rabbit whimpers

Question
my rabbit has started to whimper. i have checked to see if he has been hurt and i can't find evidence of any injuries. he only whimpers on a night. he started doing this when we had to put our dog to sleep ( he loved playing with the dog in my garden ) could he sense somethng is wrong or am i being paranoid? somebody did mention to me talking to them helps, could this help?

Answer
Hi Kira

Generally, a rabbit vocalizes only when frightened or injured. Are you sure that he didn't fall? Did you check his mouth and teeth? I had one bunny who jumped off my bed, landed on his jaw and broke it. I didn't realize at first what had happened, but he was whimpering. Check the bones in his jaw, back, ribs, legs, toes, tail and his toe nails. Rabbits commonly break their teeth and cut their lips if they fall. Breaking toe nails happens often as well.

Is he eating, drinking and peeing and pooping as normal? Is he eating less or are his droppings smaller? A rabbit who is distressed or injured will often stop or slow down his eating. When they do this, often the result is a sore belly. They end up with bloat / GI Stasis. Stand the rabbit up and press gently on his abdomen. He should remain calm, he might struggle a little from the position, but if he flinches back then perhaps he is having issues with his belly due to stress. Small or no droppings are also an indication of this. I suggest, if you suspect that he is eating less, that you put an amount of pellets that you can count to ensure he is eating. See how readily he eats and accepts favorite foods.

I have never come across a rabbit who whimpered due to emotions. That being said, anything is possible and every rabbit has a unique personality. Some rabbits are also more vocal that others. Males, when circling their mates (sometimes humans in the absence of another rabbit) will grunt while they are running and during the mating process and even after.

If you still find nothing off or unusual then perhaps try distracting him before bed with extra attention, treats or some toys. They like things like a baby key chain which they can throw or cat toys that are hard plastic balls with bells in them. If distraction stops the behavior, then I would guess that you are right and he does miss his former companion. However, if he is still vocalizing and nothing will distract him, then I do suggest a vet visit. He may have pain that is more difficult to spot.

One more thought... what happened to the dog? Did it die from sickness or for unknown reasons? Some diseases can be crossed from dogs to rabbits. Your vet could help explore this issue further if he begins to show any unusual symptoms such as what I listed above. Or, any hair loss as well often indicates parasites which can lead to death in all animals.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Alice


However, it is strange that he only does it at night.