Understanding Your Rabbit's Health and Behavior
If you’re new to rabbits, their behaviors might be somewhat confusing. Some behaviors could be indicative of a health issue so we’re going to discuss it all here.
Common Rabbit Behaviors
These are typical rabbit behaviors that you need not worry about. We will discuss possible remedies for them though, although not all behaviors can be curbed.
Scratching/digging at you. Sometimes your rabbit might scratch or dig at you. This is a usually sign that he is frustrated. He may be tired of being groomed or he may need to potty. When a rabbit does this to me, I immediately return him to his cage. We don’t pass go and we don’t collect $200. If the rabbit immediately urinates upon returning to his cage, then he gets to come right back out. If he lies down, then he stays in the cage. I do not reward bad behaviors by petting them, etc. If I was grooming the rabbit, I give him time to rest, and then I get him back out and finish up. I always reward good grooming behaviors with free time to run the house and sometimes a fresh veggie.
Nibbling at you. Sometimes your rabbit will nibble at you, your clothes, etc. If it happens during grooming, it usually means he’s tired of being groomed and should be given a break. If it’s while you’re holding him to love on him, you probably stopped petting him and he’s saying “hey, you’re not done yet! Keep petting me!”If he doesn't calm down when you pet him, he may need to potty.
Chewing. You will never stop your rabbit from chewing on things. What you can do is make sure they have plenty of toys to satisfy their urge to chew. If they’re chewing on something inappropriate redirection to something they can chew should help.
Spraying. Like other animals, rabbits, especially bucks, will sometimes spray (aka marking their territory.) This behavior is much more common when a doe is near or a new rabbit is introduced into the home. Some mature bucks will spray a bit when they first arrive to a new home. The only way to prevent this is to have your bucks neutered. It’s not a big problem in my herd. One solution to spraying is to hang a sheet around the cage. Some rabbits will stop spraying when this is done, and for the ones that don’t... at least it’s being contained within the cage. Once again though, I don’t have a problem with it in my home and it is not common in a single rabbit home or a home where there are no does. Another thing you could try in a multi-rabbit home would b to move the spraying buck to a room where he is the only rabbit in there.
Pulling it’s hair out. If it’s a doe and she’s stashing the wool in a corner, she is likely pregnant. If that is not possible, or it’s a buck, they may have some sort of parasite, such as fleas or mites. You can treat by dusting them with cat flea powder, Advantage II, Ivermectin, or by going to your vet and getting a prescription product.
A doe could also be having a 'false pregnancy.' When a false pregnancy occurs, they usually stash the wool in a corner, just like a pregnant doe does. In these cases, it is best to provide lots of hay, and a box for her to build a nest in. Eventually it will pass, and you'll know it's over when she eats the hay out of the nestbox.
Health Related Behaviors
None of the information here should be taken as veterinary advice. If you suspect a problem, your veterinarian should be your first and primary source of advice. The information contained here is to educate you about the signs potential health problems and help you as a last resort if you cannot get a hold of a rabbit savvy vet when or if a problem arises.
As a general rule of thumb, with any incidence of abnormal feces, or eating or drinking less than normal, I pull feed pellets and feed only hay until things have returned to normal, plus one day. I have done this for years and have not had one incidence where things progressed since starting this. This includes the 21 'rescues' I've taken in over the years.
Lethargy. Lethargy is a huge red flag in rabbits. Rabbits don’t show many symptoms when they’re sick, so if your rabbit is acting lethargic, get it to a vet immediately. The cause could be a number of things, but the symptom is of high concern. This should be considered a medical emergency and treated as such!
Refusal to eat or drink. Check the droppings pan. If the feces are misshapen or extremely stringy, your rabbit may be suffering from wool block. Try and get some papaya tablets or fresh pineapple in him. If that doesn’t help within a few hours, or if you can’t get the rabbit to take it, this could be a medical emergency so you need a veterinarian immediately. Wool block is fatal if not caught and treated in time. To prevent wool block, keep your rabbit groomed and feed papaya and/or fresh pineapple weekly. Check the droppings pan or litter box frequently and if the feces are getting stringy, step up the hay and produce to clean out their tummies. I have never tested any of this as I’ve never dealt with wool block. These are all suggestions I’ve gotten from other breeders, “just in case.”
If the feces in the pan looked small or non-existent, when you noticed your rabbit isn’t eating or drinking enough, he could be suffering from GI stasis. In this case, offer anything and everything you can think of to get his gut moving. He may need to be force fed Critical Care, which most rabbit vets should carry. If things don’t improve within a few hours, call the vet. This is a medical emergency!
