Checking Your Rabbit for Problems

What this page covers is what we teach in our 4-H club to check their rabbits for problems.

Step 1

Taking your rabbit out of its pen.

You might be surprised to know that many people don't know how to properly take a rabbit out of its cage.

The best way to take a rabbit out of its cage is to reach in with both hands placing your hands on either side of the rabbits body, slightly under its body keeping all of its legs snuggled together, but not too tight. Then lift the rabbit up and out. This gives a rabbit a secure feeling.

Another way to take a rabbit out is to hold the rabbits head still in a gentle, but firm grip by putting your right palm over the ears of the rabbit, pressing down to the shoulders of the rabbit and gripping the skin over the shoulders. This will give you a secure hold on the rabbits head, which should keep it motionless. Then slip your other hand under the rabbits chest down to its lower underbelly, supporting the rabbit from underneath. Then lift the rabbit up and out of cage. Once you have it out you tuck it close to you so it doesn't struggle.

Whichever way that you choose, never, never pick up a rabbit by the ears, legs or tail. This will result in an injured rabbit. Also when pulling the rabbit out don't drag its feet across the floor and be careful to not let its feet get caught in the cage.

Step 2

Handling your rabbit.

When handling your rabbit you need to be in control of the rabbit. If you drop the rabbit you could injure it or stress it out and it can get sick. To get control and keep control you need to hold the rabbits ears between your fingers (You are not lifting the rabbit by the ears!) and grasp the rabbit's head firmly, but gently. This will keep the rabbit still when you examine the rabbit upside down.

To flip the rabbit over keep the rabbit's head in your grasp, reach your arm around the rabbit, grasping its rear end. Lift the rabbit's head gently and scoop the rabbit's rear towards you putting more pressure on its rump.

This is the position the rabbit will be in when you examine the rabbit's underside.

Step 3

Examining your rabbit.

It is important to examine your rabbit frequently for problems. Rabbits can have all kinds of injuries, parasites, or sicknesses and their teeth and nails. Here are the steps to follow.

Step 1 - Ears

When the rabbit is on the table in front of you gently take the rabbit's ear, either one, and look inside it. You are looking for scratches, fly bites, checking its tattoo to see if it is faded, sores, and black crusty stuff. Then look inside the other one.

Step 2 - Eyes

Check out the eyes. They should be clean and wet, but not runny. If there is white or clear runny liquid there is a problem.

Step 3 - Nose

Flip the rabbit like you learned under the handling section. Look at the rabbit's nose. It should be clear and dry. If it is wet, watery, it is fine. This means the rabbit is stressed because of heat or it may be scared. You are looking for white, goopy mucus or dried crust.

Step 4 - Teeth & Mouth

Next lift the rabbits lips and check out its teeth. The top teeth should be slightly over the lower set or even with it. If the upper teeth or lower teeth are too far under or over the rabbit has malclusion. You will probably have to clip thier teeth. Check the rabbit's mouth for sores, cuts, etc.

Step 5 - Chin

Feel under the rabbits chin for lumps, wetness, sores or ohter things that may not be ordinary for your rabbit.

Step 6 - Legs & feet

After you've checked the chin, stretch out each foreleg to check for sores, broken bones, etc. Then check each front foot. There should be no sores (sorehocks). Check the nails and clip if needed. If you plan on showing your rabbit, check to see if all the toenails are the same color and they are the right color for your variety or breed of rabbit.

Step 7 - Stomach

When you are done with the feet, run your hand along the rabbits stomach. Check for lumps, sores, missing fur, etc.

Step 8 - Back legs and feet

For the back legs you want to stretch them out towards you carefully and do not pull too hard. Then check the bottom of the feet for sorehocks and the nails. Clip the nails if needed. Again check the nails for color.

Step 9 - Vent area

The vent area is where the rabbit urinates and defacates from. What you want to do is spread the rabbit's legs apart and push down around the area the rabbit urinates from. Check the area for sores (small chicken poxy looking sores with red rings). If you find this, it is vent disease and can be cured with medicine. Also check for infection, especially in an unspayed doe. You will also need to check and possibly clean the scent gland area on either side of the place where the rabbit urinates from. This area can become dirty and smelly and it really needs to be cleaned from time to time. (This is one of the yucky jobs.)

This is a good time to familiarize yourself with whether or not you have a buck or doe if you didn't know before. The pictures below will show you what to look for in a young buck and doe and an older buck and doe.

Step 10 - Tail from the under side

The last thing to do when the rabbit is upside down is check the rabbits tail carriage to see if it is broken.

Step 11 - Tail again

Flip the rabbit back over and check the tail agian, this time looking for correct tail carriage and that it does not have wry tail or other problems.

Step 12 - Meat quality (body firmness & health)

Now check the rabbit's meat quality to see if has been eating properly and that it is nicely filled out. Do this by feeling the rabbit's sides all the way from the shoulders to the rear. The rabbit should feel meaty and firm.

Step 13 - Fur

The next step is to check the fur. If the rabbit is molting (shedding) you will see lots of fur coming off its body. If the rabbit is not in molt brush the rabbits fur from rear to shoulders to see if it has rollback or flyback. The way to know is to see how fast it moves. If it moves slowly it is rollback. If it moves quickly it is flyback, hence each name.

Blow into the rabbits fur to check for fur mites, fleas, ticks, scabs or scrathes.  If your rabbit has a agouti coat you should see rings in the shaft of the fur. The rabbit's fur should have a luster about it unless it is an Angora, Jersey Wooley, or other rabbit with wool. If you have a wool animal like those mentioned, check for mats and tangles and groom accordingly.

Step 14 - Checking overall body

Position your rabbit in its proper show stance (either sitting up or laying down depending on your breed) and see how it measures up. The rabbit should be well balanced and look nice and healthy. There should be no head tilt, or other things that look out of the ordinary for your rabbit.

You have now checked your rabbit out thoroughly. After you have done it a few times you will find it gets easier to tell what is good and bad with your rabbit and it takes less time to check it out.

For any 4-her's out there, I have ommitted a few steps because they are not needed for a health check up and are more for the showmanship aspect of examining your rabbit. You should check the Rabbit Fitting and Showing pamplet that you can get through your leader or 4-H office for the steps I have not included. 

I hope this article has been helpful to keeping your rabbit healthy and happy.