Post B9ddIA9xPNn2UkRh8S by foxyloon@blimps.xyz
 (DIR) More posts by foxyloon@blimps.xyz
 (DIR) Post #B9ddI9Famwhffw4gHQ by Austin_Dern@blimps.xyz
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       Our pet #rabbit flopped?  Our pet rabbit never flops, what's happening that she just flopped?
       
 (DIR) Post #B9ddI9TlwE2uNui0Nk by Austin_Dern@blimps.xyz
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       We've had floppy rabbits before --- one we adopted in 2018 flopped _twice_ at our feet in the humane society meeting room, when we were perfect strangers and she'd known us for two minutes --- but this one just hasn't been, and now she's trying a cute new thing?
       
 (DIR) Post #B9ddI9j11YEt9BqB8q by foxyloon@blimps.xyz
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       @Austin_Dern Is that a sign of trust? :blobfoxaww:
       
 (DIR) Post #B9ddI9vmG6RnmloN28 by Austin_Dern@blimps.xyz
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       @foxyloon It kind of is, yeah.  ... Well, it's complicated.So the flopping behavior, in the wild, is how a rabbit takes a dust bath.  It's a thing they do to control fleas and other bugs, and to clean in a way that just grooming themselves can't.  A pet, living without fleas or a lot of chances to get muddy or anything, doesn't need to do this, but I'd imagine it has to feel good doing, at least sometimes.  But, like, a rabbit isn't going to take a dust bath in the wild while they feel like there's a fair risk of danger.  Not that it's *that* big a commitment of time or activity, but it is a pose they'll need a second or so to recover from before fleeing, so they wouldn't be likely to do that if they didn't feel like they're in a comfortable space.  And, of course, a pet rabbit doesn't have any particular bothers besides sometimes having a creature call "Bunny!" at them.  So how they decide that this is the time that's safe and comfortable enough to flop is so idiosyncratic.
       
 (DIR) Post #B9ddIA9xPNn2UkRh8S by foxyloon@blimps.xyz
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       @Austin_Dern Ohhhh, gotcha! Thanks for explaining the nuances of to me. That's quite enlightening, and also makes me laugh at how fickle and cantankerous creatures like that can be at times, hehehe~I know foxes can be really moody, too. Sometimes reading a situation wrong and going fearful or lashing out at something benign. I think it comes down to perception and the way the individual creature processes that.
       
 (DIR) Post #B9ddIANQbIZ7AWkS8G by Austin_Dern@blimps.xyz
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       @foxyloon Yeah, it's tricky seeing how the world looks different from the animal's perspective, and especially how signals that might seem obviously irrelevant to us can be alarming when you don't have a mental model for what they are. See also anyone whose dog just can *not* cope with being given the leftover potato chips in the too-big chips bowl.
       
 (DIR) Post #B9ddIAbxjGBvtbY3mq by foxyloon@blimps.xyz
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       @Austin_Dern Yeah, exactly. It's hard for folks to consider that perspective a lot of the time. I find I can do so, but only after getting a better idea of how these creatures perceive the world.Somehow I'm able to pick up on these nuances of their behaviors, in that way where someone lives long enough with a roommate that they learn their quirks and mannerisms, hehehe~
       
 (DIR) Post #B9ddIAmx4OywRggpuq by Austin_Dern@blimps.xyz
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       @foxyloon So, coming back to the start, I don't know why but our rabbit isn't a very floppy bunny, but last night, she just threw herself against the side of her pen and got comfy.  I want to encourage this behavior but it's hard to be ready with treats when it happens.
       
 (DIR) Post #B9ddIAxwPXlwzlpc2q by foxyloon@blimps.xyz
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       @Austin_Dern *nodsnods* I now see why this is notable to you, for sure. Hopefully she keeps doing so!