Holding it's head up to breathe, runny nose and/or sneezing and/or difficult breathing. This is a medical emergency. I’m not going to lie; a runny nose with sneezing is a very, very, bad sign. The first things you need to do are quarantine the affected rabbit and call your vet immediately. You should begin sterilizing everything that ever came into contact with your rabbit as soon as possible. This is a sign of Pasteurella , a highly contagious, deadly, incurable disease. There is no way to cure it. It could also be a sign of Bordetella, which is deadly but curable. If your rabbit has a runny nose with no sneezing, it could be pneumonia. Pneumonia is also deadly and contagious, but it is curable as well. Call your rabbit vet if you suspect any of these problems. You may only have a few hours to save your rabbit.
Other Health Issues
These are not behaviors, but they are things to watch for regarding your rabbit's health.
Diarrhea. This is a medical emergency. Diarrhea could be cause by multiple things, including gas (bloat), bacteria, and parasites. Unfortunately, all of these are deadly. Rabbits cannot pass gas like us humans, which is why this is an emergency for them. Treatments vary based on the cause, and a veterinarian is your best bet.
Sores on the feet. Sore hocks are pretty rare in properly groomed EAs. To prevent sore hocks, keep their feet groomed and dry, and don’t cut the wool too short. You want at least an inch, preferably more, of wool on the bottom of their feet. The wool acts as nature’s built in house shoe, protecting your rabbit’s feet. Sore hocks can develop on wire-bottomed floors or on solid floors. The key to prevention is grooming. If you suspect sore hocks, Neosporin will treat the sores and if there is inflammation, preparation H is often used. In addition to these medications, you’ll need to put a resting mat or towel in the cage for your rabbit to rest on. I’ve never dealt with sore hocks so this advice is based on what other breeders have recommended “just in case” I ever do deal with it.
Bald Spots behind the ears and on the back. This is usually from wool mites and is accompanied by excessive dandruff. The best treatment is Ivermectin injectable administered at a rate of .02 cc per pound of body weight. You can inject this or administer it orally. Check out our expanded page on this topic HERE. Call a veterinarian if you aren’t sure.
Crusty Ears. This is ear mites. It can typically be treated with Ivermectin, or with a prescription from your veterinarian.
Poop Clusters. These poops, called cecotropes, and often referred to as "night feces," are usually found in large, grape-like clusters. Not only are they harmless, but they are very beneficial to your rabbit. Their bodies can't absorb all of the nutrients from their food the first time it passes through their system, so they go a second round. That's right, they eat them! As gross as it sounds, this is a necessary part of a rabbit's life. However, if you find excessive cecotropes. and it becomes a frequent ordeal, you may need to lower the protein content in his diet.
Common Rabbit Behaviors
These are typical rabbit behaviors that you need not worry about. We will discuss possible remedies for them though, although not all behaviors can be curbed.
Scratching/digging at you. Sometimes your rabbit might scratch or dig at you. This is a usually sign that he is frustrated. He may be tired of being groomed or he may need to potty. When a rabbit does this to me, I immediately return him to his cage. We don’t pass go and we don’t collect $200. If the rabbit immediately urinates upon returning to his cage, then he gets to come right back out. If he lies down, then he stays in the cage. I do not reward bad behaviors by petting them, etc. If I was grooming the rabbit, I give him time to rest, and then I get him back out and finish up. I always reward good grooming behaviors with free time to run the house and sometimes a fresh veggie.
Nibbling at you. Sometimes your rabbit will nibble at you, your clothes, etc. If it happens during grooming, it usually means he’s tired of being groomed and should be given a break. If it’s while you’re holding him to love on him, you probably stopped petting him and he’s saying “hey, you’re not done yet! Keep petting me!”If he doesn't calm down when you pet him, he may need to potty.
Chewing. You will never stop your rabbit from chewing on things. What you can do is make sure they have plenty of toys to satisfy their urge to chew. If they’re chewing on something inappropriate redirection to something they can chew should help.
Spraying. Like other animals, rabbits, especially bucks, will sometimes spray (aka marking their territory.) This behavior is much more common when a doe is near or a new rabbit is introduced into the home. Some mature bucks will spray a bit when they first arrive to a new home. The only way to prevent this is to have your bucks neutered. It’s not a big problem in my herd. One solution to spraying is to hang a sheet around the cage. Some rabbits will stop spraying when this is done, and for the ones that don’t... at least it’s being contained within the cage. Once again though, I don’t have a problem with it in my home and it is not common in a single rabbit home or a home where there are no does. Another thing you could try in a multi-rabbit home would b to move the spraying buck to a room where he is the only rabbit in there.
Pulling it’s hair out. If it’s a doe and she’s stashing the wool in a corner, she is likely pregnant. If that is not possible, or it’s a buck, they may have some sort of parasite, such as fleas or mites. You can treat by dusting them with cat flea powder, Advantage II, Ivermectin, or by going to your vet and getting a prescription product.
