Rabbit sleeping on its back

Question
Hi, I have a rabbit about 8 months old now, sometimes we would hug her and let her sleep on her back in our arms, and she always falls deep asleep. But recently I heard that it is bad for rabbits to sleep on their backs? I am wondering if that is true and why? Does that reduce the air going into her brain or something?

Thank you!

Answer
Dear Amanda,

It's not dangerous for a rabbit to sleep on her back as long as she doesn't have any abnormalities of the soft palate that might cause the soft tissue to flop over and cut off her breathing.  But I've known only one rabbit who ever had that, and he had a LOT of other weird things wrong with him.  I'm guessing that a normal rabbit who found herself with difficulty breathing while on her back would quickly flip over.

One should never *feed* or give a rabbit anything liquid while she's on her back, however, as the unnatural position could cause a fatal aspiration.  That might be what people were thinking when they warned about sleeping on the back.  

I know of some rabbits who will actually flip onto their backs to sleep on the floor when they are very content.  Some rabbits will go into a "trance" when placed on their back, and this is interpreted by some as a response to stress.  But if your bunny just peacefully goes to sleep, eyes closed and dreaming (as opposed to keeping her eyes wide open, shivering her back feet, and going a bit stiff), then I don't think she's stressed.

Without seeing her, I can't tell what she's doing.  But if she's otherwise healthy, I would not worry too much about cradling her, as long as she enjoys it and doesn't struggle.

Hope that helps.

Dana