of agressive or negative behavior - I wouldn't want that. I've read that the grunting is usually associated with bad things, but she seemed almost playful.
