Do Rabbits Cry? {What It Means and How You Can Help}

A rabbit that is alone, in pain or missing you might need to vocalize it sometimes. Do rabbits cry?

What kind of noise does a rabbit make? Do rabbits miss their owners or favorite humans? Do rabbits have tears?

These questions deserve to be answered for anyone who wishes to get to know their rabbit companions a little better. The bond between you and your rabbit is beautiful, essential and valuable, so let’s find out, “Do Rabbits Cry?”

Do Rabbits Cry?

Yes. Rabbits do cry. A rabbit who is in pain, frightened, starving or gravely ill could make crying sounds. This crying from a rabbit is not usually coupled with any tears.

A rabbit who has wet eyes doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she is crying. It could be allergies, an infection or even a dental disease.

Do Rabbits Get Sad?

Even though rabbits are usually social, friendly and docile, they can also become sad and moody. Rabbits can be depressed in enclosures that don’t suit their needs.

The adjustment when bringing in a rabbit to your home can also induce sadness until they build a bond with you. A sick or stress rabbit may also get sad. A sad rabbit will also move seem lethargic, lose their appetite and motivation for exercise or active engagement with you.

Thankfully this is a temporary state of mind that can be relieved with:

  • praises
  • rewards/treats
  • slight adjustments to create a more comfortable living space
  • another rabbit friend

In some cases, rabbits might respond happily to the addition of a rabbit companion because they are social animals.

Do Bunnies Scream?

Yes. Rabbits can display many emotions with vocal tones. The rabbit that wants you to back away or could be in danger from a potential predator may respond with a sound that is very familiar to us.

A screech or scream from a rabbit signifies:

  • intense stress
  • discomfort
  • panic

If you notice a rabbit screaming, your attention will be obviously directed towards your favorite furry companion and you might check to see if there is any pain, injury or if a threat.

Examples include perceived threats such as something outside the window or on the TV screen. Make the necessary adjustments to relieve your rabbit.

What Kind of Noise Does a Rabbit Make?

Rabbits can make many types of noises associated with positive or negative emotions. Some of the negative sounds that a rabbit is capable of making include:

  • growling
  • snorting
  • hissing
  • whimpering 
  • thumping
  • screaming

The closer our bond becomes with rabbits, the more in tune we become with them as we understand why the sounds are being made.

It is very difficult for someone to respond online to the noises your rabbits make and try to decipher what is actually bothering him or her. It is up to you to make adjustments and reassure your rabbit that everything is okay.

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Do Rabbits Make Noise At Night?

It is a common problem for many of us in the rabbit community to hear noises in the middle of the night from our favorite little companions. They can start thumping, wrestling or even making jarring sounds like screaming.

A rabbit adjusting to life in your home may feel lonely, scared, vulnerable and needs some reassurance from you. Unfortunately, this means that in the early days of caring for a new rabbit in your home, you might have to get out of bed and gently soothe them.

This new member of your family will enjoy your vocal tones that are relaxing. You may also try soothing sounds available in audio format. They could range from calming instrumental music to nature sounds.

Do Rabbits Miss Their Owners?

Yes. Rabbits can get emotional when they miss their owners. They can become confused when their owner is not there after a while of bonding together.

A rabbit that has connected with you would prefer to sleep with you in the same room. Unfortunately, in many cases, this is not possible. It will take time for a rabbit to understand that there will be longer periods of time that they need to spend by themselves.

Routines, habits and comfortable enclosures will help a rabbit to adjust. Transfer of ownership from one rabbit owner to another may cause reluctance at first.

A rabbit will remember and miss their former owner. It will take time, praises, rewarding and patience to form a new bond with this rabbit.

What Do Bunnies Do at Night?

A rabbit that is not crying, screaming or in obvious discomfort at night has finally adjusted to life in your home. They will now assume some regular routines such as:

  • visit the litter tray
  • groom themselves 
  • forage for food
  • eat
  • sleep

This is a great time at night to bond with your rabbit before you go to bed. A rabbit is more relaxed at this time and can be more sociable.

Use this time to stroke, pet and cuddle your rabbit while you watch TV or listen to music in the final minutes before you say good night.

Rabbit Crying In Pain

If your rabbit is crying in pain, know that many of us have been there before. Your rabbit is in obvious pain in may even have a seizure or cardiac events if this matter gets worse.

Rabbits tend to scream before they pass away. A loud squealing sound is a sign of terror or calling out for your help.

The best thing you can do at the moment is get close to your rabbit, stroke or pet her gently, make gentle contact and schedule an appointment with a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Do Rabbits Scream When They Mate?

No. Rabbits do not scream when they are mating. This doesn’t mean however, that rabbits do not make any noise. A rabbit during intercourse can be heard making sounds that sound like:

  • buzzing 
  • humming
  • grunting
  • honking

Rabbits are frisky little fur balls who can’t get enough of the sexual attraction and mating urges especially if they have bonded with a counterpart of the opposite sex. Mating sounds will be heard often if you do not decide to spay or neuter your bonded pair of rabbits.

Do Rabbits Have Tears?

A rabbit doesn’t produce tears when they are crying. This doesn’t mean however that rabbits do not have wet eyes. The wetness in the eyes that you are seeing is related to an allergic reaction, infection or even a dental disease.

A rabbit who is crying is not necessarily sad or lonely. Other signs of a sad rabbit include not grooming themselves or withdrawing from any affection.

Baby Rabbit Crying

Baby rabbits commonly cry when they are hungry. They make crying noises, but you will not see them tearing up. Baby rabbits are known as kits and they rely on their mothers to feed them.

Crying, whimpering, whining or slight wheezing noises are common for babies who are learning to vocalize their emotions. Most of the time, this is related to food.

Why Do Rabbits Cry?

Rabbits crying because they are expressing their emotions. It could be related to reasons like:

  • anger
  • hunger
  • loneliness
  • adjusting to a new home

The crying sounds that you will be most likely hearing will be soft whimpering noises. The tear ducts will not be activated and you will not notice teardrops falling from the eyes of a crying rabbit. Teardrops are mostly associated with allergies, infections or any other type of disease.

Here are more reasons why rabbits cry:

  • Illness
  • Pain
  • Injury
  • Fear
  • Stress

How To Stop Bunnies Crying

There are many tips that we can offer you right now to help you prevent your bunny who is whimpering or crying. Some of these are mentioned below:

  1. Make sure your bunny feels safe in its new enclosure where there are no perceived threats or predators nearby.
  2. Make routine visits to the vet to make sure your bunny is healthy and fit.
  3. Never leave your rabbit without any food or water.
  4. Be gentle when you handle your rabbit. Some don’t like to be picked up.
  5. Alternate between cuddling and alone time. Let your bunny adjust to periods of loneliness.
  6. Give your rabbit plenty of exercise each day.
  7. Teach children how to handle rabbits.
  8. Speak softly and use your voice in a soothing manner to comfort your rabbit who might be crying.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that rabbits don’t vocalize their emotions very loudly. They can make soft squealing, buzzing, whimpering or crying sounds that are barely audible at times.

It is important for us to recognize but we can do and create healthy routines for a rabbit to feel comfortable and adjusted as they learn to bond with us and trust us completely.

You are doing your best and taking the time to research why rabbits cry and this is part of what makes you a perfect favorite human to your rabbit.

 

Thank you for visiting PocketPetCentral.com for the best information to help you enjoy the life of your pocket pet companion in a fun, safe & healthy way.

Anna

My name is Anna and I work full time in my local pet shop where we sell many animals that I write about on this site. I love all animals and love writing about them.