What Does a Healthy Rabbit Look Like? 

When owning a rabbit, it's important to pay attention to their appearance from head to toe daily. We all know animals can’t talk so it’s up to us to be able to identify if there may be any problems. So what does a healthy rabbit look like? They should have consistent breathing and be energetic. Their movements should be relaxed and they shouldn’t appear frightened or timid. Rabbits are generally curious animals so if your rabbit is investigating its surroundings and doing a lot of nose twitching, it’s a sign they’re very healthy! Appearance wise, rabbits should have discharge free eyes, ears, and nose. Their claws and teeth should be clean, and their coat shouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary.

What Does a Healthy Rabbit Look Like? 

But how do I identify if my rabbit is sick? Knowing the signs of an unhealthy rabbit is just as important as knowing the signs of an unhealthy rabbit. Unhealthy rabbits usually seem to be looking off in no particular direction and their coat may seem messy or coarse. Bald spots of fur, lesions, and tangled bits of fur can also show a sick rabbit. Some more straightfoward signs are diarrhea, no appetite, salivation, breathing with mouth open, and leaning of the head. 

What Should You Check on a Rabbit (eyes, ear, teeth)?

To take take of your rabbit, you should check its eyes and nose for discharge or mucus, if your rabbits discharge is yellow/green it could mean a serious infection. Clear discharge it may be allergies, or dust in their eyes. A watery discharge could mean a sign of foreign body (eyelash). Another thing you should check on your rabbit is their ears and teeth, for their teeth the front teeth can become overgrown they won’t meet the bottom teeth which can cause malocclusion. The back teeth, molars, can become misshapen, sharp, and pointed that can rub against their tongue. You should be able to trim the tooth on occasion. You should check your rabbits ears for build up wax, if not cleaned their ears will become infected. You can clean your rabbits ears with warm water, cotton swabs and a cloth. 

What Questions Should You Ask the Breeder?

So you decide to buy a bunny, what exactly should you ask the breeder to make sure you know what you’re getting? If you’re bunny is for show purposes, then it is important to ask for the breed, color, and pedigree. But regardless, a breeder should tell you the breed. If the breeder is not willing to give you the pedigree, you can ask some questions about it, such as the lineage. A very important question is contact information, if there is anything wrong or you have questions, you will want to be able to ask the breeder. It may also be beneficial to ask about the breeder and how he/she does things. Some examples are: Can I  see their parents?, How do you house your rabbits? Do they have photos? If the breeder seems unwilling or hasty to answer questions, you make want extra clarification just to make sure the breeder is ethical.