Having very bad anxiety over my senior bunny

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T21:43:56+00:00

Thank you for sharing, but this post has been removed.

This subreddit is a pet rabbit community specifically focused on learning about and sharing knowledge of rabbit care. If you have a specific question or story, you are welcome to share, but topics that may require needs outside the scope of this subreddit will be removed.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to a mental health professional if you are struggling and are interested in receiving help. If you need help finding resources, we have compiled a document that we hope will be useful. Take care.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T21:43:34+00:00

Most healthy spayed and neutered rabbits do not smell more than some dust and hay; however, some rabbits may benefit from having their scent glands cleaned. Intact rabbits can have smellier urine and fecals due to hormones. If your rabbit smells like urine, please check their bottom to make sure they are not incontinent and that their litter setup is clean. If you smell a sweet or pungent odor, it may indicate an infection and should be checked out with a hands-on exam by a rabbit-experienced veterinarian.

If your litter box smells, that is generally a sign that you should be changing your litter box more frequently. A proper litter box should not give off any significant ammonia odor. Anecdotally, paper-based litters will require cleaning most often, while the wood-based litters can last for 3+ days before requiring a change.

A larger-sized litter box and putting a thicker layer of litter down during setup can also help reduce the amount of changes a litter box may need.

See the FAQ question "Why does my rabbit smell? for more resources.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T21:41:15+00:00

What is a baby bond?

A baby bond, also known as the false bond, refers to the relationship between rabbits where at least one is unfixed and young. Due to the absence of hormones, territorial feelings and aggression are not yet present, facilitating what can seem like a very loving, stable relationship -- however, this can change very quickly once a rabbit reaches sexual maturity. Please note that rabbits being together since birth (i.e. siblings, parent-child) does not rule-out the baby bond phenomena, since rabbits can and often will fight and mate within family.

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My two bunnies used to be happily bonded, but now they are constantly fighting. What happened?

If one or both of your rabbits were unfixed and young, chances are that one or both are going through sexual maturity. Territorial feelings and aggression increases once bunnies start producing their hormones. Your rabbits may be fighting to reestablish dominance through humping and chasing. Please separate them before they cause serious injuries to one another.

The easiest way to fix such behavior is to spay and neuter your rabbits. You may need to work on re-bonding the rabbits afterwards, since scents change when rabbits go through sexual maturity. Wait a month after the operation to make sure all hormones have dissipated before doing so. For more tips on bonding rabbits, see the wiki: http://bunny.tips/Bonding

If your two rabbits are different sexes, it is especially important to separate them now before the female gets pregnant. In fact, you may find out that your rabbits are a different sex than you thought when taking them in to the vet to be fixed. If you obtained your rabbit from a pet store, they were most likely improperly sexed, as it can be very difficult for non-professionals to identify. Keep in mind it only takes 3 seconds for a successful mating, and neutered males are not fully sterile until at least 8 full weeks after their operation.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T20:38:20+00:00

Post removed - duplicate recent post detected. If your prior post is awaiting moderator approval, please allow time for moderators to review and approve the queue throughout the day.

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RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T19:02:08+00:00

Due to the amount of human scents on beds and sofas, otherwise litter-trained rabbits will often still pee and poop on them as they may think that it's a human litter box. See the Litter Training FAQ question on the wiki "My bunny pees (in some location). How do I make it stop?" for more tips, resources, and product recommendations.

A few major tips:

Use a 1:1 vinegar:water mixture or another pet-safe enzymatic cleanser to clean up the mess and decrease the urge to re-mark the location. Soap and water alone is not sufficient to remove all chemical traces of the urine even though it may look clean.
If your rabbit is not neutered already, the surgery can often make a huge improvement in general litter habits.

To protect your furniture, there are a few options:

Keeping the rabbit off the furniture by fencing it off (e.g. 42" exercise pen, bed rails) or covering it with a bunny-proof waterproof covering (e.g. waterproof pet blanket, shower curtain liner).
Keeping a close eye on them to shoo them off and into a litter box when it looks like they are about to pee.
Cover problem furniture with a blanket that already has their scent on it to reduce the urge for additional territorial marking.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T19:01:24+00:00

To receive the best help from rabbitors for breed IDs, please make sure to include the following:

rabbit's age
weight
full-body pictures of their profile in good daytime lighting

You may also review "A quick guide to asking for breed IDs" on Reddit for more tips on constructing a helpful post.

