AboutDana Krempels, Ph.D. Expertise I've lived with companion rabbits for more than 35 years, and consider them members of my family. I can answer any questions about the biology and health of rabbits, from the commonplace to the unusual. But please note:
RULE #1: THE INTERNET IS NOT THE PLACE TO SEEK HELP IN AN EMERGENCY.
If your rabbits is LETHARGIC
If your rabbit is NOT EATING
If your rabbit is PHYSICALLY INJURED (including broken bones)
If your baby rabbit has DIARRHEA
...it is an EMERGENCY.
Find a rabbit-savvy veterinarian at www.rabbit.org/vets for immediate help, and don't risk your bunny's life by spending time asking questions online!
RULE #2:
Help me help you! Please make your subject line informative if you have an urgent question.
If you already have been to the vet and still need help
if you can't find an available vet with the resources above
then LET ME KNOW IN THE SUBJECT LINE so I can give your question highest priority over non-urgent questions. If you don't do this, then I can't guarantee timely assistance!
For all the best, most accurate rabbit health, care and behavior information, visit The House Rabbit Society.
Experience
Publications Exotic DVM
Warren Peace (Journal of the House Rabbit Society of Miami)
Various newsletters of the House Rabbit Society, nationwide
Education/Credentials Ph.D - Biology
B.S. - Biology
B.A. - English
Awards and Honors Lightspan Academic Excellence Award for web site on rabbit health and biology
(http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare)
Question I have a 15 month old holland lop bunny and I've noticed that sometimes when he's all laid out and his eyes are half closed he will start "snoring" I'm pretty sure he's sleeping because I will call his name and he will wake up and the noise stops. He's healthy otherwise, he eats his pellets, veggies and hay and gets plenty of water and is quite active and gets plenty of time to run around in his play area. He has no discharge from eyes or nose that would cause me to think that he has a respiratory problem, I've just never heard of a bunny snoring and wanted to know if this was a normal thing to happen to a apparently tired bunny.
Answer Dear Destiney,
Some bunnies--particularly short-faced ones, such as lops--do, indeed snore. It's kind of cute, if you ask me. :)
I had a bunny (Slooby) who snored because he had unusually loose skin on his soft palate. It was so bad that when he was anesthetized for simple procedures the skin would sometimes fold back and block his windpipe! Scared us to death!
This isn't all that likely with your bunny, but if he ever does have to undergo a surgical procedure, be sure to mention the snoring (and possible floppy soft palate) to your vet, so that s/he can take proper precautions to prevent this potentially fatal accident. (Slooby turned blue and stopped breathing, but the vet managed to get him back. We never put him under after that.)
