Rabbits love to run, hop, and zoom in the backyard and around plants. If you have a garden, it will be best to raise rabbits and add excitement to your life. Getting a bunny rabbit is the less challenging part of the job.
Keeping them safe is a whole other story. Rabbits are grazing animals and have two passions: hopping and eating. These furry creatures do not know what can harm them and will not stop unless you intervene. As prey animals, they are aware of larger animals being predatory.
However, they cannot understand the danger of smaller creatures like insects. As a pet owner, you are responsible for protecting your furry friend and researching what insects will bite or sting your bunny. So, do bees sting rabbits?
Yes, bees can sting rabbits. Bees like to mind their own business, but when cornered or threatened, these tiny insects can shoot a load of pain in any living being.
Rabbits are curious animals and love to chase things and explore new places. You must have seen the furry baby hopping after a butterfly with joy if you have a pet rabbit. Bees and butterflies are similar to a rabbit. Your bunny will chase a bee and get stung if you are not careful. Keep reading to learn more about bees and rabbits.Â
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Why Would A Bee Sting Your Rabbit?
Bees are famously known for attacking other insects but seldom attack mammals. If a bee attacks your rabbit, something must have triggered the insect. There are two main factors why a bee will try to sting your innocent bunny rabbit:
Fear
Bees use their stinger most when they feel threatened. A bee will possibly sting your rabbit if the bunny is chasing it. While chasing a bee, your rabbit could corner the insect. It can make the insect fear its life and attack your poor rabbit with its venomous stinger.
Beeâs Food
Your bunny rabbit will love to munch on a flower or two in your garden. It will hop towards it and shove its tiny nose in it. Bees tend to drink nectar from flowers. If there is a bee in the flower your rabbit just tried to eat, the bee will try to sting your bunny to protect its food and itself.
What To Expect When A Bee Stings Your Rabbit?
When your bunny rabbit encounters a ferocious bee, it will show behavior that will be clear signs of a bee sting. A beeâs stinger is a painful weapon and can quickly bruise your rabbit.
The helpless animal cannot cure its discomfort without your help. Look for the following signs in your rabbit if you suspect that it was stung by a bee:
Whimpering
Rabbits are voiceless creatures and cannot voice their concerns. However, rabbits make sounds on occasion of pain and discomfort. If you suspect your bunny has been a victim of a bee attack, keep an ear on the bunnyâs whimpering.
A beeâs sting is like a sharp pinch that induces pain in your rabbit. To make you aware of this pain, your rabbit will make whimpering sounds.
Constant Licking
Animals lick their wounds to ease their discomfort. It mainly works for the pet, but bee stings are a different pain. When a bee stings, it leaves its stinger on the skin.
No matter how much your rabbit lick sits wound, the stinger will keep stinging. Plus, the constant licking can trigger the stinger to excrete more venom on your poor rabbit, causing it more pain.
Anaphylactic Shock
It will break out into hives if your bunny is allergic to the beeâs venom and sting. It will happen instantly and will be visible to the naked eye. When you see your bunny having an allergic reaction, run to the vet. The allergy can trigger your rabbitâs body and push it into an anaphylactic shock, which can be fatal for your poor furry friend.Â
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How To Know If Your Rabbit Is Having An Anaphylactic Shock?
Anaphylactic shock is a severe health risk for your rabbit and can be fatal. Your rabbit can experience an allergic reaction after interacting with a bee and getting stung. If you do not take care of your rabbit while in shock, your rabbit will surely die, leaving you full of regret.
The anaphylactic shock will look little if you do not know what to find. When startled, rabbits enter a state of shock, so it will be challenging to differentiate between that and an anaphylactic shock. Luckily there are a few symptoms of shock that your bunny will start exhibiting instantly. Here is a list:
- Diarrhea
- Swelling of the tongue
- Uncontrolled urination
- Itchiness
- Hives
- Lethargy
- Weak pulse
- Difficulty breathing
- Pale gums
- Elevated heart rate
- Drooling
- Cold limbs
Your bunny will collapse unless you take it to the vet immediately. Anaphylactic shocks require urgent treatment, and only a professional can try to make them better. Do not wait, and try to make your bunny rabbit feel better. You must make the best decision for your precious furry friendâs health and rush to the vetâs clinic.
What Can You Do To Help Your Bunny?
When bunny rabbits feel physically unwell, their emotional health also deteriorates. A bee sting is a painful ordeal for a fragile rabbit.
If your rabbit is not allergic to a beeâs sting, you can do home remedies and tricks to make the poor animal feel better. It is best to consult your vet when your rabbit gets stung by a bee, but here are a few things you can do to ease your rabbitâs pain:
Hold Your Bunny
A bunny in pain will be restless, anxious, and stressed. You must check your bunnyâs wound to remove your rabbitâs pain. When your precious furry gets hurt, it will zoom around the house to remove the discomfort.
It is best to hold your bunny to check its wound. Ask help from a family member or friend to grab your furry baby gently from the back. When the other person has a hold on your rabbit, check the bee sting wound to analyze the level of medical aid your rabbit will need.
Analyze The Wound
Once you locate the sting wound, check it closely for signs of allergy and the stinger. Removing the stinger from your rabbitâs wound is essential to prevent the venom from spreading further.
Do not pinch or pull the stinger out, as it can result in the excretion of venom. Gently scrape the stinger out with a credit card or a flat object. After that, notice if your rabbit has pimples on the cut or its body. You can also look for red rashes. If your bunny has any of those, it has an allergic reaction and needs a doctor immediately.
Ice The Wound
Your rabbit will fight you on this step, but you must be firm and ice your precious furry friendâs wound. Icing the bruise will help ease the pain, stop the flow of venom, and harden the cut.
Be mindful of not using direct ice on the rabbitâs skin, as they have delicate bodies. Use a cloth to cover the ice and put ice directly on your rabbitâs bee sting wound.
Go To The Vet
It is best to visit the vet immediately to avoid any unwanted mishaps and stresses. No matter how much you research your bunny rabbit, you cannot be as educated on the topic as a professional.
It will be the most beneficial activity for your rabbit. Plus, it will remove your stress and worry about allergies, pain, and other adverse reactions in your cute friend due to the sting.Â
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Final Word
It will be hard to spot if your rabbit has a bee sting mark. However, if you are familiar with your rabbitâs usual behavior and demeanor, you will notice the slightest change in its body language.
It is best to keep your rabbit indoors during the bee season to avoid your rabbitâs accidental injury. If you have an outdoor bunny, keep a sharp eye on your rabbit and do as much as possible to protect your pet from bees.
Ensure that no bee hive is in any of the trees around your rabbitâs hutch, etc. The little guy depends on you for a perfect life, do your best to provide the essentials to your precious furry friend. A happy bunny means a happy you!