stress

Question
Hi dana we have two lop eared rabbits females recently we introduced a male and noe we are expecting babies one of the females went out to a friends farm to have her babies tonight a possum got through a gap in the cage my friend had made and draged her out my friend came out to investigae the screeming to see it and she herself screemed at the possum it dropped the rabbit but she just ran off will she die from this or if we are lucky enough to find her will she loose the babies? donna

Answer
Dear Donna,

If you are lucky enough to find her, then only a physical exam by a good rabbit vet will reveal the extent of her injuries.  I would think that the last thing to worry about would  be whether or not she resorbs her litter, which is a possibility.

Rabbits should never be kept outside in a hutch, because as you learned the hard way, there is *no such thing* as a predator-proof hutch.  Rabbits belong inside, spayed/neutered and litterbox trained, with the family, where they are safe.  Please read:

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

and find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps.  Please get those rabbits inside where they are safe from the roving predators, if you value their safety!  

Dana