There are pros and cons for the reasons why you should not lay bunnies on their back recently. We will dig down about this theory and learn more for the potential problems may occur to applying this circumstance. Furthermore to peel out any occasion during keeping this back position on the bunnies. How this instance would be prohibited among the rabbit’s lover. While on the other hand some will does this event without further accident happen to the rabbit. I believe to conduct several scenarios will help us to get to know deeper about the reasons why you should not lay bunnies on their back.
Here are 4 reasons why you shouldn’t lay bunnies on their backs
1. Potential spinal injury
Flipping rabbit on their back is not cool at all. This is kind of you play horror with this. This event is similar to holding the baby without holding the neck properly. The back of the neck can easily back down and crack the backbone partially or even totally. Since the weight of the head usually heavier than the neck, so turning him back may cause the head to drop down freely if nothing support it to keep it up. Rabbit has a very fragile spinal backbone, when he is been turned back, he will orient his body to the normal position. If you do not apply the right proper technique handling him, this event will turn fatal that could endanger the spinal alignment.
2. Panic and freeze
Doing so will not only produce fear but moreover, this will lead to a panic attack for the rabbit eventually. Imagine that someone is being shocked and panic, anything can happen without warning. His sudden movement will cause his body to totally freeze and rigid. Somehow this technique is being used by a medical vet or experienced rabbit’s keeper to do trance the rabbit for medical and other specific reasons. For instance to examine the entire body for medical propose by checking head to toe. Grooming the rabbit with particular treatment such as trimming the teeth, clipping the nail, clean the wound and so on.
3. Change cardiac rhythm
Because of a huge panic and stressful, the rabbit’s heartbeat will change quickly. For this situation is very terrific that may cause cardiac arrest. By means, the heart beat stops suddenly to pump blood to the heart. Since rabbit is not designed to lie down on his back as his normal position, turning him into his back will change the other body system too. For instance, his respiration and blood pressure will drop down too far under normal. If these numbers are extremely far below average, there is nothing worse than mortality of the rabbit. This is not playing dead, this is a real death. In other words, if a rabbit is seriously panic, he will do stop any movement even hold on breathing, somehow called tonic immobility. By means, almost all body system stops for a while, usually, it is called prey instinct to save himself from grips of a predator, the predator will assume the rabbit already die, during this quick moment, a rabbit will use this short time to escape and run. However, if this accident occurs for not tolerated time to adjust, this will turn to fatal for the rabbit himself.
4. Paralyzed
Another scenario that caused by flipping rabbit on his back is paralyzed for some of the rabbit’s extremities. Usually, happen on the back legs. This is related to the extreme movement along with sharp heart beat to balancing himself to a panic attack. This term paralyzed is associated with the loss of function of the limb in order to move. However, this condition can be temporarily or even permanently.
Some of the seasoned rabbit’s handler will perform the back position very carefully to examine any medical problems such as trimming teeth, look for any belly’s problems or just routine medical checkup. With the proper training, a vet and a rabbit’s handler will do this task correctly. If you just a new beginner in this business, consider NOT to flip your bunny in any occasion at all. Otherwise, some extreme accident happens that pushes you to turn the rabbit on his back to save his life from the dead. This kind of accident can occur during a car ride or some adventure of a journey in a large forest.
Rabbit is unlikely other pet which can be held in almost any way. Handling rabbit needs extra precaution. These by means, for amateur or children who love playing with bunnies, need to refrain from carrying the rabbit. One move can be fatal. There is strongly recommended not to carry the rabbit if you do not know how to handle them accurately.
Here some good technique in handling the rabbit for you to practice. However, make sure you do this simple step in a baby doll or a manikin before applying to the real living bunny instead.
- Clean your hands entirely with soap and water
- Make sure use your two hands together while lifting and carrying the rabbit
- Put your one hand against the chest with the thumb under the armpit
- Lift the rabbit with your other hand support the rabbit’s baseline
- Flatten the back of his thighs and tail
- If you want to pick him up, make sure you hold him against your chest to give comfort and secure and limit the mobility of the bunny to prevent any potential injury if he becomes panic
Theory will change as the knowledge progress. Recently these 4 reasons why you shouldn’t lay bunnies on their back are still under debatable amongst the animal savvy expert. However, there are plenty of ways and proper technique in handling safety rabbit with no flipping back. These circumstances are a better option rather than insisting this pros and cons theory. Otherwise, you want to deeper view on how to handling rabbit correctly, you probably may have a good training session in your region conducted by a medical vet or certified savvy trainer to get best and newest method regarding the rabbit.