Rabbits are known to be very quiet pets. They don’t bark like a dog or meow like a cat. But if you spend enough time with rabbits, you will hear noises that they make.
Honking
Is an outward breathing sound that sounds like a short, quiet and low-toned puff out of a trumpet, or as some people say “it sounds like fingers rubbed against a balloon”. There are many reasons why a rabbit will honk:
- intact (not neutered) males want to mate
- looking for attention
- is excited
- playing or showing enjoyment
- wanting attention
Intact Males
Not neutered male rabbits will honk at a female if he is wanting to mate. Usually, the honk sounds are followed by him circling the female and displaying mating behaviours. Rabbits have instinctive strong impulses to reproduce and usually honking is promoting this activity.
A male will honk at other male rabbits to let them know that he has claimed a female and the others should not go near her.
Neutered Males
It is important to get male rabbits desexed so the hormones that drive the reproductive activities stop being produced. Males can be desexed after 12 weeks of age; however, the older the rabbit, the longer the hormones will take to go away.
It can take anywhere between 6-8 weeks for the hormones to completely stop being produced.
Neutered males may still honk. If they do, it is to show that they are excited and happy. It is a cute part of their personality and helps you understand what makes them happy.
Females
Some female rabbits honk, too. They only do it to show pleasure, like being patted. Honking often leads to purring. They also can honk to show excitement, like when they are getting their dinner.
Honking in every day life
It is common for a rabbit to honk to themselves when exploring, playing and exercising. It’s nothing to worry about. Consider it to be like your bunny laughing.
Neutered rabbits also honk to each other, really quietly. They do that to communicate their mood, and it can mean:
- leave me alone
- I want to play
- I really need your company
- please groom me
- please go away
Grunting
Grunting and honking sound very similar, but the behaviours are completely different, and means your bunny is completely offended:
- nipping and biting
- turning its back on you
- folding ears down
- running away
- flicking tail
Grunting simply means your bunny is disgusted. If it is followed by a hiss, a growl or a bite your bunny is incredibly mad.
Make peace with your bun by offering a treat or changing the subject (give a toy that it hasn’t played with for a long time, food, a treat), put some music on quietly. Don’t touch your bun.
It can be really easy to offend a rabbit, because they don’t always understand that we are being nice to them. Always be patient with your bun.
How can you tell the difference?
Honking between rabbits is fine, it means they are enjoying each other’s company. Grunting is a warning, and one rabbit is annoying another. If the grunting gets really loud and chasing occurs, they should be separated before a fight breaks out. A fight can damage a bond. Bonded rabbits do apologize after falling out, but the damage can be permanent.
I’m honking at you human!
It means they want attention, whether it’s patting or grooming. It is vital to your bunny as it uses patting to establish social standing.
Never ignore your bunny’s honks. They may get offended at your lack of response. If they think you didn’t hear them, they may nip to get attention – if that’s the case, don’t growl at the rabbit. Even though nipping is undesirable behaviour, the best way to stop them nipping is to squeak loudly each time they nip.
Don’t let an unfixed male hump your leg. It is not funny. It just makes the bunny angry because he is not getting what he wants from you. It will make him unwilling to follow commands or accept training, or worst case scenario he will not accept you as “his person”.
Run, rabbit! Run, rabbit! Run, run, run
If your bunny honks when it runs or plays, it is a sign of happiness. Rabbits don’t like being cooped up in a confined area. If your bunny gets limited exercise, they will make the most of it.
The ability to stretch legs and run around is pure joy for buns.
If the running and honking starts when you approach, it could be an unhappy grunt. Your bunny may be worried that you might end it’s exercise. Stand back and see if the honking stops. If so, leave and come back in a few minutes later, or you can change the subject by changing the toys around or putting something new in the pen.
Honking, humping and circling
A rabbit that is circling you (hand or feet) and honking is happy to see you. They want your attention and it’s best to oblige. Make sure you play with your bunny while they are doing that and your bun will be delighted. If it’s a scheduled mealtime, it could also be a reminder.
When you put your bunnies together and they start circling and hoking it means that they are wanting to mate. If your bunnies have not been fixed, separate them at the first sign of this behaviour.
This behaviour needs to be watched with fixed buns too. Some people believe that bonded rabbits observe a strict hierarchy and there will always be a dominant leader and the others will be submissive. The roles are assigned by mounting. This is not the case, there is no dominance and hierarchy in rabbits. Desexed rabbits hump each other (or humans) because they still have those hormones running through their systems, or they have Oxytocin in their brain that has not fully depleted. It can take years to fully deplete if you allow fixed rabbits to hump.
Desexed rabbits with low (or no) Oxytocin levels can contently co-exist without displaying any mating behaviours.
That’s my favourite food!
Bunnies honk when they are enjoying their favourite snack. It means they are enjoying each mouthful of it and they honk for pleasure. You may be lucky to even see a butt-twerk.
Many bunnies honk when they smell food approaching.
If you notice certain foods make your bunny honk more, feed them more often. This is especially important with hay. Your rabbit may prefer one brand of hay over another. Some buns honk when presented with pellets or vegetables.
In most cases, honking means happiness. But be aware of the behaviours that surround it, because it may be a grunt.