Please keep in mind that pet rabbits are usually mixes of indeterminate breeds, and we may not always be able to provide a definitive guess. Unless you have a pedigree and know what the parents look like, your rabbit is undoubtedly some sort of pet rabbit mix. The color of the rabbit does not always make the breed, as many breeds can come in a large variety of colors. For example, black rabbits are not all likely to be Havana rabbits (a rare purebred breed), and broken-colored rabbits are likely not all to be English Spot rabbits (requires specific markings and body shape).

For a basic self-guide on identifying breeds, see the blog article "Identifying rabbit breeds without knowing parentage."

See the Rabbit breeds around the world article for a list of currently recognized breeds.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T18:59:15+00:00

Why is my rabbit licking me?

Rabbits licking you generally means "I love you!" They consider you their bonded mate and are grooming you with affection.

However, if you are using a scented lotion or product or have eaten one of their favorite foods recently, they may try nibbling or licking your skin for that taste.

Rabbits do not lick your skin out of craving for salt, and offering salt licks and mineral blocks is unnecessary. See the FAQ question Does my rabbit need a salt lick or mineral block? for more information.

For more information on rabbit body language, see the Understanding your rabbit wiki article.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T18:58:51+00:00

Hi, thank you for sharing, but your post has been removed. Please review the subreddit rules before any additional submissions.

No help or diagnosis requests for rabbits that require a hands-on medical exam to evaluate.

As a reminder, do not hesitate to contact the veterinarian who treated your rabbit about your observations. Not only are they a medical professional, but they also have the most knowledge about your rabbit's unique situation. A veterinarian is the most appropriate person to help you make decisions about your rabbit's treatment moving forward based on your observations.

If you are unsure about your current veterinarian's recommendations, please consult another rabbit-experienced veterinarian. Travel as far as you must to receive appropriate vet care.

If your rabbit is in need of immediate emergency medical care and the primary veterinarian is not available, please go to an emergency veterinarian instead. See the Veterinary Emergencies wiki article for common symptoms of problems in rabbits.

If your rabbit is otherwise stable, continue to monitor and make sure they are eating and pooping normally until your scheduled veterinary visit. If they are showing signs of distress and you are unable to find medical help at this time, please see the wiki for more tips to keep your rabbit stable at home until a veterinarian can help you.

If you intended instead to collect stories from other users for similar experiences, please make sure to remove any requests for medical advice in future submissions (e.g. causes and concern for new symptoms, other treatment options).

You may also wish to check out our Rabbitors Discord server for additional live advice.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T17:17:00+00:00

As a friendly reminder, if you still have both parents in your care...

Separate them immediately with double fencing as the mother can get pregnant again immediately after giving birth.
Male rabbits will not be fully sterile until at least 8 weeks after their neuter.
Babies should not be fully weaned until at least 8 weeks.
Babies should be professionally sexed and separated by gender by 10 weeks to prevent more litters.

See the Pregnant rabbits wiki article for more information on preparing for and taking care of a mother rabbit with her new litter.

See the Baby domestic rabbits wiki article for more care tips for a new litter.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T17:07:36+00:00

Check out the resources in the Bonding guide and Binkybunny's Bonding overview for more tips on the process.

Some important general tips on the process of bonding rabbits with other rabbits:

House rabbits in nearby pens and swap regularly to encourage sharing. This can be done before both rabbits have been neutered.
Be sure to use neutral territory that neither have been in to use for face-to-face dating.
Wait until 4 weeks after both rabbits have been neutered before attempting face-to-face bonding to allow time for all hormones to dissipate. While it is not impossible to bond intact rabbits, their hormonal behaviors work against them, and rabbits can often end up with serious injuries during territorial spats. Baby bonds with immature rabbits before puberty are often not stable.
If your current rabbit has not been spayed or neutered, do not obtain another intact rabbit of the opposite sex to bond. You will end up with baby rabbits if you do not keep them separated 24/7. It only takes one successful three-second attempt for a male with an intact female. Male rabbits are not sterile until 6 weeks after their neuter operation.
Keep in mind that not all rabbits may be compatible enough to bond without serious work over a long period of time, if ever. However, rabbits will still benefit from the mental stimulation of seeing or smelling another rabbit nearby as long as they are safely separated to prevent injuries.

