Why do rabbits pretend to be dead? How long does it usually last?

Rabbits are very cute pets. Sometimes you may find that the rabbit is suddenly motionless and stiff in the cage. In this case, don't panic. It is very likely that the rabbit is playing dead. So why do rabbits play dead?

Why do rabbits pretend to be dead?

Rabbits play dead to protect themselves. When a rabbit finds an enemy, it can pretend to be dead to deceive the enemy and give itself a chance to survive. The duration of the fake death can range from a few minutes to a few hours.

The most direct way to identify is to drop water into the rabbit's mouth and eyes. The rabbit pretending to be dead will open its eyes and start normal activities shortly after coming into contact with water.

How long does a rabbit usually play dead?

Under normal circumstances, rabbits can play dead for several hours. Rabbits are very smart and usually play dead when they encounter natural enemies. In a very dangerous situation, they are very afraid of the possibility of playing dead. You can feed the rabbit a small amount of water, drip a few drops of water into the eyes, and it will slowly wake up in a few minutes.

Will a rabbit's body become hard if it fakes death?

It will be hard.

When a rabbit is in danger, it will enter a state of suspended animation. The rabbit's suspended animation will be very stiff, but the rabbit's general condition will recover soon. When a rabbit is playing dead, its eyes will be closed tightly, its breathing and heartbeat will stop, and its limbs will be stiff. It is the nature of rabbits to pretend to be dead when they are in danger or scared to fool their enemies.