As bunny rabbits are prey animals, their natural instincts are to hide any vulnerabilities, illnesses, or emotional well-being concerns from other rabbits, predators, and their human companions.
Due to the nature of rabbits, therefore, it can be incredibly difficult to ascertain whether your bunny is feeling under the proverbial weather or else is simply tired and sleepy after a long day exploring the garden.
Continue reading to learn three key reasons why your bunny should visit the vet.
1. Their Poops Change
Rabbits, both in the United States and the United Kingdom, are classified as exotic pets, with the main reason for this being that their stomachs and intestines are incredibly complex and differ vastly from other animals.
Bunnies are unable to vomit, and therefore absolutely everything that they consume, be it their regular food such as hay, fresh leafy greens, and Pet FDA-approved nuggets and treats, or else foreign and poisonous bodies must be passed through their body one way.
If you notice that your bunny’s poops are smaller and darker or that they have stopped pooping entirely, it is absolutely essential that you rush them to see an emergency vet, such as easyvet.com, as this could be fatal.
2. They Sneeze
There is a wide plethora of ways in which bunnies and humans are similar, especially when it comes to the level of physical and emotional stimulation both species require and desire.
However, when humans sneeze, this can be a way of removing dust or debris from the nose or, at worst, the sign of an ensuing cold. For bunnies, anytime your rabbit sneezes is a potential warning sign, and ‘bunny snuffles’ can potentially place them in mortal danger. If your rabbit seems to huff and puff rather than actually sneeze and only does so for less than a minute, then it may well be that it simply has a strand of fur on its nose, but either way, you should get it checked out immediately.
3. Their Personalities Change Dramatically
People who have never shared their lives with bunny rabbits understandably do not believe bunny-lovers when they say their rabbits have unique and adorable little personalities.
If you are a dedicated rabbit owner, however, and spend vast amounts of time every single day bonding and spending time with your bunnies, you will know all of their different behavioral patterns and might even be able to predict how they will behave, and you will know their favorite treats, what noises are likely to scare them, and how to approach them so that you get the full range of cuddles, licks, and snuggles.
When your bunny’s personality changes, especially suddenly, this is a clear indication that something is wrong, and you should take your rabbit to the vet as soon as possible. For example, with a rabbit that has never so much as nibbled your finger that is suddenly launching itself at you, this could be a sign that it is unwell.