• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

who are, our resident rabbit whisperers ?

just wondering who you lot consider our most knowledgeable rabbit experts ?

obviously jane as no.1 (sorry if I've offended anyone by this)

jrn1310 as another one

who else ?

have any of the experts compiled a central rabbit behaviour FAQ to answer common questions like, why does my rabbit...

a) binky
b) lick me
c) turn their back to me
d) digg :?
e) flop
f) fight
etc etc
 
Jane as youve said, almost vetlike with the knowledge and sooz again vetlike knowledge... if i have an emergency i would prey for sooz and Jane being online
 
just wondering who you lot consider our most knowledgeable rabbit experts ?

obviously jane as no.1 (sorry if I've offended anyone by this)

jrn1310 as another one

who else ?

have any of the experts compiled a central rabbit behaviour FAQ to answer common questions like, why does my rabbit...

a) binky
b) lick me
c) turn their back to me
d) digg :?
e) flop
f) fight
etc etc

I am currently doing a survey with a vet student about to finish her last year and she has been doing a piece on behaviour. We have a list of about 58 different recognised behaviours which we hope to 'publish' to show what each one means. It's very interesting.

We are doing the final part this week where we will sit for 6 hours over 4 days monitoring a number of rabbits and marking down their specific behaviour every 15 seconds per rabbit. We did the first part before Christmas - very interesting indeed.

I'd like to be able to give a copy to each person adopting a rabbit so that they can understand (if they have no experience) what their rabbits are doing.
 
I am currently doing a survey with a vet student about to finish her last year and she has been doing a piece on behaviour. We have a list of about 58 different recognised behaviours which we hope to 'publish' to show what each one means. It's very interesting.

I look forward to this, are you going to publish online here too ?
 
I look forward to this, are you going to publish online here too ?

It won't really be up to me as I have only done the donkey work, Kate the student will have to decide how she progresses it.

I am lucky because it looks like she might decide to work locally and be a very bunny savvy vet.

I will be producing something a bit simpler than the work Kate is producing for her theasus, for my own personal use, but it should still contain the same behaviours.

I'll keep you posted!
 
Id probably go to Jane or Sooz, both have helped me out medical wise with my bunnys and I feel confident that the info there giving me is correct! :)
 
have any of the experts compiled a central rabbit behaviour FAQ to answer common questions like, why does my rabbit...

Fortuitously, Dr Anne McBride, who has a PhD in animal behaviour (specifically aspects of social and parental behaviour in the european rabbit) has written a book exactly entitled "why does my rabbit..." It pretty much answers all those questions with reference to their wild origins. It's a good numbe rof years old now but it's still blooming interesting. I'm very much looking forward to her lecture at the RWA conference :)
 
Fortuitously, Dr Anne McBride, who has a PhD in animal behaviour (specifically aspects of social and parental behaviour in the european rabbit) has written a book exactly entitled "why does my rabbit..." It pretty much answers all those questions with reference to their wild origins. It's a good numbe rof years old now but it's still blooming interesting. I'm very much looking forward to her lecture at the RWA conference :)

amazon.co.uk £111.63 ????? :shock:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0285635506/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new
 
Last edited:
As well as those mentioned, I must say, Hugos's there and Jaypot. They see so many long term disabilities and terminal cases, and try new options to keep them going. I'm sure they should both write books.:)
 
:lol::lol: and 3 used for £16.45. Either a typo or out of print so they've put a silly price on it, methinks ;)

This is a great site too, with photos and everything :D
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/rabbittalk.html

Edit: you can buy it from the Hay Experts for £9.99 :D
https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/Books+%2526+Reference.32/Why+Does+My+Rabbit...?.366.html

£9.99 from whsmiths too

http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails-Why+Does+My+Rabbit...+-9780285635500.html

;)
 
I think different members have different fields of knowledge. For instance Jane and Alison (Santa) are good on health issues, Janice is good on bonding and behaviour, some of the breeder members would know more about breeding issues, etc, etc.

As for the forum 'rabbit whisperer'...erm I dunno! I suppose somebody who is good at bringing aggressive or timid rabbits round :lol:
 
I always go to Alison first (Santa) mainly because I have her work email and mobile number so she can't escape me :lol: :lol: (and she knows a thing or two ;))

But I think it is worth saying that any serious problem should be seen by a vet rather than waiting for someone to read your post, I do see posts and think, why are you on the internet, you should be on the way to the vets!
 
Fortuitously, Dr Anne McBride, who has a PhD in animal behaviour (specifically aspects of social and parental behaviour in the european rabbit) has written a book exactly entitled "why does my rabbit..." It pretty much answers all those questions with reference to their wild origins. It's a good numbe rof years old now but it's still blooming interesting. I'm very much looking forward to her lecture at the RWA conference :)

It's an excellent book...I brought mine from Amazon last year and I am sure I paid less than £10 for it, it's full of case studies and well worth a read. You find your self having 'Eureka' moments as you read :lol:.

I've learnt huge amounts from Jane, Santa & Abbysmarysmokey on here and also Lynda from CARROT who has given me quite a lot of advice on another forum.
 
Last edited:
But I think it is worth saying that any serious problem should be seen by a vet rather than waiting for someone to read your post, I do see posts and think, why are you on the internet, you should be on the way to the vets!

I was thinking the same thing, a vet should be the first port of call. However I do think it is great to be able to ask for help on here if you have a difficult problem rather than an urgent one. There is usually someone who has had a similar experience, and that doesn't necessarily have to be any of the more experienced rabbit owners on here. It could be someone who has only had one or two rabbits but just happens to have been through the same thing. It is always great to be able to swap experiences and there is always something new to learn :)
 
If I have an appointment at the vet for an unusual problem (like Squidgy's limp) I like to ask on here first to make sure I have an idea of what the vet should be suggesting. The vet I use now is fantastic though.
There are a lot of knowledgeable people on here, and also many who have been through different experiences with their bunnies. It's good to share!
 
But I think it is worth saying that any serious problem should be seen by a vet rather than waiting for someone to read your post, I do see posts and think, why are you on the internet, you should be on the way to the vets!

i agree even though i am guilty of doing this yesterday :oops::oops::oops:
i think i wasnt thinking clearly as i was so worried about Dora, i knew i should get her to the vets and was doing that alongside my post (phoned my vets first who refused to see her and wanted me to drive across manchester which i couldnt do)... but i suddenly realised that i didnt know if i was supposed to seperate them or keep them together and i panicked :oops::oops:

I always know i can get good advice on here (and usually very quickly) and appreciate all members who have helped me throughout my short time here
 
I've been wondering whether there is any such thing as a Rabbit Whisperer. Is it possible to have a deeper level of communication with an animal like a rabbit which has only ever been bred for meat, fur, etc? Or is that level of communication between animal and man only possible with animals like horses and dogs who have been bred over thousands of years to have a connection with humans?

I DO think it's possible to learn to read rabbit body language, and to learn how to correctly handle a rabbit...but is that the same as being a Rabbit Whisperer? :?
 
Back
Top