Whether or not you’re interested in breeding your rabbit, it’s good to understand certain things about your female rabbit.
It can be alarming to see red or pink urine coming from your rabbit. You may naturally think that your bunny may just be having her period.
However, rabbits do not reproduce like many other animals we have learned about. Their cycle isn’t similar to humans. So, it’s important to understand rabbit reproductive basics.
As a pet owner of a female rabbit, you need to know if she will have a period or not, among other things.
Read on to find out about signs in your rabbit’s urine.
Do bunnies have periods?
Rabbits do not have periods. If you see signs of blood on your rabbit, you should probably check in with a vet because it is most certainly not caused by menstruation.
So, if rabbits don’t have periods, then how exactly does their reproductive system work?
Well, let’s first get into what we, as humans, probably already know.
Women’s menstruation cycles are about a month-long, with ovulation occurring somewhere in the middle. If a woman’s egg hasn’t been fertilized during ovulation, then her uterus lining sheds, which causes her to bleed (have her period).
Since this is our human experience, we relate it to females in many species. However, very few female animals actually menstruate.
If you do notice bleeding, then it’s not a normal occurrence and needs medical attention.
“Breeding Like Rabbits”
Rabbits are induced ovulators, which means that their ovulation isn’t dependent on a cycle.
Since rabbits are induced ovulators, they do not bleed or have their periods. You may be asking how they get pregnant if they aren’t ovulating on a cycle.
After all, we’ve all heard the phrase “breeding like rabbits.” It’s used colloquially in reference to breeding rapidly or having many children. What’s the science, then, behind the so commonly used phrase?
Female rabbits ovulate right before or while mating occurs. So, if there is a potential mate nearby or if copulation is occurring, female rabbits will ovulate.
Female rabbits can get pregnant as young as four months. From then on, if copulation occurs, rabbits could potentially get pregnant and deliver their litter every month.
I know what you’re thinking, that’s a lot of babies, breeding, and pregnancy. Breeding like rabbits sounds exhausting.
Why do female rabbits bleed?
Now that we know that female rabbits do not have periods or experience menstruation, what exactly would be the reason that your female rabbit is bleeding?
First of all, it’s not normal to find blood on your rabbit. If you think your rabbit is bleeding, you should seek medical attention from a vet.
A possible reason for the presence of blood in a female rabbit’s urine (or rabbits in general) could be hematuria.
Symptoms of hematuria are red-tinged urine, abdominal pain, tumors/lumps, enlarged bladder, frequent bruises, and bladder stones. Female rabbits, older rabbits, and sedentary rabbits are most at risk of developing hematuria.
The dysfunction of the female reproductive system is the most common cause of hematuria in healthy female rabbits. This dysfunction causes blood to be present in the urine.
Why is my rabbit bleeding?
If your rabbit’s urine is pink or red-tinged, it could be due to something as simple as a dietary pigment. However, it is not normal to find blood in your rabbit’s urine. It is a cause for concern if you think your rabbit is bleeding.
You should seek professional attention from a veterinarian if you find blood in your rabbit’s urine or if it is consistently pink or red.
Your veterinarian will need to rule out diet as a cause. They will also check for other symptoms of hematuria. From there, the veterinarian will be able to best treat your rabbit.
How long is a rabbit’s period?
A rabbit does not experience a period. They will not bleed each month.
As induced ovulators, rabbits are fertile year-round. They will be able to ovulate before copulation or during copulation.
A female rabbit is pregnant for about 30 days. She can get pregnant almost immediately, within a few days after giving birth to her litter.
Rabbit breeders could potentially end up with 12 litters each year.
Why is my rabbit’s urine red?
While it’s not normal for a rabbit’s urine to be red, it is usually no cause for concern. There are various reasons why your rabbit’s urine may be red.
If the red urine looks uniform, with consistent red coloring, then it’s probably due to diet and will likely return to normal within the week. However, if you notice splotches of red in your rabbit’s urine, that could be blood. If there is blood in your rabbit’s urine, then they should get to a veterinarian immediately.
Causes of red urine
Normal changes in the color of your rabbit’s urine are possible and common for several reasons. There is likely no cause for concern.
A rabbit may have red urine if it’s taking antibiotics. Another odd, inexplicable reason that a rabbit’s urine may be red is due to cold weather. Rabbits will often pee red due to a drop in temperature or change in the winter season.
Diet is the most likely cause of red urine in rabbits. If a rabbit has a diet high in beta carotene or berries, it could have red urine.
Other factors, such as stress or even heat, can lead to changes in the color of your rabbit’s urine.
A change in the color of urine alone isn’t a cause for concern and usually isn’t blood. Just keep an eye on it and your rabbit’s behavior to see if there are any changes. If the pee stays red, then you can check to see if it is blood or just the norm for your bunny.
How to know if it is blood
The first thing to look for if your rabbit’s urine is red is consistency. Is it all the same color or are there red splotches? If your rabbit has red splotches in its urine, then it could be blood.
So, how can you tell if there is blood in your rabbit’s urine? If the urine stays red for a couple of weeks, then you can test it to check for blood. There is a simple hydrogen peroxide test that you can perform.
Get a sample of your rabbit’s urine and pour a little hydrogen peroxide on it. If it foams, that means that blood is present. There will be no reaction to a normal pee sample from your rabbit.
What does orange or brown urine tell you?
Orange or brown urine isn’t exactly normal or ideal, but it’s usually no cause for concern. It may be the normal color for many rabbits’ urine.
However, if you notice your rabbit’s urine to be darker than normal (orange or brown), then it could be due to dehydration. If your rabbit shows no other symptoms, then you probably just need to try to get them to drink a little more.
How can you encourage your rabbit to drink more water? There are plenty of options. You could switch from a water bottle to a water bowl, which is easier to drink from. You could also refresh the bowl with cool water throughout the day. You could even try to add flavor to the water to make it more appetizing.
Adding leafy greens to your rabbit’s diet will also help with hydration. Serve them to your rabbit immediately after being washed to give them the bonus of some extra water droplets.
Do bunnies bleed on their period?
So, there are several reasons why your rabbit may have red urine. However, the cause of red urine is not due to menstruation.
A rabbit does not have a period. A period is defined as menstruation, which is the bleeding that happens when an egg is not fertilized during ovulation.
As we now know, rabbits are induced ovulators, meaning they don’t have a menstrual cycle. They ovulate when a potential mate is near. They will ovulate right before or during the act of mating.
Rabbits do not experience a period and therefore don’t bleed due to a period.
If your rabbit is bleeding, then you should get it to a veterinarian for medical attention. It isn’t normal for your rabbit to be bleeding. It could be cause for serious concern.
Conclusion: Rabbits do not have periods
There are several reasons why your bunny may have red or darker-colored urine. However, female rabbits do not experience periods, so a change in urine color is not due to menstruation.
Red urine for rabbits is quite a common occurrence. If you notice that your rabbit’s urine is red, but they show no other symptoms, then there is usually no cause for alarm. Things such as changes in diet and temperature can cause a change in urine for rabbits.
However, if you think there is blood in your rabbit’s urine, then it is not normal. You should see a veterinarian to find the cause of it.
