Why Is The Rabbit Crying? 6 Questions Answered!

Have you ever seen your pet rabbit cry and asked why is the rabbit crying? I bet you have, and it’s not a good sight. Humans can express different emotions but rabbits, only shed a tear when they’re in extreme anguish and despair.

As pet owners, we don’t want this to happen to our pets. So, we do our best to provide them the best life.

Nevertheless, this article focuses on why rabbits cry and more topics related.

Keep on reading to learn more. We’ll answer questions commonly asked!


Q#1. How Do Rabbits Cry?

When I see someone cry, I will automatically think that the person is sad, frustrated, or stressed. Therefore, you can say that negative emotions mostly result in crying.

You can spot that someone is crying by their facial expression, tears falling down their face, hiccupping or sobbing sounds.

But rabbits are way different from us. When they cry, they usually rely on sounds and body language since they can’t show facial expressions. Your rabbit will start to whimper, and as it worsens, its tears might begin to fall.

Your rabbit also would scream, grunt, hiss, thump, and grind its teeth when in extreme despair. Now, you might wonder why the rabbit is crying. Read on, and I’ll explain to you why.


Q#2. Why Do Rabbits Cry?

Why is the rabbit crying? Crying is usually attributed to negative emotions; it happens when someone is angry, stressed, or in pain.

Rabbits usually cry when they’re sad, and tearing up is not typical for most animals.

If your pet is feeling down, they would usually isolate themselves or stop grooming.

But hearing your rabbit whimper is undoubtedly a distressing sound. It might be that your pet is in pain, afraid, or worse, dying. You will surely panic and scared because I know you don’t want your pet to suffer.

I once heard my pet Thumper whimper, and I didn’t know what to do. No tears were coming out from Thumper’s eyes, but I felt that he was in pain.

So, I took him to the Veterinarian immediately. Thankfully, it wasn’t that bad. So, make sure to watch over your pet rabbit and observe its behavior and sound.

Regardless, when your pet cries, this might be the reason why:


#1. Hunger

This usually happens to baby rabbits. So, don’t panic when they scream or whimper; they might be just hungry. A good quality feed will do the trick, trust me. Learn here how to syringe feed a rabbit


#2. Pain

One of the common reasons why rabbits cry is because they might be hurting.

Check your rabbit if you see any injuries; if not, then it might be within their body. Check your Veterinarian if that happens.


#3. Sickness

You want to consider this factor first when your rabbit starts to cry. It might be that your pet is not feeling well, or there is something wrong with its body. Better ask your Veterinarian to be sure.


#4. Fear

Rabbits could cry when they feel threatened or scared, especially when they see a predator. They may think that they are going to die.


#5. According to pet owners, dying

When a rabbit is dying, it will most likely scream or whimper softly.

More or less, rabbits cry when there is a physiological emergency and such.

Now, how you can prevent your rabbit from crying is essential to know. So, read on.


Q#3. What To Do If A Rabbit Is Crying

As I have mentioned earlier, crying could be a sign of a physiological emergency. Therefore, it is crucial to check on your rabbits because they might need your assistance.

Yet, crying is sometimes expected, especially for baby animals. They cry out to let you know they are hungry or thirsty. So, you can say that crying is a form of communication, but it concerns if it continues for a long time.

Regardless, when your pet rabbit is crying, it might be scared, hurt, or approaching death, but you can’t be sure if your only basis is the crying.

Check your pet and observe its behavior; if you think it’s getting worse, please go to the nearest animal hospital.


Q#4. How To Prevent Rabbits From Crying?

I know that hearing your pet crying is not the best feeling, but you don’t have to prevent it because when you think of it, crying helps you know if your pet is not feeling well.

Just imagine your baby not crying; that would be more alarming, right? Since rabbits can’t talk, creating sounds is their way to communicate.

However, there are ways you can do to avoid your pet to resort to crying:

  • Ensure that your pet is safe-When your pet rabbit feels safe and away from things that scare them; they will most likely be happy and free since they will typically cry when they feel endangered.
  • Keep them healthy– Since illnesses are one reason why rabbits cry, you want to keep them well-nourished.
  • Always take care of them– Rabbits are quite expressive, and when they are sad or feel forgotten, they will surely cry. So, make sure that you show love to your pets and provide them the care they deserve.
  • Make them exercise regularly- Rabbits are active creatures. Therefore exercise is beneficial for them. It helps rabbits feel alive and healthy.


Q#5. Do Rabbits Cry Tears?

Rabbits don’t usually produce tears when they cry, but it could be a medical problem rather than an emotional one if they do.

You see, a rabbit’s eye is glassy, and of course, it should be clean. And if you see your pet’s eyes are wet and gunky, or damp, then your rabbit indeed has a condition known as ‘Weepy Eye.’ So, make sure to get a check-up.

But don’t get me wrong, they do have tear ducts that help rabbits drain excess moisture from their eyes.  But again, rabbits don’t tear up when they cry. Keep that in mind. Please read here why do rabbit have red eye


Q#6. Why Rabbits Thump?

Just like when crying, rabbits thump when they feel a certain way; if you notice your rabbit thumping, then it might be anxious or upset. Learn more here why do rabbit thump

But don’t worry because thumping is a way of communicating for them, not life-threatening.

Yet, too much is concerning. So, keep an eye on your pet to see if there is anything wrong with it.



So, why is the rabbit crying? It might be uncomfortable or bothered by something. Always pay attention to your pet’s behavior because specific changes can mean something.

Remember that rabbits don’t tear up, so if your pet is tearing up, see a veterinarian better.

Love your pets dearly and take care of them. It will help them avoid crying for sure. Thanks for reading!