Mr. Bunbun
Member
what kind of emotions do bunnies feel, and what exactly are the physical signs of these emotions? also whats it like to be a bunny? im curious to know what its like to be looking through the eyes of a bunny.:rollseyes:blushan:
What do bunnies feel on the inside?
- Thread starter Mr. Bunbun
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Mr. Bunbun
Member
....and ears.
This link might be useful.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12051&forum_id=17
There are also others in the Bunny 101 forum which might be useful.
I personally think that they can feel a range of emotions on a very basic level.
I think they can feel positive emotions like happiness, excitement, contentment.
They also feel less positive ones like sadness (grief), distress, jealousy (been on the back end of that one a few times), anger, frustration, fear, terror, etc.
I think the more you watch and interact with bunnies, the more you will come to understand and that can explain far more than anything in writing. I have a far better handle on my rabbits and what goes on for them than any people, that's for sure.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12051&forum_id=17
There are also others in the Bunny 101 forum which might be useful.
I personally think that they can feel a range of emotions on a very basic level.
I think they can feel positive emotions like happiness, excitement, contentment.
They also feel less positive ones like sadness (grief), distress, jealousy (been on the back end of that one a few times), anger, frustration, fear, terror, etc.
I think the more you watch and interact with bunnies, the more you will come to understand and that can explain far more than anything in writing. I have a far better handle on my rabbits and what goes on for them than any people, that's for sure.
kherrmann3
Well-Known Member
I also think they have a sense of fair vs. unfair. If I give one of my bunnies a treat, the other will watch me intently until I give them a treat. To test this, I didn't give one of them a treat after the other... I got thumped at and received the bunny butt.
:bunnybutt:
:bunnybutt:
TreasuredFriend
Well-Known Member
I'll add to this in a little while. Bookmarking for now,
TreasuredFriend
Well-Known Member
A rabbit was surrendered to the shelter years ago when I volunteered. You could read every emotion on her face. Not difficult to read inside a rabbits emotions and feelings. The dejected-looking girl with dewlap kept her head down. Not willing to lift up her chin to ask for a hand stroke. She had a sad vibe written all over her face.
She was found as a stray.
The owner did eventually claim her. Weeks later at the county fair I saw a rabbit that resembled her. Pretty darn close!, if not the exact same rabbit. ( I kept a photograph of the rabbit from her shelter stay.)
The girl manhandling this rabbit, yes, slamming her down on the carpet pad for display and judging time, had a very authoritative attitude. I kept my eyes on their every move. Poor bun was getting picked up and repositioned, not very gently.
After the rough treatment, the girl returned to the spot where the rabbit was housed and tossed her into the cage. "There, now you better not bite me," was the young person's comment.
Does is surprise you that the lady in charge, under the tent, told me outright, "we don't believe rabbits have emotions or feelings"?
She was found as a stray.
The owner did eventually claim her. Weeks later at the county fair I saw a rabbit that resembled her. Pretty darn close!, if not the exact same rabbit. ( I kept a photograph of the rabbit from her shelter stay.)
The girl manhandling this rabbit, yes, slamming her down on the carpet pad for display and judging time, had a very authoritative attitude. I kept my eyes on their every move. Poor bun was getting picked up and repositioned, not very gently.
After the rough treatment, the girl returned to the spot where the rabbit was housed and tossed her into the cage. "There, now you better not bite me," was the young person's comment.
Does is surprise you that the lady in charge, under the tent, told me outright, "we don't believe rabbits have emotions or feelings"?
TreasuredFriend
Well-Known Member
Their eyes and faces echo their feelings. Let's talk body posture too.
July '08. Millie girl had crossed the bridge. Stuck fluke hairball in her duodenum, per the necropsy report.
Walking through the house and crying, each individual senses the sadness.
You look into their faces and they mirror back ~ with those bunny looks~ that something is wrong. Their distress is unmistakeable.
(The rabbits instantly pick up when one of us is away; either myself or my hubby. Would this be considered an emotion? That they act differently when a rabbit is gone, or a special human is away for a brief time?)
Ahh, then there's the time when SnowB bit down on my nail because it smelled like pee from somebun I was housetraining. Boy, did I wail ! Cry, sob. A pretty good actress scene to accentuate her uncalled for misplaced aggression. She sheepishly comes forth later on, after I grabbed kleenex to mop up my tears, to observe the split fingernail which I showed her... The look on her face was, "sorry mom."
July '08. Millie girl had crossed the bridge. Stuck fluke hairball in her duodenum, per the necropsy report.
