Can Rabbits Swim? What Bunny Parents Need To Know About Swimming

Yes, rabbits can swim, and some wild rabbits do it to get away from predators. A pet rabbit should not be put in water. The House Rabbit Society says "a rare bunny may grow up swimming in the family pool," but that the vast majority of rabbits "do not relish getting wet." This page covers which wild rabbits swim, what water does to a pet rabbit, what to do if a rabbit ends up wet, and how to keep a rabbit cool without a pool. For the long term, see our guide to rabbit lifespan by breed.

Can Rabbits Swim?

A rabbit can paddle if it ends up in water. Whether it likes it is a separate question, and the answer from rabbit welfare groups is no for most rabbits. The House Rabbit Society says the vast majority of rabbits, like their ancestors, do not enjoy getting wet. It calls even an occasional bath "quite stressful to the average rabbit" and does not recommend it.

The Society also describes the exception. Some rabbits grow up swimming in a family pool or paddling in a lake on camping trips. It calls that kind of bunny rare.

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Swimming: Wild vs Adopted Rabbits

Two wild North American rabbits are described by wildlife agencies as swimmers. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says the marsh rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris, "is a strong swimmer and is usually found close to water." It lives throughout Florida in fresh and brackish marshes, wet prairies, and flooded farm fields, and the agency describes it as a slightly smaller, darker version of the eastern cottontail with a small gray-brown tail. Animal Diversity Web, run by the University of Michigan, says marsh rabbits are "avid swimmers and often dive into water as a means of escape."

The swamp rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus, does the same. The Missouri Department of Conservation says that when pursued, it "usually enters the water, swimming and diving well, and often comes up under roots or other overhanging protection." The department describes a rabbit larger than the eastern cottontail, with proportionately shorter and rounder ears and coarser fur. Animal Diversity Web adds that a swamp rabbit may jump into water and stay perfectly still with only its nose above the surface.

Heat is handled another way. The PDSA, a British veterinary charity, says wild rabbits regulate their temperature by staying in their burrows on warm days and only coming out when it is cool.

Adopted pet rabbits have no need to swim. If you are curious about what else pet bunnies can and can't handle, check out whether rabbits can eat oranges and other fruits. Our guide to feeding tangerines in small amounts covers another citrus fruit.

Their small bodies are overwhelmed by being cold, wet, and vulnerable so they avoid it as much as possible. A pet rabbit belongs in a good rabbit run, not in a tub of water.

Is it safe for rabbits to swim?

The House Rabbit Society does not recommend it. Its veterinary author says bathing is strongly discouraged because the stress of the bath can cause serious health problems and has in some cases been linked to the death of a rabbit. It adds that seemingly healthy rabbits can have undiagnosed problems, so it is best not to put them through the stress of a bath.

Getting wet is a second problem. The Society says a thoroughly wet rabbit takes a very long time to dry, and that a wet rabbit can quickly become hypothermic.

A rabbit that has swum has to be dried completely. The Society says to blow dry a rabbit that is wet to the skin until even the undercoat is dry and fluffy. It also says never to set the dryer higher than warm, because rabbit skin is very delicate and rabbits are sensitive to heat, and to check the air on the rabbit's skin by holding a hand in its path. The Society gives normal rabbit body temperature as 101 to 103 degrees F.

The Society also names a case where bathing can go badly fast. A rabbit that is badly infested with fleas may already be compromised and "may go into shock when bathed."

A Change.org petition against rabbit swimming videos also lists two risks: water in the ears can lead to ear infections, and damp fur can lead to parasite problems such as fly-strike. The petition is advocacy, not veterinary advice, so ask your rabbit's vet about those two points.

What Fear Does to a Rabbit

A rabbit is a prey animal, and fear shows up in its body. The House Rabbit Society's article on heart disease says a resting rabbit's heart beats 140 to 180 times a minute, and that stress can push the rate "well over 300 beats per minute." The article says a cardiac problem often shows obvious signs when a rabbit is stressed by exercise, excitement, or anxiety.

The Society's outdoor hazards page describes what extreme fear can do. A predator nearby can set off a panic attack in which the rabbit runs wildly back and forth, twists, and thrashes. In that state, the Society says, a rabbit can break its own back or die from a heart attack.

The Change.org petition describes the fear rabbits experience when submerged as extremely traumatic and says it can put a rabbit into shock. That is the petitioners' claim.

