Why does my rabbit thump its feet?
There are many reasons why your rabbit(s) will thump its feet this is also known as stomping, a lot of the times this is due to their natural instinct within them which comes from the wild rabbit. Wild Rabbits will thump their feet in the warren or the fields to signal danger to the other rabbits, many other animals have this same instinct such as gerbils. It is very hard to mistake a thump, as normally they will be followed by more; one of the biggest triggers for this is smell or strange sounds.
How does my rabbit thump?
Your rabbit will usually stand up and lift one foot and thump, some rabbits will thump with both feet. A rabbit will usually stay stood up until they believe there is no danger to fear anymore.
My rabbit is thumping indoors?
Your home environment is full of strange sounds and smells so it will be natural for your rabbit to be afraid and thump at a noise on the tv or someone smoking. Your rabbit will calm down when they get to know and relax into the new environment but even a rabbit that has lived in your home for years can still become nervous and thump.
Danger of thumping
There is a known danger to rabbits thumping especially outdoor rabbits can on occasions continuously thumps can fright themselves and cause a heart attack, this is normally due to predators such as foxes stalking the rabbit run or hutch. It is important to give your rabbit as much comfort as possible during this time.