Get to Know Your Rabbit: Signs of a Healthy, Happy Pet Bunny

Updated On May 20th, 2025

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Reviewed By Petco's Animal Care, Education and Compliance (ACE) Team

With their soft coats, twitchy noses and entertaining personalities, it’s not surprising that rabbits are popular pets. But while all of the hype surrounding bunnies is, for the most part, very true—they do make wonderful pets and they are amazingly fun to watch—bringing a rabbit home as a pet is also a big decision that comes with a lot of responsibility. Here’s what you should know about bunnies as you decide if one would make a good addition to your family.

Signs of good health in rabbits

A happy bunny is a healthy bunny and that usually means they demonstrate characteristics like alertness, a healthy appetite, a twitchy nose, strong teeth and a healthy coat:

An alert expression and demeanor

Happy bunnies are curious and inquisitive and have bright, dry eyes. They are very interested in their surroundings and are usually excited to see their pet parents.

A healthy appetite.

While optimal weight varies based on a rabbit’s breed (check with your veterinarian for specifics), typical breeds usually weigh anywhere from 2 pounds (for a dwarf species) to 21 pounds (for larger varieties), an in-shape bunny will have a healthy appetite and will likely enjoy eating and drinking at approximately the same times each day.

A dry, constantly twitching nose.

A healthy rabbit’s nose will be dry with a persistent little twitch. Although experts still aren’t sure why a rabbit’s nose twitches so much, we do know that in the wild rabbits often find their food underground by sniffing it out. A healthy rabbit will have a clean, dry, twitchy nose.

Strong teeth.

A rabbit’s teeth continually grow throughout their lifetime, and dental problems have the potential to become severe. Healthy teeth should be sharp and relatively short in length.

A healthy coat.

Different rabbits have different coat types, so talk with your veterinarian about signs of overall coat health for your specific pet. In general, however, aside from occasional seasonal molting, most rabbits have thick, soft and glossy fur.

rabbit with kids

Signs your bunny may be sick

In the wild, rabbits often try to hide their injuries or illnesses to avoid making themselves vulnerable to predators. As such, understanding your rabbit’s normal behavior is essential to quickly recognizing when something might be wrong. Keep an eye out for the following symptoms that could mean your rabbit is sick and should visit the veterinarian immediately:

  • Lethargy. If happy rabbits are alert and active, then a sick rabbit may appear more tired or low-energy.
  • Change in appetite. A sudden loss in appetite or thirst can indicate a problem.
  • A wet nose. Rabbits with significant nasal discharge or persistent sneezing should see their veterinarian, as these are symptoms of pasteurella, or what’s commonly referred to as “snuffles.”
  • Runny eyes. Watery eyes can also indicate snuffles, allergies or a different medical issue. Be sure to see your veterinarian if your rabbit’s eyes are dull or there is any discharge present.
  • Scabby ears. A rabbit with scabby, crusty areas inside their ears could be suffering from an infection known as ear canker. It’s also important to periodically check your rabbit’s ears for mites or wax, as well as any other dirt or debris buildup. A tilt in your rabbit’s head can indicate an inner ear problem.
  • Excessive drooling. Malocclusion—or a misalignment of the teeth—can cause significant problems, and excessive drooling may be a sign of this or other dental issues.
  • A dull coat. Dull fur, unexplained hair loss, bare spots or excessive itching may point to a parasite or other illness.
  • Sore spots on their feet. Besides their toenails, which should be regularly trimmed to stay short and healthy, it’s also important to watch for any crusty, weepy sore spots on your rabbit’s hind feet, which is a condition known as sore hocks.
  • Issues with waste. While most rabbits don’t produce much urine, they do poop prolifically. Check that your rabbit’s droppings are round and hard and that their rear-end is clean and dry. A decrease in waste or change in its appearance may indicate poor health. Note, however, that rabbits do produce a feces-like substance called cecotropes; small, soft pellets that are darker and moister than normal feces. Cecotropes contain vital nutrients and it is normal for your rabbit to eat them.

Tips to maintain rabbit health

Now that you know what to look for in a healthy rabbit—as well as signs that they could be sick—you can make sure you stay on top of their essentials. These include:

  • A clean habitat. Rabbits spend a lot of time in their homes, so make it a clean and fun area with fresh and safe litter. Clean out any feces or urine daily, and give the enclosure a more thorough cleaning every week to remove all food debris and other dirt. You can also litter box train your rabbit or encourage them to go in one area of their habitat to help keep it clean.
  • The proper feeding tools. You’ll need to provide your rabbit with a source of water that can’t get contaminated with debris or feces and a food bowl big enough for their dry food as well as fresh fruits and vegetables and the occasional treats.
  • Chew toys. Keep your rabbit’s teeth strong and at the proper length by providing plenty of safe chew toys for them to gnaw on.
  • Nail trimmers. Trimming your rabbit’s nails will be easier with a set of animal nail clippers specifically built for small pets.

