Before getting started, it’s important to understand sedating a rabbit at home is NOT recommended. We believe it can be dangerous and is often best for those who do have experience handling rabbits and/or have been in similar situations. This is a simple guide on how to sedate a rabbit at home naturally while understanding you should take all necessary precautions.
We do not and will never recommend the use of chemicals on a rabbit!
If you believe it’s best to learn how to sedate a rabbit at home then follow the information in this guide.
We highly recommended consulting with a vet to learn more about your options especially if the goal is to just calm a rabbit down. This information can be personalized to your rabbit and its medical history, which are relevant components with something of this nature!
The factors to look into include:
- Rabbit’s Current State
- Type of Sedative
- Rabbit’s Medical History
If you want to learn how to sedate a rabbit at home, please take the time to understand what to use and what the process is going to entail. This is relevant information that can make the process ten times easier as you look at the rabbit’s response.
Just knowing what to look for can be a game-changer and is going to make it easier to sedate a rabbit at home.
This guide on how to sedate a rabbit at home will showcase what to use, how to use it, and what not to do during the process.
Best Natural Sedative for Rabbits (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
- BACH RESCUE REMEDY PET DROPPER: Stress relief tincture for pets with natural flower essences to help ease tension,...
- SEDATIVE-FREE CALMING DROPS: Use leading up to & during stressful pet situations like visiting the veterinarian or groomer,...
- TRUSTED BY PET LOVERS WORLDWIDE: Made with the original RESCUE REMEDY tincture - Dr. Bach's blend of 5 natural flower...
Last update on 2023-05-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Tips on How To Sedate a Rabbit at Home
1. Use a Natural Sedative Only
Before doing anything, your top priority is to find a high-quality sedative.
The sedative recommended above is a good starting point for your rabbit. It is a stress-reliever and those tend to calm a rabbit down quickly.
In general, when you learn how to sedate a rabbit at home, it is more about getting them to stop moving as much. You are not going to achieve 100% knocked out status with a natural sedative but that’s a good thing for the rabbit’s safety.
If you want to move forward with 100% sedation then it is time to reach out to a medical professional.
At no point should you ever look to use chemicals on a rabbit for sedation purposes. This is dangerous, reckless, and isn’t worth the effort you are putting into it!
Please stick to a natural sedative that is going to help keep the rabbit calm.
2. Start 30 Minutes Before
Timing is going to matter as soon as you have the natural sedative in your hands.
In general, you are going to want to give the oral drops 30 minutes before. This is going to ensure the drops have time to settle in and effect the rabbit as intended.
Remember, this is not a chemical, so it is going to take its time.
You can continue to look at the rabbit to see how it is reacting to the natural sedative.
Most rabbits are going to become toned down and slightly drowsy. This is okay and that is the state you want to get them into.
3. Soothe the Rabbit
This is the final step in the process before the rabbit is going to hit the level you are intending for them to when it comes to natural sedation at home.
In most cases, you want to rub the rabbit and try to calm it down as soon as the sedative is given to them. This will keep them calm and eventually get to the stage where they relax.
Make sure to monitor how the rabbit is doing throughout the process.
In most cases, the effects are going to be seen within 10-20 minutes. However, larger rabbits will take more time and that is normal.
Final Thoughts
When learning how to sedate a rabbit at home, it is these steps that are going to make sure you see good results and don’t end up making a mistake.
Once again, never use chemicals when it is time to sedate a rabbit at home!
The average rabbit owner is not equipped with the medical expertise to do this and will only harm their rabbit. There is never a good reason to do this and anything that requires the use of sedation should be done at the vet.
However, it is possible to calm a rabbit down with the use of natural sedatives, which is what has been recommended here.
Here are fun reads on rabbits – giving red chard to a rabbit, feeding quaker oats to a rabbit, mother rabbit hopping on babies, and world-class bedding for a rabbit.