Do Rabbits Cry Like Humans? Top Reasons and How to Deal with It

Rabbits don’t cry, not like humans, at least. Although these furry mammals are highly sensitive and delicate at heart, it’s rare that rabbits will cry. 

So, if you’re wondering if rabbits cry like humans, you’ll be disappointed. In fact, they don’t. Rabbits have emotions, true! However, their emotional dispositions aren’t about shedding tears. Rather, bunnies whimper or scream about their agony, pain, or any physiological or mental distress. 

Besides, a sad rabbit will reduce eating, playing, or grooming by which you can figure out that your bunny isn’t well. 

Nonetheless, this article is all about why rabbits cry (or, so it seems), what situations cause them to cry, the rabbit’s weeping eyes, and so on. So, read on. 

Do Rabbits Cry Like Humans Do? 

You might expect your bunny to show how it looks when crying. But let us tell you that bunnies don’t cry like humans. Bunnies don’t even cry like cats and dogs either. In fact, on most occasions, you won’t even notice your favorite furry buddy’s tears even if it’s actually doing so. 

The reason behind the discreet crying is the rabbit’s nature of handling its emotions itself. Rabbits don’t show their emotional distress that much unless they’re very attached to their owners.  

Another aspect of rabbits’ crying being different from the likes of humans is their reasons to cry. Humans mostly cry out of emotional turmoil, whereas rabbits may cry out of hunger, pain, fear, etc. 

Do Rabbits Shed Tears While Crying? 

Have you ever seen teardrops in your bunny’s eyes? If you haven’t, it’s because rabbits don’t shed tears when crying. They might feel pain, agitation, or loneliness, but it’s not tears through which bunnies express their discomforts. 

You’ll be surprised to know that rabbits have tear ducts in their eyes. Like humans or any other animals, tear ducts help bunnies get rid of excessive moisture. 

Rabbit eyes are naturally glossy and shiny, and this is what they’re supposed to remain. However, you might sometimes notice that their eyes are watery. Also, you may find the furs below their bottom eyelids wet. This might convince you that your bunny was actually weeping. 

That’s actually not the case. If you’ve ever heard the condition called ‘weepy eye,’ you’ll know that rabbits sometimes suffer from this eye condition where their eyes get watery or moistened in short intervals. We’ll talk about this condition more in the later part of this article. 

Why Do Baby Bunnies Cry?

It’s normal for the baby bunnies to cry out. Like other animal pups or cubs, baby bunnies will seek the attention of their mothers or owners when they’re hungry, uncomfortable, or scared. 

Speaking of a baby rabbit’s hunger, there has to be a feeding discipline. Like in the wild, the mother rabbit feeds its kits once in the early morning and then again during dusk. At home, your bunnies will follow the same feeding schedule. 

However, if the little kittens aren’t fed timely, they may cry out to call for their mother’s attention. If you’ve brought bunny kittens without their mother, it’s your responsibility to feed them on time. But remember, overfeeding baby rabbits may put them through digestive problems, even leading to death.  

Moreover, you better observe the crying habit of the little bunnies at home. If they’re crying longer than usual, it indicates that something’s wrong. 

The best way to deal with this situation is to call a vet immediately to attend to the poor little bunny in distress. Never try to intervene with your own ideas to resolve the endless crying problem. Doing so might end up worsening the condition. 

5 Reasons That May Trigger A Rabbit’s Cry

There are some incidents or activities that can trigger the cry or distress in rabbits. These triggers work equally on both adults and kits. 

Since rabbits are physically and mentally very sensitive, you must be careful about certain situations they may encounter or things you might do to them. 

Sometimes, your good intention of helping your bunny may put its health in jeopardy. 

So, let’s get to know about certain triggers for a rabbit’s cry in the following: 

1. Sensing Danger 

Rabbits may scream out of sensing danger. A bunny may detect a predator around the corner of its house and show signs of discomfort and fear. Additionally, the scared bunny may call for your attention by shrieking continuously as long as you don’t reach out to it.

2. Change in Temperature

Due to the thick furs, rabbits are comfortable keeping their bodies warm during winter. But the problem occurs when the temperature rises during summer days, and your bunnies have to cope with the heat. 

As a result, you might often hear your bunnies grunt out of suffocation or discomfort. It’s important to keep the room temperature cool in your rabbit’s room, specifically below seventy degrees. 

3. Pregnancy Complications

A pregnant rabbit becomes more protective about herself and its upcoming kits. Thus if it falls into any trouble, it may become desperate to get out of the situation. 

Some agitating situations include living with a different animal caged or getting into labor pain. Most female rabbits become restless at least one to two days before labor. 

Around this time, the rabbits may whimper in pain or cry out for help. 

