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Why do bunnies stamp their feet?

H

Hells

Warren Scout
Hello

Why do bunnies stamp their feet?

I've only had my bunnies since Saturday, Poppit stamps her feet lots.

She does it in the cage, she does it when she is out for a run, if I hold her for a cuddle and put her back in her cage she does it more than ever.

Do you think she is showing pleasure or is she upset? Perhaps she is showing she is boss to me and her brother?

Her brother does not stamp at all.

Any suggestions?
Thanks!
 
Do you mean thumps her feet?? they generally do it when they are scared!

Alfie does is every now and again for absolutely no reason!

She probably doesn't like being cuddled/picked up which is why she thumps alot when you put her back??
 
My Cassie used to do it for no reason at all. She could be sat all nice and quiet and suddenly decide to thump and scare us to death.
 
If she hasn't been with you long its probably because she's a little nervous about her new environment. As for why some bunnies thump and others don't... well some are just more 'nervous' than others, in the same way humans are!

Bunnys thump their feet when they're scared, and also to warn others of danger. So, she may be 'warning' her brother of the 'dangers' of the new environment. My bunny does it when we move stuff around and things aren't where she's expecting them to be, so she had a good old thump when the xmas tree came down just to let us know that she had quite liked it there!
 
Mine do it when they are spooked or if they are angry with something. Gypsy used to thump her feet soon after being picked up as if to say " don't ever do that again!" she doesn't do it so much now though. Storm used to thump at gypsy when they first met because he was scared of her, he was a baby and a lot smaller, that was only a few weeks ago now he's the same size and still growing :D
 
Skip mainly does it when hes scared of something but sometimes does it when he's happy and then spins round or flys off and blinkies afterwards :lol:
 
Holly used to thump when I first got her.. guess she was just a bit scared back then.... I haven't heard her do it for a while so I guess she's settled in now.

She does still do a little flick on the fllor but I think she does it just to keep me on my toes!! :lol:
 
some of mine do it if I am giving one more attention than the other to tell me they are their. They do do it mainly when they are scared or warning others of danger.
 
Benny did it a couple of times when he first went outside in his hutch - I guess all the new sounds of traffic and the wind spooked him a bit.

Maa has only done it when I sit on my bed while she's lying underneath - It is actually not my bed but HER bed :lol: she's not happy with me sitting there and is telling me so - I'm not sure if she's nervous about it though - she knows my shoes very well, and is totally relaxed otherwise - so I'm not sure on that one...makes me jump out of my skin though :shock:

Tia does it when I let her out of her crate if she's been in there all day - it's a cross thump and she's like telling me off for not letting her out sooner :oops:
 
Kahlo does that too... if I come downstairs in the morning and don't let her out of her cage straight away she starts thumping and creating as much havoc as possible until I do. Then I have about a minute to make sure her breakfast is on the front of her before she starts thumping again.... guess who is in charge in our house!
 
Just to add to the 'my bunny does it when he/she is scared' posts!

Poppy is a thumper, whenever she gets scared or angry - after a loud noise/when I lock them in the pet carrier/whenever Albert (her boyfriend) isn't paying her enough attention (!!!!!).

She sometimes just thumps for apparently no reason, one minute she's in the corner thumping, the next she's binkying around or stretched right out having a snooze! I just put it down to her being a teenager!
 
Yes mine do it too,normally if theyv got the hump :roll: :D also if they dont want to be picked up,and especially if we go to the vets they will do it all the way there and while we are waiting lol, :lol:
 
Sounds like she's excited or scared. Remember many rabbits don't like being picked up, so try to do it on her terms rather than just reaching in and picking her up straight away. Take things in slow stages, and she should feel more comfortable.

Good luck!

AMETHYST
 
Bindi thumps when shes in one of her moods. She thumps in the middle of night, maybe because shes not getting attention. She thumps if we don't feed her quick enough.
 
Penny thumps just before she dose a binky and freckles thumps in frustration if i feed the other two first :roll:
 
Quinn does the odd one if you make him jump but he mainly does it if you dont let him out of his hutch that night for some reason - like last night we got back really late he gave me a massive guilt trip by running up to the hutch door and letting me pick him up which he never does and then he spent ages thumping once we had gone to bed and his hutch is below our bedroom window so you can hear him and he make leo bark - its not the first time so he seems to do it to show his disapproval at not coming in to play
 
jack thumps his feet if i stop fussing him but sometimes for no reason i think he is telling me "im here play with me more!!!" he is an attention seeker :lol:
 
Niamh stamps all the time!!! :shock: when she's stropping about something, if a loud car goes past and scares her, if she's bored in the night and wants to be let out her cage :?

Toffee and caramel both stamp and growl when they're in a mood or sometimes just if i should dare to speak to them :?

Amy stamps when fudge won't play chase with her any more! :lol:

the only time i've hear fudge stamp was when i tried to bond him with toffee and caramel, he really wasn't a happy bunny! :(

I don't think Splodge stamps at all! Strangely enough it's my stroppy females :shock: :? :lol:
 
Rudy does it for attention a sort of 'Look At Me' action. Also does it if he doesnt get his own way :lol:
 
Heather is an expert at both the thump and the "foot flick". If I ever pick her up (not often) or if I do something that displeases her, such as blocking her route to where she wants to go, but I don't want her to, she runs away from me flicking her back feet loudly. You can almost hear the displeasure :lol: I am but a piece of scum whose only function is to ensure that she is fed, watered and happy :lol:

Last time I took her and her companion Harry to the vets, she stamped like mad as soon as she was allowed back into the carrier - obviously telling Harry "do NOT go out there, they stick needles in you and stuff".
 
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