Written By : M Samy

How do you show your rabbit you love them?

How do you show your rabbit you love them?

How do you show your rabbit you love them?

We all want to stroke, and especially the way they will understand it, is it possible when it is a rabbit ?

Yes there are ways to tell your rabbit that you love him and this by being at his service and by providing him with water, food, shelter, treats and toys, cleaning and care but especially by making sure he is comfortable with cuddles when he asks for them and massages and some other means that you will read in this article.

According to the rabbits’ own language and behavior, there is a way to tell your rabbit how much he means to you and that you love him.

So I’m going to give you all the tricks to make your rabbit understand that you love him, which is much more than just making him feel safe around you and in your home.

So here is a list of dos and don’ts to let your rabbit know that you really love him:

1- Your rabbit will know that you love him if you pet him on his cheeks, head and back

If you are very careful, it is your rabbit that will ask you for these cuddles which is always wise to do and never take the initiative to pet him or to take him against his will and always wait for him to ask for this attention.

Rubbing your rabbit on his head from his forehead, his neck and following his ears to his back, always in the direction of the hair, especially for short-haired breeds.

PS  : Some rabbits do not like to be stroked in sensitive areas such as the neck, tail and belly (the target parts of predators), even the legs because you will prevent him from running away, you deprive him by manipulating them of his first means of defense.
rubbing rabbits head to show him love

The ears are also to be avoided in the early stages because a rabbit that does not yet feel safe listens to everything that is happening around him and permanently and the fact that you stroke his ears, you actually prevent him from hearing and controlling his environment.

The best time for Grooming is when your rabbit comes to you and tilts his head down, that’s how they want to be petted and if you give it to him at that very moment, he will know that you really love him.

How to Properly Pet Your Rabbit ?

1-If you stroke your rabbit under the chin and he doesn’t like it, it’s a sign that he is dominating you, there is nothing wrong with that but the disadvantage is that he won’t give you back that love, he won’t lick you for example !

2- You must be content to stroke your rabbit without taking him in your arms or on your knees if he doesn’t like it, put yourself at his level at ground level, it’s the best position when you lie down near him.

3- It’s better to wait until your rabbit asks for his cuddles, he will make you understand it, he will for example come towards you and give you small blows of muzzle or chew your shoes or pants…

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4- If you hear your rabbit grind his teeth when you pet him or if he suddenly starts licking you, it’s a good sign because he doesn’t consider you as his follower or his “submissive Beta”.

5-If you show your rabbit that you love him but he doesn’t lick you to make you understand that he has understood; you can show your dominance by wearing it regularly even if he doesn’t ask for it and rubbing it under the chin or behind the ears, you can even pinch it a little bit, by doing so you will put it back in its dominated place and it will start licking you again when you stroke it.

2-Ask your rabbit for forgiveness from time to time by touching your heads and use “Nose nudging”

show your rabbit that you love him by reducing tensions between you

It’s not uncommon to do things that your rabbit doesn’t like, like cutting his nails or cleaning his glands…etc.

The best way to show him that you love him is to ask him for forgiveness with the way he will understand, you touch his head, how to do it?

lie down in front of your rabbit and let your head touch his, this is the way rabbits use to make up to each other.

If your rabbit is easy to carry, you can take it and bring it close to your face instead of lying on the floor, although it is better that way.

If your rabbit is content to stick his nose against yours, you can also take this opportunity to prove your love to him because he invites you to a Grooming session.

3-Your rabbit will know that you love him if you remain faithful to him

Yes, generally to make a rabbit understand how much we love him, we must be at his service and only at his service.

So never present yourself in front of your rabbit with clothes that have the smell of another animal, your cat or dog, he will see this as a betrayal and will translate this as a sign that you don’t care about him !

So you can always wear the same clothes , at least the same T-Shirt before going to spend time with your rabbit , he will smell his scent on you , this will comfort him and make him feel safer on one side and also know that you love him because you are completely dedicated to him and you are only at his service , you belong to him !

4-To prove your love for your rabbit, you must never ignore him/her

never ignore your rabbit to show him your love

Ignoring a rabbit is a sign of disrespect, especially if it is the dominant one. 

Make sure you never ignore your rabbit, especially if it does things to attract your attention like coming towards you or chewing your shoes…etc.

Walking past his cage and ignoring him while he is looking at you is a bad sign you are sending him.

