Rabbit/Human Bond

Question
Hi! I have a few questions about bunny "language" I hope you can help me with. I have a 3 year old neutered male Dutch rabbit that is strictly a "house" bunny. He gets about 12 hours of "free run" time in my kitchen and living room every day. When he is not having his "free run" time, he is in his cage, which is pretty large, and sits about chest high, on a "welded-on" stand. Ben,(my rabbit) has never been cage aggressive...I can pet him in his cage, move his food and toys around, take things in and out, stick my head in there, etc...in fact, he usually "presents" himself to be petted..you know, putting his head all the way down, and gently grinding his teeth--he loves to be petted. Anyway--the problem I am having is that very occassionally over the past 2 years, Ben will go through this period of time where he does not like me to lift him out of his cage. At first, I used to pull him out through the front..("scoop" and pull) which he was fine with for awhile, then he started to tense up, and grunt/slightly growl when I would go to pull him out. He has NEVER nipped or bit, ever. Since he didn't like this method of getting him out of his cage, I started lifting him out the top---again, this worked fine for awhile. Now, he is grunting/slightly growling when I go to get him out of the cage again. The funny thing is, even though he makes those noises when I go to pull him out, he has never even attempted to bite or nip, and if I persist, he usually relents eventually, and lets me pull him out. Every time I pull him out, I hold him for a minute, and pet him, and he ALWAYS licks my face. What does this mean? I mean what is he trying to say to me? Is he trying to tell me that he's annoyed, but that because he loves me, he'll forgive me? Ben is very affectionate towards me, and the only time he ever acts like this is when he's being pulled from his cage. Every night after his "free run" time, I hold him while I watch TV, and he cuddles on my chest, and continually licks the side of my face for about an hour. He also "gazes" at me with this look of love and friendship...(I know that sounds "corny", but I don't know how else to describe it!) He is also pretty submissive...I can flip him on his back to cut his nails, or groom him, and when I flip him back up---again, he licks my face. Does this mean he is really bonded to me? I kind of solved the cage problem by shoving his cardboard box up in front of the cage door, and letting him hop out on his own. This seems to work fine. I am just having a hard time not taking the grunt/growl thing personally when I go to remove him--I guess I don't undertand what he is trying to tell me, and then why he licks my face afterward even though he was obviously just annoyed. I would let him stay in his cage if he wants, but he is a little overweight, and needs the exercise, and once he's out he loves his "free run" time. He also licks my face when I lay by him on the floor while he's out. I know I probably sound like a real weirdo, but I consider us to be pretty bonded, and the cage thing kinda hurts my feelings. Could you give me your honest opinion on whether it sounds like he really likes me or not, and why or why not you think that? It would help so much if I could understand what he is trying to tell me, and why he is acting like he is. Please feel free to pass this email along to as many people as you need to...I would appreciate any help and reassurance you can give me so much. I hope he isn't starting to not like me or not trust me! Thank you so much for your help, and I hope you don't think me to weird! God bless, Heather  

Answer
It sounds as if he doesn't like being lifted out of the cage.  Do you have an alternative, such as a ramp for him to go down?  I realize the cage is very high.  When you pull him out and he licks you, he is most likely saying, darn it, please let me down.  He isn't biting, but the licking is his equivalent.

Now when you are sitting with him watching TV, that is grooming, which is a normal rabbit behavior, since you are his bonded mate, so to speak. (Rabbits are very social and when paired or in groups groom each other.)  

I would say, like Gina in the previous email, that he likes you very, very much, and he is politely expressing to you his displeasure with being picked up.

There are a number of rabbit owners who would like to have such an affectionate rabbit, so I think you are very lucky!

Kim