New Bunny

[G€M]

Me and my boys got a new bunny. She's a Mini Lop named Gypsy. We're learning with her and love her so much. She's a proper diva and is so spoilt. I've done all my reading but yesterday I came downstairs to find her fast asleep on her back paws in the air sound asleep. My 17yo son messaged me saying he caught her doing the same. As we went to bed I caught her again. On all occasions she was not moving even when I walked into her play pen. She finally woke up and came running when I started shouting for help thinking she was dead. I can't find anything in my book or online about this at all is it normal?

 

[JBun]

Most rabbits will flop on their sides. It's called the dead bunny flop, for obvious reasons. They look dead and throw us bunny caretakers into a panic. On the rare occasion there are some rabbits that enjoy flopping on their back to sleep. It's not as common, but not unheard of. There's an RO member that either has or had a bunny that did it. I've had baby buns in the past, that liked to do it. Your bun is likely just a very relaxed bun and very deep sleeper.

It might be a bit like the trancing state when rabbits are place on their back by owners, which is not usually recommended to do so due to it being very stressful for most rabbits and elevating their heart rate. But when you have a rabbit doing it on their own, they're not stressed and must enjoy it or they wouldn't do it, so it's not really a bad thing for them to be doing, that I'm aware of.

 

[G€M]

Thank you. I was so worried. She didn't move when I got into her pen to feed her. She only woke up when I started shouting for my son. I felt so silly and she was probably laughing at me. We double team to do the health checks so she isn't on her back but held and supported. Since I posted she keeps flopping onto her back and sleeping. I still get worried, I can cope with the bunny flop as I had read about it so was expecting it.

 

[lavendertealatte]

That is hilarious and super cute!

 

[baffling]

yours is surely an at-ease bunny! Mine will wake up from her flop position if I walk near her