Milo and Amelia both pounce

milos_mommy

Active Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
15,349
Likes
0
Points
36
#1
I wasn't sure where this belonged, but I'm putting it here.

Milo pounces. On his toys, on his own shadow, on bugs, on your feet under the blankets. It's something I guess most dogs don't do but I've seen it before. Most people have only seen it from coyotes on tv or something. But it makes sense because it's obviously a hunting/prey drive thing.

Amelia (my five month old rabbit) has started doing this odd thing. I'll usually make a scratching noise with my nails on the sofa/bed/floor/my leg/wherever she is because she'll come when she hears it. Well tonight she started doing this thing where whenever I do that, or even just set my hand down in front of her, she pounces on it and scratches at it.

Zach said that she was trying to hump it but I tried leave my hand there and just just jumps up, comes down and scratches once or twice, and then hops off, so that's not it. She's a bunny though, she can't possibly be trying to "kill" my hand??

Does anyone know why she's doing this? Also, does your dog "pounce"? (bonus points if you have pictures)!
 

Scooter

New Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2006
Messages
970
Likes
0
Points
0
Location
San Francisco
#2
I'm not sure why yours is doing that, but yes, Zoe pounces on things she sees in the iceplant- usually bugs or sometimes mice. It's really cute, actually. Well, maybe not to the mouse.
 

MericoX

Roos, Poos, & a Wog!
Joined
Oct 27, 2007
Messages
5,326
Likes
0
Points
36
Age
39
Location
In depression
#3
I will try and get a video of my dogs doing it tomorrow. Stryder hops on stuff constantly!!! But I think the reason for him is that he doesnt get how you squeak toys with your mouth, so he hops on them to make them squeak then instantly picks it up like it will continue to squeak.. oh my special boy LOL

And both poodles are hoppy/bouncy things and do the random bounce on stuff. (random as in all the time!!)
 

Xandra

Active Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Messages
3,806
Likes
0
Points
36
#4
I would say it's probable that your rabbit is trying to "kill" your hand, but not in a predatory sense lol.

Rabbits have very poor vision close to them and low on the ground. It's very, very common for rabbits to attack small moving things down there, in a defensive way.

Here's the house rabbit society's article:
FAQ: Aggression

Sounds pretty mild though. I have one now that will do the "pounce" and scratch, only she growls too, and I have had rabbits in the past that would bite as well. Females, in my experience, tend to be more growly and she might start as she gets older.

Other than that, I can think of no reason a rabbit would be pouncing. Like you said, they have no predatory behavioral patterns, so it doesn't make sense that they would play by practicing to be a predator... sort of goes against the whole biological reason for play. Although I did know a rabbit who would seek out people so he could chew them up, like I'm talking borderline stitches and if he ever got a hold on a piece of flesh he could've braced himself against it would've been pretty nasty (he always got the hand).
 

milos_mommy

Active Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2006
Messages
15,349
Likes
0
Points
36
#5
Thanks! That's exactly what she's doing. It's also as if as soon as she realizes it's my hand, she backs off.
 

Members online

No members online now.
Top