Question
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Oct 13, 2009, 11:01 PM
|  | Dogs Expert  | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Australia
Posts: 4,057
| | | Bunny laying on her back.
I haven't asked a bunny question for a while so it's about time 
Well as you know I have a rabbit named Dora... she's a dwarf lop.
Randomly she will just be sitting there and all of a sudden she will twist around and flip over onto her back or side...
Kind of like how a dog goes to roll in something smelly but she will stay there.
Why? Or is there no answer for this other than I have a 'special' rabbit
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Answers
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Oct 13, 2009, 11:36 PM
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#2
| | Hardware Expert
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Virginia USA
Posts: 1,589
| I don't know a thing about rabbits, but your description of the behavior reminded me of how one of my former cats would act when it had fleas. Can rabbits scratch with their hind legs? |
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Oct 14, 2009, 12:47 AM
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#3
| | Dogs Expert
Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Australia
Posts: 4,057
| Yup, they can... looks cute too  I have checked her for fleas as she used to be an outside bunny (now inside) it's something she has always done... for about 2 years. | |
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Oct 14, 2009, 02:33 PM
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#4
| | Hardware Expert
Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Virginia USA
Posts: 1,589
| Perhaps it just plain feels good then. Nothing worse than a stuffy, uptight, prim and proper bunny that can't relax.  | |
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Oct 14, 2009, 03:45 PM
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#5
| | | Pets Expert
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Canada
Posts: 8,471
| Hi Shazzy.
You know the bunny binky, well, this is the bunny flop.
Bunnies aren't vocal animals, although they can vocalize very loudly when they're hurt or scared. Most times they tell you how they're feeling by their actions. Dora is telling you that she's very content.
This is normal, especially for happy, healthy, loved bunnies. Cotton is my flopper. I don't know why he's happier then the others but he is.
They usually jump around, binky, hop, binky and all of a sudden they'll just flop on the ground. It's almost scary because they stop their activity so suddenly, but it's just complete and utter bliss.
Dora's a happy bunny. | |
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Oct 14, 2009, 05:50 PM
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#6
| | Dogs Expert
Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Australia
Posts: 4,057
| Thanks Scleros and Alty
I was hoping that was the case, it's just very strange to see her do it!
I have had bunnies that stretch their back legs out behind them when they lay down but never one that does a little flip on it's side.
Back when she lived at my parents house in her hutch my dad thought she was dead one day!
She was not moving at all and it didn't look like she was breathing... he picked her up thinking the worst... still no movement. Then when he got her to chest height she 'woke up' scratched him and jumped down onto the ground  | |
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Oct 14, 2009, 06:29 PM
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#7
| | Gardening Expert
Join Date: May 2009 Location: Central Pa.
Posts: 765
| It could be a form of self-hypnosis, self-preservation: rabbit.org/faq/sections/handling
Like a opossum "playin' dead". | |
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Oct 14, 2009, 06:32 PM
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#8
| | | Pets Expert
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Canada
Posts: 8,471
| Quote:
Originally Posted by shazamataz  Thanks Scleros and Alty
I was hoping that was the case, it's just very strange to see her do it!
I have had bunnies that stretch their back legs out behind them when they lay down but never one that does a little flip on it's side.
Back when she lived at my parents house in her hutch my dad thought she was dead one day!
She was not moving at all and it didn't look like she was breathing... he picked her up thinking the worst... still no movement. Then when he got her to chest height she 'woke up' scratched him and jumped down onto the ground | Cotton and Dora have to meet.
I often walk up to Cottons cage and say "hey, stop that! Pretending you're dead isn't funny!"
Really, you have a happy bunny. This is a good thing. | |
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Oct 15, 2009, 07:34 AM
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#9
| | Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Nova-Scotia
Posts: 671
| My rabbit will do that too... When I let him out for his run, he'll run around and jump and twitch and then he'll hop over towards the dog and just kinda flop onto his side as if he was tired out. | |
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Oct 15, 2009, 03:35 PM
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#10
| | | Pets Expert
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Canada
Posts: 8,471
| Quote:
Originally Posted by rex123 My rabbit will do that too... When I let him out for his run, he'll run around and jump and twitch and then he'll hop over towards the dog and just kinda flop onto his side as if he was tired out. | Yup, content and happy bunny.
That's a great thing to hear. | |
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