Death Drop????

Hi guys im new here, hope you can help


Ive read in various books and online about the playfull "death drop" both my bunnys do this from time to time but usually jump up once disturbed or spoken too,

I have two dwarf feamles sharing one large cage and are indoors & aged around 2 and a 1/2,

This morning the most playfull of our two did this and rolled on her back like a dog rolling in the mud, we laughed and thought ah how cute, however she kept doing it over and over again, getting up then lying down (is if you couldnt get comfortable in a bed) we watched her for a while she seemed ok but kept doing this, we thought we'd try to see if she was ok by going to get a treat for her, (She is one greedy bunny and usually up on the side of the cage one the cupboard door opens, but she just lay there not interested, (However she took one last night no messing)

we took her out the cage and were going to put her in a carry basket we use for the vets and thought if she lies down in here something is up, thankfully she didnt she sat up normally and once moved towards her cage she hopped in it, she sat and cleaned herself but then flopped on her side again then lay on her front with back legs sticking out "quite usual", im at work now but going to check on her again at lunchtime


Am i worrying about nothing and do i just happen to have a happy lazy bunny this morning or could it be something else, its just not like her to do it so frequently

Cheers guys

Hope someone can give me advice!!!

when they roll onto their back its called a happy flop and oten means the bun is extreamly happy and contented but if your rabbit is off its food then you should see a vet immediatly.as prey animals buns hide symptoms well be wary a lot of vets arent rabbit savvy go to a reccomended one if you can x

Thanks for the quick reply, i know the flopping was supposed to mean they are happy it just seemed far more frequent than i had ever seen her do,

ill try her again with a treat at lunchtime and hope she is ok!!

it could also be she is hot? if the room is very warm? adn trying to cool down a bit? do they have a pen attatched or free access to the room? otherwise maybe she is bored? is she already neutered? was thinking changes to behaviour could be hormone related if not neutered i would get her done as females ahve a n 85% chance of getting uterine cancer if not neutered best of luck hope she ok x

We call them death dives in our house!:lol:B does this alot.She goes through phases of hardly ever doing it but at the mo she does it all the time-usually infront of a door so i cant get out!!!If im watching Tv til quite late in her room she tends to be more sleepy the next day cos ive kept her up-lightweight!:lol:

Whilst many 'flops' are those of a happy Bun sometimes a similar scenario happens at the onset of an acute abdomen-ie bloat/obstruction. The effected Bun will keep flopping, even rolling, will refuse all food and their respiration rate is often markedly raised (indicating extreme pain).

I hope your Bun is OK

yeah she has been neutered (her sister quite horny last year so we had them both done) Lol!!!!

Room isnt too warm the heating is off over night aswell, they dont have free run at night or whilst we are out, just on an evening they have free run of the house,

ill let her out properley see if she goes to her favourite place of under the dining room table

Jack's-Jane said:

Whilst many 'flops' are those of a happy Bun sometimes a similar scenario happens at the onset of an acute abdomen-ie bloat/obstruction. The effected Bun will keep flopping, even rolling, will refuse all food and their respiration rate is often markedly raised (indicating extreme pain).

I hope your Bun is OK

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ill check how she seems to be breathing, the breathing thing has me worried as i thought i could see her breating quite quickly but put it down to not seeing her on her side that often and the fact we'd picked her up and had her in the carrier,

If this is the case whats the treatment (apart fromt he obvious of get her to a vet ASAP)

roxyskinflint said:

ill check how she seems to be breathing, the breathing thing has me worried as i thought i could see her breating quite quickly but put it down to not seeing her on her side that often and the fact we'd picked her up and had her in the carrier,

If this is the case whats the treatment (apart fromt he obvious of get her to a vet ASAP)

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I am not suggesting that she definately has an acute problem
If it happens in a Rabbit it is extremely serious and needs very prompt (as in straight away) Veterinary attention.

Specific treatment would depend entirely on the findings of a full examination but certainly pain relief and IV fluids would be a must in the first instance.

As I have said, I only mentioned this as a possibility not a certainty

thanks Jacks Jane, at least it gives me something to look out for though, hopefully she will have perked up, she didnt seem to be in any pain this morning and didnt struggle when we picked her up, and did her usual body and face wash after shed been handled

My Egg bun suffers from bloat/stasis.

I can usually tell when she has it as she doesn't take treats, lies awkwardly on her belly and can't get comfortable, and looks 'bothered'.

She also isn't her nosey self, and hides away in a corner.
Her recent poops tend to be very small too.

I know as soon as I pick her up if she has bloat as her belly swells up and is a bit baloon like if you rub it.


If she's behaving strangely, take her to the vets. Buns go downhill quick, and it's better to be safe than sorry.
(although the face wash would suggest she might be ok....)

Well ive been home and im glad to say she's perked up to her usual self, opened the cupboard door to where we keep the treats and she was up on the side getting very excited, she wolfed it down and even had a bit scrap with her sister over what she had left of hers!!! ;D!!

ill still keep an eye on her though and make sure she's eating hay and food and takin on water, poo's look fine no small ones, but having 2 in the same cage cant tell who's is who

but thanks for the advice and info folks,

Looks as if she may just have been playing silly beggars this morning