Why Do Rabbits Lick You? 12 Common Reasons

Having a rabbit for a pet can be one of life's most satisfying, adorable, and fun activities. Rabbits, or, as many people affectionately call them, bunnies, are full of personality, and most love to be cuddled and petted. One trait you might have noticed is that your rabbit has a habit of perpetually licking you. Why do bunnies do this, and is it a good sign or bad? To find out, read on! Below are 12 reasons your rabbit licks you, plus many more fascinating facts about this interesting rabbit habit!

The 12 Reasons Why Your Rabbit Licks You

1. Your Rabbit Loves You

While many people might be unaware, rabbits feel affection for their owners and like to show it by licking them. Think of it as their way of saying, “I love you, so let me clean you up a bit.” You should note that not all rabbits love to lick, and if yours doesn't lick you, it doesn't mean they don't love you.

2. Your Bunny Wants to Establish Its Dominance

Like dogs and cats, rabbits try to show dominance in several ways, and licking is one of them. Usually, this type of dominance-based licking behavior is found in adult rabbits that haven't been neutered or spayed.

Rabbits do the same thing to other wild rabbits and often follow up their licks with a slight nip. Does this mean that your rabbit doesn't love you? No, not at all. Their hormones drive them to act a certain way, similar to what they would do in the wild.

3. Your Rabbit Is Hungry

One of the most prominent reasons your rabbit will lick you is to remind you to feed them and tell you they’re hungry. Hunger is usually the reason why your rabbit licks your hand often. This is especially true if you often feed your rabbit or give them snacks by hand. They know or believe that food is coming when they see your hand.

4. Your Rabbit Wants Attention

Similar to dogs and cats, a rabbit will lick you if they want to get your attention. This is especially true if your rabbit feels very close to you or if they’re lonely. Rabbits are social animals that like being around other rabbits, humans, and pets. If your rabbit licks you whenever they see you, it might be its way of saying, “Hey, pay a little bit more attention to me, please.”

5. Your Rabbit Wants to Groom You

Rabbits lick their fur to groom themselves. In the wild, rabbits also lick other rabbits to show affection. If your rabbit is licking you, it might want to groom you to show affection. If a rabbit grooms itself often, it will typically groom its owner frequently. What's even more fascinating is the reason behind grooming, which is to eliminate any odor a rabbit might have. That's a defense mechanism in the wild, as the more potent a rabbit's scent, the higher the risk it will fall prey to a wolf, fox, or other large predators.

6. Your Rabbit Is Bored

One of the more common reasons a rabbit will lick its owner is because it's bored out of its mind. It’s not a bad thing, per se, but it does let you know that you should play with, pet, or otherwise engage with your rabbit. You can prevent boredom by spending more time with your rabbit or getting another bunny to keep it occupied.

7. Your Bunny Is Telling You It’s Happy

A happy rabbit will do some very interesting things to show that it's happy, and licking you is one of them. It's their way of being playful and inviting you to play also. When a bunny licks you because it's happy, that's an excellent sign because it tells you that your bunny is healthy and content.

8. Your Rabbit Wants to Mate With You

Rabbits that have not been spayed or neutered and have reached sexual maturity, about 3 months of age, might lick you because they want to mate with you. While this might sound strange, it's a rather common behavior in bunnies that haven't been “fixed” due to all the hormones raging in their little bodies.

If you plan to breed your bunny, this is a great sign. If not, veterinarians recommend having your rabbit spayed or neutered. This can prevent any behavior in your bunny that could become problematic. Also, spaying or neutering your bunny can reduce its risk of several types of cancer.

9. Your Rabbit Is Saying “Hello”

Many people who own rabbits have to leave them alone during the day while they work, shop, and do all the other mundane daily tasks. If that's you, and your rabbit licks you when you get home, they’re probably saying “hello” because they missed you. Even better, if your rabbit licks you but doesn't lick other people, that's a likely sign that they’ve bonded strongly with you.

10. Your Bunny Buddy Is Saying “I’m Sorry”

In the wild, after two rabbits fight, they will often lick and otherwise groom each other. It's their way of saying, “Sorry if I hurt you,” or something similar. Domesticated rabbits often do the same thing to their owners, especially after doing something “bad.” If your rabbit is licking you to say it’s sorry, you should accept its apology by kissing it back and brushing its fur. This will let your bunny know you accept their apology, just like in the wild.

11. Your Rabbit Wants To Be Petted

Earlier, we mentioned that a rabbit would lick your hand if it's hungry and wants to be fed. However, rabbits will also lick your hand if they want you to pet them. That's especially true if your rabbit is licking your hand but has recently been fed. One thing to remember is that if you ignore this request for petting, your rabbit might get angry with you. That's why, if your ravishing rabbit is asking to be petted, you should take a moment and respond to their request.

12. Your Bunny Trusts You Unconditionally and Feels Safe With You

In the wild, rabbits are constantly under the threat of falling prey to large predators like foxes, wolves, and more. It's very rare for a rabbit to be close to any other animal besides other rabbits. If your rabbit is licking you a lot but gets plenty of attention, food, and all of its other needs fulfilled, it's most likely because it trusts you unconditionally. What's even more interesting is that if a bunny grooms you by licking you, it means they feel very safe. That's because when rabbits groom themselves in the wild, they become very vulnerable to predators.

Final Thoughts

Did you find the 12 reasons that rabbits lick you as fascinating as we did? We hope so and hope the information provided today has given you some insight into the reasons why rabbits lick their owners. In most cases, it's a positive thing and means your bunny buddy is happy, likes you, and wants to let you know they feel safe with you.

Your rabbit might also be hungry, of course, or if they’re an adult and haven't been fixed, they might even want to make you their life partner. Whatever the reason your rabbit is licking you, there’s nothing wrong with letting it lick you as much as it likes.

Featured Image Credit: KArd, Shutterstock