Are you debating between adopting a rabbit or guinea pig as your next pet? Or maybe you’re someone who owns one of them currently and is looking to adopt the other?
Are you looking to find out which one is more affectionate? If so, we can help you answer this question!
Both rabbits and guinea pigs are going to be affectionate once they bond with you. However, guinea pigs are naturally more wary and hesitant to bond, while rabbits are more social.
Throughout this article, we will answer your questions about how they show affection and just how cuddly they can be so you can help pick your next pet or to figure out if having both pets is suitable for you and your home.
How Do Rabbits Show Affection?
If you’re looking to get a pet rabbit or currently have one and wondering how to tell if your rabbit loves you, then keep an eye out for these tell-tale signs of affection from your bunny!
Head Rubs
As social creatures, rabbits love to be around their owner and receive attention from them, and they thrive off close social interaction with those they bond with.
When showing affection, your rabbit will show you signs that they want you to rub/pet their head. They will sit around you and nudge you with their nose for you to give them the affection they desire.
Wanting you to rub their head shows that your rabbit loves you and is trying to create a closer bond with you. Head Rubs are a great sign of affection from your rabbit!
Nibbles and Licks
Rabbits are creatures that love to stay clean. Therefore grooming is an essential part of their lives. Not only does grooming help them stay clean, but it also is their way of showing affection.
If you notice your rabbit nuzzling, licking, or even gently nibbling you, they are showing you affection and that they feel safe around you. This is an excellent sign of love from your rabbit.
Sometimes, if they are not showing their affection by grooming you directly, they will show you instead by nibbling or licking your clothing. This is a way for them to show you their appreciation without fully being in submission by licking you directly.
Binkying and Zooming
When your rabbit is in a state of happiness and contentment, they will show you by quickly zooming around your feet and binkying around you.
Binkying is when your rabbit jumps up and flips its ears around. Basically, little spaz attacks from your rabbit that stem from happy stimulation. This is a great sign that your rabbit feels safe and wants to love you!
When you see your rabbit binkying and running around your feet, give them treats or pets to show them you love them too!
Clicking its Teeth
Much like cats who purr, rabbits also have a way to show affection and happiness through simple sounds. When you hear your rabbit clicking its teeth, also known as tooth-clicking, your rabbit is happy and is trying to show you their affection!
Tooth-clicking is a very soft and quiet sound that you can hear when you’re close enough to your rabbit. Usually, rabbits will tooth-click when you’re petting them or showing them reciprocated affection.
How Do Guinea Pigs Show Affection?
Although guinea pigs tend to be warrior by nature and less affectionate perhaps than rabbits, they still show their affection towards you in various ways.
Keeping an eye out for these behaviors is essential in understanding your guinea pig and recognizing how it is trying to love you in its own way!
Popcorning
No, your guinea pig will not make you popcorn to show affection, sorry to disappoint you. Instead, popcorning is when your guinea pig bounces in the air and continuously lands on all fours, and turns the other way.
This tends to mimic how popcorn looks when the kernels are being popped! It is a repetition of bounces from your guinea pig that show how happy and excited they are.
They aren’t able to contain their happiness, so they use popcorn as a way to show their bursts of energy and affection around you. This is usually more typical in younger guinea pigs and will slow down as yours gets older.
Closing Their Eyes
Guinea pigs rarely ever close their eyes, even when they’re sleeping! Because they are wary, they like to keep their eyes open as an extra safety precaution.
Whenever you do see your guinea pig with its eyes closed, please take note of this lovely moment because your guinea pig is feeling safe and comfortable enough to let its guard down truly! This is a beautiful way your guinea pig shows you its love and affection.
By closing its eyes, your guinea pig is telling you it is very relaxed and secure in your care!
Wheeking
Much like regular pigs, guinea pigs also make squealing noises from time to time! Wheeking, an audible squeaking noise from your guinea pig, is a common behavior your pet will show you when they are happy or excited.
Guinea pigs will make a soft and quiet squeaking noise alongside little body vibrations while you pet it to show their affection and comfort to you.
It’s essential to understand the type of wheeking sound your guinea pig is making, as sometimes it can be a sign of pain or annoyance, depending on how high or low the noise is.
Licking
Like rabbits, guinea pigs are creatures that like to keep themselves freshly cleaned and groomed as much as possible. This is also a way they show affection.
If you notice your guinea pig licking you or your hand, then it is showing you affection! Licking is a great sign that your guinea pig is happy and loves you!
Do They Like to Be Cuddled or Be Held?
If you are looking for a pet that likes to be cuddled and held, then you’re in luck because both guinea pigs and rabbits enjoy social interaction and human affection!
Guinea pigs and rabbits both like to be pet, stroked, and played with. They will even let you hold them or cuddle them if they are feeling safe and comfortable enough.
It is crucial to learn how to hold these animals correctly so you do not drop or hurt them in the process of trying to show them love. Guinea pigs and rabbits are both fast creatures that can crawl or jump away at any moment.
A key to cuddling or holding your pet is to do so in a position where they won’t fall and hurt themselves if they do escape.
Are Bunnies Friends With Guinea Pigs?
If you want to have guinea pigs and bunnies as friends, it is important to house them separately. Although they might get along in the vicinity of the home, they do not like sharing spaces or cages.
They are both social creatures when it comes to their own kind, but when being forced to house together, they can sometimes get into fights with each other.
At the end of the day, they are okay being housed with the same of their kind. Rabbits love to live with other rabbits, and guinea pigs love to live with other guinea pigs. But our big tip of the day is to keep them separate if you are going to have both!
They don’t love to interact with animals of another species, even if they’re a similar size!
Conclusion
Guinea pigs and rabbits are both great pets to have if you’re looking for something small that can fit in a cage and doesn’t necessarily need to be walked!
Both are cute social creatures who will love you to pieces once you’ve bonded. Although rabbits tend to be more on the cuddly side, guinea pigs will also open up and show you they love you in their unique ways.
When determining which one is right for you, it’s essential to look at all the other behaviors and characteristics that make each unique. Then, consider how these factors align with what you’re looking for in a pet.
Whichever pet you choose, you can be sure that with the proper care and love from you, your guinea pig or rabbit will love you to the end of time! If you keep it in a safe and loving environment, you can be sure to receive all the affection from your new pet.