In the wild, rabbits have to be on their guard at all times because they are preyed on by a lot of other animals. They have an excellent sense of hearing and while their vision isn’t as good as some animals, they certainly outdo a human in the dark. But what about smell; how good is a rabbit’s sense of smell?
A rabbit has around one hundred million scent detecting cells in its nose (humans have just five to six million) which gives it an excellent sense of smell. This enables rabbits to be able to detect predators from distances of up to two miles and make an escape if it becomes necessary.
Rabbits have adapted their sense of smell to keep them safe and help them survive. But there is a downside; this intense sense of smell means that they have very sensitive noses which can be a challenge for bunny owners.
How Well Can Rabbits Smell?
In the wild, rabbits rely on their sense of smell to find food and it is not uncommon for them to pick up on scents that are coming from under the ground. However, this heightened sense of smell is also used by wild rabbits to suss out predators.
But rabbits do not use their sense of smell in just one way. They have many ‘techniques’ for detecting smells and watching a rabbit this way can be very interesting. For example, if a bunny is twitching its nose repeatedly, this is something that is known as ‘nose blinking’ and is used by rabbits to get as much detail about a smell as possible.
Furthermore, you may also notice that a rabbit will split the top lip open as this will allow more of a certain scent to penetrate the nostrils. This gives the rabbit a clearer idea of what the scent is and whether he needs to run away or investigate further.
When you have a domestic rabbit, you will notice that many of his natural instincts are still at play and this means that you will regularly see your bunny taking a good sniff of the air around him. While there probably won’t be any predators in your home, your pet’s sense of smell will still come in handy. In fact, rabbits will even learn the scent of their owner; but more on this later.
One of the biggest problems for domestic rabbits is that humans use a lot of highly fragranced products. Whether these are perfumes for personal use, air fresheners, or cleaning products, there is no denying that we like things to smell pleasant. There is nothing wrong with this but you should be careful about using these things around you rabbit.
It is not uncommon for rabbits to become irritated by certain smells because of how intense they may be to your pet. You might think that your bunny will simply get used to it but there is a risk of a respiratory infection so it is best to avoid strong smells around your bun.
It is also important to keep an eye on how your rabbit is sniffing. If your bunny seems agitated while sniffing, this might be a sign that your pet is overheating as rabbits use this technique to allow more air in as a way of cooling down. That being said, this behavior is very similar to that which is seen when a rabbit is trying to get a better sniff of something.
Can Rabbits Survive Without a Sense of Smell?
Rabbits rely mainly on their hearing as a way of surviving in the wild. But their sense of smell is almost as important. One of the main reasons that a rabbit would not do well without being able to smell is because she relies on this sense to note danger a long time before she might see it, giving her a chance to flee.
In addition to this, rabbits will use their sense of smell alongside their hearing to get a better picture of what is going on. When they hear a noise, they will sniff the air and associate certain scents with that noise.
Have you ever noticed that your rabbit rubs her chin on almost everything she comes into contact with? This is because bunnies have scent glands here and by rubbing them on things, they leave their scent behind. This along with other scents that rabbits give off helps with mating and in showing whose is whose in terms of territory. In short, rabbits need their sense of smell to get by.
Do Rabbits Have a Better Sense of Smell Than Dogs?
When we think of animals that have an impressive sense of smell, we almost always think of a dog. Rabbits certainly don’t outdo dogs in their ability to smell but then bunnies don’t need to use their sense of smell in the same way. Each animal has abilities that help it survive.
Dogs are known to have as many as 220 million olfactory receptors whereas rabbits have only 100 million. Rabbits will use their sense of smell to escape a predator whereas a dog is the predator and will use its sense of smell to locate food.
From How Far Can a Rabbit Smell Food?
As we have already discussed, one of the main reasons that rabbits have such a good sense of smell is to find out where they might locate food. This allows them to pick up on food scents from a significant distance and rabbits in the wild are known to sniff out a meal that is underground!
Do Rabbits Recognize Their Owners Scent?
Rabbits are very sociable animals and as such, they will build a bond with those who take care of them. This takes time and owners will need to spend time with their pet each day in order to gain their trust.
Once a bond has been made with your rabbit, he or she will begin to enjoy your company and even look forward to seeing you. They recognize you in many different ways including by sight and by the sound of your voice. However, your bun will also learn to recognize your scent and may even pick up on this before they can see you.
Additionally, rabbits who live together will learn the scent of their housemate. Similarly to how they determine that a human scent is not a threat, they will get to know and love the smell of their hutch buddy.
That being said, it is important to keep in mind that unneutered rabbits, especially males will become very territorial and will often spray to let the other rabbit know who’s boss. This can cause problems with the bunnies fighting it out with their scents so it might be a good idea to consider having them fixed at this point.
