Adult Rabbit Death Question

[hop_skip_anda_heartbeat]

Hi All -

I keep my adults rabbits in an enclosure in the yard and allow them to dig a burrow to sleep in at night so it's as close to "natural" living as possible.
I think one of them has passed away as I haven't seen him all day, but the other 2 buns are playful and active.

If he passed away inside the underground burrow, do you know how the rabbits handle that?
Will they remove him from the burrow?
Does he stay there and decompose and the remaining rabbits dig a new area?

Trying to figure out if I need to dig up the burrow to find the body or if they handle it more naturally.
I can't find answers about it online; I only see information about baby kits passing and how the momma eats them.
I doubt the 2 remaining rabbits would eat a whole adult rabbit though?

Thanks so much.
I'm pretty upset about it right now.

 

[Everose]

He could be suffering from GI stasis, a sick rabbit will stay curled up in a corner. Is there any way to find him at all?

 

[Everose]

Rabbits won't eat rabbits, period. He will decompose and expose your other rabbits to all kinds of nastiness, I wouldn't let that happen.
You could collapse the burrow and bury him. You could also dig it up.
But please don't do any of this until you know for sure that he's dead, if he's alive that would be the most horrible way to die.

 

[hop_skip_anda_heartbeat]

He could be suffering from GI stasis, a sick rabbit will stay curled up in a corner. Is there any way to find him at all?

He could be... He was active and playful yesterday, but I know GI stasis is quick. He's not in a corner or anything that I could see without digging up the burrow.

For context, they have a like 4' X 6' enclosure that has the underground burrow, an overhang to keep dry or hang in the shade, and the rest is running around grassy space. They have 24 hour access to hay and water. They are blocked from wind on 2 out of the 4 sides.

I'm worried about him being in the burrow and the other rabbits either not going in it anymore or them getting sick from him being in there?

 

[Everose]

I'm worried about him being in the burrow and the other rabbits either not going in it anymore or them getting sick from him being in there?

I would try very hard to find him. If you can't, then make sure the other rabbits have a nice dry hay filled space to cuddle. Pulling him out is best, especially if he only just died.

I don't think he's dead, GI stasis hits fast but takes a little while to kill.
If you can find him, get him warm, and get baby gas drops or a mixture of yogurt and sugar water into him. Oxbow critical care for small animals is great if you have it on hand.

 

[Everose]

Any luck finding him?

 

[KelseyBoxer]

I don't have rabbits, but I have a question about the rabbit being allowed to dig its own burrow. What stops the rabbit from digging an exit hole away from the enclosure? I know ground hogs do this.

 

[hop_skip_anda_heartbeat]

Any luck finding him?

I did find him today! I didn't see any outward signs of something that could have caused it, but he was in a back corner that had 2 black widows. I'm thinking either a widow bite or possible GI. Thanks for your help and checking in!

 

[hop_skip_anda_heartbeat]

I don't have rabbits, but I have a question about the rabbit being allowed to dig its own burrow. What stops the rabbit from digging an exit hole away from the enclosure? I know ground hogs do this.

I've thought this too! They just never have. I think because they are in a secure shelter that doesn't get predators on top of that is where their food and water always is - they just never cared to dig out.

To help prevent it though, I do have hard wire along the inside perimeter so they wouldnt' did their burrow close to the edge and escape. And their enclosure buts up against the garage on one side so they can't dig out in that direction.

Since this incident, I'm wanting to learn a bit more detail on their burrows though. I don't know if they are only shallow and out, or some are just deeper and in a certain square footage. I also want to know if they make different rooms, like one is sleeping, one is a nest for kits, one is for their dead?

 

[Everose]

I did find him today! I didn't see any outward signs of something that could have caused it, but he was in a back corner that had 2 black widows. I'm thinking either a widow bite or possible GI. Thanks for your help and checking in!

They're molting this time of year, licking themselves off can clog them up. He may have passed it. Glad to hear that you found him!