The rabbit is scratching itself

You’ve noticed that lately your rabbit has been scratching a lot. Upon inspecting its fur, you’ve found small brown spots, likely flea eggs and droppings. If you carefully examine the rabbit’s coat, you may also see fleas, most of which will be around the rabbit’s nose and ears. What should you do now? Since rabbit-specific flea treatments aren’t available in pet stores, how can you deal with them?

Fleas in Rabbits

Safe Flea Treatments for Rabbits

Rabbits require only very gentle flea treatments. If your rabbit has a small number of fleas, a special flea comb may be enough. Use it to thoroughly comb through your rabbit’s fur, dipping the comb in hot soapy water or alcohol to remove fleas and eggs.

If there are more fleas, you can use a topical flea treatment, such as Advantage or Stronghold. Of course, the dosage should be much lower than for cats, and the treatment should be diluted. It’s best to consult with a vet to determine what’s safest for your rabbit.



Apply the solution to the back of your rabbit’s neck, where it won’t be able to lick it off. If you have more than one rabbit, keep them separate so they can’t lick the flea treatment off each other. Ingesting the treatment could cause stomach problems.

Powders are also not entirely safe, but are sometimes used by veterinarians, such as Pularyl or Insectin. Some powders may contain chemicals toxic to rabbits.

Dangerous Flea Treatments for Rabbits

Never use agents like Sentinel, Fiprex, Advantix, or Frontline to treat fleas in rabbits. In some cases, these products can even kill the rabbit! Remember, even your vet can sometimes make a mistake, so always be mindful of what is being administered to your rabbit!

Symptoms of poisoning from the above flea treatments include:

• Watery eyes, constricted pupils
• Breathing problems
• Seizures, thrashing against walls or furniture
• Diarrhea
• Drooling
• Very low blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness

Also, avoid flea collars. A rabbit may injure itself trying to remove the collar, and most flea collars are infused with too many chemicals.



Rabbits should never be bathed, even if they have fleas. You can clean specific areas, like the rump or feet, if they are visibly dirty, but never wet the rabbit’s head.