Most of our pets and homestead animals can throw up. This is important because when they eat something that doesn’t agree with them, they can purge it from their system by vomiting.
This natural reaction helps many animals purge toxins and tainted food, so they can live a healthier and longer life. You may be saying to yourself, “I’ve never seen my rabbit vomit! I wonder why that is? Can rabbits vomit?”
No, Rabbits are not capable of vomiting or throwing up the contents of their stomach. Their muscles and sphincters are not designed to allow them to vomit. However, rabbits can cough to help clear their throat, esophagus and airway.
Rabbits Can Not Fart….And Why Is That Important?
Please Read On To Find Out!
Do Rabbits Ever Throw Up?
No, rabbits are physically incapable of throwing up. Their digestive system is not designed to allow them to vomit.
As a result of not being able to vomit, rabbit’s are more at higher risk for poisoning or intestinal blockage than most other animals.
Many animals will survive an initial poisoning, after eating a toxic plant, by vomiting the contents of their stomach. Similarly, many animals will throw up a foreign object that they mistakenly swallow while eating.
But rabbits can not vomit, so poisons and foreign objects have to travel the entire digestive system and be excreted.
You can imagine how dangerous this can be for your bunnies!
Why Can’t My Rabbit Throw Up?
Your bunny is not biologically capable of throwing up. This is primarily due to the unique design and construction of its muscular digestive system.
More succinctly, this Journal of Anatomy article states that the rabbit uniquely has both smooth and striated muscle in a “massive muscular sphincter” that is located at the lower end of the esophagus, actually the oesophagus, and the entry to the stomach.
As the author says, the sphincter and a mucous membrane flap work together to close the stomach “as tight as a cork in a bottle”.
This tight seal keeps allows what the rabbits ingests to enter the stomach but it does not allow gastric juices and the contents of the stomach to leave the stomach and enter the oesophagus to be vomited. It is essentially a one way valve.
Can My Rabbit Burp?
No, your rabbit can not burp. Again, the massive muscular sphincter and a mucous membrane collaborate to form a very tight seal.
The seal is so effective, so tight, that a rabbit can not burp and relieve gas built up in its stomach.
Can Rabbits Fart?
No, rabbits can not fart. As noted, their digestive system does not allow them to pass gas.
Can you imagine that? As such, gas can be very painful to a bunny and can cause serious health problems.
Rabbit Choking – How Do I Know and What Do I Do?
Rabbits can choke on their food. Thankfully it is rare, but it does happen. Note that like humans, rabbits can not breathe while they are choking.
Additionally, there is a rabbit Heimlich maneuver – kind of – that you can perform on your rabbit as a last resort to try and clear the obstruction so that your bunny can breath.
Signs That Your Rabbit Is Choking
How to know your bunny is choking. Here is what a rabbit choking might look like:
- Seemingly in distress, the bunny is rapidly moving it’s head up and down
- You may note that the rabbit’s lips and tongue are tinted blue – this is because the rabbit can not breathe when it is choking
- You may hear a gurgling sound from the rabbit’s throat
- You may see that “eye popping” look of distress
- Next thing you know there is some partially chewed food (pellets, hay, etc) coming out of the bunny’s mouth, perhaps with some saliva
- You think – My rabbit just vomited!
- Well, really your rabbit was choking and was able to cough up the food or obstruction
What To Do If Rabbit Choking
How to help a bunny rabbit that is choking: as a last resort, meaning in an absolute emergency, you can try the Rabbit Heimlich Maneuver… also known as a Centrifugal Swing. This technique may injure your rabbit’s neck or back, so it is a last resort.
Rabbit Heimlich Maneuver – aka Centrifugal Swing
We’ll describe the basics of the Rabbit or Bunny Heimlich Maneuver:
- Hold your rabbit, facing away from you, so that its tail is at your elbow and its chest is in your hand.
- The rabbit is laying on your forearm.
- Your arm is out in front of you and your hand is palm up holding the rabbit’s chest.
- Lay your other arm across the back of the rabbit and hold the rabbit’s neck and head with your hand.
- This arm is extended along the rabbit’s back and your hand is palm down holding the rabbit’s neck and head.
