Bunny Rolling On Back?

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ThumperParadise

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Today my bunny did something odd? She stretched out and then rolled on her back and then wiggled and then went back to what she was doing. Should I be worried? Cause I know that a bunny cant be on its back :(
 
They can if they choose to do it themselves. It's only when we do it to them that it can stress them. It usually just happens when they get overenthusiastic about a flop and go too far over. Then they correct themselves and are flopped on their side. But there are a few rare rabbits that like to flop and sleep on their back. I had a baby bun that did, and there are a few members on here that have/had rabbits that liked to sleep like that.
 
They can if they choose to do it themselves. It's only when we do it to them that it can stress them. It usually just happens when they get overenthusiastic about a flop and go too far over. Then they correct themselves and are flopped on their side. But there are a few rare rabbits that like to flop and sleep on their back. I had a baby bun that did, and there are a few members on here that have/had rabbits that liked to sleep like that.
The well kept rabbit has a rabbit like that!!
 
.... Cause I know that a bunny cant be on its back :(

My opinion: I don't "know" that, but we've seen it repeated all over the internet. Parroted smart words. But rabbits aren't chicken.
Being on their back is an awkward position for them, they can be confused about what to do because they have no options there, ergonomically. Their reaction to this can be to just hold still and think about it, and those gears grind slowly. Some can be stressed by it when not used to it, and it is rather dangerous to hold them that way when they start to struggle and one hasn't the experience or ability to constrain them sufficiently, they can easily hurt themself badly. Ah, well, and others, had to superglue my lip back together this year because one hind claw hooked in.
But in 9 years and with lots of rabbits I've never seen anything that would qualify as "trance" or "tonic immobility", like what happens with chicken. Very different animals, breakfast egg dinosaures and long eared mammals.

That doesn't mean that it's ok to do it for fun, it can be dangerous and can cause unnecessary stress, but it can be useful sometimes and I prefer my rabbits to know the proceedure.

But whatever they do, in whatever position they flop - is perfectly fine, and a sign that the rabbit feels really comfortable and safe. :D
 
Lawrence often "flops too far" and ends up on his back. He's not very good at flopping, and overdoes it. He used to scare himself, and freak out, but he's learned to expect it, and will sometimes lay there for a while with his feet in the air in awkward positions. He's a doofus!

Lucas, on the other hand, is an expert flopper! I will often think a picture fell off the wall when he flops!
 

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