Well, I just went to check on my rabbits and one of them was dead in the bottom of the cage (i have one of those big two tier hutches). They are only babies, about 3 months old and have been growing and eating and have been absolutely fine! This one was flat out at the bottom - on its side - no signs of injury or suffering - just looks to have keeled over. I can't understand it - could it just be "one of those things"? They were in the house until I could sort out a good covered run outside (lot of foxes here and Willis likes rabbits)... I can't understand it :( They were'nt in direct sun or anything. I have scrubbed the hutch and moved it - the other one seems fine

Any ideas?

No idea, but I'm very sorry. :(

Sorry to hear that Chloe, they don't have to be in the sun to get heat exhaustion, was the dead Rabbit a dark colour, or darker than the others? just a thought as darker colours suffer more in the heat. Hope the others are ok.
DAwn.

Thanks Dawn

No... the dead one was grey/light brown... the black one is still bouncing around as normal...

Something wierd though - I was given them...and they are supposed to be sisters, but the black one is a true lop, but the grey one was what I call "wild colours"..and had one ear standing up and one lop!! A case of mistaken parentage? Is that possible?

Sorry you've lost the baby rabbit Chloe. My daughter used to breed dwarf lops. The "wild" colour is agouti and still quite common in lops. Litters can contain a variety of colours so agouti and black in the same litter is certainly possible. Lop ears often need "training" down by stroking them that way regularly as babies - one ear can certainly not lop!!
Good luck with the bouncing black one!!

Thanks Val :)

I have heard of this happening on quite a few occassions....always ones that are kept in hutches :( hope the otherone is ok & its not viral.

Thats pretty much what I thought - I got the buggest hutch I could get and they were out for two hours a day, but I am just waiting to move so it was impossible to build a run :(

Will it be possible to introduce a new baby in when we have moved in a couple of weeks- if I time it in with putting the surviving one into the new run at the same time?

Sorry about loosing your baby bun. Hope the other are all OK

Lucy
xx

I'm sorry to hear about your rabbit. I don't think you've done anything wrong. Rabbits are quite fragile and can just drop dead for no apparent reason. We had a similar incident with sister rabbits a few years ago. Just went to see to them one morning and one was dead. She was only a year old and apparently completely healthy. The other one is now 5 and going strong (touch wood). I'm sure you're sad but don't feel guilty :-)
Love Jane

Mmmmmmm,
doesnt sound good, sorry about ur baby bun.

I would take the body to the vets for a post mortem. I had this, it turned out to be Viral Haemorraghic Disease.

As i recall, i had to contact MAFF(now DEFRA), who came and tested all my buns, and unfortunately, i had to have them all pts. (i say all, i had 27!)

It seems from my experience to affect the younger rabbits, if they survive, then the adults are okies, but the babys will die. Do not introduce a new rabbit now, in case ths is what it is!

I hope it isnt though, good luck

Em

Thanks Em

I was at the vets today with Willis and he mentioned this.... I can't take the body in as we had a burial service with the kids and I can't dig it back up!! . I'll keep an eye on the black one

Thanks