An animal expert explains tonic immobility, the trance state rabbits enter when flipped on their backs. The practice causes extreme stress and can harm or kill rabbits, so vets only use it when necessary. Rabbit owners should avoid it.
To many, the ability of rabbits to enter a trance state seems like a strange freak of nature. Lying on their backs and without moving their limbs, it is as if they are unconscious since they do not move even if we try to touch them. To others, this behavior is funny since the rabbit seems to be under the effects of hypnosis. However, the reality is different. The rabbit is not in a state of relaxation. And that is why in this video by an animal expert, we will explain why you should not put a rabbit.
Foreign.
Rabbits enter a trance due to tonic immobility. But what exactly is this? It is a natural state of paralysis in which the animal cannot move. Its definition is probably clearer with the popular name of this state, apparent death. The animal appears to be dead to the world. Although the rabbit appears unconscious, the truth is that it is in a state of high stress. When you grab the rabbit to put it on its back and rest its chin against its body, the animal reacts automatically by freezing. The reason for this response is fear. In this way, this state is not only a defense mechanism, but also a response to the fear that the rabbit feels in certain situations. When it feels threatened or is performing an activity that it does not like, such as bathing, it enters a state of stress and its body reacts by producing tonic immobility. Many people want to put their rabbit into a trance for various reasons.
Some.
Some people simply do it for fun, often innocently thinking that this phenomenon does not produce any negative effects on the animal. Other rabbit guardians do it because they have heard that putting them on their backs makes it easier to handle and clean them. While this may be the case, if you are simply performing some type of beauty treatment, the possibility of causing emotional or even physical harm is not worth it. If you have rescued a rabbit or have one that is the runt of the litter, it may be prone to stress. Rabbits small hearts are made to beat very quickly and introducing tonic immobility into the rabbit frequently can lead to the animal becoming weak and even leading to heart failure. And if your rabbit is used to being handled in this way, putting them into a trance may cause minor harm. However, it's not a risk we recommend taking. Some rabbits will enter a state of tonic immobility on their own. When this happens, it's usually in response to a perceived attacker or even by jumping awkwardly and contorting their body into the trance inducing position. If this happens, don simply carefully pick up your rabbit and slowly roll them over to face forward. Keep in mind that your rabbit may be in shock and may jump out of your arms with excitement. So stay low to the ground and out of harm's way. Cuddle and calm your rabbit as best you can, as long as they allow you to. There's only one exception when putting your rabbit into a trance is the lesser of two evils. While rabbits can feel pain and there are no studies yet to show how many are conscious during this state of tonic immobility, administering anesthesia can also be dangerous. If you take your rabbit to the vet and the specialist knows what they are doing, then you may want to put them into a trance rather than anesthetize them. This could be done, for example, to administer an injection, manage a particular health problem or other medical issues. As we said, this decision will be up to the veterinarian, who should be experienced in this field and specialized in exotic animals. We hope that you have learned more about rabbits and understood a little better what trance consists of in these animals. If you enjoyed it, don't miss the other videos we have about rabbits. Also, don't forget to like and subscribe to our channel. Until next time, experts.