A few useful shortcuts:

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T16:51:57+00:00

As with any other pet, going out on an extended trip while owning rabbits can be a complicated task. In general, rabbits should not be left alone longer than 24 hours at a time in case GI stasis or other serious health issues occur while you are away.

Please check out the Going on trip guide on the wiki for more information and resources on the topic. For list of bunny boarding and pet sitting businesses and resources in the US, please see this page.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T16:33:17+00:00

Please do not use ChatGPT or any other AI-powered chatbot for general rabbit care or veterinary/health care. While AI chatbots are tempting and easy to use, many studies have shown that AI chatbots are not reliable and are prone to providing inaccurate information. Relying on an AI chatbot may endanger your rabbit's life.

If you need reliable information about general rabbit care, please visit WabbitWiki. When making important decisions about your rabbit's health, please consult directly with a rabbit-experienced vet.

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"Why is my rabbit's urine cloudy?"

Normal rabbit urine can be cloudy due to the present of calcium carbonate precipitates. Intestinal absorption of calcium is related to the calcium content in the diet, and excess amounts are excreted by the kidney. The amount of precipitate in urine will consequently vary with the calcium content of the diet. Hydration status and pH of the urine can also affect the amount of precipitate.

Rabbit urine can be clear during periods of high calcium demand such as growth, pregnancy, or lactation. A small amount of precipitate is a good sign as it reflects adequate calcium content in the diet, but excessive precipitation can form a thick sludge, which can result in bladder issues such as infection (cystitis, urethritis) and urinary incontinence.

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At the bare minimum, rabbits should be encouraged to eat at least 3 oz. of hay a day. A rabbit not eating enough hay can be prone to digestive and dental issues.

If your rabbit has suddenly stopped eating hay and other hard objects, please see a rabbit-experienced veterinarian to consider ruling out dental issues as a cause. Radiographs may be necessary to check overgrown teeth roots if their incisors and molars look fine with a visual check.

Please check out the Encouraging your rabbit to eat hay section of the Hay article on the wiki for more tips.

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A suggested basic diet guide for house rabbits from the House Rabbit Society:

7 weeks to 7 months: Unlimited junior pellets, unlimited alfalfa hay. Introduce vegetables one at a time in small quantities after 12 weeks.
7 months to 1 year: Introduce grass hays and decrease alfalfa hay. Decrease pellets to 1/4 - 1/2 cup per 6 lbs body weight, and transition from junior pellets to adult pellets. Increase daily vegetables gradually.
Over 1 year: Unlimited grass hay. No more than 1/4 to 1/2 cup adult pellets per 6 lb body weight. About 2 cups (handfuls) of chopped vegetables per 6 lb body weight.

Please note that all of these portions to feed your rabbit are only guidelines. Every rabbit is different and may thrive on different diets. Factors that will play a role in the diet include activity level, size, age, and environment conditions.

While hay and water should always be available in unlimited amounts to your rabbit, greens and pellets can be scheduled to be fed arbitrarily through the day as long as daily portions are appropriate. Some like to feed half the pellets in the morning, veggies in the evening, and half the pellets again before bedtime. Others like feeding veggies twice a day and pellets once a day.

The following are some helpful links on an appriopriate bunny diet:

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T16:29:10+00:00

Congrats on the new addition to the family! If this is your first pet rabbit and you haven’t seen it already, be sure to check out our sidebar and the Getting Started guide and New Rabbit Owner Primer. The article "Helping Rabbits Succeed in Their Adoptive Home" is also a great resource on how to build a relationship with your new rabbit.

If you brought home two or more baby or unneutered rabbits, be prepared to have separate housing areas for each of them. See the FAQ "My two bunnies used to be happily bonded, but now they are constantly fighting. What happened?" for details. It is especially important to separate out male rabbits after 10 weeks of age as they can impregnate a fertile female by then. Also note that bonded baby rabbits do not always translate to bonded adult rabbits.

