What to do when your rabbit stopped eating and is sitting hunched up

What we checked before telling you to act fast

Rabbit medicine is a specialist field, and the stakes of getting this wrong are high. We cross-referenced veterinary clinical guides on rabbit GI stasis, peer-reviewed literature on rabbit digestive physiology, the House Rabbit Society's emergency guidance, and the advice of board-certified exotic animal veterinarians. The evidence is consistent and unambiguous: the combination of not eating plus a hunched posture is a pain response, and the most likely cause — GI stasis — can be fatal within 24 to 48 hours without treatment. We did not find any credible source suggesting a wait-and-see approach is appropriate for this symptom pair.

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  Rabbit digestive physiology reviewed Unlike cats or dogs, rabbits have a hindgut fermentation system that must stay in constant motion — even a short pause in gut movement causes dangerous gas buildup and can quickly become fatal.
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  Clinical signs of GI stasis confirmed Veterinary sources consistently list the hunched posture, tooth grinding, reduced or absent droppings, and food refusal as the cardinal signs of GI stasis — all of which warrant immediate treatment.
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  Time-sensitivity of treatment established Evidence from rabbit veterinary practice shows that rabbits treated within the first few hours of GI stasis onset have significantly better outcomes than those seen after 12 or more hours.
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  Alternative causes assessed Dental pain, urinary obstruction, and respiratory infection can also cause this symptom pair — all are serious and none can be safely self-diagnosed at home, reinforcing the case for urgent veterinary assessment rather than home treatment.

The right path depends on how fast you can reach a vet — here's how to choose

There is really only one destination here — a vet — but the route and urgency vary depending on your circumstances and how quickly your rabbit is declining.

What rabbit owners commonly try first — and why it costs precious time

These approaches circulate widely in online rabbit communities and seem intuitive, but the evidence doesn't support them as substitutes for veterinary care when a rabbit is hunched and not eating.

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  Waiting until morning to "see if they improve" — GI stasis worsens, not improves, without intervention; a rabbit that is borderline manageable at 10pm can be critically ill by 7am, and the window for straightforward treatment closes fast.
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  Giving simethicone (infant gas drops) as a primary treatment — Simethicone may provide minor relief for gas discomfort and some rabbit vets use it as a supplementary measure, but it does not address gut motility or pain, and relying on it instead of getting veterinary care is dangerous; it treats a symptom, not the condition.
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  Offering vegetables, treats, or favourite foods and deciding the rabbit is "fine" if it eats a little — A rabbit in early GI stasis may briefly nibble something highly palatable while still being in serious trouble; eating a single piece of banana is not evidence the gut is moving normally, and it can delay you seeking care.
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  Giving any human pain medication or cat/dog medication — Common over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and paracetamol are toxic to rabbits and can cause fatal organ failure; never administer any medication that wasn't specifically prescribed for your rabbit by a vet.