What to Do If Your Rabbit Falls in Water

Get the rabbit out and hold it with its back and rear legs supported, which the House Rabbit Society's handling page stresses to prevent back injuries. The Society's hazards page says a rabbit can fracture its spine if it struggles while inadequately supported or if it is abruptly released. The Merck Veterinary Manual says the same: when a rabbit is not restrained properly and securely, fractures or luxations of the lumbar vertebrae can easily follow struggling. Merck says a rabbit should never be held by the ears.

Then dry it. Follow the House Rabbit Society's steps above: blow dry on warm or lower until the undercoat is dry and fluffy, with a hand in the air stream to check the heat. The Society says a wet rabbit can quickly become hypothermic.

Call a veterinarian who sees rabbits and describe what happened. A rabbit that got wet is a good reason to ask for advice.

How to Keep Your Rabbit Cool Without Water

Heat is a serious summer danger. The PDSA says rabbits are at high risk of heatstroke because they have dense fur, do not pant or sweat, and have limited ways to lose heat. The RSPCA gives the ideal temperature for rabbits as 10 to 20 degrees C (50 to 68 degrees F) and says they get very ill if exposed to high temperatures. The PDSA says to keep the living space between 18 and 20 degrees C (64 to 68 degrees F) if you can, and to give the rabbit a cool place to go if the air is warmer.

The PDSA's cooling tip: freeze a bottle of water, wrap it in a cloth, and put it in with the rabbit so it can sit next to it. The House Rabbit Society suggests placing ice frozen in cardboard milk cartons inside the enclosure, or hanging wet towels over the side of the enclosure for a rabbit that has to endure heat for a while.

Shade matters as much as ice. The RSPCA says to add shade over part of an exercise area when it is warm and sunny. The PDSA says to make shade from natural materials such as branches, leaves, or wooden shelters, and to avoid plastic, which is likely to trap heat. It also says every rabbit should have fresh, cold water at all times, with the bowl or bottle out of direct sunlight, and that a rabbit must never be left in a car on a warm day, even for a few minutes.

The PDSA lists the signs of heatstroke: red ears that are hot to touch, fast breathing, open mouth breathing, lethargy, weakness, and collapse. Its first aid is to move the rabbit into shade or a cool room, wet the ears with cold tap water, and then soak the body very slowly so the rabbit does not panic, keeping water away from the nose and mouth. Then go to the nearest vet and call ahead. The PDSA gives this as emergency first aid for heatstroke.

FAQs

Do rabbits like to swim?

Most do not. The House Rabbit Society says the vast majority of rabbits do not relish getting wet, and that a rabbit that grows up swimming in a pool is rare.

Can a rabbit swim?

Yes. Marsh rabbits and swamp rabbits swim to escape predators, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Missouri Department of Conservation. For a pet rabbit, rabbit welfare groups advise keeping it out of water.

Can wild rabbits swim?

The marsh rabbit and the swamp rabbit can. Both live near water, and both swim to escape predators.

Is it safe to bathe a rabbit?

The House Rabbit Society says no. It strongly discourages bathing because the stress can cause serious health problems, and it says to bathe a sick rabbit only if a veterinarian advises it to bring down a fever.

How do I cool a rabbit on a hot day?

Use shade, a frozen bottle wrapped in a cloth, and fresh cold water, as described above. The PDSA gives wetting the ears and body as first aid for heatstroke, before the trip to the vet.

Sources

• House Rabbit Society, Grooming (baths, wet rabbits, drying)
• House Rabbit Society, Outdoor and Indoor Hazards (panic, spine fractures, cooling an enclosure)
• House Rabbit Society, How to Handle and Pick Up a Rabbit (supporting the back and rear legs)
• House Rabbit Society, Heart Disease in Companion Rabbits (heart rate and stress)
• Merck Veterinary Manual, Management of Rabbits (handling and restraint)
• PDSA, Heatstroke in Rabbits (cooling, shade, first aid)
• RSPCA, Creating a good home for rabbits (temperature and shade)
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Marsh Rabbit
• Missouri Department of Conservation, Swamp Rabbit
• Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan, Sylvilagus palustris
• Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan, Sylvilagus aquaticus
• Change.org petition, Please Stop Promoting Rabbits in Swimming Pools

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