Rabbit thumping

Question
My brother and I just got new rabbits. His is a little bit older than mine but they are both of the same breed, Holland Lops. We have a big cage that we divided in half to put both rabbits in until they get bigger and older. Whenever we go downstairs(our basement) to feed them, my bunny is sitting in the corner and his starts thumping. It's getting us worried because we read that bunnies can thump hard enough to break there own backs. We also dont want my bunny to be stressed. What can we do to prevent the thumping?

Answer
Rabbits thump their hind feet to signal danger. Some rabbits will thump one foot on the ground, some will thump both hind feet at the same time. Rabbits aren't very vocal so thumping is their way of communicating. Usually this means they have heard something odd and it could be potentially harmful e.g.. A cat outside the door. Sometimes when you surprise rabbits they will thump at you to show their displeasure at being caught unawares. Thumping can also be an expression of displeasure, for example "Don't ever pick me up and hug me ever again!".