My rabbit started licking my stuffed animals

[gelliebean]

I have a couple of sentimental stuffies on my bed. The other night I noticed that Momo licks the stuffies. Because of this, I decided to leave the ones she liked in her area. Does this mean she's lonely?

I have chatted with my mom about getting another rabbit friend for her. She's not quite on board yet.. unfortunately I got Momo on a whim. She approached me as a baby feral and I ended up taking her to see if any of the rescues could take her in. None of them accepted her so I ended up keeping her for myself. I never planned to get a rabbit and that same night I did 6 hours of research. Long story short, if I ever wanted a rabbit I would of known that I needed two. I never really planned on having her but when none of the shelters would take her I didn't have the heart to just leave her outside again.

Seeing her lick my stuffed animals broke my heart a little bit. She's still a happy bun but I wondered if she needed a rabbit friend of her own to keep her company. I pay for all of her food and vet expenses myself, but with a rabbit and three dogs my mom isn't interested in bringing in another.

 

[JBun]

It doesn't necessarily mean she's lonely. I know of other rabbits that will lick their stuffies. I don't know if they actually see it as another animal friend and are grooming it, or if it's just one of those things they do where they will lick objects randomly. I've seen my rabbits licking the floor, their blanket, the bars and wood slats in their cage just because, and I'm not sure exactly why rabbits sometimes do this.

Though a lot of times, having a bunny companion can be beneficial and good for many rabbits, some rabbits don't get on with other rabbits and have to remain single, and some can be fine on their own if you provide the companionship they need. If you spend enough time with your bun and she seems content and happy, then I would say she's probably fine. Providing a bunny companion is always something you can reconsider at a later time if you change your mind.

 

[KingBunny]

Licking is an instinctual behavior in rabbits. Most of the time rabbits will lick people or objects as a way to claim dominance or show affection. The smell of people on blankets, pillows, sofas and so on can make your rabbit want to lick these objects.

Hope this helps