You can also make it better when you give him his vegetable ration or his piece of apple to talk to him in a soft voice, and show him your affection and love, believe me, he will feel it and will know what you are saying “according to the laws of quantum physics”.

5- Let your rabbit express himself and never yell at him

If you want your rabbit to know that you love him, avoid shouting at him or even shouting next to him…

See also  What are Rabbits Favorite Treats ?

On top of that, you must never disturb his initiatives and prevent him from going where he wants to go except to avoid danger.

Avoid overprotecting him and let him express himself freely, run, jump, make a small hole in your lawn and lie down where he wants to go.

Don’t force them to play when they don’t want to, and never refuse them a game when they ask for it.

Here are some good ideas , how to spend good time with your bunny and play with so that he never gets bored .

6-Providing gifts, including toys

Gifts are a great way to show your love not only for your partner but also for your rabbit.

Bringing back a new gift for your rabbit every now and then is a sign that you care for him, a simple cardboard box, not colored for him to gnaw on and evacuate his stress could do the trick.

Treats are also a great way to show your affection for your rabbit, try to find the fruit your rabbit likes the most and from time to time, take him on your lap, stroke him and give him his treat.

7-Massages and brushing are a proof of love for rabbits

how to tell a pet rabbit that you love him

You surely know how fragile the digestive system of rabbits is and taking your rabbit on your lap from time to time and giving him a belly massage will give him a pleasant feeling and I think it’s a great way to tell your rabbit that you love him.

The same goes for brushing, especially if your rabbit is of a long or medium coat breed and this is even more true during the moulting and heat period.

To make your rabbit understand how much you love him, try to brush him at least every other day. He will keep his coat clean and healthy and you will also help him avoid hairballs and future digestive problems.

By doing so, you will not only prove your love for your rabbit, but also and above all allow him to live a long and happy life.

8-Never scare or surprise your rabbit

Rabbits are by nature prey and the best way to show your love is to never behave like a predator.

Never surprise your rabbit and always try to make noise or talk to him before he sees you or you go into his room.

You should also never approach your rabbit from behind, this is the only angle he can’t see and he will see you as a threat if you scare him away.

You should never scare your rabbit if you want to let him know that you love him because the two words Love and Safety are almost synonymous among rabbits.

It could happen that you make a clumsy gesture that your rabbit will not like and it will bite you. In these cases, learn how to stop yourself from screaming and making sudden gestures, just push your rabbit away gently and calmly and leave it alone until it comes to you.

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Put your head against your rabbit’s head. to forget the incident and prove your love to him.

9- Never let your rabbit get bored 

telling a rabbit we love him by giving gifts and toys

Rabbits need love , intellectual stimulation and daily exercise, never leave them alone for long periods of time and if you work all day, bring a companion for your rabbit.

Give them at least half an hour each morning and evening to play and get them out of their cage, always try new games and let them discover new places in the house or in the backyard, this will surely show them how much you love them.

10- Learn your rabbit’s vocalizations and body language to react well

1-you must learn how to communicate with your rabbit if you want to show your love to him and this by learning to decipher the sounds he produces:

  • Squeaks are a sign of stress or pain. 
  • Clicking its teeth is a sign of pleasure.
  • Snorting and Grunting are signs of discontent when they are not symptoms of respiratory disease!
  • Tooth grinding is a sign of pain and anxiety.
  • A rabbit that screams is a rabbit in distress, you must run towards it at the very moment you hear it scream.

2- You must decipher your rabbit’s body language if you want to learn to tell him that you love him

  • A rabbit that feels safe will lower its ears backwards while you should comfort a rabbit that has its ears pricked up or bent forward.
  • A rabbit that lies in front of you with its legs extended backwards is a resting rabbit and feels safe while you have to make more effort if your rabbit seems to be tense and ready to pounce all the time !

Let’s wrap this up

Showing your love to your rabbit is a daily effort, prepare the food he likes and make him feel safe and cuddly is an essential part of this process.

Each rabbit has its own character, so you need to understand the personality of your bunny, an energetic rabbit needs more time to play, for example, while a calm rabbit will love to lie on your belly while you pet it.  

But sometimes telling them how much you love them with words that come straight from your heart is enough to make them feel your love and return it to you of course.

M Samy pet blogger and author at famillypet

About Author

Hey! Samy here , Welcome to my Blog I'm an animal lover, especially pets and Really concerned about their well being ; I've been around and caring for all my life and Now ; a full-time Pet blogger at your service . My motto here at Famillypet is: "Pets First" ... Read More

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