Some rabbits that appear perfectly healthy die for no apparent reason. There is always a cause of death, no matter how sudden. As heartbreaking as it is, the rabbits must have suffered from some illness, stress, or injury.
Possible reasons why a seemingly healthy rabbit can suddenly die
Cold Outdoor temperatures: Rabbits have delicate systems and a drop in temperature could kill them. It is not a good idea to keep pet store rabbits outside at all. They are indoor animals and must be kept indoors.
Myiasis, or deadly fly-strike: Many new rabbit owners are not aware of deadly fly strike. This happens when a germ-infested fly lands on a rabbit and lays eggs on them. The eggs hatch quickly and can literally eat a rabbit inside and out. A rabbit with deadly fly strike gets a dirty bottom and has a foul smell. If caught early enough, treatments can save the rabbits life but their lifespan will be shorter than usual. The best way to prevent this fatal condition is to regularly check your rabbit’s bottom and keep it clean. Use a fly guard in your rabbit’s environment and keep them on a proper diet: no carrots, lettuce, or bread.
Injured during improper handling: Rabbits often do not like children and can be very fearful of them. If a child does not handle the rabbit properly, the rabbit may jump about so the child can’t hold them or lets go. If the rabbit falls to the floor they may break their backbone or neck. Their bones are very delicate and break easily. Children running around screaming can cause stress and anxiety for rabbits. If a child ran out into your garden yelling and a few days later your rabbit died, then you have your cause: Rabbits can die of shock.
Fear-related heart attack: It is possible for a rabbit to die of fright. Loud sounds, such as cats, dogs, loud music, or screaming can lead to a heart attack and put a rabbit into shock, causing sudden death. It can day several days for the rabbit to die this way, and it does not happen often, but it is quite possible. Do not even consider a rabbit if you have aggressive dogs, large dogs, young untrained puppies, ferrets, or cats.
Aborted pregnancy: If a rabbits aborts a pregnancy and cannot reabsorb the fetus, the baby rabbits will simply die inside her and create a toxic situation. A normal miscarriage can be absorbed harmlessly, but if the pregnancy is further long when the miscarriage happens, the mother rabbit may die.
Poisoning: It is possible for a pet rabbit to suffer poisoning and die very quickly. They may not show any symptoms and behave normally, but if there is discharge from any area, especially the eyes, mouth, or anus, they may have eaten something poisonous in the garden. They will have very little appetite for food or water. If your rabbit dies and you suspect poison, be sure to remove the body and sterilize the area. If you have other rabbits and those ones seem fine, take them to the vet just in case.
Bunny was older than thought: Once a rabbit is past three, it can be very hard to precisely identify the age. Be very careful to check a rabbit over before purchasing or adopting. Rabbits stop growing at 18-24 months of age, but read up on the breed of rabbit you are looking at so you know typical sizes for babies and adults of that type. Some rabbit sellers may pass an older rabbit as younger. Unless you are sure the rabbit is young, think twice about buying or adopting. The stress of moving to a new home might cause a very old rabbit to die sooner rather than later.
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