4. Excessive Loud Noises 

Rabbits are jaunty animals who may react to the slightest of noises. Imagine what your bunny can do if they’re caught in the middle of loud noises like fireworks, the loud bang of a door, iron gratings, and so on. In fact, fireworks are a nightmare to any living creatures, including rabbits living on the outskirts of a city where it’s much more tranquil. Rabbits and other mammals face issues like motionlessness and eating disorders along with many other abnormalities. 

Your bunny may hide in the corner of its room or the edge of its cage in the beginning. However, if the chaotic noises persist, the poor guy might panic and squeal.  

5. Poor Handling 

You love to pick your squishy rabbit in your arms and cuddle, we know it. But remember, a good pet owner also takes care of the animal’s physical condition while playing with it or showing affection. 

If you care for your rabbit’s good health and physic, make sure its spine is in the right posture while taking it in your arms. Your little coney will grunt or struggle to get away from you if it’s not comfortable in your arms. 

How to Deal with Your Bunny’s Crying?

Although it’s not literally the way we humans do, the crying of rabbits has some value in themselves. The signs in rabbits we can derive as crying are jumping here and there, shooting from one corner to another, thumping on the floor, whimpering, etc. 

These are all ways for bunnies to express emotion, pain, and discomfort. But did you ever reflect on why they do these? Simply, it’s for communicating with you and letting you know what they’re feeling. 

So, it’s logical that as a caring pet parent, you must use your intuition to address your beloved bunny’s distress to relieve its anguish. That’s why we’ve brought together some ideas and tips, so you can follow them to keep your rabbits from being agitated:

• First things first – try your best to keep up with the regular vet schedules. Don’t deprive your bunny of the check-ups and treatment it deserves. 
• Control your anger and avoid shouting at your rabbit. 
• Make your rabbit’s living space predator-proof. Besides, be watchful about your bunny’s whereabouts all the time. 
• Teach yourself and your kids to appropriately handle the bunny to avoid injury. 
• Don’t keep your bunny waiting for hay and water for too long. 
• Balance the ‘playtime’ and ‘me time’ of the bunny. If it’s happy to play with you, go on with it. But if it wants to enjoy its solitude, leave it to that.
• Avoid forcefully picking up your bunny from the floor. 
• Maintain hygiene in its living space, meal and water bowls, bedding, hutch, etc. 

It’s the best effort you can put into making sure your rabbit isn’t in bad shape. However, an exceptional crisis may always occur when you have pet animals at home. 

So, keep in touch with a reliable veterinarian to follow guided instructions to get rid of any particular problems. 

What is Weepy Eyes Condition?

Weepy eyes are something many pet owners confuse with tears, suggesting their rabbits are crying. But that is not the case; let’s get down to the brass tacks and learn what the condition might actually be about. 

The weepy or watery eyes are known as epiphora which is often seen in rabbits. Medically, the condition is also known as watery ocular discharge or runny eyes. This condition can become a concern for pet owners if the tear discharge is constant. The pets like rabbits, dogs, cats, etc., experience wet and stained furs. This condition ultimately may turn the pet furs reddish brown while emanating odor. 

But do you have any idea what actually causes epiphora in bunnies? Let us help you as we’ve enlisted a few causes of weepy eyes in bunnies: 

• Infection: If your rabbit has caught an infection, it might experience watery eyes. You’ll most probably notice a yellowish discharge under its eyes.
• Dental Issues: Most rabbits go through dental issues, which may lead to runny eyes or epiphora. 
• Abnormal Eyelashes or Eyelids: Some pets can have oddly angled eyelashes which can cause rubbing against the eye. This causes eye irritation while resulting in weepy eyes. 
• Allergies: If your rabbit has come across dust or dirt, it may develop an allergic reaction to this while experiencing constant weepy eyes. 
• Tear Duct Issues: Sometimes, rabbit eyes can be deposited with tiny debris. If the pieces of debris deposit in its tear duct, the liquid discharge will naturally follow in response. 

If you suspect that your bunny has developed any infection or allergies in its eyes, don’t wait to call a vet immediately. Eyes are very sensitive organs, so don’t apply any medication or OTC (over-the-counter) treatment on your own. Or else your bunny might even lose its eyesight. 

Final Thoughts 

We hope we’ve surmised the whole concept of weepy eyes in rabbits. Thus you can derive from our article why rabbits cry, how they express their discomfort, and how to deal with your rabbit’s crying habit. 

It’s true that rabbits don’t cry like humans, but you can’t overlook their emotional and physiological distress. As a loving and caring pet owner, it’s your responsibility to handle your bunny’s crisis. 

Also, if you ever sense that the weepy eyes in your bunny can be due to any medical condition, immediately take your coney to the veterinarian. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Rabbits Crying