All About Common Rabbit Behavior
Rabbits have their own unique ways of communicating and interacting with the world. Understanding these behaviors helps you know when your bunny is happy, curious, or comfortable.
Bunny Kiss (Licking)
A bunny kiss—when a rabbit gently licks you—is rare and very special. This behavior means:
Your rabbit trusts you
They see you as part of their “family”
They are showing affection, similar to how they groom other rabbits
Because rabbits are prey animals, trust doesn’t come easily, which makes this behavior priceless.
Periscope (Standing on Hind Legs)
When a rabbit stands tall on their hind legs, it’s called a periscope. This behavior helps them:
Get a better view of their surroundings
Check for food, sounds, or movement
Paw Cleaning (Self-Grooming)
Paw cleaning is very common and completely normal. Rabbits:
Lick their paws and wipe their face, ears, and eyes
Groom themselves several times a day
Use this to stay clean and regulate body comfort
Frequent grooming usually means your rabbit feels relaxed and safe in their environment.
You can see Zita giving a Bunny Kiss. Binky’s Periscope looking around and Zora feeling relaxed paw cleaning.
Binky is a joyful, spontaneous leap into the air, often paired with a twist or kick of the legs. Rabbits perform binkies when they’re feeling happy, energetic, and completely safe in their environment. It’s one of the clearest signs of a content bunny.
Binky
Binky is when a bunny jumps for joy. You can see our foster Solo first Binky as a baby rabbit (kit) through growing up to when he and his Mom (Melody) found their Forever Homes Together.
When a bunny feels safe and secure, they may suddenly “flop” onto their side. This is a sign of deep relaxation and trust—they’re enjoying the world around them.
Bunny Flop
Scanning is when your bunny slowly moves their head from side to side.
Scanning
Yarn
Rabbits, like people, enjoy to yarn.
Rabbits have a two-part digestive system. They produce Cecotropes, which contain vital nutrients, and then eat them directly to absorb those nutrients properly.
Eating Cecotropes
Rabbit Behaviors relaxed bunny, scaning and Yarn. Eating Cecotropes.
Dead Bunny Flop
Your bunny is so relaxed that you have to do a double take to make sure they’re okay. Completely normal—and a big compliment to how safe they feel
Eyes-Open Dead Bunny Flop
Sometimes jokingly called the “Heart Attack Bunny Flop,” this happens when a bunny flops with their eyes open. It can look startling, but it usually means extreme comfort and trust
Grooming Then Bunny Flop
After grooming themselves, some bunnies immediately flop over. This combo is very cute and shows total contentment.
We will show the Dead Bunny Flop (DBF) along with the Heart Attack Bunny Flop. All are normal. They show that you have a very relaxed and safe bunny. We will show our Zora starting her bunny flop.
Playing with rabbit toys
Alert
When a bunny is concerned or curious, they will point their ears and body toward whatever has caught their attention. You may see this if they notice themselves in a mirror for the first time or when they are placed in a new environment. This posture helps them assess whether something is safe.
Tail Wag
Rabbits will wag their tails at times. You need to look at the context to understand what they are communicating.
They may wag their tails when they are happy or curious.
A tail wag can also be a sign of flirting with another rabbit.
However, if a rabbit has a tense body and its tail is pointed upward, it may be a sign that they are not happy.