By Sandy Koi
Most of you know about some of the most dangerous thing which bunnies can encounter around the house, such as electrical cords, toxic plants and pesticides. But there are some seemingly innocent items which can be fatal.
Many people "walk" their rabbit on a leash. This may be a pleasant experience for both of your but it can become suddenly perilous. . . should something suddenly cause your rabbit to take off at a lightening speed, the leash could break his neck in an instant That "something" could be a dance for joy or the neighborhood's stray dog's appearing.
If you use a leash, please a chest-type harness, not a leash with a neck collar! Chest harness can still cause injuries in the above situation, but are safer than neck leashes.
You may feel that your yard area is safe, but check it out very well. When I worked in an emergency animal hospital, I saw many small dogs, cats and rabbits who had been ferociously mauled or killed by stray or feral dogs. . . and most had been either on a leash or left alone in their own "safe" backyard. An unleashed dog can attack your rabbit so suddenly you would not even have time to respond at all.
Some of these people told me that their fences were over five feet high, but that the attacking dog either jumped the fence or tore down the gate to get to the small animal.
Raccoons, of course, are quite capable of killing even a large rabbit. They are usually nocturnal, but do forage in the daytime occasionally during their mating and baby season.
Fox are likewise unlikely to be out during the day. But if they are, they are very dangerous. Even urban areas occasionally report seeing fox; the more suburban and rural areas are especially prone to wildlife animals.
Both fox and raccoons are capable of injuring a rabbit through the wire or by pulling the wire apart! Both animals carry rabies as well . . . fatal to your rabbit and potentially to you!
Always stay with your bunny when he's in the yard!
Another hidden danger may be lurking in your rabbit's own home: his cage! Many of our larger rescue bunnies enjoyed jumping onto the tops of their cages and it never seemed to be a problem . . . until the day one of the small bunnies tried the same thing. Her leg slipped through the larger mesh used on the top of the cage in that split second when I was occupied with something else. In her panic, she severely injured herself before I could reach her . . . even though I was only four feet away from her!
Now all of our cages have plywood-covered tops to prevent such accidents from ever happening again!
Bunnies who like to explore can endanger themselves in the most unlike places. I once found a foster rabbit sitting on the bathroom counter munching a tube of mint-flavored toothpaste . . . a panicked call to the National Animal Poison Control Center (1-900-680-0000) helped ease my mind.
But what if she had chosen to eat any one of the other potentially poisonous things lying on the bathroom counter, where one doesn't expect one's bunny to be perched? What if she herself had panicked when I discovered her and fell onto the tile floor?
And we have also heard of bunnies falling into the toilet, or a bathtub full of water!
Several foster bunnies had been found in the bird cages stealing birdseed until we rearranged our bird cages to prevent them from teaching anyone else the trick. What if your bunny tried that with a big parrot? He might get a nasty bite (or vice versa) not to mention knocking the cage over and injuring everyone.
We also know of one death from a broken neck, which happened when a house bunny tried to squeeze out between the front and side panels of the cage where the cage-clips were widely spaced. Make sure the sides of your cage are lipped at no less than three-inch intervals!
Quite a few bunnies have figured out how to open cupboard doors by pulling on the corner with their teeth or pushing with their nose. Are the contents of the cupboards at floor level bunny-safe in your home?
If your bunny can jump onto your desk, are the paper clips, rubber bands, tape dispensers, etc. out of reach? (Are your important papers out of reach?!)
Lead was cited as a cause of poisoning in house rabbits at the 1996 North American Veterinary Conference. Sources of lead include cheaply made manufactured cage wire, painted woodwork, leaded stained glass ornaments or other metal objects which may not obviously contain lead; as well as inexpensive, older, imported mini-blinds. Some colorful ceramic may have used leaded paint, and while the lead normally isn't released unless heated, you may want to test it for peace of mind.
Lead detection kits can be purchased from many hardware stores for under ten dollars. If you suspect lead in something your bunny has been chewing, blood tests and veterinary treatment are advised.
If your bunny is a chewer, bunny-proof exceptionally well. Bunny-proofing for a safe environment requires foresight and knowledge of your rabbit's personality type.
Last updated Aug. 1997
