8 Years (and Counting!) with a House Rabbit

Today marks eight years since we adopted Trouble. (Best decision ever.) Trouble is a house rabbit, meaning that he roams free throughout the house and is not confided to a cage. We knew next to nothing about rabbits when we adopted him and worked hard to learn as much as we could to let him have the happiest, healthiest life possible. The House Rabbit Society is a wonderful source for information that I highly recommend.

One thing we learned is how rabbits like to be petted. It's totally different than the way most dogs or cats prefer. This illustration is commonly found on many rabbit sites and gives you a general idea of where to pet a rabbit, and more importantly, where rabbits do not like being touched.

While it is an excellent starting point for unfamiliar rabbits, as you get to know a particular rabbit you'll learn how and where they want to be petted. A member of a house rabbit Facebook group I'm in posted the Bun Petting Preference Chart by Winnie the Wonderbun and suggested we each fill it out. This is what Trouble's looks like. 

You can see from a quick image search that many rabbits like (or hate) being petted in similar areas, but there is a lot of variation between individuals. It's no surprise. Rabbits' personalities and preferences are as diverse as any other animals' personalities and preferences are.  

Here is a blank copy of the Bun Petting Preference Chart. 

Happy Adoption Day, Trouble. You are the best and we love you so much.