Bunny Panic Attack

[Jenny Blades]

Not sure how to explain this “issue” but when my elder dwarf flops over to fall asleep she will sometimes panic and flip herself until I rush over to calm her down and put her back on feet. This is fairly recent within the past 6months and I’m not sure why she does it and if there may be something I can do to help her. Usually this happens when she’s in her cage for the night, she stays in my room and I can hear her thrashing about. Honestly I have mom hearing for this, I’m just afraid she is going to injure her spine because she is older.

Has anyone ever had this issue? Or maybe some advice on how I may be able to help her in case I’m not around when it happens?

Thanks in advance!

[jerseygirl]

Hi Jenny

Maybe get her checked out for inner ear infection? Although, I would have thought you’d see more imbalance issue throughout the day if that was the case. Its a bit puzzling…

Maybe she has something a bit like postional vertigo? So when he head is at a certain angle, it sets off dizziness. Do you notice her eyes when she has these episodes? Any side to side eye or rolling eye movements?

How about her weight and general mobility? Does she get around okay normally?

Note: I locked the other thread you had on this question. It has a link back to this one.

[Wick & Fable]

It sounds like what Wick does because he can’t hold his flops. Here’s a video:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4m51FY6oip7c3M5eEpvVllSYUU/view?usp=sharing

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Meesh]

You mentioned padding the cage, I am wondering if your buns feet are just slipping on the floor because there is no traction? Maybe try a carpet / mat in the cage for a night and see if traction helps. (I got a small mat from giant Tiger for less than 5$ almost the same size of the floor of the cage… Probably meant for the kitchen or bathroom floor. I don’t actually put it in their cage (I have in the past because it was super cold in the apartment so I put that on the floor and covered with a blanket), but it sits just in front of the cage to save the floor from hay).

[Rain]

My Netherland Dwarf does something similar as Wick(who’s absolutely precious btw so adorable) and yours but my bunny is really young. He does this when he is trying to eat his cecotropes or when he’s grooming. When he flops he just completely falls over. Maybe dwarf rabbits tend to do this because they are so small? Or maybe it is a problem??

[Wick & Fable]

Wick is one now, but he’s done this since I’ve had him at 8 weeks old. If you see clear impairments, like running into walls, inability to run straight, falling over at times that don’t make sense, then it may require vet examination. If it’s explainable just by throwing and maneuvering body weight, like adjust the body to eat a cecotrope or flopping it’s pretty harmless.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Bladesmith]

Dawn does the same thing as Wick. She has only flopped on her back 3 times I’ve seen and held it. Partly I think because she’s such a puffball she can’t help but roll back and because she doesn’t trust a world she can’t see. Netherlanders are paranoid little buns. She rarely turns her back to the world.

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