Rabbit owners know that Rabbits are very adorable pets that are fairly easy to take care of. Unlike dogs and cats, rabbits can always be kept inside clean cages and usually doesn’t need to be taken for daily strolls. As long as they are well-fed and taken care of properly, they can stay mostly indoors.
However, even though rabbits tend to display energetic behavior most of the time, it doesn’t mean that they cannot be affected by illness. As a matter of fact, rabbit sicknesses are often diagnosed because of sudden difference in their eating behavior and other activities. As a pet owner, you must know how to identify whether your pet rabbit is sick or not so that you can immediately take your pet to the nearest veterinary clinic, in case that your pet rabbit’s sickness gets worse.
Listed below are the things that you must do once you suspect that your beloved pet rabbit doesn’t feel well:
- Gastrointestinal Problems – If you notice that your rabbit doesn’t eat his or her food and if your pet rabbit displays loss of appetite, there might be some chance that he or she is experiencing gastrointestinal problems. Additional symptoms concerning this problem could include irregular, loose or runny, irregular-shaped droppings or droppings containing some rabbit fur. If this is the case, consult a veterinarian.
- Respiratory Problems – If your pet rabbit or bunny tends to sneeze in a regular basis or if he or she experiences difficulty in breathing, this can be a symptom of a more difficult problem. There are times that your pet rabbit will sneeze because of some dust that may have found its way inside your pet’s nose. However, if this is not the case, better take your pet rabbit to a veterinarian in your place.
- Various Physical Changes – You can somehow diagnose whether your pet rabbit is sick or not by feeling its ears. If your pet rabbit’s ears are unusually hot or cold, there’s a chance that your pet is sick. Aside from that, if you notice that your pet rabbit has lost significant weight, this could also mean that it is sick. Losing a significant amount of fur is also a sickness indicator in pet rabbits.
- Various Attitude Changes – If your pet rabbit displays sudden behavior that’s a direct contrast to his or her usual behavior, this could also mean that your pet rabbit is experiencing some problems.