How to Recognize When Your Pet Rabbit Is Sick

Unlike pets such as dogs and cats, rabbits have a tendency to hide signs of illness or manifest symptoms that are easy to miss. Because it's important that you get a sick rabbit to a qualified veterinarian right away, you need to know some major signs of rabbit illness. Follow these steps to recognize when if your rabbit is sick.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Check for changes in behavior. More so than pets like dogs and cats, rabbits are creatures of habit. Any change in a rabbit's behavior is a potential sign that something is up. Look for strange movements, differences in sleeping patterns or manifestations of fear or discomfort in your bunny.
2. Watch eating habits. Rabbits need to eat constantly, so any lapse in eating is almost certainly an indicator he is sick. If you're not around to watch the rabbit eat all day, monitor the levels of food you put into his bowl and then what's left 6 to 12 hours later to tell if the rabbit is not eating.
3. Keep an eye on your rabbit's excretion. As much and as frequently as rabbits need to eat, they need to defecate. To tell whether a rabbit is sick, pay attention to the amount of feces in her enclosure. Also take a look to see if there are changes in the texture or composition of the feces that might be cause for concern.
4. Notice cold-like symptoms. Fluid coming from the rabbit's eyes, nose or mouth, as well as coughing and sneezing, are very strong signs that the rabbit is not well. Occasional sneezes and coughs are probably not serious, but a pattern of cold-like symptoms is a sign the rabbit is sick and needs a vet's care.
5. Feel the rabbit. Rabbits often get lumps or abscesses when ill. Gently feel your rabbit to see if there are any strange bumps or sores on his skin.