The first time I saw my rabbit running around really fast, I wasn’t sure if the poor rabbit was scared, nervous, or excited.
Was it trying to get away from me or was it just burning off extra energy?
Why is My Rabbit Running Around Really Fast?
If your rabbit is running around really fast, it could mean that your rabbit is happy and excited.
You’ll also likely see your rabbit doing zoomies and binkies in a show of happiness.
A rabbit running around fast could also be a sign that your rabbit is bored or needs exercise.
If the running around fast is accompanied by a circular dance and your rabbits are unaltered, it means your buns are sexually mature and are ready to mate.
If your neutered or spayed bunny is running in fast circles around you, then it simply wants your attention and affection.
5 Reasons Why Your Rabbit Runs Around Really Fast
Here’s what it could mean when your rabbit runs around really fast:
Your Rabbit Is Happy
If you see your rabbit running around fast, it is a sign that your bunny is very happy.
With their excitement, they become hyperactive, and that happiness energy unfolds into running.
You’ll likely see your rabbit doing zoomies, which is when your bunny runs and hops around really fast in bursts of energy.
While your rabbit does zoomies, it can also binky.
When your rabbit binkies, it makes playful twisting leaps in the air. The rabbit “claps” their hind legs together while they are mid-air and then make a 180-degree turn.
Your bun won’t run and zoomie and binky about for hours on end. Zoomies usually last for a minute or a few at the most.
And your bunny is bound to be exhausted after such a display of happy and excited energy.
It is a good idea to have water nearby so your rabbit can stay hydrated.
What makes your rabbit so happy that it will run really fast?
Your rabbit is happy when it:
- Sees you
- Spends quality bonding time with you
- Is feeding time
- Smells the treats you are holding
- Is healthy and well looked after
- Has a bonded rabbit companion to keep it company
- Is mentally, physically, and emotionally stimulated
- Feels like you understand and listen to it
Your Rabbit Is Bored
A rabbit running around in its cage and in circles is potentially a bored rabbit.
Your rabbit needs to expend its energy and be active.
Rabbits need lots of social, mental, physical, and emotional stimulation to be healthy and thrive.
Your rabbit could be bored when:
- You don’t spend enough time with it
- It doesn’t get enough exercise time
- It doesn’t get enough play time
- It doesn’t have other rabbit or animals friends to play and bond with
- The rabbit cage is too small for your rabbit, and it doesn’t have space to move
- It doesn’t have any or enough chew toys
- It doesn’t have any or enough play toys
- It doesn’t get to use its digging, chewing, and foraging skills
This kind of running around isn’t ideal or healthy.
So it is best to ensure that the rabbit cage is big enough and your bun has plenty of time, space, and toys to exercise, dig, chew, forage, and play.
Spend more time with your rabbit, or consider getting another rabbit and bonding the two so your bunny always has companionship.
Your Rabbit Needs Exercise
If your rabbit spends most of its time in a tiny cage and doesn’t have the space to exercise, it will have pent-up energy that it needs to burn off.
Your bunny may choose to burn off their exercise by running around fast and doing zoomies.
Your rabbit will also feel like running when they’ve spent an extended period inside their cage, even if their cage is as big as a rabbit cage or hutch needs to be.
Every rabbit breed has different exercise needs, with some rabbits being a lot more active. Rabbits also have more energy when they are between one and three years of age.
In general, you want to make sure your rabbit exercises for three to four hours a day.
But this exercise time should ideally be split into two sessions: one in the morning and one in the evening when your rabbit is active (remember that rabbits are crepuscular animals).
A rabbit should have a large enough run outside or safe space inside your home to exercise.
You can also ensure your bun has exercise equipment in the form of ramps to run on, cardboard tubes for tunnels, nudge and toss toys, chew toys, and buckets of hay to jump and dig around in.
Not exercising your rabbit means it will become unhealthy and obese. Your bunny will also become depressed and bored.
When bored, a rabbit can become destructive, and when depressed, a rabbit gets angry and irritable.
Your Rabbit Is Sexually Mature or in Mating Mode
If your rabbit is unspayed or unneutered and becomes sexually mature, it can run around really fast.
You’ll find that your rabbit runs quickly back and forth or in circles to try and attract the attention of a mate. So your bun is in mating mode.
With this running around, you’ll also hear noises like low grunts that are also meant to let the other rabbit(s) know it is ready to mate.
The circling and grunting or honking dance is a mating ritual.
If you aren’t breeding rabbits, then you’ll want to spay your female rabbit when it is five to six months old and neuter your male rabbit between the age of four and six months.
Spaying and neutering rabbits ensure they are happier, calmer, more affectionate, and friendlier.
It also increases the rabbit’s life expectancy because neutering and spaying reduce or eliminate the risk of the rabbit developing various diseases, like reproductive cancers.
Your Rabbit Wants Attention
If your neutered or spayed rabbit is running really fast and circling your feet, it simply means the bunny wants your attention or some affection.
As highly sociable animals, the social needs of rabbits need to be met to ensure they remain healthy.
An emotionally stimulated rabbit also means the bun won’t get bored and engage in destructive tendencies, like digging holes in your expensive rugs, scratching your wooden furniture, and chewing everything in sight.
So when your rabbit runs and circles you, make sure to spend some extra time with your bun.
You can chill on the couch and pet or massage your rabbit, play with it, teach it to do tricks, and even just be near while your rabbit exercises, eat in its cage, or plays with toys.
Rabbit Running Around FAQs
What does it mean when a rabbit is running around fast?
If your rabbit is running around fast, it could mean one of three things. One, they are really happy and their excitement is making them hyperactive.
They burn off their extra energy by running around fast. Two, your rabbit needs more exercise.
Be sure to meet the exercise requirements of your bun to ensure they stay healthy.
Three, unaltered rabbits run around during mating season.
Why is my rabbit doing zoomies?
When your rabbit is overexcited, they become hyperactive and do zoomies to express themselves.
If your rabbit is running around and starts doing zoomies, it is happy.
How do I know my rabbit is happy?
There are several tell-tale signs to know if your rabbit is happy.
Your rabbit will be calm and inquisitive, have a relaxed body, do binkies, have a healthy appetite, be happy to spend time with you, and make happy sounds like purring, grunting, honking or clucking, or humming.
Why is my bunny running around in its cage?
Your rabbit could be running around its cage for exercise, it could be doing binkies if it runs and jumps around, and it could be excited to see you.
Why is my rabbit running away from me all of a sudden?
Rabbits are small, prey animals that scare easily.
So if your rabbit is running away from you all of a sudden, it could be that your bun is scared of you.
Perhaps your rabbit had a bad experience at the groomers or with your rabbit sitter/walker, and now your rabbit sees you as a predator.
Another reason if your rabbit’s body language doesn’t scream ‘scared’ could be that your rabbit wants to play with you or knows it is eating time, so it runs to its cage.
Final Thoughts
Knowing what it means when your rabbit is running around really fast ensures that you can meet your bun’s needs to ensure it stays happy and healthy.
If you see zoomies and binkies, and your rabbit has an excited posture, then you know you are doing a great job as your rabbit’s parent.
If your rabbit is running around its cage, it is bored, and you need to take steps to meet your rabbit’s social, mental, emotional, and physical needs.
Or your bunny needs exercise, so set up a rabbit-proofed room or run outside so your rabbit can get the exercise it needs to be healthy.
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