Walking through the house and crying, each individual senses the sadness.
You look into their faces and they mirror back ~ with those bunny looks~ that something is wrong. Their distress is unmistakeable.
(The rabbits instantly pick up when one of us is away; either myself or my hubby. Would this be considered an emotion? That they act differently when a rabbit is gone, or a special human is away for a brief time?)
Ahh, then there's the time when SnowB bit down on my nail because it smelled like pee from somebun I was housetraining. Boy, did I wail ! Cry, sob. A pretty good actress scene to accentuate her uncalled for misplaced aggression. She sheepishly comes forth later on, after I grabbed kleenex to mop up my tears, to observe the split fingernail which I showed her... The look on her face was, "sorry mom."
TreasuredFriend
Well-Known Member
Hey, if I feel that gas in my abdomen, I'm gonna posture and sit like it hurts. I ain't feeling so super-jiffy normal right now.
:dutch
:dutch
TreasuredFriend
Well-Known Member
Thursday, July 16, 1:15 pm.
"Karla? Karla?, we're going to see Dr. Bloss this afternoon. I'm getting your kennel cab ready." (Karla was going in for a disability check on her hind limbs, piggy-backed appt. while I picked up newly-spayed Hayley.)
While I'm notifying Karla of the upcoming ride in the car, Barry husbun is napping on his rug in the condo. Zoned out, quite leisurely.
WAIT, what's this?!? Barry's brain registers... my human said those 2 words.
dr. b.l.o.s.s.
anich no, must get as far away as I can so I don't have to accompany Karla to the vet. :shock:
Barry alerts from sleep, standing on four feet now, dashes down the ramp, and skeedaddles for hiding spot in the next room.
P.S. How's that for emotional feelings?
"Karla? Karla?, we're going to see Dr. Bloss this afternoon. I'm getting your kennel cab ready." (Karla was going in for a disability check on her hind limbs, piggy-backed appt. while I picked up newly-spayed Hayley.)
While I'm notifying Karla of the upcoming ride in the car, Barry husbun is napping on his rug in the condo. Zoned out, quite leisurely.
WAIT, what's this?!? Barry's brain registers... my human said those 2 words.
dr. b.l.o.s.s.
anich no, must get as far away as I can so I don't have to accompany Karla to the vet. :shock:Barry alerts from sleep, standing on four feet now, dashes down the ramp, and skeedaddles for hiding spot in the next room.
P.S. How's that for emotional feelings?
Sweetie
Well-Known Member
I like those bunny emotions.
Yes rabbits do show emotions. I am learning Sweetie's emotions as well as Prince's.
Yes rabbits do show emotions. I am learning Sweetie's emotions as well as Prince's.
BethM
Well-Known Member
kherrmann3 wrote:
If dogs have a sense of fairness, I don't at all doubt rabbits do, as well.
And since Ben thumps at me whenever he doesn't get his banana first in the morning (I make them take turns at being first), I'm pretty sure of it.
Amelia is very expressive, to the point that I can sometimes read her mood by her facial expressions. When she smells something she doesn't like, she sort of curls her lips back. When she's startled or frightened, she opens her eyes really wide. When she's content, her eyes are half-closed. The last time she had a gassy tummy, I could tell she was in pain, just by looking at her face. Poor girl.
Based on Nick, I think rabbits feel joy, as well. He loves to run and run and run. He will make obstacle courses and run them over and over again. If that was 100% instinct, all my rabbits would do the same thing, but they don't.
Not long ago, I heard about a study someone is doing on jealousy in dogs. They used treats and monitored the reactions of the dogs, and found that they do have a sense of fairness. It might be a bit differently than the human emotions, maybe, but it's fairness nonetheless. They thought it might occur in other animals that live in packs/herds/groups.
If dogs have a sense of fairness, I don't at all doubt rabbits do, as well.
And since Ben thumps at me whenever he doesn't get his banana first in the morning (I make them take turns at being first), I'm pretty sure of it.
Amelia is very expressive, to the point that I can sometimes read her mood by her facial expressions. When she smells something she doesn't like, she sort of curls her lips back. When she's startled or frightened, she opens her eyes really wide. When she's content, her eyes are half-closed. The last time she had a gassy tummy, I could tell she was in pain, just by looking at her face. Poor girl.
Based on Nick, I think rabbits feel joy, as well. He loves to run and run and run. He will make obstacle courses and run them over and over again. If that was 100% instinct, all my rabbits would do the same thing, but they don't.
