You may have noticed your bunny licks themselves regularly to keep up with their meticulous cleaning habits. Bunnies are one of the cleanest animals you can have as a pet. However, you may also start to notice your bunny licking all sorts of miscellaneous things around your home. Ranging from your bedsheets, pillows, couches, carpet, and even you!
Bunnies will lick you to show affection. When bunnies are bonded, they will groom each other as a way of showing love. They will also start to lick things around your home that have your scent. For your bun, parts of your furniture and décor likely have your scent so they will groom these things as its part of ‘you.’
Bunnies will also lick as things as a show of status or hierarchy. Your bun may think they are the boss and will only lick items that have your scent and not you to show they are the dominant partner. If your bunny is more submissive to you, they will constantly groom you as you are seen as the dominant partner.
Why Do Bunnies Lick The Floor?
Bunnies will lick the floor as their way of grooming you. They often see certain areas of your home as you due to your scent. They won’t often lick the floor on their own.
Rather, usually, they will lick the floor while they are being petted and groomed by yourself as a form of reciprocal grooming. When a bonded bunny grooms its partner, the other bunny will groom them back as a show of affection and love.
That’s exactly what your bunny is giving you. Affection and love but by licking the floor rather than you.
Why Do Bunnies Lick Pillows?
Just like your bunny licking the floor, they will often lick your pillows. Our bunny Grooty will come and lick my pillow every morning as a way to tell me to get up and feed her!
Your pillow has your scent all over it as you sleep on it so it will have the strongest scent around your home other than your clothes. So your bunny grooming your pillow for them is just like grooming you.
Why Do Bunnies Lick Your Hand?
Your bunny will lick your hand and skin to show you they love you. However, sometimes it may be a lick for attention to be petted. Our bunny will lick us for both reasons.
It can be obvious when she is licking for attention. If you pet your bunny, then stop, and she starts licking you, then you know she wants more.
Often it can be a combination of both. Your bunny gives you a nose nudge and starts licking you. It’s a sign that she loves you and she wants your attention and to be petted. If you’ve just been eating food with your hands, your bunny may start licking your hands as your skin is extra tasty.
Why Do Bunnies Lick Themselves?
This is part of your bunny’s cleaning process. As meticulously clean animals, bunnies will groom themselves multiple times a day to make sure they are clean. You’ll find your bunny can play outside, flop in dirt, and do zoomies all over your yard and still manage to smell nice and be clean.