A doe could also be having a 'false pregnancy.' When a false pregnancy occurs, they usually stash the wool in a corner, just like a pregnant doe does. In these cases, it is best to provide lots of hay, and a box for her to build a nest in. Eventually it will pass, and you'll know it's over when she eats the hay out of the nestbox.
Health Related Behaviors
None of the information here should be taken as veterinary advice. If you suspect a problem, your veterinarian should be your first and primary source of advice. The information contained here is to educate you about the signs potential health problems and help you as a last resort if you cannot get a hold of a rabbit savvy vet when or if a problem arises.
As a general rule of thumb, with any incidence of abnormal feces, or eating or drinking less than normal, I pull feed pellets and feed only hay until things have returned to normal, plus one day. I have done this for years and have not had one incidence where things progressed since starting this. This includes the 21 'rescues' I've taken in over the years.
Lethargy. Lethargy is a huge red flag in rabbits. Rabbits don’t show many symptoms when they’re sick, so if your rabbit is acting lethargic, get it to a vet immediately. The cause could be a number of things, but the symptom is of high concern. This should be considered a medical emergency and treated as such!
Refusal to eat or drink. Check the droppings pan. If the feces are misshapen or extremely stringy, your rabbit may be suffering from wool block. Try and get some papaya tablets or fresh pineapple in him. If that doesn’t help within a few hours, or if you can’t get the rabbit to take it, this could be a medical emergency so you need a veterinarian immediately. Wool block is fatal if not caught and treated in time. To prevent wool block, keep your rabbit groomed and feed papaya and/or fresh pineapple weekly. Check the droppings pan or litter box frequently and if the feces are getting stringy, step up the hay and produce to clean out their tummies. I have never tested any of this as I’ve never dealt with wool block. These are all suggestions I’ve gotten from other breeders, “just in case.”
If the feces in the pan looked small or non-existent, when you noticed your rabbit isn’t eating or drinking enough, he could be suffering from GI stasis. In this case, offer anything and everything you can think of to get his gut moving. He may need to be force fed Critical Care, which most rabbit vets should carry. If things don’t improve within a few hours, call the vet. This is a medical emergency!
Holding it's head up to breathe, runny nose and/or sneezing and/or difficult breathing. This is a medical emergency. I’m not going to lie; a runny nose with sneezing is a very, very, bad sign. The first things you need to do are quarantine the affected rabbit and call your vet immediately. You should begin sterilizing everything that ever came into contact with your rabbit as soon as possible. This is a sign of Pasteurella , a highly contagious, deadly, incurable disease. There is no way to cure it. It could also be a sign of Bordetella, which is deadly but curable. If your rabbit has a runny nose with no sneezing, it could be pneumonia. Pneumonia is also deadly and contagious, but it is curable as well. Call your rabbit vet if you suspect any of these problems. You may only have a few hours to save your rabbit.
Other Health Issues
These are not behaviors, but they are things to watch for regarding your rabbit's health.
Diarrhea. This is a medical emergency. Diarrhea could be cause by multiple things, including gas (bloat), bacteria, and parasites. Unfortunately, all of these are deadly. Rabbits cannot pass gas like us humans, which is why this is an emergency for them. Treatments vary based on the cause, and a veterinarian is your best bet.
Sores on the feet. Sore hocks are pretty rare in properly groomed EAs. To prevent sore hocks, keep their feet groomed and dry, and don’t cut the wool too short. You want at least an inch, preferably more, of wool on the bottom of their feet. The wool acts as nature’s built in house shoe, protecting your rabbit’s feet. Sore hocks can develop on wire-bottomed floors or on solid floors. The key to prevention is grooming. If you suspect sore hocks, Neosporin will treat the sores and if there is inflammation, preparation H is often used. In addition to these medications, you’ll need to put a resting mat or towel in the cage for your rabbit to rest on. I’ve never dealt with sore hocks so this advice is based on what other breeders have recommended “just in case” I ever do deal with it.
Bald Spots behind the ears and on the back. This is usually from wool mites and is accompanied by excessive dandruff. The best treatment is Ivermectin injectable administered at a rate of .02 cc per pound of body weight. You can inject this or administer it orally. Check out our expanded page on this topic HERE. Call a veterinarian if you aren’t sure.
Crusty Ears. This is ear mites. It can typically be treated with Ivermectin, or with a prescription from your veterinarian.
Poop Clusters. These poops, called cecotropes, and often referred to as "night feces," are usually found in large, grape-like clusters. Not only are they harmless, but they are very beneficial to your rabbit. Their bodies can't absorb all of the nutrients from their food the first time it passes through their system, so they go a second round. That's right, they eat them! As gross as it sounds, this is a necessary part of a rabbit's life. However, if you find excessive cecotropes. and it becomes a frequent ordeal, you may need to lower the protein content in his diet.