How to Tell If Your Rabbit is Sick
Are you wondering if your rabbit is sick? Having a sick bunny is no fun. We have had quite a few situations where it slowly dawned on us that our rabbits had not been acting normal for a few days. In almost every situation that rabbit did have something going on.
New to rabbits? You might like this post “Bringing Home a New Bunny”.
Because rabbits are prey animals their natural instinct is to hide any weakness. Sometimes it can take awhile to realize what is going on.
*Disclaimer: I am not a vet, if you think your rabbit is sick please call your vet*
Some signs that your rabbit is not feeling well are:
- Decreased Appetite
- Sitting with their face in a corner or in the dark
- Sitting hunched up
- Not eager to greet you
- Grinding their teeth
- Dirty bottom
- Heavy breathing
- Cold symptoms – snotty nose, goopy eyes, wet paws
Daily observation is key in knowing your rabbit.
Anytime a rabbit is behaving abnormally it could mean they are sick or injured.
In order to know when something is wrong you have to first know what is right. If you spend a few minutes a day observing your rabbit you will get a feel for their normal behavior.
The behaviors listed above are not normal behaviors. One that sometimes goes unnoticed is a dirty bottom. Rabbits keep themselves pretty clean. If you find a dirty bottom I suggest you clean it up and make sure you check it again the next day.
We’ve had rabbits that were just simply too chubby to clean themselves well. We also had a rabbit that was a mess and he ended up having a broken tooth. It’s just a good idea to check things out and keep an eye on the situation if you are concerned.
Call your Vet if you suspect a problem. Often with rabbits by the time you realize they don’t feel well it can be too late. We made sure our Vet’s office had someone who was comfortable working with rabbits.
Good luck and good health to your bunnies!
