Full Body Twitch

Question
Hi Dana,
We previously communicated about our bunny and coccidia, if you recall. The good news is that we took him in to our vet 2 weeks ago and the coccidia are gone. He does have fur mites that we are taking care of now, but he seems to be doing really well.
However, towards the end of last night, he was stretched out on the floor and his entire body started twitching. I started petting him and at first there was no response. I then started petting his body and he abruptly sat up as if he had just woken up or broke out of a trance. We had noticed his head twitch before almost like he was sneezing, but he wasn't.
I read somewhere that the full body twitch can happen when they are really relaxed. However, could it be seizures?

I appreciate any information.

Thank you!

Bob Van Effen

Answer
Dear Bob,

Glad your bunny is well and thriving!

It sounds to me as if you saw your bunny in a deep sleep, and he was dreaming.  This is pretty cute to watch, though it can scare the heck out of you if you don't know what it is.  (My mom saw my own bunny, Alex, dreaming in my doorway once, when I'd left him in her care for a couple of days, and she started screaming because she thought she'd somehow killed my rabbit!  Then Alex woke up, blinked sleepily, and loped under the bed where there weren't any crazy people screaming and disturbing his dreams.)

So unless you see other signs of illness:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sickbun.html

I'd just enjoy the show.  :)

Dana