Do Rabbits Tails Fall Off?

Rabbits have some weird habits like any other creature that humans keep as pets. When gradually the owners come to know about these habits, they start knowing their pets more. When it comes to the various body parts like tail, teeth, and fur, some pets experience falling off it and some do not. Now rabbits come with a small tail. Owners or even beginners who are planning to own a rabbit may wish to know if the tail falls off and re-grow or not.

Does the rabbit’s tail fall off?

Rabbits’ tails do not fall off on their own and it is not a natural process. Only when the rabbits are fighting with each other and biting the tails off, can it happen. It can be pulled off from the body of the rabbit and obviously, it will be a painful thing to happen to this little creature.

Should a rabbit’s tail be cut off?

Various parts of the pet’s body need to be trimmed. Nails and fur coats of the creatures like dogs and cats need to be trimmed once in a while to keep the creature clutter-free and smart-looking. It often can be so that the owners may think of trimming the tail of their pet rabbit too.

Sometimes the health care professional of your pet rabbit may ask you to trim the tail of it. This happens when the rabbits are detected with some deformity in their hind legs. This creates difficulty for them and they are not able to walk or run properly. At this point their tail creates more problems for them and thus, they are not comfortable with it.

They also may find it difficult to sit properly when their hind legs are hurting. So their tail may need to be trimmed or cut short so they can feel comfortable.

Can the rabbit’s tail be removed at home?

When the rabbit is facing some kind of problem regarding its tail, it may try to bite it off which will be a painful thing for the little creature. You are the owner, so you need to take the initiative, and make sure that the tail is amputated by the proper method. It should be treated by the vets where the amputation of the tail would be done in a painless process.

Can a rabbit be born without a tail?

Rabbits are always born without a tail. This is not a deformity but only a natural process. Their tails grow later. As the tail is actually made of mostly fur, they do not have it on their body when they are born. Their whole body remains furless and that is quite normal. The fur grows later on in their body, and so is their tail.

After 10 days of their birth, their body gets covered with fur. Their body also grows tail and no rabbit has even been there on earth that, after reaching maturity, is without its tail.

How do tails help the rabbits?

Tails are not only an accessory to the body of the rabbits. Rather it acts as a part of the rabbit’s survival strategy. Rabbits live in the forest where they are often attacked by predators. They are prey animals which means they need to be aware of their enemy.

Their tails often act as signals. They live in a big group so when one rabbit sees a predator approaching its group, it may move its tail to alert its group. The mother rabbit often gives direction to its litter by moving the tail in the necessary direction. Thus, the tail of the rabbit, may not be a vital part of their life but manages to play an important role in protecting the rabbit and its family.

How should you handle the rabbit’s tail?

The tail is the most sensitive part of the rabbit’s body and it should be always handled with care. When you handle the rabbit, you should not put pressure on the tail and keep it loose, so it does not get stuck. The rabbit gets hurt when you handle the tail and that is why you need to make sure that the rabbit should never feel any pain at its tail.

Can a rabbit live without a tail?

Even if your rabbit loses its tail you should not get much worried or tense. This is not the end of the world or even the end of the rabbit’s life. As we have mentioned that tail plays an important role when the rabbit is in the wilderness. It gives them the opportunity to show direction to their litters and protect their group from enemies.

But a domestic rabbit can live a healthy and happy life even without a tail. The removal of the tail must be unfortunate even in the life of your pet rabbit but it does not mean that the rabbit will be in a problem due to it.

However, as rabbit tails are connected to the vertebrae, getting hurt or pulled off, it may make the rabbit suffer from great pain. This does get cured with time, and the owner needs not worry much. You should check the rabbit once with the vet but it does not need any further surgery to get it fixed.

What should you do if your rabbit is pulling its tail?

Quite often the rabbit’s owners have seen their rabbit pulling their tail or just their partner rabbit is doing this. This is not a great thing and this is painful for the critter. Sometimes a rabbit pulls on its own tail when it is feeling some kind of physical discomfort or emotional dissatisfaction.

This should not be a regular habit of the rabbit. By regular pulling of the tail, this part will get damaged and can be lost one day. Especially when the rabbits fight with each other they tend to bite the tail off.  You should keep the rabbits in different cages when you will find this happening.

If your rabbit is living alone and yet it is biting its tail off, you should try to distract it by giving it some treat, snack, or taking it out for some outdoor playing session. This way its emotional need will be fulfilled and it will not try to hurt its tail at that time.

How long is a rabbit’s tail?

Rabbits’ tails are longer than is visible to our eyes. They usually keep their tails tucked between their hind legs and only the fluffy part of their tail is visible from the outside. That is why it looks more like a pom-pom and does not give us the idea that it is actually at least 2 inches long.

Why pulling off the rabbit’s tail hurt them so much?

Rabbits’ tails are connected to the spinal cord of their body and the bones of the tail are vertebrae so that makes them more sensitive. This part should not get damaged as that will make the rabbit suffer from immense pain. Their tails do not usually get hurt though, as they often keep them tucked and protectively. The owners should keep in mind that while handling their pet rabbits they should take more care and not touch this part much.

Also See:

• Why Do Rabbits Have Short Tails?
•  Can Rabbits Swim?
• How To Play With Your Rabbit?