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Why do rabbits grunt at you when you try to clean out their cages2007-11-24 22:19:48

Yes it is a territorial thing. They grunt when they are irritated, sometimes they will also slap your hands with their paws. Neutered/ Spayed rabbits do it too, although, spaying and neutering can help with a territorial bunny, and all house bunnies should be spayed anyway. Try www.rabbit.org or google search for the page "language of the lagomorphs" which will tell you a lot about bunny behavior.

A bigger cage might also be in order. You can make your own using NIC cubes, a wire cube organizing thing that you can find at target in boxes of 23 panels each for 14.99. Use zip ties to attach them together, as they are more sturdy that the attachers that come in the box. Also, if you do not currently use a litter box, try it. Bunnies are very neat animals and take naturally to it. That way bunny will be happy not to be standing in filth, and you'll be happy because there is less cage to clean. Bunnies should be able to have free running time at least an hour a day in your house as well. It will make him a lot happier.

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it is being terrotorial, you need to spend more time with it

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Not all rabbits do that, it depends on the rabbit. I've got a rabbit myself and it does the same thing! It just wants to show you that it is his territory! It's absolutely normal. But try to clean the hutch out when the rabbit is NOT IN THE HUTCH! lol.x

ps If you spend more time with him/her she will get used to the fact that cleaning the hutch is somethin thats you've gotta do.

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i think this is because they have got their cage to how they like it and when u clean it out u r messing it up, so they get annoyed. cos mine does it too

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Everyone has pretty much said everything there is to say on the rabbit grunting because it's territorial. However, nobody has mentioned that the reason the bunny grunts is because rabbits have no vocal cords, and it can only make grunting or huffing noises and a sound that is similar to a child screaming.

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My son had a rabbit but I had to do the cleaning wearing my M'cycle gloves as he not only grunted, he flew at me biting chunks out of skin and bone as if it were soft carrot. I think he saw it as a preemptive attack on what is his. The vet laughed at me and called me a wimp when I suggested he wear my gloves to handle Brute, but he stopped laughing after we stopped the bleeding and got some tape on his thumb.

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because they are attached in their cage and they're maybe afraid not to find again that refuge.

second reason: they stamp to go in a cleaned cage.