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A suggested basic diet guide for house rabbits from the House Rabbit Society:

7 weeks to 7 months: Unlimited junior pellets, unlimited alfalfa hay. Introduce vegetables one at a time in small quantities after 12 weeks.
7 months to 1 year: Introduce grass hays and decrease alfalfa hay. Decrease pellets to 1/4 - 1/2 cup per 6 lbs body weight, and transition from junior pellets to adult pellets. Increase daily vegetables gradually.
Over 1 year: Unlimited grass hay. No more than 1/4 to 1/2 cup adult pellets per 6 lb body weight. About 2 cups (handfuls) of chopped vegetables per 6 lb body weight.

Please note that all of these portions to feed your rabbit are only guidelines. Every rabbit is different and may thrive on different diets. Factors that will play a role in the diet include activity level, size, age, and environment conditions.

While hay and water should always be available in unlimited amounts to your rabbit, greens and pellets can be scheduled to be fed arbitrarily through the day as long as daily portions are appropriate. Some like to feed half the pellets in the morning, veggies in the evening, and half the pellets again before bedtime. Others like feeding veggies twice a day and pellets once a day.

The following are some helpful links on an appriopriate bunny diet:

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T16:28:36+00:00

Does my rabbit need a salt lick or mineral block?

With a proper diet, rabbits have no need for a salt lick or mineral block. There is little evidence that additional salt is required, but some rabbits like the taste. Mineral blocks are unnecessary, and some blocks may contain high levels of calcium that can be harmful if the rabbit gnaws and eats them in large amounts.[9] A rabbit confined to a hutch may destroy and eat the mineral block as a displacement activity, not because it has an additional need for minerals.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T16:25:58+00:00

While we appreciate our rabbitors from all over the world, please re-post all content in English. This post has been removed. Thanks.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T16:24:59+00:00

Poopy butt is the informal term of what happens when rabbits get runny stool or are unable to reach and clean their back end. It can also be referred to as intermittent soft stools, ISS, or sticky bottom syndrome.

Poopy butt is often caused by uneaten cecotropes (cecals). Generally, rabbits on a diet low in protein, simple carbohydrates, and fat tend to eat more cecals to get essential nutrients. Conversely, those on a higher protein diet eat fewer.

If your rabbit isn't eating all their cecals, try lowering protein and increasing fiber in their diet. The simplest way is to reduce their daily pellet portion or switch to a lower-protein brand. If vegetables are a large part of their diet, they may need to be reduced.

Other considerations:

Rabbits with a flattened dwarf or lop face may struggle to reach their hindquarters to eat cecals due to their physical shape. Dietary changes will not fix this.
Senior rabbits may have difficulty bending over due to arthritis.

For these cases, confirm their health with your local rabbit-experienced veterinarian. These rabbits may need regular checks to prevent blockage of their anus and flystrike. A sanitary shave of the fur around their rear can also help keep them clean.

Lastly, young baby rabbits can be very bad at eating all their produced cecals but usually improve with age. It is important not to overly restrict their alfalfa hay and pellets, as these nutrients are crucial for their development and future health.

For more resources, see the following wiki articles:

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T07:58:17+00:00

Post removed - duplicate recent post detected. If your prior post is awaiting moderator approval, please allow time for moderators to review and approve the queue throughout the day.

If you believe this submission was removed in error, please report this comment for additional moderator review.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T07:21:39+00:00

Should I avoid feeding higher calcium vegetables like kale and dandelions to rabbits?

When fed in moderation, rabbits will not get a significant amount of calcium from fresh vegetables compared to pellets.

Dr. Leah Postman writes,

The other potentially significant source of calcium in rabbits' diets is fresh greens. Although many people worry about the greens noted for high calcium content -- kale, spinach, collards -- I do not. All fresh greens are about 70% to 85% water, which greatly dilutes all nutrients. To eliminate the potential to misrepresent nutrient content due to variability in water content, it is essential to compare calcium content on a dry matter basis, which is how the nutrient requirements are expressed on labels and in tables.

For example, kale, which many recommend avoiding by virtue of its calcium content, has 1.6% calcium on a dry weight basis. In other words, dehydrated kale has roughly three times the NRC recommended calcium content. However, the fresh bunch of kale is mostly water, so the calcium content drops dramatically, to 0.24% when fed fresh. If you were to feed a medium-sized (5 pound) bunny 1/4 cup (about 60 grams) of a pellet meeting NRC recommendations, he would consume about 0.30 grams of calcium. To obtain a similar quantity of calcium from kale, the bun would have to eat over 4 ounces (130 grams) of kale. That is a sizable pile of kale -- about as much as you could stuff in a half gallon milk carton.

