# Circling and Thumping back legs? Meaning?



## OlivesMum (Apr 25, 2005)

Good Afternoon!

First, thank you all for your replies on my post the other day reooping/peeing, Olive was fine by the end of the night, I guess justnervous being in a new home.

Just a while ago, i went over to her cage to see how she was doing.When i got there, she stood up in her cage looking at me, I opened itup to pet her ... she kept nudging my hand and gently biting it nudgingmy hand back as if to say "Pet me!".
When I pet her she'd start going around in circles, like chasing myhand, and i''d start to pet her and she'd thump her back legs at thebottom of the cage. 

I'm not sure what she was trying to tell me but it was quite funny.Maybe she wanted me to take her out... I don't know. She kept thumpingand thumping and going in circles. (She's only 4 months old by the way).

I have to go and get my daughter from the bus so I could not let Oliveout just then. I will in a bit but would be interested to hear what youall think that body language of hers is saying.

Thanks!!


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## VNess2010 (Apr 25, 2005)

Hey! Sounds like she's circlingbecause she is "starting puberty"...she's getting older...and rabbitsthump when they feel there is danger around. Is theresomething around that could be disturbing her?

Good luck

-Vanessa


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## Carolyn (Apr 25, 2005)

Greetings OlivesMom,

Too cute.

The circling is usually a sign of love/courtship. They dothat when they're trying to make an advance. The thumping could beanything from wanting attention, to being mad, to warning others ofdanger, etc.

Check out the Cheat Sheet for Rabbit Care post at the top of the forum,and go into a link for a website about "Rabbit Behavior".It'sa great website with a lot of information about whattheir body language means. 

-Carolyn


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## Snuggys Mom (Apr 25, 2005)

Does she circle when you let her out? Does she make grunting noises? 

Olive just might be an Oliver. Circling and grunting isusually associated with male sexual behavior. They can actlike that at four months. 

But like you said, she may just want attention.


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## Pet_Bunny (Apr 25, 2005)

Glad to hear Olive is fine. 

Pebbles does the same thing, when we are about to pick her upor about to feed her. She does that when she'sexcited. Sounds like Olive is a very happy bun.

Here is the link that Carolyn was mentioning.......

http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html

Rainbows!


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## irishmist (Apr 25, 2005)

As soon as my female saw my husband after a 3month separation she would circle, nudge, and stamp her foot at him. Hewould move his hand around in circles and she would follow it.. it waspretty comical. That behaviour stopped when we got her spayed.

Susan


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## Bramble Briar86 (Apr 25, 2005)

They thump in their mating dance too:?....iagree she may be a he. Briar acts the same way around me, circling,thumping (when let out w/ Bramble, during her being bred), softlygrunting and rearing up onto me with his forelegs and then licking myhands.

Ellie


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## snickers (Apr 25, 2005)

I was going to ask about the thumpingthing. Whenever I let my guy out he will run around and allof sudden he will thump his leg ....sometimes I think he does it toohard and I want to check him but he just runs around again....


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## CMiska (Apr 25, 2005)

my buck would thump his leg with my doe when she wouldnt let him do his thing. I used to laugh it was so cute.


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## Kricket (Apr 25, 2005)

*Pet_Bunny wrote: *


> Glad to hear Olive is fine.
> 
> Pebbles does the same thing, when we are about to pick her upor about to feed her. She does that when she'sexcited. Sounds like Olive is a very happy bun.
> 
> ...




If you haven't looked at that link-you gotta check it out! Great info. Thanks so much for sharing.


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