Bunny-to-Bunny Communication

        I am often asked how bunnies communicate to each other and us when they just sit there?  The answer is simple: olfaction. The technical term, Chemosensory Communication, refers to their ability to literally taste air. They emit glandular secretions based on moods that they can both smell and taste. So, in essence, they know what each other is feeling. How, you ask? A bunny's nose (rhinarium) is a tremendously complex organ that serves several purposes: warming air to elevate their body temperature, moistening air when they are too warm, conveying messages, understanding environmental stimuli, triggering memory-based associations, detecting predators as well as toxins, and for identifying foods. 
     The vomeronasal organ plays a major role as a pumping mechanism that takes in airborne chemical stimuli when ducts open allowing particles to directly enter the nasal cavity and indirectly enter the oral cavity. These signal messages are interpreted by the brain. The ducts of the lumen (turbinates), covered laterally and medially, are made up of veins, arteries, nerves, glands, and tissue. They open and close up to 120 times per minute and can completely stop. The rate at which they move is noticed by other bunnies as it indicates temperature, health, respiration rate, etc. 
        The olfaction process is the primary and superior sensory modality for them. Any scents connected with previous experiences become memories they recall in subsequent associations. Bunnies noses give me tremendous insights into their thoughts relevant to motives, moods, comfort level, how their perceive situations. I use this information during bonding to predict and interpret behavior.