# Licking carpet...



## funnybunnymummy (Feb 10, 2010)

So Gus has developed another odd trait in the last few days: He'll flop on the carpet in the living room, then stretch his head out and start licking the carpet. Then he'll sit up, lick the toes on his front feet for awhile, then the carpet, then his toes again, then the carpet, etc. We have to watch him because the licking sometimes turns to chewing!

Once he even did it on the lino floor. (But not the chewing.)

What is with my strange bunny?

Anyone else have a rabbit that licks the carpet?

Rue


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## aurora369 (Feb 10, 2010)

My old bunny Wildfire would do this. She would lick the carpet (and sometimes led to nibbling too). There where a couple of spots that she was more prone to licking in.

Baxter will also be licking his paws and start licking the carpet sometimes too. Although if you scratch an itchy spot for him he'll start licking what ever is in front of him which is normally the carpet.

As long as you can keep him from turning licking to eating the carpet, he should be fine with his new habit. 

-Dawn


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## funnybunnymummy (Feb 10, 2010)

Hehe! Oh, good. I'm glad to know he's not a complete weirdo. 

Rue


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## Hazel-Mom (Feb 10, 2010)

He sounds like a happy, contented bunny, who loves his home 
Licking and grooming are like bunny kisses, and some bunnies will lick anything close if they can't lick a friend.
Hazel will sometimes lick the furniture, or the bricks around the fireplace, pillows, or whatever is close. She does prefer to lick our hands/arms/legs though. White Chocolate loved to lick my daughter's hands.


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## funnybunnymummy (Feb 10, 2010)

Well, that's good to hear!

He doesn't lick us much. From time to time he'll lick one or the other of the boys. He's never licked me. (Wish he would!) Nor my hubby.

But he does lick the base of the computer chair. Not quite sure what that's about. I can only think because I often rest my feet there. Oh, and he licks his big red rubber ball. He loves his ball. 

Guess he now loves the carpet, too! :biggrin2:

Rue


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## juliew19673 (Feb 11, 2010)

Curious, have you ever laid on the floor with him (maybe he would lick you)? my bun will do his dead bunny flops and then always lick his feet and/or anything around him. He also jumps up on the couch and scratches at it and then licks it - I think he's trying to claim it as his own and put his saliva on it. Not sure though. So no, your not alone - lol..


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## funnybunnymummy (Feb 11, 2010)

Well, he's only just started doing this a couple days ago. But I will for sure try to get in on the bunny kisses the next time he does it! 

Rue


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## kirbyultra (Feb 11, 2010)

Kirby licks the carpet and the mat in his pen. He flops and just starts licking. I can't ever get him to lick me though.


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## funnybunnymummy (Feb 11, 2010)

Aw, Kirby sounds like Gus. He was a rescue too, right? 

I think Gus has trust issues and maybe some abandonment issues too (why he stops eating whenever we go away). I think Gus had a good home at one time and really loved that person (he's had some proper handling and training before, I'm sure of it), but now that he's been bounced around a bit and had his heart broken, he's just not as trusting. Y'know?

We're actually coming up on his 6 month gotcha anniversary (the point at whichhis previous owners dumped him), so I'm hoping once that passes he'll realize that he's not going anywhere and will really start to bond with us! 

Rue


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## tonyshuman (Feb 11, 2010)

The writers of The Language of LAgomorphs say that licking inanimate objects, particularly when you're petting a bunny, is the bunny's way of saying that they appreciate what you're doing but won't stoop to the level of licking a lowly human. Tony does this a lot--he licks the couch when I'm petting him. Muffin will lick me occasionally if I've been petting her for a while and I stop--it's like "Hey! I like that! Don't stop please!"
:inlove:


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## luna21 (Feb 11, 2010)

Trix licks the carpet too, I think its cute, he will be grooming his paws then he turns to the carpet, its actually funny to watch:apollo:


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## kirbyultra (Feb 12, 2010)

*funnybunnymummy wrote: *


> Aw, Kirby sounds like Gus. He was a rescue too, right?
> 
> I think Gus has trust issues and maybe some abandonment issues too (why he stops eating whenever we go away). I think Gus had a good home at one time and really loved that person (he's had some proper handling and training before, I'm sure of it), but now that he's been bounced around a bit and had his heart broken, he's just not as trusting. Y'know?
> 
> ...


Yep, Kirby was adopted. He was owner-surrendered, and he was kinda ignored as an outdoor hutch bun I think. He has trust issues, but he really loves being pet now. It took him 7 months in my care to really let me touch him without too much anxiety. It was the 1 year mark before he was really comfortable with the home and his life, and the people & buns in it. I think he would only lick the carpet if he was really feeling at home there. I take it as a positive thing.


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## kirbyultra (Feb 12, 2010)

*tonyshuman wrote: *


> The writers of The Language of LAgomorphs say that licking inanimate objects, particularly when you're petting a bunny, is the bunny's way of saying that they appreciate what you're doing but won't stoop to the level of licking a lowly human. Tony does this a lot--he licks the couch when I'm petting him.


:rofl:


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## Amy27 (Feb 12, 2010)

*tonyshuman wrote: *


> The writers of The Language of LAgomorphs say that licking inanimate objects, particularly when you're petting a bunny, is the bunny's way of saying that they appreciate what you're doing but won't stoop to the level of licking a lowly human. Tony does this a lot--he licks the couch when I'm petting him. Muffin will lick me occasionally if I've been petting her for a while and I stop--it's like "Hey! I like that! Don't stop please!"
> :inlove:


Thanks for that Claire. Chase always licks the carpet when I am petting her. I always wondered why she did it. She doesn't lick the carpet except when I am petting her.


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## pintoluver112104 (Feb 13, 2010)

My bunny DQ does the same thing. She licks everything she can find, the cage, the floor, the walls, my feet...she's a strange little character.


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## ninetoes01 (Feb 18, 2010)

yep, Cinder does this too! I definitely think it's an affection thing like someone else already stated! I think if you really were another bunny, they would be grooming each other t the same time, but we're a lot bigger and farther away, plus we have clothes on so licking us isn't always ideal!


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## DixieDoodle (Mar 19, 2013)

My bun does the same thing, ive been google-ing it ans such and havnt found much answers besides that they are happy. I was worried my rabbit would be ingesting carpet fuzz and get sick. but glad to know shes not the only one!


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## Troller (Mar 20, 2013)

My buns lick the carpet, their mats, their stuffed toys etc. but never their humans. As long as they're happy I guess...no good stinkers not tossing any affection my way...


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## Katielovesleo3 (Mar 20, 2013)

Buster licks, his water bowl, the floor, the wall, the threshold, the floor again, the dining table, the chairs, the floor again, his other bowl, my phone, himself, the floor again. Lol. We don't have any carpet.


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## Katielovesleo3 (Mar 20, 2013)

Buster has never licked me either :/


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## JBun (Mar 20, 2013)

My two older male rabbits, never lick me  Apparently I am beneath them, when it comes to any consideration of mutual grooming. But they sure like me to groom and pet them. After I give them their nose rubs, they will lick the floor, their cage, whatever is near, anything but me, to show me that they approve of the good nose rubs and pets that I give them. I sure am a good bunny slave! 

This website is pretty interesting and helps explain bunny behavior and how they communicate.

http://language.rabbitspeak.com/


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