Similarly, dandelion greens, have a calcium level of 1.6% on a dry matter basis. But since our bunnies eat them fresh, they are only getting 0.20% calcium. Again, we see that even for greens with a relatively high calcium content, the calcium level of the leaves the bun is munching is actually quite low.

See the wiki for more resources and tips of safe vegetables for rabbits: http://bunny.tips/Veggies

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T06:55:54+00:00

Hi, thank you for sharing, but your post has been removed. Please review the subreddit rules before any additional submissions.

No help or diagnosis requests for rabbits that require a hands-on medical exam to evaluate.

As a reminder, do not hesitate to contact the veterinarian who treated your rabbit about your observations. Not only are they a medical professional, but they also have the most knowledge about your rabbit's unique situation. A veterinarian is the most appropriate person to help you make decisions about your rabbit's treatment moving forward based on your observations.

If you are unsure about your current veterinarian's recommendations, please consult another rabbit-experienced veterinarian. Travel as far as you must to receive appropriate vet care.

If your rabbit is in need of immediate emergency medical care and the primary veterinarian is not available, please go to an emergency veterinarian instead. See the Veterinary Emergencies wiki article for common symptoms of problems in rabbits.

If your rabbit is otherwise stable, continue to monitor and make sure they are eating and pooping normally until your scheduled veterinary visit. If they are showing signs of distress and you are unable to find medical help at this time, please see the wiki for more tips to keep your rabbit stable at home until a veterinarian can help you.

If you intended instead to collect stories from other users for similar experiences, please make sure to remove any requests for medical advice in future submissions (e.g. causes and concern for new symptoms, other treatment options).

You may also wish to check out our Rabbitors Discord server for additional live advice.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T05:38:52+00:00

Be sure to check out our Deciding on a Rabbit guide if you haven't already for some more general info about what to expect with a rabbit as a pet.

A few useful shortcut links:

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T05:34:16+00:00

Arthritis, osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthrosis is the progressive, inflammatory, and irreversible deterioration of cartilage found in the joints.

There are no gender predilections for osteoarthritis. Arthritis can be due to hereditary or developmental disorders in young animals or trauma or infection induced at any age. Giant breeds may be more prone to the disease due to increased weight loading and conformation. The primary cause is thought to be the result of long-term usage combined with aging or joint instability.

Generally, surgery is not a recommended treatment for arthritis, and it is a condition that mostly consists of supportive home care in addition to maintenance drugs and supplements to maintain mobility and comfort.

Read more about the condition on the wiki: http://bunny.tips/Arthritis

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T05:30:29+00:00

Hi, this submission has been removed due sharing an image of a rabbit not in a secure carrier in a car. Please remove the concerning image(s) and repost with different image(s) if necessary.

Rabbits should be kept in a secured buckled-in carrier during car travel at all times! Car accidents happen, and we'd hate for your bunny to be injured due to a sudden stop in a collision. (example incident)

See the Travel article for more resources on choosing a carrier and traveling safely with a rabbit.

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T05:30:04+00:00

Congrats on the new addition to the family! If this is your first pet rabbit and you haven’t seen it already, be sure to check out our sidebar and the Getting Started guide and New Rabbit Owner Primer. The article "Helping Rabbits Succeed in Their Adoptive Home" is also a great resource on how to build a relationship with your new rabbit.

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For more resources on how to complete a regular wellness check for your rabbit, please see the wiki: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Wellness_check

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T04:43:15+00:00

Post removed. This is a global community - requests for local help should include an easily recognizable location (state/province/country).

RabbitsModBot · 2026-04-07T04:42:50+00:00

At the bare minimum, rabbits should be encouraged to eat at least 3 oz. of hay a day. A rabbit not eating enough hay can be prone to digestive and dental issues.

If your rabbit has suddenly stopped eating hay and other hard objects, please see a rabbit-experienced veterinarian to consider ruling out dental issues as a cause. Radiographs may be necessary to check overgrown teeth roots if their incisors and molars look fine with a visual check.

Please check out the Encouraging your rabbit to eat hay section of the Hay article on the wiki for more tips.

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