How To Save A Rabbit From Dying

How To Save A Rabbit From Dying
How To Save A Rabbit From Dying

How To Save A Rabbit From Dying? First off, you need to take the rabbit to the vet like any other pet. You also need to feed the rabbit a proper diet and you need to keep its hind quarters clean. Rabbits can get fleas like other animals so you need to run a flea comb through the rabbit’s fur. The rabbit could scratch its skin and cause an open wound and with repeated opening of the wound a deadly infection could set in.

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Should We Use The Same Cage That A Rabbit Died In?

If you have a rabbit that is healthy in the morning then it gets very sickly-looking and wobbly. By the afternoon the rabbit has died so the rabbit died within a few hours. What happened to the rabbit that it died so quickly? There is no definite answer as to why the rabbit died but one possibility is that the rabbit may have contracted the rabbit calicivirus disease which, is one of many diseases, which can kill a rabbit quickly. But if the cause cannot be determined without a post-mortem examination.

Unfortunately, this virus was released in Australia and it can be transferred from a wild rabbit to a pet rabbit. Your pet rabbit should be vaccinated from this deadly disease at least once a year. If the rabbit did die from this disease then you need to clean the cage from the virus. To remove all traces of the rabbit wash the cage in warm, soapy water. Then disinfect the cage with one cup of bleach and 4 liters of water. Let the cage soak in the bleach for 30 minutes. Be sure you rinse it thoroughly. This will ensure the safety of a new rabbit that will live in the cage.

Be sure if you use the bleach that you wear protective clothing because it can damage your skin and clothing. If you do decide to get a new rabbit take it to an experienced veterinarian so they can tell you what to feed the rabbit.

Can You Prevent A Rabbit From Dying With A proper Diet?

Did you know that rabbits have a very complex digestive system? You would not expect this in such a small animal. Rabbits need to be fed mainly grass and hay. If the rabbit is fed a large amount of fruits or vegetables it can cause a serious disruption in the rabbit’s digestive tract. This can create an overrun of bacteria in the rabbit’s digestive tract. The toxins will result from this bacteria infestation and the toxins will kill the rabbit quickly.

A healthy diet for a rabbit consists of timothy hay or other green hays, good pellets, oat hay, water and fresh vegetables. Anything beyond these basics are “treats and should be given to the rabbit in limited portions.”

List of vegetables:

Leafy Greens (But rotate the following list of greens because of high levels of oxalic acid.) Of three varieties of greens given daily only one choice from the list below should be given to the rabbit.

  • Parsley
  • Spinach
  • Mustard greens
  • Beet greens
  • Swiss chard
  • Radish tops
  • Sprouts (from 1 to 6 days after sprouting, sprouts have higher levels of alkaloids)

Leafy Greens low in oxalic acid:

  • Arugula
  • Carrot tops
  • Cucumber leaves
  • Endive
  • Ecarole
  • Frisee Lettuce
  • Kale (all types)
  • Mache
  • Red or green lettuce
  • Romaine lettuce
  • Spring greens
  • Turnip greens
  • Dandelion greens
  • Mint (any variety)
  • Basil (any variety)
  • Watercress
  • Wheatgrass
  • Chicory
  • Raspberry leaves
  • Cilantro
  • Radicchio
  • Bok Choy
  • Fennel (the leafy tops as well as the base)
  • Borage leaves
  • Dill leaves
  • Yu choy

How Do We Stop Our Rabbits From Dying ?

There was a person in a forum that had two bunnies die a week after they brought them home. The first rabbit was fine until about a week later when he became very listless and he could not hold his head up. A couple of hours later the rabbit died and the same thing happened to the second rabbit. So, the pet owner asked how do we stop future rabbits from dying like these two did. Of course the pet owner with other commenters tried to figure out how the rabbits died. 

The commenters came up with several suggestions to help the pet owner stop future rabbits from dying. Granted, they did not figure out exactly what was killing the rabbits but they came up with some valuable suggestions to help keep the rabbits alive in the future.

The second rabbit could have passed away from the cage being infected by the first rabbit. The pet owner went ahead and disinfected the cage after the second rabbit died. The commentator suggested that the pet owner disinfect the cage with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. This way the solution will kill any residual germs left on the cage. This will prevent any future rabbits from dying from the same illness that killed the first two rabbits.

Other suggestions were that the pet owner take any new rabbits to a veterinarian who is experienced in taking care of rabbits and have the rabbits checked over thoroughly for any infections or diseases. This way the problems can be treated early to keep the rabbits healthy.

Another suggestion was for the pet owner to contact the pet store where they bought the rabbit from to see if there were any unusual problems with the rabbit at the store. Or call the breeder and ask them if the rabbit litters these rabbits came from had any other sick rabbits in the litter. Yet another suggestion was to buy a rabbit from another source than the pet store.

Are There Steps To Take To Keep A Rabbit Alive ?

