Rabbits are fragile creatures with tiny hearts and springs in their feet. Their bodies and minds are complicated things. It would be best if you had plenty of research and the right vet to understand a rabbit.
Many people get a rabbit for themselves without researching the animalâs diet, health, behavior, and emotional needs. It results in unwanted fear and anxiety for both the pet owner and the rabbit.
The most common behavior in rabbits is shaking or trembling. New pet owners often panic at the sight of a shaking rabbit unless they have done enough research on their rabbitâs body language. So, why does your rabbit shake when you hold it?
Rabbits shake for various reasons: health issues, emotional disturbance, environmental discomfort, etc. Bunnies are complex creatures with different shaking types, each associated for a different reason.
When you get a rabbit, you believe it will be all fun and games, which is true. However, it becomes unpleasant when your precious rabbit exhibits a behavior you do not know.
To avoid such inconveniences and stresses, you must research and gain knowledge about rabbits before bringing one home. Keep scrolling to learn all the types of shaking a bunny does and what each means.
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Types of Shaking Your Rabbit Can Exhibit
The shaking has a different meaning for humans and animals. When a person is vibrating, we call that trembling or shaking. On the other hand, the tiniest jerking movement in a rabbit is shaking.
Here are a bunch of shaking types you should be ready to see in your rabbit:
Fur Rippling
It is like goosebumps in humans. You may notice your bunny rabbitâs fur moving in a wave-like formation during this movement.
Trembling
Like a catâs purr, your precious furry friendâs vibrating motion is trembling.
Twitching
Twitching is slight, almost unnoticeable movement. Rabbitâs usually exhibited this when lying down, but it can happen in other circumstances as well.
Fits or convulsion
These are the types of fits that should worry a pet owner. Fits are violent contractions of muscles that cause intense pain to the animal. If your rabbit starts having fits, take it to the vet immediately.
A Rabbit Shakes in Parts, Not As A Whole
When people are feeling cold, they shake. You can observe a personâs whole body shivering, trying to maintain the optimal temperature. Rabbits do not shake as a whole. Bunnies have various body parts that shake on different occasions.
To understand your precious furry friendâs health and emotional needs, you must know what the shaking of each body part depicts. Here is an explanation of each:
Shaking Ears And Head
Your rabbit will shake its ears and tiny head while zooming around the house if it is overheating and on the verge of heatstroke.
Head Bobbing
Bunnies bob their heads when they are experiencing intense stress.
Nose Twitching
A rabbitâs nose will twitch or tremble if it is afraid and senses danger, which causes the animal stress.
Slight Spasm
You might notice mild spasms in your rabbit from time to time. That is because of hiccups and is nothing problematic.
Shaking Followed by Scratching
If you notice your rabbit scratch and shake simultaneously, your poor furry friend has mites or fleas.
Shaking while lying down
When your poor rabbit starts to shake while lying down, it means trouble. GI stasis is a severe intestinal disease that can cause tremors in your rabbit due to pain and blockage in the digestive tract.
Disorientation
Your rabbit will shake on its side and experience disorientation if it eats something toxic or poisonous.
Above mentioned types of shaking are the most common in rabbits. However, your rabbit can also exhibit other odd behaviors to show happiness or pain. You must observe the circumstances and decipher your rabbitâs needs as a pet owner.
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Why Your Rabbit Shakes When You Hold It?
Your rabbit can be shaky due to health and emotional reasons. However, the situation under consideration is a bunny shaking when its owner holds it. If you are a new pet owner and cannot get enough cuddles with your bunny, you will constantly like to hold it in your arms.
However, you must have noticed that, at times, your furry baby trembles, and it stresses you out. If your bunny rabbit has no health issues, then the reason behind your rabbitâs shaking will be something less scary than a vetâs visit.
Here is why your rabbit shakes when you hold it:
Heat Stroke
Bunnies have difficulty when the atmosphere is hot. They have a lot of fur on their bodies, perfect for cold weather but not so good for summer. When you pick your rabbit in your arms, it will absorb your body heat like a child.
When rabbits absorb too much heat, their blood vessels swell up to try to release the excessive heat from the furry animalâs body.
Due to the swelling of the vessels, your rabbit will tremble and shake in your arms. If a heat stroke is not taken care of immediately, it can cause more significant health issues for your poor pet.
The moment you realize your rabbit has had a heat stroke, avoid holding or cuddling with your pet rabbit until it feels better.
Keep your bunny on an excellent floor in the house and cover it with a wet cloth. Do not make efforts to instantly change your rabbitâs temperature, as that can be fatal for your poor heat-stroked rabbit.
Stress or Anxiety
Rabbits are anxious creatures. The slightest inconvenience or environmental change can cause your rabbit to panic and stress. When you hold your rabbit, chances are it is stressed because of the height and vision difference.
Rabbits cannot lift their heads to see, so when you hold them, they can see the world from a higher vantage point. Holding your precious furry friend might be fantastic, but it can be a stressful experience for your pet.
If you want to hold your rabbit in your arms, do so while sitting down. It will ensure that the height change is not drastic for your rabbit and your pet feels safe in your lap.
Fear
Maybe your rabbit is afraid of something it sees or smells when you hold it. Bunnies have a sharp sense of smell and can note a predator from miles away. Ensure you do not smell like another animal and stay indoors while holding your rabbit to minimize your precious petâs shaking from fear.
Happiness
Your rabbit will vibrate if it is content and happy. Just as cats purr, a rabbit shakes and trembles to show it is happy to be near you.
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What To Do When Your Rabbit Shakes While You Hold It?
You can do a bunch of things to reduce your rabbitâs discomfort:
Cool Your Bunny
In case of a heat stroke, you must move your rabbitâs cage or living space to a chilled area in your house. Using AC or ice blocks near your rabbitâs cage with a fan is best.
Allow Alone Time
When you notice your rabbit shaking as you hold it, place the bunny back in its cage. Chances are that your rabbit was shaking due to fear.
An afraid bunny needs time to calm down in a safe space. A rabbitâs hutch or a cage will be the safest space for your precious furry friend to calm down.
Quiet Place
As a pet owner, you must know if your rabbit is prone to anxiety and stress. Generally, rabbits are anxious animals. It will help to keep your bunny rabbitâs cage or living space calm and quiet.
Loud noises tend to induce intense anxiety in rabbits. If the rabbit is too anxious all the time, you can get a bunny-approved sedative to calm its nerves.
If you notice too much shaking in your rabbit daily, the safest thing to do would be to call your vet for a consultation. No amount of research can make you a professional.
Final Word
As a pet owner, you will want to shower your precious bunny rabbit with uncountable love, and most people do so by holding their pets. However, keep your rabbitâs likes and dislikes in mind.
Try to find the source if you notice your rabbit shaking as you hold it. Chances are that the source is something negative. Figure out if your rabbit is in discomfort or content.
Take steps to improve your rabbitâs situation, even if it means letting it be alone in its world. Your rabbitâs well-being should be your priority, as these creatures are voiceless and depend on their pet owners for the best living standards.