How to Read Bunny Ear Signals

Co-authored by Ryan Corrigan, LVT, VTS-EVN

Last Updated: January 1, 2023

Rabbits are expressive animals and their characteristic, floppy ears are one of the many methods they use to share their feelings. Some postures, like pointing their ears backwards, can have multiple meanings. Thus, you sometimes need to pay attention to the rabbit’s general body language to know what it is communicating.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Recognizing Signs of Happiness

1
Watch for a happy bunny to lay its ears back. When your rabbit’s ears are lying down on their head, intersecting with each other in the back, they are resting. This means that they are content.
- If your rabbit’s ears are lying back against its head but are not touching, this can be a sign that it is frightened. Look at other body language cues to verify if your rabbit seems to be resting or agitated. If the rabbit’s eyes are half closed and it is lying down, it is probably happy. If it is growling, it is probably angry and afraid.^{[1]
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2
Watch for an exhausted bunny to let its ears down a little. If your rabbit is taking a break from exercise, it will often place its ears straight out and back, instead of lying completely down. This is a semi-relaxed pose and generally means that your rabbit wants to take a break before getting back to exercise.

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3
Look for an excited bunny to shake its ears and hop. If your rabbit shakes its ears and then jumps, it is excited about something. Often, it is an invitation to play. Other times, it might be excited about getting fed.^{[2]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Recognizing Attention-Seeking Signals

1
Recognize that your bunny is begging for food with its ears up. Rabbits tend to sit on their hind legs with their nose and ears in the air when they are alert. Domesticated rabbits often assume this position when they are trying to get their owner’s attention and get fed.^{[3]
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- Rabbits can be as bad or worse than dogs with begging! Try to avoid giving your bunny treats or sweets or you may see more begging behavior.
2
Watch for signs of ear trouble with shaking ears. If your bunny shakes its ears and then starts scratching at them, it is trying to get something out of its ear. Often, this is just harmless hair. However, if your bunny has been doing it frequently, it might be because it has ear mites.^{[4]
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3
Be attentive to the differences between a resting and frightened rabbit. If your rabbit's ears are resting against its head, but they are not touching, this can be a sign that it is frightened, rather than resting. If your bunny is frightened, it is also likely to have bulging eyes and will bare its teeth. It will often thump its feet when it is frightened.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Understanding Your Rabbit’s Interaction with Its Environment

1
Watch for alert ears that stand up and/or twitch. When your rabbit’s ears are standing straight up in the air or are twitching, they are listening attentively for something. This generally means that they are alert and aware of something in their surroundings.
2
Watch for a semi-alert rabbit to keep one ear up and one down. When your rabbit has one ear standing straight up and the other lying down, it is listening for sounds, but also trying to relax. This is common for a bunny that is enjoying some sun.
3
Look for an inquisitive bunny to put its ears forward. When rabbits are interested in something, they will often stand on all fours and stretch their tail and their head out. Their nose and ears will be stretched out forward to inspect what is in front of them.