Step 1– It is imperative that you set up an area for the rabbit to live in. Either get a rabbit condo, puppy pen, rabbit cages, or a bunny-proof room. It is critical you do not let your rabbit roam outside because then the rabbit will become a target for predators. Any predator will snuff out the rabbit’s life in an instant. Let the rabbit have enough room to hop around in the living area and let the rabbit hop around outside the living area for s few hours a day. They need to exercise like any other pet. These preparations will keep the rabbit healthy and long-living.

Step 2– To keep the rabbit alive and your house safe you need to bunny-proof the house. Cover the wires with flex tubing or plastic guards for if the rabbit chews the wires they could get electrocuted. Keep the baseboards in the house covered and keep rabbits out of areas where things are contained that rabbits like to chew on. Keep the rabbit near the family so the rabbit will stay alive and healthy.

Step 3- Baby rabbits need alfalfa to eat and adult rabbits need to eat hay. Keep large amounts of hay for the rabbit so they can have a steady supply to eat. Keep the hay dry so the rabbit can live a long, healthy life.

Step 4- Supplement the rabbit’s diet with vegetables, fresh pellets but the pellets are for only some breeds of rabbits. The diet must be healthy for the rabbit to live a long time. Give the rabbit a steady supply of fresh water.

Step 5- You must acquire a litter box for the bunny to relieve himself in. Rabbits go a lot so they need a litter box.  So, to keep your house safe and the rabbit living in a healthy environment a litter box is needed. This step will keep the rabbit healthy and thriving. It will keep the house clean and orderly as well.

Step 6- Rabbits get bored easily and a bored rabbit can lead to a depressed rabbit. If the rabbit gets too depressed they may stop eating and become lethargic. If this happens it could eventually be fatal for them. Get a box castle so the rabbit can stay stimulated while they chew new doors and windows in the castle.

Step 7- You must groom your rabbit and one way to do this is to keep the rabbit’s claws cut. If the claws get too long the rabbit can damage the goods in your home and if they scratch they can scratch their skin so much it could become infected. Infections could be life-threatening to rabbits.

Step 8- By nature rabbits are prey animals. Their instinct is to hide their sickness. Look to see if the rabbit stops pooping, peeing, or eating regularly. If any of these habits stop then take the rabbit to an experienced vet. The vet may discover your rabbit has a life-threatening disease.

Step 9- Learn rabbit behaviors. To have a loving and healthy relationship with your bunny learn their body language. This means to watch for bonks, nose bonks, and flops which are behaviors of a healthy, happy rabbit. If these behaviors stop occurring there could be something seriously wrong with the bunny.

Are There More Tips To Keeping A Rabbit Alive?

One tragic thing is that rabbits are misunderstood animals. They are not easy and simple to care for. Each year thousands of rabbits are abandoned because the pet owners do not understand their rabbits. Rabbits require a lot of care if they are pets and they need to be understood. They are a long term commitment and when pet owners understand this they can develop a long, healthy relationship with the bunny. Misunderstanding your rabbit could kill the bunny.

Don’t keep a rabbit outdoors in a hutch this is because they will face predators, extreme temperature changes, and other hazards. Rabbits can have a heart attack from just seeing a predator nearby. Pet rabbits have become domesticated so they lose the ability to live in the outdoors. Do not keep a rabbit in a hutch this is for rabbits that will be kept for meat purposes. Hutches are not made for a rabbit you want to keep as a beloved pet for years.

Rabbits are intelligent and emotionally aware as cats and dogs are. They need to get used to their new environment and owners. To keep the rabbit healthy and happy he needs to become a part of the family and comfortable in the home.

Rabbits for Children?  

It is a mistake to buy a rabbit for a child. The child gets tired of taking care of the rabbit and the rabbit ends up being locked up in a dirty cage. This could kill the rabbit eventually. Rabbits like to be on all fours and they are independent animals. Kids like to cuddle pets but rabbits do not like to be cuddled.

It has been reported that vets see many broken spines on rabbits because they kick out when children try to pick them up. Or limbs will be broken when children try to pick up the rabbit and this could end up in the death of the rabbit. 

Should I Neuter My Rabbit?

This is one of the biggest mistakes pet owners make and that is they do not get their rabbits neutered because they do not think it matters or they do not want to pay for it. Rabbits are the third largest group of animals that are neutered.

If you do not neuter a male rabbit they will spray urine all over the house to mark their territory. They will poop everywhere but in the litter box and they will attack you if you go into their favorite room. If you do not neuter a female rabbit it could kill them because 80% of unneutered females will develop reproductive cancer by age 6 sometimes it can hit them as early as age 1. This could kill the rabbits.

The End

There are many practical ways that pet owners can use to keep their rabbits from dying. Feed them the proper foods in the right quantities and anything beyond the necessities are extras. Do not ever keep your rabbit outside in a hutch because there are too many factors in the outdoors that could kill the rabbit. If you have a rabbit that has not been neutered get it neutered especially a female pet rabbit because they can produce reproduction cancer from not being spade.