Mites can lay 5 eggs up to 5 times, and this can happen within weeks. Any mite infestation can lead to severe discomfort and stress in rabbits. Your rabbit may shake because its ears are itchy, or because it is feeling distressed. Take your rabbit to a vet immediately for treatment if it has any of the above mites.
Rabbits can get ear infections with varying levels of severity. In most cases, ear infections occur because of ear mites or the buildup of wax in the inner ear. Signs of an ear infection include:. Keep a lookout for any behavioral changes in your pet rabbit.
Shaking of the head is often a symptom of a serious issue that should never be left to the last minute. If your rabbit has an ear infection, your vet will address the problem and prescribe ear drops. If your rabbit is laying on its side and twitching, it could be a sign of gastrointestinal stasis GI stasis. GI or gut stasis is a life-threatening condition where the digestive system slows or shuts down. This causes bad bacteria to build up in the intestines, releasing gas into the digestive tract.
The buildup of gas can be excruciating for rabbits. This leads to a compounding issue because your rabbit will become more starved for nutrients and fiber, while also being severely dehydrated. Without treatment, the condition can cause the liver to fail.
GI stasis often occurs when a rabbit eats the wrong foods. Your rabbit may lay on its side in an attempt to relieve gas. If you ever notice your rabbit lying on its side, check their stomach for signs of bloating. Bloating and gas is a common symptom of GI stasis in rabbits. GI stasis can be prevented. Your rabbit should also be drinking plenty of water. Make sure you offer your rabbit more water in the summer months to prevent overheating. Always feed starchy veggies and high sugar fruits to your rabbits in moderation, or as a treat.
Never feed your rabbits processed carbohydrates as this can lead to an upset stomach and GI stasis. If a rabbit ingests something toxic e. This is often followed by lying on the side and shaking. Other symptoms of eating something toxic in rabbits include:.
If not treated immediately, your rabbit may have seizures and die. According to Veterinary Partner , a type of flea treatment called Frontline can cause shaking, severe lethargy, and seizures in rabbits. Regardless of the cause, if your rabbit is laying down and shaking excessively, it will need immediate veterinary treatment. There are many causes of shaking in rabbits. The following tips may help you prevent common causes of shaking in rabbits:.
Lagomorphs can shake for many reasons. While some causes of trembling in rabbits are serious and require immediate medical attention, others do not. In severe conditions, or if your rabbit is approaching its death, it will have convulsions automatic muscle contractions. Your email address will not be published. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.
Contents hide. Why Is My Rabbit Shaking? Unwanted Company. Not Spaying or Neutering Rabbits. When combined with shaking, these symptoms indicate a medical emergency. So, if your rabbit is behaving in this way, you must act fast.
You will need the help of a vet to investigate why your rabbit is shaking. When rabbits overheat , they start to tremble. Rabbits are more susceptible to heatstroke than cats or dogs, so must be kept cool.
Once the temperature reaches about 80 degrees Fahrenheit 26 degrees Celsius , heatstroke is more likely to occur. Rabbits can be affected on cooler days, too. For example, if bunnies are moved from a cool to warm environment too quickly, the results could be dire. In addition to trembling, rabbits with heatstroke tend to:.
A rapid heart rate is a clear symptom of heatstroke, especially when it is combined with trembling. So, this combination should never be ignored. If you see the signs of heatstroke, call your vet right away. In the meantime, you can cool your rabbit by placing it near a fan, blotting its fur with a damp, cool towel, and encouraging it to drink water.
Never pour cold water over an overheated rabbit as this can cause shock and heart attacks. There are lots of foods and plants that are poisonous to rabbits. If a rabbit does eat something toxic, the initial symptoms are clumsiness and disorientation. Then, the rabbit lays down and starts to shake. Additional symptoms include:.
If your rabbit has eaten something toxic, like rhubarb , the shaking may lead to seizures and death if not treated immediately. According to Veterinary Partner , Frontline a type of flea treatment can cause severe lethargy, shaking, and seizures in rabbits. So, if your rabbit is laying down and shaking violently, it may have eaten something poisonous.
Parasitic infections are quite common, and can become life-threatening if not treated. Parasites tend to make rabbits very clumsy, itchy, and dizzy. This is because parasites usually attack the central nervous system CNS. The CNS the brain and the spinal cord helps with balance, stability, and movement control. So, if your rabbit is laying on their side and twitching, it may have a parasitic infection. The most common parasite is E. Cuniculi, which causes a condition called Encephalitozoonosis.
Parasites can be treated with antibiotics and pain relief. Early treatment is vital to prevent irreversible damage to the brain tissue. If your rabbit is shaking its head from side to side, this indicates ear mites or bacterial infection inside the ear. Ear mites and bacterial ear infections are more common in the English Lop and Dwarf Lop rabbits, but any rabbit can be affected. In addition to head shaking, symptoms include:. So, if shaking is localized to the head, this is probably due to an ear mite infection or bacterial infection.
These conditions can be treated with antibiotics and fluid therapy. We'll also look at similar behaviour, such as twitching and spasms, as they have different causes. Continue reading to learn more! It is not normal for rabbits to shake and begin breathing fast.
Depending on the situation, it is mostly likely due to fear. Rabbits usually shake and begin breathing fast when they are scared. This could be due to a number of different possible situations. Here are a couple of examples:. The first and most common reason for a rabbit to shake and breathe fast is because they've been picked up or handled when they didn't want to be. We must understand that in the wild rabbits are prey.
They use their amazing hearing and strong legs to detect and escape predators. Therefore, when they are picked up into the air, like a predator would do in the wild, it's understandable for them to fear for their safety. This is why it's so important to bond with your rabbit before picking them up. It's always best to lower ourselves to their level in order to interact with them. This way, we don't come off as threatening as we could, due to our size in comparison to our little rabbit.
Another situation that may have frightened your rabbit is if someone new came to your home. The simple presence of a stranger could frighten some rabbits, however, many times it is because this person has made a sudden movement or has tried to come too close to your rabbit before your rabbit has had time to observe the stranger. It could especially scare your rabbit if the stranger tries to hold or lift your rabbit.
Therefore, remember to go slow. Have them first sniff your new friend. Then, your friend could sit or lay on the ground to interact with your rabbit. They could even give them some fruits and vegetables to munch on. This way, your rabbit will feel safe and remain calm while interacting with someone new. The last example is similar.
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