I just went to check them when I got in from work and I found one of my bunnies dead and her sister lying next to her. I don't have a clue how she died. She was very well. She was lying with her back legs apart so her tummy was flat on the floor which was strange. Does anyone have any ideas what could kill a bunny so suddenly? She had all her vaccinations.

Does anyone have any tips on how to help the surviving bunny? They were so close. They just turned 2 on Saturday.

Sorry to hear your sad news..I used to exhibhit rabbits and unfortunately ilnesses are difficult to spot as they are prey animals so do hide their symptoms well in order to survive..

Did she have an extended abdomen..gluggy sounds if you shake her..could be any number of things I take it they are not male and female unspeyed and she could have been pregnant and died through complications..back legs can go on rabbits but this tends to last a few days..rabbits are easily scared and could have been a heart attack with a sudden scare..but the positioning of her on her abdomen with lags out sounds more like a GI problem to me..would have been difficult to spot if she hadnt been eating with 2 in the hutch..unless you were watching all the time..rabbuits tend to stop eating if there is a stomach problem..then unfortunately drinking stops too..especially from bottles,they are more likely to drink from a bowl if there is a problem..but again hard to spot food not being eaten or water not being drunk if there are 2 of them..

Would bring the other rabbit indoors for a few hours and blitz the hutch trying to get rid of as much scent as possible so she doesnt grieve too much..thats what I would do anyway..if the remaining rabbit is female also and you want to add another for company you need to do so asap..females get used to being alone quickly and become quite territorial..

She will be Ok x

Thank you. The food and water seemed be going down as normal. The only thing I noticed was that one litter tray wasn't being used but the other was well used. I'm glad the surviving bunny will be ok. I was worried she would be heartbroken. She was cuddling her sister but as soon as I removed her she sprung to life, went up to the top level and ate her dinner. She came for strokes so she's happy enough at the moment. She is a quiet natured girl.

Do you have any idea what could cause GI problems? I feed her hay, Excel pellet and some spring greens. I don't want the same to happen to honey. Thanks again.

I don't have any advice - I just wanted to say sorry to hear your sad news

GI Statis can be caused by a number of things..you have fed all the right foods..it is more common in younger rabbits during weaning..usually from about 6 weeks to 16 weeks..I really dont think a rabbits stomach is mature until about 20 weeks old..

Sometimes it is too much protein in the diet and not enough fibre..(eating all pellets and no hay) although usually in a young rabbit..it can cause the gut to stop working properly as the hay as the fibre part of the diet tends to help push all the food through the gut..could be the food got wet,a bit mouldy..lots of reasons..ytends to become compacted in the rabbits tummy and they stop passing poo..they stop drinking,so stop eating and tend to keep still..their abdomen becomes very extended but they actually become quite light in weight..this can happen over quite a few weeks if left untreted or can happen very quickly..if you pick your rabbit up and shake them gently you can hear a slight sloshy sound..this is bloat..there are ways to treat this but it is spotting it in time..again hard to spot stopping eating and drinking with 2 rabbits in..do you let them out daily?...was the one that died sat hunched in a corner..

I would suggest to anyone with rabbits to feed hay several times a day ina small bundle and just make sure you ra bbit goed to eat and starts munching..(they should nosey and test anything you put in as soon as itz put in..if not generally there is a problem)..if you feed their hard food pellets etc at night and make sure the bowl is empty in the morning..best to leave them with just hay in the day..they digest food better at night and are more active so the pellets are run off a bit and digestive system working well..

Can also be caused by coccidiosis but this is usually if more than one rabbit is kept (pssed on from eating each others poo)all rabbits can carry coccidiosis..they could have come from carriers..but unusual after 2 years for it suddenly to happen..

I used to treat all mine every 6 months with something called coxoid..it is actually a pigeon treatment for coccidiosis put in the water in the dose stated for 5/7 days this seems to keep them free of it..

Rabbits guts are complicated as they digest food down 2 different tracts..in different ways and they dont have the gag refelx of cats and dogs..thats why changing over feed,introducing something new etc should be done more gradually with rabbits than any other animal..giving a dog or cat new food can make them have loose stools or sick..but a rabbit can get serious problems..

Have they had access to your garden..has someone been spraying weed killer or something nearby?..there are just too many reasons to pin point one..you may never know..

I only say take your rabbit out of there and thoroughly clean,even change the hutch around a bit just to keep them occupied when they get back in..i she can still smell her sister and things are just the same she is more likely to sit and pine and maybe even go off her food which is not good..if you move things around,introduce a few new things she may not like it but she may keep active moving things back in her own way..just to keep her alert x

They have a 6' x 6' 3 tier house with a run and when I'm home they get out in the garden. She was very lively. She would run full speed round the garden. I've always been afraid to leave them with just hay during the day in case they finished it when I'm not there and were left without food. I usually fed some pellets early morning and night with hay to munching on through the day. They usually only went for the pellets after munching lots of fresh hay.

Thanks again. Your advice is very helpful.

Thank you stargazer.

Hi I meant just over the last few days has she been quieter and perhaps stayed in a corner..not in general..

You have done all the right things..sometimes its just one of those things..sad but nothing you could do...

I am sorry if I sounds a bit matter of fact and uncaring about it..dont mean to but have experienced deaths with rabbits over the last 15 years or so when I kept them in larger numbers than most pet households..and although you sont harden up to it..you do accept it and tend to try and get to the bottom of it to ensure the rest are OK..sorry..

I do hope your other rabbit will be Ok x

She was a little quieter but not overly so. She was hopping about building a bed yesterday.

I do appreciate your advice.

With hay in her mouth..have you had your rabbits spayed?..how long have you had them?..did you get them from a breeder,pet shop or rescue?..how often did she nest build like this?

I am asking because pet shops are diabolical at sexing rabbits,breeders can get it wrong if they havent been breeding long..could she have been pregnant,has she done this before..because often with a buck in the same hutch they will deliver and he or she will kill the litter and eat them before you even knew she was pregnant and had a litter..

The vet sexed them. They go for a health check every 6 months. Chloe rarely made a nest, maybe only twice in her lifetime. Honey does it perhaps twice a year. She sleeps in it for a day or so then goes back to normal. They're both spayed.