oh no this is horrible.i read that rabbits can die if frightened by predators,and i was going to get a rabbit?

Answer 1

This is the case with most unhandled, wild rabbits. They scare VERY easily and have heart attacks. On the other hand, all of my rabbits are very tame and used to dogs, therefore they do not scare at all. I had a rabbit that was never handled and my dog broke into his cage. My dog was only licking the rabbit when I saw what was happening. By that time it was too late and it had died of a heart attack. This rabbit was VERY skittish and you couldn't even hold it.

So if you get a rabbit that is raised as a pet and is used to people, you will have no problem at all. It has only happened to me once and I have raised over a 100 rabbits. I highly recommend rabbits as a pet. They are very sweet and low maintenance.

Answer 2

I have raised thousands of rabbits over 25 years.

Yes it can happen, but you were given some misinformation by some people.

1.) The rabbit doesn't die of a heart attack.
2.) A rabbit is every bit as susceptible if it is kept inside as it is if it is kept outside.
3.) To an extent, how much you handle them may not affect whether the rabbit gets frightened and dies.

Here are some true facts:

1.) A rabbit is normally scared by sudden movements, a sudden or loud noise, or a lack of noise.

2.) When the rabbit gets scared, it normally will run around the cage in a circle. If the rabbit gets too scared it may possibly run into the side of cage. This can cause the rabbit to break it's spinal chord, paralyzing or killing it. Many people confuse the twitching afterwards with either a heart attack or an epileptic type of attack when it is neither of those.

3.) A rabbit is not safer indoors because it can be scared just as easily by someone opening a door or running inside the house, etc. Although you do have the lack of predators inside, those can be limited through fencing around an outdoor cage (regular or electric) or through keeping the rabbits in an enclosed outdoor barn.

4.) Just because you handle a rabbit a lot doesn't mean that it is accustomed to sudden sounds or movements. I've seen some well handled rabbits run around the cage and die.

5.) Genetics does play somewhat of a role. Some rabbits are just more genetically inclined to get excited easier.


There's one simple way to solve the problem though. That's to get the rabbit accustomed to noise. If you go to the places of people that have shown and raised rabbits for years, you'll probably hear a radio playing out where their rabbits are. Playing the radio regularly for them gets them accustomed to noise so they don't get jittery nearly as easy. A sudden lack of noise can also sometimes put them in a hightened tense state. If you ever notice your rabbit thumping it's back feet or running around the cage frantically with its ears straight up, don't hardly move and if you speak, speak softly in a calming tone. One wrong move could set them a little over the edge in that state and cause them to break their spinal chord.

One thing to keep in mind is that you can't alway prevent certain things from happening. Everyday I'd walk into my rabbit barn and not have a problem. Then one day I walk into the barn while showing some people some rabbits and as soon as I open the door one dashed around the pen, ran into the wall and broke it's spinal chord. It had watched me walked through that same door probably several hundred times before and that had never bothered it. Most likely the difference was the extra people with me or it had been scared somehow before I walked in the barn.

Answer 3

this is the case with most unhandled, wild rabbits. They scare VERY easily and have heart attacks. On the other hand, all of my rabbits are very tame and used to dogs, therefore they do not scare at all. I had a rabbit that was never handled and my dog broke into his cage. My dog was only licking the rabbit when I saw what was happening. By that time it was too late and it had died of a heart attack. This rabbit was VERY skittish and you couldn't even hold it.

So if you get a rabbit that is raised as a pet and is used to people, you will have no problem at all. It has only happened to me once and I have raised over a 100 rabbits. I highly recommend rabbits as a pet. They are very sweet and low maintenance.

Answer 4

yes it is highly possible. that's why rabbits should be indoors only. they do so well and have great personalities while inside. they are also social animals so getting a pair of rabbits, that are bonded, and opposite sex but fixed would be the best. here are some great websites for indoor rabbits. and if you keep them inside than you wont need to worry about predators.

http://www.rabbit.org/

http://www.rabbit.org/care/new-bunny-index.html

http://www.rabbit.org/care/living-with-a-house-rabbit.html

fyi: they can be litterbox trained so it will be easy to care for them! best of luck, and please think about saving some lives by adopting!! try www.petfinder.com, most of the rabbits are already bonded, but waiting for a good home.

Answer 5

Yes, I have heard of this happening, but I have never personally observed it and we have a few bunnies. Just make sure your bunny is kept in a safe environment and it shouldn't be an issue. Don't let it deter you from getting a bunny ... from a reliable breeder of course, and never from a pet store.

Answer 6

This is true, no kidding. I had a bunny when I was a kid and my brother snuck up behind it and startled it. It began convulsing and died about 10 seconds later. It totally freaked me out, but it's true.

Answer 7

just make sure not to sneak up on it with a boogie man mask on. good luck