Lunges for head rubs?

[caitlint770]

Hey guys, i was just wondering if anyone elses bunny lunges their head towards your hand when you go to pet them? Whenever anyone reaches out to pet my male bun, its almost like he gets overexcited and his head dives towards your hand and it looks like hes going to attack but really he just dives his face into the ground under your hand. I find it adorable for the most part, but a lot of my friends seem hesitant to pet him because they're nervous he might bite. He does this when you give him food too, so i think its just his energy level when hes happy.

 

[Hermelin]

Some bunnies have speciall way, for example one of my boys will bite/nip you when you give him food. Because he accidentally bite the wrong thing, so I just warn people and tell them how he will react.

While my other bunny that is skittish, I will tell people how they should move the hands and the normal body language he can send. Just a heads up that if you handle him wrong he will attack but I tell them it’s beacuse he get scared. Which make people better understand him and will follow what I told them to do, which makes both party happy

You can also show your friend when your bunny go for an “attack” and show them that he’s just asking for cuddles. Maybe it will calm your friends and let them know that it’s just a happy sign.

 

[john.thorpe1952]

This is an interesting subject, and as others have rightly pointed out, has so much variation between rabbits,depending on their character and little 'quirks'.I've found that a nudge as I call it,usually means 'hello I'm here and making friendly contact'.I even use the word when talking to my two,and will say things like' Give your Dad a nudge',and they do so,the strength of which depends on how they're feeling ,and whether they've been distracted by food or something else!It's certainly a compliment and you should take it as such,a reward for your efforts to become their friend. My male, Robbie, comes over,nudges and drops down with his chin on the ground to be massaged and stroked.I had read that it was a sign of submission,but I think it is mre subtle than that.They're not really submitting in a sense of inferiority or fear,they're letting you know they want some attention.The more they get,the more they feel at ease with you.I remember the first rabbit I adopted, Kane,who was very timid and had not been handled.He took a while to come round,but one evening,he ran round the sofa and nudged my leg very forcefully-it was quite emotional really,because i knew he was accepting me.

 

[Momma Luvbun]

Yeah, my girl does something similar but I figured out with her, it's not a good thing. For her it is her protective stance to tell me she doesn't approve, at that time. She also makes a grunt with doing it so I know.
She's about a yr and a half old now fixed but she decides when she is to be pet, and never held.