Tonic Immobility

Just a casual reminder NOT to put rabbits on their backs. They’re not relaxed, but in a state of extreme stress.

When you place a rabbit on their back, it is called tonic immobility. They may seem calm and comfortable, but in reality, they are physically paralyzed.

Tonic immobility is a last resort defense mechanism for buns, so if they were being attacked by a predator, it essentially forces them to “play dead.” They’re still aware of the world around them, just cannot move.

We do not advise any rabbit parents, rescues, or rabbit lovers to use this technique. It can be convenient to hold them and groom them, but causes high amounts of undue stress. So much stress that it increases their plasma cortisone levels, they have an increased heart rate despite seeming calm, and their blood pressure also rises.

You can read more about it here: http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/11361/

Please share this, as it’s a common mistake that many rabbit owners make. Do not put rabbits on their backs. They will seem relaxed, but really they’re paralyzed and terrified.

Vanilla, below, is serving some serious side eye to all of those who know this information, but keep trancing their rabbits.