Rabbit not eating or pooping
If your rabbit has not eaten and has not passed droppings for 6–12 hours, treat it as an emergency and call a rabbit-savvy vet now. Rabbits are hindgut fermenters with a very narrow margin: when the gut slows or stops (gastrointestinal stasis), gas and dehydration build quickly and the situation can become life-threatening the same day. Do not wait overnight to “see if it improves.” While you arrange care, keep your rabbit warm and note the last time it ate, drank, and produced droppings.
Fast answer for owners
- Go now if: No droppings and no eating for 6–12 hours, or droppings suddenly tiny or absent; Hunched posture, pressing the belly to the floor, grinding teeth loudly (pain); Bloated, tight, or tense abdomen.
- Call today if: Eating much less than usual but still producing some droppings; Fewer or smaller droppings over the last day.
- Do not: Ask the vet before giving medicines, forced feeding, home remedies, or delaying care.
- Tell the vet: Record last eating, drinking, droppings, urination, behaviour change, pain signs, temperature, toxins, trauma, and medications.
Go to a vet now if
- No droppings and no eating for 6–12 hours, or droppings suddenly tiny or absent
- Hunched posture, pressing the belly to the floor, grinding teeth loudly (pain)
- Bloated, tight, or tense abdomen
- Cold ears, lethargy, or unresponsiveness
Call a vet today if
- Eating much less than usual but still producing some droppings
- Fewer or smaller droppings over the last day
- Recent diet change, stress, dental trouble, or moult
What to tell the vet
- Last time your rabbit ate and drank
- Last time you saw normal droppings
- Size and number of recent droppings
- Posture, teeth grinding, or bloating
- Recent diet, stress, surgery, or moult
- Weight and any ongoing conditions or medications
What not to do
- Do not force-feed or give any medication, gut stimulant, or simethicone without veterinary direction
- Do not give over-the-counter products as a substitute for assessment
- Do not assume it will pass on its own — stasis worsens fast
What your vet may check
Your vet may examine the abdomen, check hydration and temperature, assess the teeth, and may use imaging to look for gas, blockage, or other causes. Treatment is individual and veterinary-led.
Recovery support after veterinary assessment
Once your vet has assessed your rabbit, they may suggest hydration, appropriate analgesia, and digestion support. Supportive products positioned for this stage include Alfavet RodiCare Dia and RodiCare Appetit and WOOLY daily-care items — used after assessment to support recovery, never as a first response to a suspected emergency.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a rabbit go without eating before it's an emergency?
Treat 6–12 hours of not eating and not passing droppings as an emergency. Rabbits decline quickly once the gut slows, so call a rabbit-savvy vet rather than waiting.
Is gut stasis the same as a blockage?
Not always. Stasis means the gut has slowed or stopped moving; a blockage is a physical obstruction. Both are emergencies and need a vet to tell them apart, often with imaging.
Can I give a gut-motility product at home?
No. Motility drugs and many home remedies are unsafe if there is a blockage. Only a vet should direct treatment after assessing your rabbit.
What can I do while I get to the vet?
Keep your rabbit warm and calm, note the timeline of eating, drinking and droppings, and bring any recent diet or medication details. Do not force-feed unless your vet tells you to.
Related emergency guides
Sources & standards
Emergency guidance follows RWAF, House Rabbit Society, and exotic small-mammal medicine standards, source-cited and pending named veterinary review.
Related pages in this emergency hub
Source-cited guidance; pending named veterinary review.