Rabbit Socialization

Rabbits are very social animals. House rabbits become part of the family, just as cats, dogs, and birds do, and often get along well with these other animals. It is not uncommon to see a house rabbit grooming the cat or dog or another rabbit. Socialization takes time, especially between two rabbits, where the process is called bonding. Until two rabbits are bonded, they tend to be territorial and can be a danger to each other.

A rabbit needs at least two hours per day of out-of-cage time in a safe environment (see house proofing below). The strong muscles in his back legs will weaken if he is not given opportunities to run, jump, and play. When a rabbit plays, he will often do a binky, which is a happy dance where he will jump into the air, turn around, and take off running. This is the equivalent of a dog’s tail wagging or a cat meowing. When calm and being petted on the head, he will gently grind his teeth with contentment. Rabbits enjoy gentle, quiet attention from their human counterparts, although most do not like to be cuddled, which takes them too far from their natural comfort zone as prey animals. A house rabbit typically learns his name and comes when called. Other tricks include begging and jumping hurdles.

House rabbit organizations warn that a rabbit does not make a good pet for small children because they do not know how to stay quiet, calm, and gentle around the rabbit. As prey animals, rabbits are alert, timid creatures that startle easily. They have fragile bones, especially in their backs, that require support on the belly and bottom when picked up. Children nine years old and older usually have the maturity required to care for a rabbit.

It is recommended that dogs and cats generally not be left alone with rabbits as their predatory instincts (or overenthusiastic play) can lead to the dog or cat attacking the rabbit spontaneously. Many owners have found, however, that after careful introduction their dog or cat does get along well with their rabbit.