- This arm is extended along the rabbit’s back and your hand is palm down holding the rabbit’s neck and head.
- Your arms are like an alligator’s mouth and the rabbit is facing out of the alligator’s mouth.
- Now bring your alligator mouth arms up toward the sky and then downward in a swinging motion. Simultaneously, apply a bit of pressure to help the obstruction pop out or clear from the rabbit’s mouth and oesophagus.
To learn about this technique it’s best if you watch this 2 minute video
by the famous Dr. Dana Krempels.
How To Prevent Digestive Problems For Rabbits
Be diligent in removing potentially hazardous items from your rabbit’s environment. Always rabbit-proof the environment to keep it safe for rabbits; this is similiar to kid-proofing the environment to make it safe for young children!
- Toxic Plants – Remove plants that are toxic to rabbits. Remove them from your home and from near any outdoor hutches or cages.
- Old Paint – Be aware of any lead paint on baseboards for house rabbits and on hutches for outdoor rabbits.
- Kid Toys – Some Rabbits may be curious and chew on a child’s toy. This could result in the rabbit ingesting a piece of plastic that can create a life threatening intestinal blockage. The rabbit’s digestive system may shut down, known as GI Stasis.
- Rat Poison – Yes, Rat Poison will kill a rabbit. We do NOT recommend using rat poison on your hobby farm or homestead. Read Will Rat Bait Kill Rabbits for more info.
- Fertilizers – Again, just like a child, a rabbit who is crawling around on a freshly fertilized lawn may have a negative reaction to the chemicals in the fertilizer. Even worse, the rabbit may nibble some grass and ingest some of the fertilizer.
- Insecticides/Pesticides – Exposure to insecticides and pesticides that are sprayed in or near the rabbit’s environment, or on the rabbits food, can cause serious illness.
Rabbit Bloat: Symptoms and Prevention
Bloat is due to gas being trapped in the rabbit’s stomach.
Bunnies can not burp or fart, so gas can be very painful for rabbits. However, what causes bloat in rabbits is not well understood.
Here at Hobby Farm Heaven we believe it is mostly due to a bacterial imbalance in the rabbit’s gut. Bacteria is supposed to be present in the rabbit’s gut, just like we have bacteria in our stomach. But when certain foods are eaten, like gassy broccoli, the bacteria count can grow rapidly and surge to an imbalance. This can create excess gas and subsequent bloating.
Symptoms of Rabbit Bloat
Symptoms of Bunny bloat include a large rounded belly. The rabbit’s belly will also be firm or hard to the touch. Other symptoms include the typical rabbit stress and sick rabbit digestive tract symptoms such as:
- Lethargy – Lack Of Movement
- Lack of Appetite
- Not Pooping
- Breathing More Rapidly (Indicating That The Bunny Is In Distress)
Best Way To Prevent Bunny Bloat
The best way to prevent bunny bloat is to:
- Feed A Best Practice, High Quality Diet
- Think unlimited, high quality hay and slow phasing-in of any changes
- Include Plenty Of Fresh Water
- Include Plenty Of Movement And Exercise For Your Bunny
Here’s a great video that shows a young rabbit “coughing”
to clear something in its mouth or throat.
Frequently Asked Questions Related to
Do Rabbits Throw Up
Can Rabbits Have Diarrhea?
Yes indeed, Rabbits can have diarrhea. A rabbit with diarrhea is not well. If it continues for more than a day, then consult your veterinarian.
Can Rabbits Throw Up or Vomit Blood?
No, rabbits are not able to vomit. However, a rabbit could cough up some blood or expel blood through its mouth.
Obviously this is not a good sign and the rabbit is in distress. If you see your rabbit expelling or discharging blood from its mouth or nose, you should immediately contact your veterinarian!
Final Thoughts about Do Rabbits Throw Up
- Rabbit can not throw up.
- Rabbit can not fart or pass gas.
- The rabbit’s delicate digestive system is a one way path: whatever gets swallowed has to make its way through the entire digestive system and be excreted.
- The Rabbit Heimlich Maneuver is a last resort for saving the life of a choking bunny.
- The best way to prevent bloat and digestive system problems is to feed a high quality diet with plenty of water, and promote exercise.