A rabbit passing away is a difficult moment for anyone.
It can be challenging to deal with due to the bond you have with your rabbit. However, it is important to analyze how the rabbit passed away to get a gist of what may have caused the issue in the first place.
This is common for those who notice the rabbit died suddenly with its eyes open.
A rabbit can die suddenly with its eyes open due to poisoning. This is one of the most common reasons for sudden deaths in rabbits. If they consume something poisonous, it will immediately spread through the body leading to a quick death.
This is why it’s important to be careful about what you have in the garden or around the house. If the rabbit is exposed to these items, they will eat them. It’s simply the rabbit’s nature to want to eat everything in sight.
You have to be prepared for this as a rabbit owner.
Here is a deeper look at the reason for a rabbit dying suddenly with its eyes open and what to do next.
Table of Contents
Best House For Rabbits (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
- DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: Made from strong and resilient fir wood coated with nontoxic lacquer, this CO-Z outdoor cat house is...
- PET-FRIENDLY DESIGN: Perfect for rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks, hens, tortoises, and even outdoor cats, this cat & rabbit...
- COMFY & COZY HOME: Our 16.5" x 20" x 15.8" raised bunny & cat hutch features a spacious 14.6" tall room with waterproof...
Last update on 2023-12-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Reasons Rabbit Died Suddenly With Eyes Open
1. Poisoning
There is only one reason that is going to cause a rabbit to die with its eyes open.
This is some type of poisoning where the rabbit consumed the wrong plant or food leading to fatal poisoning. When this happens, the poison spreads through the rabbit’s body rapidly giving it little time to react.
Most rabbits are small in stature, which means even a little bit of poisoning is going to do a lot of harm to their body.
This is why it’s essential to keep rabbits away from poisonous plants at all costs. The impact can be fatal.
If you have two rabbits that died suddenly then this is likely the cause. They both consumed the same type of food and that is what lead to the poisoning.
What To Do If Rabbit Died Suddenly With Eyes Open
1. Find The Poisonous Element or Plant
The first thing you are going to want to do is to get to the bottom of what took place.
This includes having the rabbit assessed by a specialist. This will ensure you have a good read on what took place and the reason for the poisoning.
It’s good to have this information to ensure you are not putting other pets in danger. This is especially important for homes where there are other pet rabbits roaming around the area.
You will want to spot the poisoning plant or element making sure it is not accessible to anyone else in the house. This has to be your first priority due to the amount of risk that comes along with poison such as this.
2. Keep Any Other Pet Inside For Now
You will want to make sure to keep your pets inside for now.
This is a common issue due to the amount of food rabbits eat. If you are not careful about what the rabbit is eating, it’s possible to end up having to deal with consequences such as this.
If you have a rabbit that died all of a sudden then this might be something to keep the other pets away from. It can be a simple plant that is set up in the garden that is not good for rabbits to consume.
You will want to make sure the rabbits that are alive remain far away from those foods or plants. It’s a must.
Rabbits love eating and they are not going to restrict themselves a lot. You will also have to take responsibility for a pet rabbit as it won’t be trained to pick out the wrong types of foods.
Final Thoughts
These are the main things to look at if your rabbit died suddenly with its eyes open.
Rabbits can die suddenly with their eyes open because of poisoning. When they eat the wrong type of food or plant, it’s possible the poison quickly spreads through the body leading to sudden death. This is a common type of death among pet and wild rabbits.
Rabbits love to eat a lot of food and that can put them in challenging situations. If they eat too much of the wrong food, this can end up being the outcome.
Most rabbits don’t do a good job of handling poison in their food. It is not easy for the rabbit to flush it out and that is when things go pear-shaped.
It’s important to keep your pets away from these plants and have a good understanding of what’s bad for rabbits.
Read More About Rabbits: