Is it uncommon for one rabbit to kill another? We have a dwarf lop and a sweet little dutch, both youngsters. The lop has been chasing her around for a few days and this morning we found the dutch dead. Nothing wrong health wise as they were both at the vets yesterday.
2007-01-12 02:03:22 · 10 answers · asked by ? 5 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
It is possible that the animl may have broke its neck or back jumping.
Also sometimes rabbits can become territorial and try to defend its area if another rabbit comes into it. Still if they are young nice rabbits I don't think something like this would happen.
Try getting the animl x-rayed, cause dutch have a higher cance of breaking their back since they have longer backs. Just think to yourself, was the rabbit jumpy at all, or did the rabit ever jump upand arch its back? If so that is what could have happened.
If that was not it, then there was something wrong already that the vet did not tell you or that the vet did not see, cause it takes a lot for a rabbit to get sick and once they are sick it does take a while to get bad,and they do show symptoms for a while before getting to the point of death.
Hope that helped!
2007-01-12 07:08:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know how common it is but as you found out it definately does happen from time to time. It also happens with hamsters although I think it happens more frequntly with hamsters than rabbits. Did you find any obvious wounds? I wouldn't rule out a health issue just because they saw the vet yest. I would say you could rule out OBVIOUS health issues but some issues can't be seen by the naked eye and would show no noticeable symptomes beforehand. An anuerism for instance, would kill instantly but show no symptoms before that. There are many other issues that could do the same so if you don't see blood or any noticealbe wounds I would tend to think it could be a health issue and would remove your other rabbit to completely disinfect the cage and everything that came in contact with your other rabbit. Actually, I think I would do that regardless as to the cause of death.
I am truly sorry to hear about your loss,
Dale
2007-01-12 10:20:36 · answer #2 · answered by Dale d 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some rabbits need to be kept separately, even if they have grown up together. It is often about territory as they get older - so if you have a huge run for them then maybe you have more chance of getting a couple of bunnies to get on.
But usually at about 12 weeks old the two little bunnies that were so loving start to have nasty little fights, then its time to separate them. It's sad but nature.
Its very sad about your dutch rabbit (I kept dutch rabbits and they are a truly lovely breed of rabbit in looks and nature)but the other postees are right, it could have died from anything if there are no wounds visible. Rabbits can die of fright - they are very nervous, sensitive animals. - but perhaps just stick to the one rabbit now, the more attention you give them the better natured they become in any case!
2007-01-12 11:36:46 · answer #3 · answered by Boo 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
rabbits fight, if you get them at different ages, and if you put the same sex in, buy i cant remember what way round it is, either two boys together or two girls. I keep my rabbits in different hutches. Did your rabbit have its mixie and vhd injection, possible caught something, it is possible for a mosquito to bite and a rabbit can die very quickly. This happened a couple of years to my little dwarf rabbit, fine one day and dead the next, he was only 1 year old. Sorry for you loss, not a nice thing to see when you go out to see your bunny.
2007-01-12 10:43:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits will commonly fight if you leave them together after a certain age. Rabbits normally won't fight to the point that they kill the other rabbit, but they will chase them around like crazy. The chasing can lead to killing the rabbit being chased either due to stress or due to running into the side of the cage and breaking their spinal chord.
This is why I recommend that people not keep their rabbits together after they surpass weaning age.
2007-01-12 10:19:57 · answer #5 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits can fight to the death, usually adolescent males. Seems a bit strange to me. If they'd fought, I'm sure you'd see signs of biting, scratching or blood on the body.
Seems more likely that something else caused it to me. Impossible to say what unless you have the vet do an autopsy.
2007-01-12 10:41:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits will fight but I've never heard of them killing one another. The vet could have missed something, the rabbit could have been ill.
2007-01-12 10:28:27 · answer #7 · answered by Fast boy + sexy boy + doglover 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes.. sometimes.
I have two rabbits and the one is big and the other is very small.. but my small one nearly killed the big one.. I dont know why they were 2 years together in one cage and than form one to the other day the small started to bite the big. I couldnt belive that the big didnt bite the small one ... But know I have two cage but when the small one see just for a second the big one is she straight angry and make funny noises.
2007-01-12 14:53:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
May have just been a flook illness or could of faught in the night or tried to mate and hurt the dutch,
sorry to hear your sad news.
2007-01-12 10:09:25 · answer #9 · answered by strawberriesandcream1986 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Nope... I have never heard of rabbits killing other rabbits.
2007-01-12 10:10:35 · answer #10 · answered by Aussies-Online 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