Can A Sick Rabbit Breed? ( All you Need to Know)

Disclaimer

Every product you see here has either been used by us or independently selected by (obsessive) editors. As an affiliate of AmazonAnything purchased through our links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

When rabbits fall sick, they are being exposed to so many more diseases and infections which are very harmful to their health.

Also, as rabbits become sick there are some activities they do not engage in such as breeding. Breeding in this aspect has to do with producing or giving birth to more of their kinds or offspring.

It is not possible and advisable for a sick rabbit to breed as this will lead to some unwanted issues that you as a farmer or a pet owner, would regret thereby causing more good than harm. Some of these unwanted issues are:

  1. Spread of diseases
  2. Poor growth of the offspring
  3. Reduced value and quality

1. Spread Of Diseases

When rabbits are sick mate, there is a 100 percent certainty that the disease will be passed from the Parent to the offspring and in some cases, some of these diseases can be so dangerous that it might lead to the death of the offspring and as well affect the doe.

So avoiding them from mating will help reduce the spread of unwanted diseases and helps keep them safe and strong.

2. Poor Growth of the Offspring

When female rabbits (Doe) litter, they are very vulnerable to various kinds of diseases and infections likewise the young ones.

When sick rabbits litter, they tend to pass the diseases to their offspring and this might affect their growth and living thereby leading to malnutrition and possibly loss of the young ones.

3. Reduced Value and Quality

Quality in this scenario has to do with how well their fur is, How big they are, and talking about the value, no one would love to buy or have a rabbit that is sick or is not well taken care of as supposed.

A sick rabbit value in the market would not be compared to that of a healthy one. Their value would not be the same. People will go for a more healthy rabbit to avoid infections and reduce the chances of being infected with their diseases.

FAQ’s (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS) RELATED TO THIS ARTICLE:  Can A Sick Rabbit Breed? ( All you Need to Know)

Can Rabbit Scratches Make You Sick?

Rabbits turn out to be violent most times and this will amount to them scratching when threatened.

Getting sick by a rabbit scratch will have to depend on the type of rabbit,  Meaning that if it’s a bush rabbit, there is a high tendency of you getting sick and infected but for a domesticated rabbit, it is not certain that you will get sick reason being that for a domestic rabbit being compared to a wild rabbit in terms of care given, Domestic rabbit will rank number one because it is being taken care of and everything is available and abundant and this there is less tendency of them being infected with diseases.

Wild rabbits spread diseases more than domesticated ones thereby increasing the chances of you getting sick when scratched.

READ ALSO: 10 Best Ways To Take Care Of a Rabbit Litter ( All you need to know)

How do Rabbits Act When They Are Sick?

Sick rabbits are not active and strong when sick this is because their body has been exposed to some harmful diseases that may be gotten from the environment they stay in, what they eat, what they drink, and other related ways.  Some of these behaviors exhibited by a sick rabbit are as follows:

  1. Loss of appetite
  2. Reduction of energy and activity
  3. They do not groom their hair as usual
  4. Their head tend to bend (Head tilt)
  5. They excrete excessively
  6. Nasal discharge

1. Loss of Appetite

Sick rabbits don’t consume more food and water than usual. One of the first two signs of knowing a sick rabbit is when they lose interest in feed and water consumption. So making sure you keep a record of your rabbit feed consumption will go a long way in helping you know when they show signs of and symptoms of any sickness so it can be tackled or even prevented at an early stage.

2. Reduction of Energy and Activity

Rabbits are very social and friendly animals that love to move around. And by moving, it requires energy to help them perform some of their activities. A sick rabbit that has low or reduced energy capacity finds it hard to mate, run, or even eat.

3. They do Not Groom Their Hair as Usual

One of the things very common in rabbits is their grooming of hairs. They do so to help keep themselves clean and help to remove some insects, food particles that may have hidden in their fur.

When your rabbit is sick, all these will be difficult for them and you find out your rabbit is getting dirty and not clean as usual should make you suspect something is not right.

So trying to keep an eye on them will help a lot and when any of these signs arise it can be tackled with immediate effect.

4. Their Head Tend to Bend (Head tilt)

Tilting head has to do with the rabbit bending its head to a vertical position. Rabbits that normally show these behaviors tend to be sick rabbits. When you notice your rabbit is showing these behaviors, it is advisable you visit a veterinarian or a rabbit expert for proper care and health tips to help prevent the further spread of the sickness to other rabbits.

Tilting of their head shows that they are very weak and cannot perform any other activities and reduces their life span.

Head tilt is mainly caused by the parasite Encephalitozoon. 

5. They Excrete Excessively (Excessive Stool)

When rabbits don’t consume much feed, they end up making their digestive system slow in action and this can lead to excess stooling. Rabbit Gastrointestinal Stasis (RGIS) is a very rampant rabbit illness that affects rabbits mostly, as this affects the rabbits eating.

Some of the main causes of these (RGIS) may be a result of the loss of appetite for food, malfunctioning teeth. Other causes maybe as a result of internal organs dysfunction such as the liver thereby leading to excessive stooling.

6. Nasal Discharge

Cold, Feeling feverish, sneezing, and difficulty in breathing including other related symptoms can cause Nasal discharge from rabbits.

Nasal discharge makes it difficult for rabbits to breathe and this affects their respiratory tract.

If not noticed on time, may lead to loss of the rabbit and may also spread to the other rabbits. When you notice any of these signs,  do make sure you visit a veterinarian for proper guidance.

READ ALSO: What Amount Of Pellets Do My Baby Rabbits Eat?

How to Treat a Sick Rabbit at Home?

Rabbits easily get sick when care is not given. Noticing any strange behavior from your rabbit especially when you at home and it’s an emergency and going to the veterinarian would not be advised because it’s an emergency that needs to be taken care of at the moment.

One thing to carry in mind before embarking on any treatment for a sick rabbit is making sure they are not dehydrated that is ensuring they consume more water as this help keep them strong, After then, making use of a syringe to help inject any prescribed medication given by the veterinarian, soft bunny feeds, keeping them warm is very important also.


All these steps will help keep the rabbit strong before the arrival of the veterinarian or if you decide to go instead.

What to Feed a Sick Rabbit?

Loss of appetite, reduction in energy, and activity are some of the common signs of a sick rabbit. Emphasizing more on the loss of appetite, sick rabbits don’t feed on most of the food given to them.

They find it hard to eat and this is not good. It can go as far as making the sickness more effective thereby making the rabbit inactive.

They feed on fresh vegetables, pellets, hay, and other important necessities such as water.

Can A Sick Rabbit Breed? ( All you Need to Know) – Conclusion

No one would love to see his or her rabbit fall sick, but you can help prevent them whenever they begin to show signs. when these signs are noticed, you take them to your veterinarian, or if it’s a case you can handle before the visit to the veterinarian.

We appreciate you visiting our site I hope by now you are satisfied and at the same time learned one or two from this article “Can A Sick Rabbit Breed? ( All you Need to Know)“.
If so, kindly do us a favor by clicking on any of the SHARE buttons located below. And we would love to hear from you pertaining any questions related to this post kindly do so in the comment section below.

Leave a Reply