Why does my rabbit pant?

Answer 1

Rabbits can and do sweat but only on a very small percentage of their body. In extreme heat they sweat around the lips, nose and chin and to a lesser degree at the feet. Also they will lick themselves at the wrists and ankles to transfer moisture to these areas where there are major blood vessels near the skin. This helps to lower the body temperature. Rabbits do not sweat any where else on their body however and are prone to heat stroke in temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. So it is important to help keep your pet rabbits cool in the summer.


If it is warm and your rabbit is wet around the mouth and breathing heavily she may be suffering from the heat and possibly developing heat stroke, you should immediately moisten the ears with room temperature water via a wet wash cloth or a water mister, moisten the wrist area as well if the rabbit allows it. You can also place a large plastic bag filled with ice next to the rabbit, she may even choose to lay on it which will cool her significantly. Placing any large piece of ice near the rabbit is helpful in an emergency situation, some ideas are a frozen bottle of water, bag of frozen peas, corn, etc.


If your rabbit does not seem to improve at all after 15-20 minutes and continues to breath quickly and heavily you should take her to the vet to be treated for possible heat stroke.




From an experienced rabbit breeder

Answer 2

Rabbits pant when they are scared or worried, he/she ,might be just a but nervous and needs a bit of space to calm down or you need to reassure it that your not going to hurt it in any way.

Answer 3

Yes, rabbits will pant when they get tired, hot, or worked up