Rabbits make fantastic pets who can quickly become true members of your family. Help them feel their best by paying attention to any of the signs they might be sick and in need of expert care. For more information on how to care for your rabbit, check out this rabbit care guide or stop into your local Petco store.

Related Questions

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My Syrian hamster's tail has a red mark at the tip. It looks like a red blister. I heard her make a distressing noise when she was in her bed earlier in the evening. I'm wondering if she accidentally bit her tail.She's behaving normally and I touched her tail and she didn't react.

This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths.

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My cat's fur started to separate. Sometimes on the head/neck it forms like mono tufts, that come off as a group of fine soft undercoat fur. What could it be? She is 13yrs old, neutered Scottish Fold. She takes small dose of Meloxicam (lifetime prescription due to her breeds spine troubles). She had struvite crystals & double mastectomy (4yrs ago) since then she is on a special Veterinary diet "Feline Satiety Weight Management with S/O index" by Royal Canin.

Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. From the photo there does not appear to be any bald spots, however, it is not a very close up view. Honestly, unless there are bald spots and/or she is scratching the area I would not be too concerned. If the problem persists though (like for a few months) then you should take her to your vet for an exam. Some reasons there could be changes in the hair coat: 1. Diet - the special diet she is eating may be causing some nutrient imbalance. You should talk to your vet about putting her on a supplement for her coat (like fish oils) as this may help. 2. Skin Allergies - even if she has never had any symptoms of allergies before, they can develop over time. If this was the case though, I would expect hair loss and/or scratching, redness of the skin, etc. If you are not seeing any of that then this is not as likely to be the problem. 3. Fleas - again, I would expect hair loss and scratching. If you are not noticing that, then this is also not very likely to be the problem. 4. Stress - even if you don't think your cat is stressed, she could be. Try to see if you could think of anything that could be causing stress like visiting family, stray cats hanging around outside, you got a new pet, new furniture, etc.... 5. Thyroid disease- either a low or high thyroid can cause problems with the hair coat. Your vet can do a blood test to check for this. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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Thanks for visiting Boop by Petco. Rabies is commonly spread through a bite wound. So there is very low risk of rabies transmission based on what you have described as making ocntact through a screen net. It isn't impossible because rabies is found in the saliva, just very unlikely in this scenario. Just keep an eye on your pet Kate for the next 7 days for any abnormal behavior (i.e. excessive vocalization, irrational behaivor, aggressive behavior, and if she is not up to date on her rabies vaccination, I would highly recommend getting her vaccinated asap. I hope that things work out well for your pet Kate moving forward. Best wishes and take care.

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Hello! I’m inquiring about my 10 year old rabbit, Brownie. He has been diagnosed with synovial cell sarcoma or osteosarcoma of his left knee. There has been quite a progression of multiple fractures causing him pain in the knee. Our vet gave us two options: amputation of the leg to ease pain or continuing on and opting for palliative care with pain meds until end of life. How will his quality of life be post-surgery since he’s old? Is it worth going through with if he is a senior bunny?

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Brownie. I'm so very sorry he has cancer. Domestic rabbits typically live between 8-12 years, so he is definitely a senior rabbit. The problem with osteosarcoma is that there is a high risk of metastatis (spreading) to other parts of the body, typically the lungs. I'm not sure if you have had x-rays done of his lungs, but there may be a chance it's already spread. There is a possibility that the spread may not show up on x-rays just yet as the cancer cells are too small to detect at the moment. I'm also not sure about his anesthetic risking, meaning that giving him anesthesia could be very risky at his age depending on his health. There is a lot to consider here, and I'm not sure how much life he would have left after surgery. Sometimes yes the surgery can be worth going through even in a senior animal, but there are other questions that need to be answered like if the cancer has spread and his anesthetic risk. I would discuss these questions with your vet, which will help you make your decision. Other things to consider is that it will take a number of weeks for him to recover from surgery, and that life expectancy after surgery is not very long, usually a couple of months. I would take that into consideration as well when making your decision. I can't tell you which way to go, but I do hope I've helped you with some things to consider. Again, I'm very sorry.

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Hi! My bunny Freckles seems scared to jump down in his new hutch. He jumps up in the hutch. He jumps off the bed just fine which is twice as high. He also runs & plays just like normal. Our other bunny jumps down in the hutch easily.

Hello, thank you for your question. It is very difficult to say what is going on withe Freckles. He may just be uncomfortable jumping down until he gets used to it. It could have something to do with his eyesight and depth perception along with the lighting around the hutch. It could be that something scared him when he tried to jump down and now that keeps spooking him. It is really hard to say. You can always take him to a vet for an exam if you are really worried. They may be able to see something that is causing him an issue and/or pain. I personally don't think I would be all that concerned about it. Don't force him as that may scare him more. Just let him figure it out on his own. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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