Rabbit sleeping on his side / playing dead

[m0therofdragons]

Does anyone else have a bunny that does this? Some friends looked after my bunnies while we were on holiday. They have their own bunnies and said ours scared them, especially one as he sleeps on his side and seems to play dead. I'd never considered it before but he really does. As a kitten he was bitten badly by his brother and had to have a few ops by his spine as a result so I'm wondering if it's due to that or maybe it's normal?
He also rolls onto his back on my lap(doesn't like his tummy touched) and curls up in the crook of my arm. I posted a pic on fb and a fb friend had a massive go at me saying it's really bad to do that - but he does it himself. Is he just odd?

My previous bun used to roll right over onto her back and lie there for ages with her legs in the air. She would do this anywhere but especially under radiators, presumably to warm her tum.

Current bun rolls over onto his side and shows his tum when he's especially happy. He only stays like that for a few minutes before rolling back into his normal stretched out relaxed state.

Mine does this when he's very happy and relaxed or hot. He also rolls a bit rubbing his face on the carpet. Sometimes he tears around a speed and then stops suddenly and flings himself down as though he'd been shot, that's a little disconcerting.

mOther maybe your friend thought you were doing Rabbit Trancing?

I have never kept rabbits (I'm a guinea pig mum) but i remember reading something about people putting rabbits on their back thinking they were relaxed but IRL the rabbits were practically in a frozen state of shock?

Yes that's what friend thought. I wasn't he just like it.

Thanks everyone x

We've had buns for 10 years and all the lops we've had have done this when they're really happy or relaxed. Our Dutch doesn't do this but she will still lie down stretched out. They love a good flop; sometimes on their backs, sometimes just on their sides!

Our Dutch does this - at first it gave me a fright, as I thought he was dead, now I have realised he just does it to relax or when he's hot. I have never seen our Lopxwild rabbit do this, though.

Ours is a Dutch - the Netherland dwarf is more normal in that respect but he's scared of grass and hard surfaces preferring carpet and sofas. They are house rabbits but the Dutch likes a run out on the grass and will hop to other rooms, dwarf won't leave the safety of the living room carpet.bonkers bunnies but I do love them

How funny, our Dutch is scared of pretty much everything, our lop is much braver and thinks he's a dog

Haha we also have a cat that is scared of the bunnies but they're desperate to be her friend. Cat is also scared of spiders, on the plus side she never brings in mice.