Examining your First Rabbit

Maybe you just bought or adopted a baby rabbit. You are excited and filled with so much joy you can't wait to take them home. After playing or observing all the rabbits for sell or adoption, you realize that cute little rabbit who hops kind of funny is the rabbit for you. They're sweet, outgoing and very adventurous. You don't mind their funny hop. You assume that's just the way they like to get around.

So you fill out the paper work (if there was any) and handed some money over. The seller or shelter handed you your rabbit and you're now on your way home. You begin bonding with your new rabbit. You spend hours and hours getting to know them. They're just as sweet, outgoing and adventurous as the first day.

Then, you notice their funny hop seems to have gotten worse. You notice they don't hop around as much as they used to. Your rabbit lays down all day. They're still very sweet but they aren't as outgoing and adventurous anymore. What could be wrong?

If you have never had a pet rabbit before, there is a lot you don't know about rabbits. If you want to get a pet rabbit, researching may seem daunting and scary. You'll come across dangerous conditions like malocclusion or Gastrointestinal (GI) Stasis. Don't let that turn you away from getting a pet rabbit.

First, I would love to commend you for doing research prior to getting a pet rabbit. Rabbits are still fairly new to me and there were many things I wish I looked for when getting a rabbit. Here are some tips to check your potential rabbit's health.

1. Check the rabbit's teeth.

This might sound very weird but, checking the 6 front teeth or incisors is important. Rabbits should have a slight overbite. Rabbit teeth never stop growing and having an overbite will cause the teeth to grind every time they chew. This grinding keeps their teeth from overgrowing.

This rabbit has a slight overbite. Therefore they have healthy occlusion.

Also check the rabbit's teeth length. The length of the rabbit's teeth are a dead give away for healthy occlusion or malocclusion. The image below displays a rabbit with healthy teeth length.

2. Check the rabbit's eyes.

This tip is a given. It is obvious when a rabbit's eye is healthy or not. Do not assume a rabbit is blind if their eyes have a blue glaze. Getting Nightshade was an impulsive move. It was obvious her eyes were not healthy but my boyfriend and I assumed she was blind. After a week, her right eye got more blue. That was definitely not normal so, we took her to the vet. The vet examined Nightshade's eye and told us she was not blind but had an eye infection that dried her corneas. 

This picture of Nightshade shows the blue in one of her eyes.

3. Check the rabbit's ears and fur.

Rabbit's are fastidious groomers. They enjoy being clean and cleaning themselves. Rabbits also enjoy being in clean areas but sometimes, pet stores or shelters have a hard time keeping these spaces clean. Pet stores and shelters deal with many different animals and that's why illnesses, infections and infestations spread quickly.

One infestation that attacks rabbit's ears and or fur, is mites. A mild case of mite infestation may be overlooked but, the rabbit will demonstrate discomfort by constantly scratching. Mites infestations can be very mild or extremely severe. Do keep in mind mites are a parasite so your rabbit will need an antibiotic for treatment.

4. Listen to the rabbit's stomach and watch their stool.

This sounds very silly but, the noises a rabbit's stomach makes can tell you about their digestion. A few gurgles and growls is normal. That means their digestion system is hard at work. But, if the tiny little rabbit's stomach can be heard from a few feet away take caution, you want to take the rabbit to the vet. Rabbits don't cry out in discomfort or pain, they will simply hunch over and grind their teeth very loudly. Rabbit stool should look like a ball of pepper. If the rabbit's stool is watery or they have diarrhea, they need medical attention.

So, after being home with you for a couple of days and your rabbit is showing these symptoms, take them to the vet. There might be a blockage in their digestive system or a decreased movement of the gastric muscles.

5. Check the rabbit's paws.

Rabbits spend a lot of time on their paws and most of their weight is held by their hind legs. Some rabbits have more fur on the bottom of their paw than others. That is why it is important to check the rabbit's paws because they could have sore hocks. There are a number of reasons for the development of sore hocks but, treatment is most important. There are 5-6 grades of the infection. The first grade is obvious. Rex rabbits are more prone to sore hocks.

Nightshade is currently suffering from grade 1 sore hocks. She developed this condition just recently. The skin on the bottom of her foot is red and irritated but, it is not broken or leaking. If you want to learn more about sore hocks and some prevention tips check out this short YouTube video.

These five tips can be used to check your future rabbit's health and possible conditions. These tips are not warnings to avoid getting the rabbit who exhibits some of these issues. Rabbits, like all pets are companions and part of the family. You should want to spend time, effort and a little money on your family. Another important tip is if you get a rabbit from a shelter, the shelter should have the rabbit's medical history since they have been at the shelter. The shelter should also tell you about any medication the rabbit is taking. Don't be afraid to ask the shelter or seller questions. At the end of the day, you are the one who will choose your furry companion. You deserve to know what to look for so you can prepare better.