Why does rabbit lick you

How many do you recognise? Gently nibbling on your hands, like licking, is more likely a sign of affection, and not an attempt to hurt you or defend themselves.

If they twist and jump excitedly, they feel safe and happy. They may do this in their hutch, or out in the open in your company. A sudden flopping behavior might worry you when it first happens!

But, dramatically flopping over onto their side usually just means that your rabbit feels safe and comfortable around you. This is another one of those behaviors that could mean one of two things depending on the context. But, approaching you and gently nudging you is usually a sign of affection, and may even be a request for strokes and cuddles.

If it is accompanied by licking, you can assume that your rabbit is trying to show you some affection. Rabbits have scent glands underneath their chins.

So, they may rub their chins on objects — or on you — to mark out their territory! There are plenty of ways that pet rabbits will show their feelings.

And it can take a long time to build a really strong bond with your bunny. A lot of sweet feline actions are related to territorial patterns, and this also goes for rabbits.

If your wee bunny massages his chin against you, not only is he labeling his "turf," he's also simultaneously indicating his strong positive feelings for you. He might be communicating something like, "I adore you so much that I want to designate you as my own. These glands are situated directly below their chins.

The rather amusing term "binky" describes a type of rabbit body language that signifies pure, unadulterated delight. A rabbit binky entails an abrupt hop followed by the outward striking of the legs or conspicuous turning of the physique -- an interesting sight to behold. If your pet does this around you, he's showing his giddiness. If he's that merry and spirited in your presence, then there's a good chance that he indeed loves you a lot.

If your bunny massages his wee nose onto you, he's probably telling you that he loves you. This affectionate behavior isn't at all restricted to interactions with humans, as many rabbits do it with each other, too.

Also called a binky, the rabbit sometimes gets a running start into their sudden burst. Rabbits have a unique way of showing many emotions, and chinning is one of them. Their chin has special scent glands on it, so they mark their territory with their chins.

Similar to pet cats rubbing against your leg, if your pet rabbit places their chin on your shoulder or arm, they are claiming you as theirs. They are typically looking for a treat or to be petted. A flop is when your bunny rolls over onto their side. This indicates contentment when bunnies roll over and flop down to relax.

Not to be confused with a boink or a bink, when bunnies kick their feet up while hopping away, this is a sign of being displeased. Licking is a way bunnies groom each other. A bunny lick is a sign of a bond. Or they are trying to get your attention because they want a treat or to be petted. Whether an act of bossiness or attention seeking, your rabbit is trying to get your attention.

Sometimes an ignored nudge is followed up with a nip as a way to get attention.