Situation guide
A rabbit off food is an emergency clock: GI stasis signs and immediate steps.
A rabbit that has gone quiet is not resting. Rabbits hide illness until they can no longer compensate, and because the gut of a hindgut fermenter is not designed to stop, a rabbit that is not eating is an emergency measured in hours. Owners cannot reliably take a rabbit's temperature at home, so appetite, droppings and
Do not splint a rabbit. Rabbit skin tears, pressure sores form within hours, and the restraint needed to apply a splint is the very thing that fractures rabbit spines. This guide covers why a rabbit can break its own back with a kick, the differentials for sudden hind limb weakness, correct lifting and transport, how t
Assisted feeding keeps a rabbit's gut supplied while a vet treats the cause. How to tell stasis from an obstruction, what formula to use and what to avoid, the technique that prevents aspiration, and the two numbers that show whether it is working.
A rabbit's gut is a continuous flow system, so a slowdown becomes an emergency within hours. This guide covers how to listen to both flanks and build a baseline, how to read dropping size, number and mucus, what changes by breed, age and season, and the critical difference between stasis and a physical obstruction, whe
Hay is not a supplement to a rabbit's diet, it is the diet. A rabbit living on pellets is under-worn in the teeth and under-fibred in the gut, but cutting pellets abruptly can stop a rabbit eating altogether. The change has to be made slowly, measured, and monitored through weight and droppings.
The first three days decide how a rabbit sees your home and are also when a stress-related gut shutdown is most likely. Keep the food identical, keep handling to almost nothing, and check that the rabbit is eating and passing droppings within the first hours.
A rabbit that stops eating is an emergency until proven otherwise. Act the same day; do not wait for tomorrow.
A rabbit's teeth grow for life, and when the back molars wear unevenly they form sharp spurs that cut the tongue and cheek. This article helps you spot the early signs , dropped food, drooling, weight loss , explains why hay is the best prevention, and stresses when a rabbit needs urgent veterinary care.
Gastrointestinal stasis is one of the most common rabbit emergencies, where the gut slows or stops. This guide explains how a hay-first diet, hydration, exercise, and daily poop-watching prevent it, and how to recognise the early signs before a slowdown becomes life-threatening.
Rabbits hide pain and crash fast, so knowing the true red flags saves lives. This guide lists the signs that mean go to a vet immediately , not tomorrow , including not eating, no droppings, laboured breathing and collapse, so you never lose critical hours second-guessing.
Gastrointestinal stasis (GI stasis) in rabbits is a silent, life-threatening emergency. Learn how to recognize the early warning signs, administer immediate first aid, and follow our step-by-step action plan to save your rabbit's life.
Water is not a side issue in a rabbit: dry gut contents stop moving, and concentrated urine turns into sludge because rabbits dump surplus calcium through the kidneys. This guide covers why bowls beat sipper bottles, how to measure real intake with a kitchen scale, how to build a baseline that makes a change meaningful
