rabbit moods

Question
How can I tell when my rabbit is happy or sad or angry or uncomfortable? Such as, are there things rabbits do that show these moods? I know the internet gives out many of answers to this specific question, but I would like more educated answer from an expert from someone that has more experience from being with rabbits.

Answer
Hi Amelia:

Determining a rabbit mood can be difficult.  While we can come to love our cuddly rabbit as a pet and consider it a part of the family, in nature rabbits are a prey animal low on the food chain and most of their behavior is based on instinct, not mood.  Domestic rabbits are 99.8% identical as wild rabbit in DNA, so like their wild ancestors, their behavior is instinct based - not emotion based.

Us humans often project human emotions on animals, but animals aren't emotion based, they are instinct based - which is very different.

However, just because they don't have emotions doesn't mean they don't have instincts and those instincts do cause them to display certain behaviors.

For example - a frightened rabbit might hide in the back corner or may run in circles in the cage.

An angry rabbit will often stomp its feet or be overly destructive to items in it's cage.

A sick rabbit will be overly still and sleep more.

A healthy, happy pet rabbit will be generally calm, with a reasonable amount of activity and be accepting of touch and handling from its owner.  The best way to know when your rabbit is feeling "off" is to know your rabbit well.  If you know what is normal for your behavior for your particular rabbit, then you'll be able to spot when his behavior is off.

Also keep in mind that different breeds of rabbits behave differently from one another.  Certain breeds are more laid back vs. others that are more active.  This is just another reason to learn what is typical for your rabbit so you can notice if something changes.

I hope this helps answer your question.  It's very hard to equate animal instincts into human emotions, feelings and moods - but all creatures have a way of expressing themselves.

Lisa L.