# Flopping Rabbit - Normal?



## Chezza30122007 (Mar 19, 2013)

Hi All

I'm worried about my 15 month old lop.

She has always "flopped" but only in warm weather, she throws herself down and rolls on her back. This happened a few times in the summer and I put it down to heat exhaustion or dehydration as she just would sit in the Sun. 

She hasn't flopped since the summer until this Saturday afternoon. But the flops were lasting for ages. She had about 15 in the space on an hour. She seemed drowsy/sleepy and incoherrent. Also she wouldn't eat her favourate food.

I rang the emergency vet and she seemed to think that it could've been a parasite or infection in her ears. I took her to see the vet but she showed no signs of infection, her heart rate was fine and had no cysts under her arms or anything. She didn't flop in the surgery but did in the car :-(

I know there are many things out there that mention "flopping" is when a rabbits is happy and relaxed but would they do it so often within an hour and Betsy was defo not relaxed in the car when she "flopped" in her carrier on the way to the vets.

Please can anyone give me some advice on this?

It would be very much appreciated.


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2013)

Flopping can mean many things, it is all about context.

Is your bun entire?
Is your bun alone?
Have you had her teeth checked?
When she flops does she look relaxed and asleep like this?









or this?









What does her diet consist of?
When she is flopped does it look like she is stretching her belly?
What are her poos like?

Err, think that is all the questions I need answered :lol:


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## Chezza30122007 (Mar 19, 2013)

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

What do you mean by Entire?

She is not alone, have another female rabbit with her of the same age. (They were both spayed within a week of each other)

Her teeth are fine. She had her last check in January.

When she flops she doesn't look like either of the pics. When she goes down her eyes look drowsy but she rolls onto her back then gets straight back up. But on Sat afternoon she was off her food and seemed incoherrant. Usually when she flops she rolls onto her back and then pretty much straight back up.

She eats Wagg mixture, and usually cabbage, kale, carrots with tops and apples. Not all in the same day though. And she has seed sticks.

Her droppings are fine. No change from normal. Round brown balls.

Thanks again for your reply.


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2013)

Chezza30122007 said:


> Hi
> 
> Thanks for your reply.
> 
> ...


Entire means she hasn't been spayed but you have answered that so all good 
Is your vet an exotics vet?
Has he mentioned EC at all?
Is she vaccinated?

Not keen on the wagg mixture for many reasons but the pathetic fibre content is the main reason, only 10%.. You would be much better to swap to a high fibre complete pellet, like Science Selective (25%) or Allen and Page Natural (23%). You don't mention hay, does she get hay?

I am pretty certain this will be a diet thing going by your description tbh. Does she over produce cecotropes by any chance? (squishy poops).
For now I would cut out the cabbage and carrots (you can still feed the tops but the actual carrot is to be a treat only), and I would look into changing their hard food over to a quality pellet.


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## Chezza30122007 (Mar 19, 2013)

Both rabbits have a constant supply of hay.

I am constantly changing their dry food as they get bored. I usually buy from local pet shop.

I haven't noticed many soft poo's but they do have the run of the garden.

My vet is a specialist is Rabbits and small animals.

What's EC?

Both are vacinated against Mixi adn the other thing. Due in August again.

Why do you think it's the diet? Both eat the same and share a hutch, they have been eating the same things since they were 10 weeks old. And it's only recent that Betsy's flops have increased.

Thanks for your help hun.


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2013)

Chezza30122007 said:


> Both rabbits have a constant supply of hay.
> 
> I am constantly changing their dry food as they get bored. I usually buy from local pet shop.
> 
> ...


E.C Encephalitozoon Cuniculi Just for the record I don't think this is the problem, but it is something every rabbit owner should know about 

You really shouldn't be chopping and changing their diet around like that, that could also be a contributing factor here I'm afraid. You need to find a good pellet and then stick to it, otherwise you can really mess with the rabbits gut bacteria levels.

I think it is diet related due to what you have said, but without actually examining the rabbit I can only go by what is written 

Every rabbit is different, so although your other doe appears to be copping it might be that Betsy just isn't as robust so you are noticing symptoms in her.



> When she goes down her eyes look drowsy but she rolls onto her back then gets straight back up. But on Sat afternoon she was off her food and seemed incoherrant. Usually when she flops she rolls onto her back and then pretty much straight back up.


This is classic signs of a tummy ache, just think when you have a bit of gas stuck  you will try to move around and stretch your tummy to try to move things along. 
I'm thinking possible bloat over say a fur blockage as you say her poos are normal.

Is she still flopping and rolling?


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Agree with Bernie - we have one bunny whose first sign of needing a dental is that he begins throwing himself down and rolling. Now we know what the reason is, we give him painkillers on the day, then he has dental the following day.

The rolling can look very similar to a happy "dead bunny flop", only he does it repeatedly - until we give him Metacam, then it stops.

The other thing he does is very subtle, but he stretches out very slightly differently from mormal, pushing his tummmy down, which we presume is again to do with him having tummy ache.

Has the vet checked your buns teeth for spurs?

Do you feed him gassy greens or sugary carrots?


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## coshu summer (Mar 12, 2013)

My rabbit did something similar a few weeks ago. He lied down on the floor and stood up immediately. We suspected that he might have got GI Statis so we took him to the vet and it was confirmed GI Statis. He had to stay in the vet overnight, luckily at the end he started eating again and turned out alright.

GI statis is quite common among rabbits and it could be fatal. There are many causes to GI Statis and one of them is the rabbit not eating enough fibre. Be aware that pallet is not actually the main diet for rabbits, the main diet should be hay. 

I think you should bring your bunny to the vet again and check for the stomach.


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