It can be interesting to see your rabbit come up to you and give a little headbutt. Many rabbit owners get confused when this happens and it can be an odd to deal with. However, you are still going to wonder, why does my rabbit headbutt me?
A rabbit may headbutt you if it believes you are in the way and/or it wants to assert dominance. In rare cases, a rabbit may rest its head on you and that is a sign of affection or bonding.
If you believe the rabbit is headbutting you vigorously, it might be a sign that you are getting in its way all the time and should move. Otherwise, the rabbit is going to get aggressive by pawing at you!
Key factors to consider:
- Your Positioning
- The Rabbit’s Aggression
- The Rabbit’s Sounds
It is important to take all of these factors into consideration as soon as your rabbit gives you a headbutt. It is an odd sensation, but one you should look to figure out right away.
It is indeed smart to wonder, “Why does my rabbit headbutt me?” because it will let you know how to stop it as soon as you can.
This guide is going to take a look at the question “Why does my rabbit headbutt me?” while also assessing what you need to do to stop a rabbit from headbutting you.
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How to Stop Rabbit From Headbutting You
1. Stop it With Your Hand
It is common to want to give it a quick “NO!” when it happens, but that is not the right approach to something like this.
Instead, your goal should be to just take your hand and place it in front of the rabbit’s head. This will cause it to pause and that is what will get it to eventually stop.
You don’t have to be aggressive as that is not the right way to go. It will only make the rabbit anxious or even more aggressive depending on how it takes your behavior.
It is in your best interest to not only ask “Why does my rabbit headbutt me?” but also make sure you are doing your best to control the issue calmly.
This is only going to take something as simple as putting your hand on the rabbit’s head to get it to stop. It will send a clear message that it is not going to get anywhere by doing this.
2. Give it a Gentle Pat
It is also a good idea to give a gentle pat to the rabbit after it headbutts you.
This is similar to putting a hand in front of the rabbit or just resting it on the rabbit’s head. By doing this, you are going to help the rabbit ease up a little bit.
In a lot of situations, rabbits are going to respond well to this and are going to calm down right away.
If not, you will have to be more forceful and place your hand on the rabbit’s head. This should do well in keeping it as relaxed as possible while knowing you are the dominant one.
3. Don’t Raise Your Voice
This is a mistake that a lot of people make right after they ask “Why does my rabbit headbutt me?”
You do not and should not raise your voice in front of a rabbit when it gives you a headbutt. By doing this, all you are going to do is startle the rabbit.
They are not going to feel comfortable around you and that could lead to an extended period of anxiety.
It is a lot better to be relaxed about it and just make small tweaks to train your rabbit. Give it a pat on the head and let it relax.
Final Thoughts
“Why does my rabbit headbutt me?”
The rabbit is going to give you a headbutt when it feels you are getting in the way of its path. It may also look to give you a headbutt when it believes you can be dominated.
There are different scenarios where this happens, but it is always important to take action softly. Just a small pat on the head tends to do the trick in most cases.
Otherwise, you can also just give it a rub and treat to help ease the rabbit’s aggression.
Here is more on rabbits – noises mother rabbits make during birth, apartments for keeping rabbits, giving quaker oats to a rabbit, and pink eye in rabbits.