INTRODUCTION

If you haven't had the opportunity to interact with a bunny it can be confusing to understand its behaviour at first. You may even become frightened or worried by some of their behaviour. Their manner of expression may vary from that of other domestic animals, bearing in mind that they are also a prey species.

Despite appearing quiet and elusive, they are very intelligent, sociable and entertaining. They have a specific body language with a wide range of meanings that will let you know about their physical and emotional state, in this case we will talk about why they rub against objects or your hands.

THE RABBIT AND TERRITORIALITY

Rabbits are gregarious but very territorial animals (as we have talked about in other articles about giving them a companion) and they love to make it clear that everything within their reach is theirs: their owner, their dish, house, cushions, toys and other animals (whether or not they are of the same species).

Rabbits have many different ways of marking their territory, and some are more endearing than others, which can become a real nuisance.

WAYS OF MARKING TERRITORY

• RUBBING THE CHIN AGAINST EVERYTHING: Rabbits have a small area under their chin called the ‘button’, the ‘button’ is an olfactory gland which secretes a slight substance which has all the information about the rabbit: sex, age, whether or not it is neutered.... And it is one of the most common and most pleasant ways for rabbits to mark their territory.
  
  

• URINE: This form of marking is more common in males and is usually done by spraying (they jump by turning and urinate in the air), females can also do this to a lesser extent.
  
  

• EXCREMENTAL: Another way of marking territory. Defecating outside the litter box is one of the first signs of sexual maturity in rabbits.
  
  

WHAT TO DO WHEN MY RABBIT MARKS EVERYTHING TOO MUCH?

When our rabbit marks its territory too intensely and coexistence becomes impossible (it urinates everything, including children) or its behaviour becomes aggressive due to hormonal issues, the best solution is to castrate our rabbit. After a few days or weeks these uncomfortable behaviours (urinating or defecating) will diminish and will make living together much more pleasant and easier; the issue of chin marking does not usually disappear in any case (castrated or not) but it is not something that stains or is unpleasant.

CONCLUSION

Rabbits can be very intelligent, affectionate, sociable and very funny, but without a proper education and a good relationship with people, based on positivism, they can become very frightened, aggressive and stubborn and, therefore, do things that we do not like. Territory marking is one of them, but the solution lies in neutering.