Your rabbit’s been sneezing off and on during the day, especially during feeding time. Questions start racing through your mind… Does my rabbit have allergies? Is it pollen? Hay fever? Snuffles?
So, why do rabbits sneeze?
There are many things that can cause a rabbit to sneeze, some more serious than others. Rabbits have sensitive respiratory systems. The information in this post will help you protect your rabbits and properly diagnose the cause.
As the old saying goes… “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Possible causes of rabbit sneezing:
- Piece of hay or fur stuck in their nose
- Dusty hay or bedding
- Rabbit feed pellets with lots of fines
- Hay treated with chemicals
- Airborne particles such as dust or diatomaceous earth
- Allergy to pollen or mold
- Irritants such as smoke or perfume
- Inhaling chemicals/pesticides sprayed on a nearby field
- Ammonia fumes from urine
- Cold drafts or large temperature changes which weaken their immune system
- Snuffles (Pasteurella)
Physical Irritants
An object (such as hair or hay) can lodge in a rabbit’s nose and cause sneezing fits. Check the nostrils and carefully remove any physical obstruction you find. Use tweezers if necessary.
Dusty feed or hay can sometimes trigger sneezing attacks. Select a feed with firm pellets and use sifting feeders (such as Fine-X) to screen fines. Keep your hay clean and dry. Never feed hay that smells like mold. Be sure to shake out any dust before giving it to rabbits. Feed hay in racks if possible.
Here are the racks we use: DIY Wire Hay Racks
Only feed quality grass hay or timothy/alfalfa hay that is safe for horses. Cow hay is often sprayed with chemicals that are toxic to rabbits and horses.
Some people sprinkle their rabbit’s feed with diatomaceous earth to treat parasites. This is not recommended! Rabbits rarely pick up parasites when raised in cages or hutches. In my opinion, feeding diatomaceous earth to rabbits is dangerous. The sharp particles of DE are harmful if inhaled, causing damage to the lungs and airways.
If you choose to feed diatomaceous earth despite the risks, add a little oil to the feed first so the powder sticks to it and can’t become airborne. Only food-grade diatomaceous earth should be ingested.
Signs of Allergic Reaction
If your rabbit has an allergic reaction, they may sneeze and have clear snot or discharge in their nose. Investigate and eliminate the source if possible. The sneezing should stop once you remove the cause.
Seasonal allergies get worse the more run down a rabbit (or person) is. Feed fresh grass, weeds, and herbs to boost their immune system. A rabbit with a strong immune system is less likely to be allergic.
This article lists some helpful herbs: Herbs to Boost Immunity in Rabbits
Airborne Irritants
Certain airborne substances can damage the delicate tissues of a rabbit’s eyes and mucus membranes. Smoke, perfume, pesticides, and ammonia are a few types of such irritants.
Smoke
If you live in an area with seasonal forest fires, you need to protect your rabbits from smoke. Place cages/hutches near the ground or bring them indoors. Cover outdoor hutches with damp sheets to help filter out smoke.
Do not smoke near rabbits. Secondhand smoke is as dangerous to rabbits as infants, if not more so.
Chemicals
Never use strong-smelling products around your rabbits (such as aerosol sprays or room fresheners). If you live near corn, hay, or grain fields, ask the farmer if and when they spray chemicals. Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers are toxic to rabbits. Place hutches far away from such fields and take necessary precautions to protect them.
Ammonia
Ammonia is produced by urine that collects in trays or under cages. The strong fumes damage the lining of the respiratory tract, making rabbits susceptible to snuffles. Lack of airflow and stagnant air make the problem worse.
If you can smell ammonia, your rabbits are at risk.
There are a number of things you can do to reduce or eliminate ammonia. First, make sure your rabbit barn or hutches have good ventilation without being drafty. Second, clean cages regularly and add pine shavings (not cedar) to their wet corner to absorb urine. Finally, add raw apple cider vinegar to their water to reduce the ammonia produced by their urine. Use 1-2 T. ACV per gallon of water.
Another product I’ve found helpful is Sweet PDZ granules. Sweet PDZ is used in horse barns to freshen stalls. It’s an organic mineral that naturally absorbs ammonia and moisture. Sprinkle some in your cage trays, wet spots, or under hutches after cleaning. Ammonia fumes are gone in minutes.
Signs of Snuffles (Pasteurella)
If a rabbit’s sneezing white snot and/or has wet or crusty discharge on the inside of their front legs, it rabbit has has a respiratory infection called snuffles. Snuffles is the rabbit equivalent of pneumonia and is usually caused by Pasteurella or Bordetella. Many rabbits are carriers, but symptoms only appear when the rabbit is stressed, run down, has poor genetics, or is malnourished. Mild cases are similar to a common cold, but if left untreated, rabbits can go downhill fast.
Treating Snuffles in Rabbits
Snuffles is highly contagious. Immediately quarantine any rabbit sneezing white snot. Care for it after feeding your other rabbits to minimize the spread of germs.
If you have a single pet, find and eliminate the cause and try to reduce the rabbit’s stress. Gradually incorporate fresh grass, dandelion, plantain, and herbs into his diet to boost his immune system.
Rabbits can be treated successfully with a natural remedy called VetRx. With early treatment, rabbits usually recover. Keep a bottle on hand to support respiratory health during stress or administer at the first sign of sneezing. VetRx also treats ear mites. It’s marketed for many animals such as poultry, rabbits, dogs, cats, etc. The base formula is the same. It’s just packaged in a different boxes.
For persistent infections, you can talk to your vet about antibiotic treatment. I only recommend this course for a beloved pet or very valuable rabbit. Treatment is administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly through a shot. Never give oral antibiotics to rabbits. It destroys gut bacteria and kills them fast. Treatment may clear the symptoms, but realize that the rabbit is still a carrier that can infect other rabbits.
If you’re a breeder, it’s usually best to put a sick rabbit down humanely before it infects other rabbits. A rabbit with a weak immune system won’t add anything to your herd. Only breed robust, healthy rabbits to increase genetic resistance in future generations.
Want to Raise Meat Rabbits?
Check out our free guide…
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What are your experiences with rabbits sneezing? Any tips you’re going to try? Share your comments below…