Rabbit suddenly started thrashing

[Akemi]

Hi, I’m posting because about ten minutes ago, my bunny started thrashing like crazy.

As far as I know, he was completely normal; I even remember making sure to keep an eye out for him because it’s quite hot today (about 26 C)..

He started thrashing and couldn’t get up, and was moving around desperately trying to. I picked him up as gently as I could and put him on my torso and just pet him for a bit – it almost felt like his back had given out, because he was really flat on me. He also stayed there and he usually hates being picked up, mostly because we’re not very close to him.

After that I laid him on my bed where I was sitting, against some pillows. He stayed there for a bit, and then after five minutes just hopped off my bed as if nothing had happened? He’s shaking/quivering now but is lying down getting licks from  his girlfriend. He keeps on licking his lips and I’ve given him some lettuce and parsley, and he’s nibbling at them now.

Did he have a heat stroke? a seizure? I’m really wondering if he’s okay and if I should take a day off work tomorrow to keep an eye on him..?

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CmAePdvUkAAAj1l.jpg

He’s the himalayan in the back there.

[BinkyBunny]

How scary! I am glad he seems fine now but, was it overly hot? You said you were worried about heat stroke? 

 It does sound like a seizure – have no idea what from. This is something I would contact your vet about. Do you have a rabbit savvy vet?

[Akemi]

There is a vet near me that’s known for being rabbit savvy, so I’m thinking about going tomorrow, if things work out..!

It is pretty hot, about 26 celsius and humidity at around 60%? and I don’t have air conditioining, just a fan and the window open with the curtains drawn. They both look pretty warm right now, and I’m not sure what I should do to help :/  They don’t like frozen water bottles..

[Roberta]

Even if they won’t lie on the frozen bottles it will still cool the air around it. Try to put a couple of frozen bottles about the area and it should cool the air close to the floor over several meters.

[Bam]

You can cool their ears with cool water. They regulate their body heat via their ears. Be very gentle though, apply the water to a cloth and wipe the ears with it or gently dab some water on to them. Don’t use ice-cold water.

As Roberta is saying, frozen water bottles will cool the surrounding air so the buns don’t have to snuggle up directly against them. They shouldn’t have to either, they should have enough space to choose a distance from the bottles that they do like.

Heat is a problem for rabbits, but it’s not the only reason why a bun can get a seizure, so seeing a vet about it is advisable.

[BinkyBunny]

That heat isn’t horrible, (but getting there) and with the added humidity it will make it feel hotter for sure! Double Ditto with Roberta and Bam – the water bottles will help keep the air cool right around them. Also if you have a fan and a large water bottle, the air will go over the frozen water bottle and help cool things off a bit.

Also, while some bunnies may not like the actual water bottle, if you wrap it in a cloth or put a sock over smaller bottles, they may be more apt to snuggle up close. My previous bunnies liked to hang out on a blanket so I ended up putting the bottles in the blanket.

And check out the cooling tips from the this site – https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tab…fault.aspx

Not sure still if his seizure was related to this or not so keep us updated. 

[Author]

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