Rabbits on Video

House Rabbits in their Natural Habitat

We have new videos of house rabbit antics. The color maybe a bit off & dark because the clips were shot with existing light bulbs and the images are a bit fuzzy because of high compression. Since rabbits don't typically make sounds, the video clips have no audio. Most of these clips are about 30 seconds and less than 1MB. Click on the picture for an avi file. Click on the text link for a mov file.

Sir Lancelot (recently adopted) is a very affectionate rabbit who enjoys grooming humans, especially Natalie. And who can blame him? Download a QT file here.

Sir Lancelot keeps going. Download a QT file here

Chestnut grooms himself & then Abby pokes her head in to groom him. Download a QT file here

More contented bunny grooming. Bonded rabbits have a wonderful, happy life together. Download a QT file here

Abby is eating a banana slice. Some people have observed a full body twitch & become alarmed when seeing their rabbits do this. Like binkies, people don't know what to make of this since it is not widely described. But rest assured, your rabbit is very happy & enjoying themselves, like a tail-wagging dog. Sorry the color is off, but the video was shot under a dim, fluorescent light. Download a QT file here

Mutual grooming again shows affection & devotion to each other. Download a QT file here

Abby is a female but mounts Chestnut as a show of dominance. Both have been altered. Bonded rabbits consent to this, but often get tired of the persistent action. If they do not have a good relationship, the rabbit on the bottom will fight back. If they like each other, the bottom rabbit will just try to get away. Chasing & circling each other is a middle stage where both are somewhat aggressive. Abby is a spunky & healthy 10 year-old senior rabbit. Here they both eventually break it up. Download an AVI file here. Download a QT file here.

Rabbits at Play on Video

Just before Christmas 2001, somebody abandoned around 40 rabbits in a field near Rescue, California. Several of the rabbits were injured from predators or had illnesses and had to be euthanized. El Dorado county animal control captured most of the rabbits and cared for them with the help of Sacramento House Rabbit Society volunteers and your donations. Most of the rabbits have since been adopted after their rescue. A few were pregnant and gave birth.

Rabbit breeding is a risky business because it can rapidly get out of hand. Rabbits mature & breed incredibly fast. Few people are prepared to cope with the complications or have the resources to properly care for all the new lives they are responsible for, as this incident shows.

Remember to adopt a pet from your local animal shelters or the House Rabbit Society and save a life. Eliminate the financial incentive for breeders.

In addition to the original rabbits rescued in the field, there is now a second generation resulting from the the rabbits' abandonment. Although absolutely adorable, baby bunnies soon become a handful with their instinctive, frenetic activities. The best way to enjoy them is through pictures & video and never attempt to "have just one litter" so you can watch the babies grow.

These guys love to play & socialize with each other. They are quickly growing up. Download a 2.3 mg quicktime file here.			Exploring the new world. Download a 1.5 mg file here.
The whole gang wants to see what's happening. Download a 2.7 mg file here.			Watch how quick the bunnies move. This is were "quick like a bunny" comes from. Download a 3.9 mg file here.
Moving at the speed of thought. More darting around. Download a 2.1 mg file here.

Traditionally, rabbits have been placed in outdoor hutches and not interacted with as members of the family. With a few of the video clips below we hope to give you some idea of why and how these adorable animals have made such an impression on us, and why keeping rabbits indoors is the best way to enjoy their company and enrich your life and theirs.

The rabbits shown below are typical of house rabbits. They were rescued, spay/neutered and adopted into a home where they are loved & enjoy plenty of play and exercise time, a healthy diet, and lots of care and attention.

In rescuing rabbits, our members are exposed to the full range of the animals' personalities. This is part what makes fostering so rewarding: you see the full potential and range of behavior of rabbits. You get glimpses of joyful & adorable behavior you might not otherwise. You realize each rabbit is an individual and precious.

This is a seldom captured example of house bunny joy & exuberance. This is the classic "Binki" where bunny hops & jumps for no reason other than they're so excited to be with you that they can't contain themselves. Download a 975 kb, 12 second Quicktime file here			Foster bunny Kona loves kissing his human. Rabbits occasionally enjoy this activity with their humans. Kona is one of those rare, uninhibited fellows who kisses at the drop of a hat. Rabbit kisses are not as slobbery as dogs because their tounges are smaller & have less saliva. Their tounges are rough & have a sand papery feel. Download a 1 mg, 18 second Quicktime file here.
Humans with rabbits enjoy watching them doing the simplest things, just enjoying their existence. Spot's markings exaggerate rabbits' famous nose twitching . Download a 1.1 mg, 21 second Quicktime file here.			Heather enjoys her lip-smacking hay in a 1.2 mg, 24 second file 1. Notice her side-to-side chewing in a 535K, 5 second file 2 here.

Below the two larger rabbits are a bonded pair. The smaller one is a new friend to the couple. Domestic rabbits are descended from European Wild Rabbits, who live in groups, are very social and form their own hierarchy. When they live together in a house they are never lonely and enjoy each other's company (to find out more about bonding rabbits, click here)

These lucky rabbits' human has a video camera and isn't afraid to use it! Check back with this page occasionally for additional behavior examples like "dancing" and "trancing" .

This is a longer view of Abby grooming. It's a 50 second, 2.7 mg file. View it here.			The larger bunny (Abby) grooms Cece. Cece happily returns the favor. Grooming acknowledges status, displays affection, is a sociable activity, and is good hygiene for rabbits. Click here to download a 1.5 mg, 20 second QuickTime file.
Leg positioning is important to rabbits. Being able to run is bunny's primary survival skill. By extending her legs out (fore & hind) she displays she is completely secure & happy in her environment. Click here to see a 745KB, 9 second file of the completely contented couple.			Rabbits are very neat and clean and spend a lot of time grooming themselves. They'll clean their ears, paws, & anywhere else they can reach. Click here to download a 348KB, 4 second QuickTime file.
Rabbits yawn, shake themselves & wake up from a snooze similar to cats. It's a good time to check out those sharp little teeth. Click here to see Jon wake up in a 1.2 mg 16 second file.			Again, grooming is a very obvious sign of friendship, compatibility, and affection. Click here to download a 2 mg, 26 second file. When Abby is done, she snuggles next to Jon & expects his reciprocity. Cece joins the fun too.
Ears are important organs for rabbits. Hearing is a major survival tool. Large ears also regulate body heat & cooling. Watch Abby try to figure out where the chirping bird is coming from as she aims her ears for a better listen. Click here to download a 2.2 mg 36 second video in stereo of Abby's ears in action.			Flopping on their side is often misunderstood by the new rabbit companion. It appears the bunny is having spasms when he drops on his flank after running around, his eyes flutter, & he shakes his head and body. Actually, bunny is saying he is happy as can be & is entering that special place of rabbit nirvana. Click here to view a 1.3 mg, 18 second file.

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Last updated February 16, 2007