Why is my rabbit shaking?

[Ann Swerbank]

Before anyone even thinks it.... this is not a question on any female products!! It is about my one and a half year old rabbit (animal) I was out in the garden earlier playing with him (this does not sound very good) and when i was stroking him he started to shake. He had not been frightened by anything or too cold/warm. There is no evidence of mites or bugs of any description. He is very friendly and a chirpy wee fellow it seemed to be his back or bum that was shaking, not his head or ears? Each episode lasted 30secs then he stopped. Any ideas?

[RATTER15]

We have had some hot weather, check around his bum for maggots!!

[Roughquest]

Oh no, that is awful please dont mention 'fly strike' both my rabbits dies of that .....its just horrific !

[Ann Swerbank]

OMG! I really hope not! I could not bear it. This is going to sound terrible but when he last done it, I picked him up to check underneath and his penis was sticking out! Much more obvious than before. To be honest i have never seen it before and I was shocked! Do you think he is reaching sexual maturity or something??

[bensmum]

I don't know much about rabbits but I would have thought he would have reached sexual maturity a while ago. Perhaps he got over-excited! I hope it's that - I had a guinea pig die of fly-strike and it is horrible. To be on the safe side during the hot weather, wipe his undercarriage with special pet wipes a couple of times a day. Mind you it sounds as if your lad might enjoy that!

[RATTER15]

Keep an eye on his penis, I had this problem on two rescue ferrets where the penis wouldn't retract, I had to squirt cortisone ointment up the end of their penis but it soon sorted it (result of filthy cage)

Get rabbit to the vet!!

[TIGGERLIT]

hi if anyone has a rabbit and does not want flystrike, you can now get products from pet shops. i work in one and we do fly guard made by beapher. i had flystrike last year with my bunnies, so got some of this you just spray the back end everyother day and it only costs a fiver.

[Ann Swerbank]

Thank you to everyone for their help. I will get some of that stuff mentioned by Tiggerlit and will continue to check his bum and penis for any abnormalities.

[baby wabbit]

I have 12 bunnies, and 1 of my girl bunnies also does this. she does it when she if being stoked and petted...she also purrs, honest to god, if you put your ear near her head you can hear her purr...it is brilliant. She is 4 and has always shook and purred, the only bunny i have had that does it !!!!!

[baby wabbit]

Alao, ment to say, i put mosquito nets up infront of my hutches, that reduces fly probs whilst the bunnies are in their homes where the flies are most attracted....I buy very cheap netting which naturally catches the wood and roof so no dodgy nails or pins needed. works a treat!!

[Ann Swerbank]

Thanks Baby wrabbit, that does make me feel better, I think I should know better with this wee fella as I have always kept rabbits but when I first got BB (the rabbit in question) he lay completly sprawled out and looked lifeless. The only time I saw my other rabbits doing this was before they died. Horified I rushed him to the vet, who could find absolutly nothing the matter with him! He does this all the time and it is just one of his characteristics! Maybe he was just really enjoying being petted.