Why do you think my rabbit died?

Question

I had a 2 year old American Dwarf Rabbit and he died Monday. I live in New Jersey and the weather has been weird here but the temperature in my house has been about the same. The rabbit lived in the house and he showed no signs of being ill. I recently found out that the pet store I bought him from gets their puppies from puppy mills and they might get their rabbits from a place similar to puppy mills. I didn't feed him vegetables that week because I ran out, but I don't think a week would hurt him. He always had clean water. I did recently buy a new food for him because it was cheaper but the people at the pet store said it was a bit better for him then the stuff I was giving him because it has more nutrition. I told the person that I haven't given him vegetables for a week and he said if im feeding him that it will make up for some of the nutrition he lost for not eating vegetable. I bathed him 2 weeks prior to that and he jumped out and he landed weird but he acted just fine so I assumed he was okay. I felt him for broken bones and he didn't react like we was in pain and I didn't feel anything. I checked him the next whole week for bruises and found nothing. If you need more information let me know. Thanks!

? · Accepted Answer

*You do not bathe rabbits. He probably got chilled and caught pneumonia. Rabbits do not need veggies that much as it will cause ISS and kill them. Hay but not alfalfa hay. Need a tree branch to wear down their teeth. Annual vet.

HereIAm · Answer

First off, let me say I am so sorry for the loss of your Rabbit. :(

Experts disagree about bathing or not bathing, As long as you made sure he didn't get chilled after bathing, I see no real harm. It is possible he had an internal injury from falling, but since you monitored him for a week and if he acted naturally, ate as usual, had bowel movements (if you can call rabbits pellets bowel movements.....I guess so.) Umm did you allow him to eat some of his poo? Rabbits need to do that. They pass two kinds and one is what they need to eat. The one they need is called cecotropes  and they usually eat them as they come out of the rabbit. If a rabbit doesn't get the cecotropes they can die of malnutrition. I can't imagine that you kept it's cage or pen completely free from his pellets......
Did he die over a period of time (like you noticed him acting differently or sluggish or labored breathing and lying on it's side?) or quickly?

You know all creatures aren't born perfect, and some die young and some live to a ripe old age.

I wouldn't beat myself up and second guess myself if I were you. It seems like you loved and cared for the rabbit as best you knew how and sought professional help in feeding and caring for it.

It is a hard thing to lose a beloved pet and we all naturally try and think what we could have done to have  help or hindered them.  I'd say allow yourself to grieve, but remember you loved and cared for it and gave it a better life than most rabbits ever have.

 The only other option you would have had was vet doing a Necropsy (autopsy) and the vet may have turned up nothing or a physical flaw etc etc.

Again, let go, and remember the best of times you had with the rabbit.

Star L · Answer

thank you for giving all the info... I just had to sign on and answer this.

Not feeding him veggies for a week will not kill him.

out of the whole story you gave, the most likely thing that would have killed him was the bath. You are not supposed to give rabbits baths, they can get hypothermia and can go into shock. also if you do give them a bath it should be a "dry bath" using same thing as chinchillas use dry bath powder. I hope you didnt use human shampoo or soap, as rabbits skin is really sensitive and that may have killed him as well.

Trending News

Why do you think my rabbit died?

3 Answers