Thumping

Hello,
This is my first time to the forum ao please bear with me. I've looked for answers elsewhere but I have quite a specific question so I thought it would be worth starting a thread. I am a first time rabbit owner, my partner has had rabbits before but a while ago when she was a kid so we know the basics but just trying to figure out the nuances of how to understand a rabbit's behaviour. We have a 9 month old house rabbit; he lives with us on his own because we got him from the rabbit shelter where he had been homed twice but failed to bond with the rabbits the other people already owned, so they decided it would be best to house him as a single rabbit. We got him 6 days ago and everything has gone perfectly; he has been binking all over the place, lying down (even on his back sometimes), teeth chattering and he is quite friendly with us, he approches us quite readily and does get particularly scared by our presence. However, when I played guitar yeasterday (it is an electric guitar and I play it without an amp so it is very quiet, though I know rabbits have better hearing than humans - but it is very quiet, about half the volume of the tv which he is not bothered by at all and even sits next to to watch) he looked quite scared; he went very low down to the floor and very hesitantly made his way to his hiding place behind the sofa. He then thumped; I stopped playing and called his name so he thumped again; this happened three or four times. I played guitar again this morning and he did the same thing. Two or three minutes after I stop playing he is fine and very friendly and approachable again. I suppose my question is: is this thumping more likely to be a sign of fear or aggression? And is it just because this is a new noise to him and once he hears it a few times will understand it is not ok, or will he always be like this when I play guitar? Any comments would be helpful. Thank you.

The thumping is normally a warning sign to other buns that there is danger. So it is probably a fear response, though some buns do thump in anger I think. Chances are, it is a new noise to him, and he is unsure whether it is a danger. I'm sure he will get used to it, and the thumping will probably stop. The only time mine thump is at night when I go to the kitchen without turning lights on first, and they are unsure what the noise is.

I'd just reasure him by continuing to talk while you are playing, so it may calm him down. Of give him something nice like herbs before you start playing, so he is distracted.

Yeah sounds like fear, my bun lives outdoors and she sometimes thumps if she hears a noise she doesn't like...we can hear her when we are in bed she is that loud :lol: Bunnies thump to warn other bunnies there is danger. I know that it can ve quite unnerving the first time you hear it! I wouldn't worry though he will probably get used to it. It could be the guitar itself rather than the noise...my daughter had a wendy house & Amber used to thump every time we put it up...don't know what it was about it but she hated it! :lol: They are little characters! x

I'm sure your bunny will get used to it. As long as it's not too loud for him it's probably just because he's never heard a guitar before and is unsure whether or not it poses a threat.

One of my rabbits thumps at around the same time nearly every evening and we have no idea why! They are sensitive little things

... or maybe your guitar playing is pants!!!,:lol:

My bunnies thump if they hear next doors dog barking!

I expect its a new experience and a wee bit worrying for your wee one...

all the best
Fee xx