I just wanted to take a moment to share my story, in hopes that it will help educate people about fly strike- and hopefully prevent it from happening to your baby.

This past summer, my rabbit Hopitee passed away suddenly and horribly after 7 wonderful years with me. I wont go into too much detail, but I have determined that the cause of his death was from "fly strike," which after being a good and dedicated rabbit owner since rescuing Hop, I had never once heard about. Hop lived mainly indoors for most of his life, and last spring when I moved into an apartment with a fenced yard, I thought it would be wonderful for him to be able to run around and play safely- in fact, I chose the apartment based on this. He did love it! For the last few months of his life, Hop ran around in the grass, munched dandelions, and lounged in the sun. I didn't know that the hot days to come would pose such a horrible problem- And it is extremely important to me as a lover of rabbits (and all animals), a vet tech student and a HUMAN BEING to share my story with as many people as possible, and hopefully enrich or save lives in the process. Hopitee loved being outside- even when it WAS hot. He would doze in the shade for hours- at first, I worried a bit, as I know that rabbits are heat sensitive, but as he enjoyed being outdoors, I let him be. I loved him. I didn't want him to get too hot- Occasionally I would pour some cool water on his back when I was out in the yard. He loved it! He would run around and do his "hops" and frolic. Apparently, my well meaning "baths" that we both thought were so fun were what lead to his sudden and totally gruesome death. It is still hard for me not to blame myself for this- I meant well. The only thing I can liken it to, is trying to make a sick child feel better and giving him a medicine that kills him by mistake. The last night I spent with Hopitee, we were outside on the patio, reading and cuddling with each other as we normally did. He was a very tame and affectionate rabbit. He seemed fine, and before bed he was even running around a bit more than usual- a sign I misinterpreted as frolicking- he was trying to "run away" from the maggots. Maggots I couldn't see. Maggots I didn't know about. Maggots that killed a perfectly healthy animal in a period of 24 hours. The next morning I awoke to find that Hopitee was dead. I was inconsolable and raced to pick him up and buried my face in his fur and cried. I felt something on my arm, biting me- I turned him over and found that he was swarming with maggots all around his poor bum- It was a scene typical of an animal that had been deceased for at least a couple days. I was so confused, angry and utterly devastated- I still am. Fortunately, my brother came to my aid, and we buried my baby in a beautiful, peaceful spot in my Grandmothers' garden. Still confused by by my findings, I did a Google search on "maggots and rabbits" After some searching, I found a good deal of information about "fly strike" which is particularly seen in the summertime, with rabbits, and is almost always fatal. The websites all warned of this terrible condition, and strictly advocated keeping your rabbit DRY at all times. I had given Hopitee a cool rinse-off two days before his death; an act which while well-meaning, ultimately led to his passing. Apparently, when rabbits are wet, blow-flies are attracted to the anal area, where they like to lay their eggs. Initially, the fly larvae feed on the animals fur, but then burrow under the skin and basically eat the animal alive. Once the larvae enter the body, they release a toxin that causes the animal to go into shock and die- sometimes within hours. This can happen to pretty much any animal, but for some reason, rabbits are more susceptible than others. Now- let me explain something here: This can happen wet or dry, to any animal. I didn't know. I hope nobody tells me what a terrible pet owner I am, because I am not! Hopitee was neutered, up to date on vaccines, ate a very healthy, organic diet, and saw the vet every 5 or 6 months- for his entire life. He was very well cared for, and very well loved. What shocked me, was that in my time as a rabbit owner, after numerous trips to the vet throughout his life, and after reading many books on how to care for rabbits, I had never heard of or been warned about fly strike. My vet knew that Hop was spending time outdoors- he never said anything. Not that I'm blaming him- I'm not blaming anybody, but you would think that this problem would be discussed more in the rabbit world. If I had known that there was even a REMOTE posibility that this could have happened, I never would have had him outside. I CERTAINLY never would have gotten him wet. He was my baby- my mascot even... I loved him dearly and always will. This has been very hard for me to deal with- I can only hope and pray that his pain and trauma were short lived- I hope he went quickly, and was not in agony. Had I noticed anything, which would have been VERY difficult, and rushed him to the vet, his chance of survival would still be against the odds. I am trying to forgive myself and work through the guilt I have over his death by remembering also how much he was loved- and that he WAS taken very good care of. If by sharing my story I can perhaps save even ONE creature and pet lover from the horror I and my Hop went through, his death will not be in vain. Some of you I'm sure have heard of fly strike, some not. I'm just asking that either way- please spread the word about the dangers of summertime and rabbits. Tell everyone you know to keep their rabbits dry at ALL TIMES if outdoors (and even indoors- flies get in) and check them DAILY in the hotter months/regions to make sure this doesn't happen to them. Thank you for reading, and I hope all of YOUR babies are safe, healthy and happy- and if they've crossed the rainbow bridge, that they are waiting for us all- and that in heaven, there are no sick pets.
Sarah

Dear Scorpiobelle...I actually found you by google'ing 'rabbit fly strike guilt'. My daughter was given a lop earred bunny whom she named 'Flops' early last summer [2007]. Our family thoroughly loved Flops - most especially my daughter - who had been asking for a rabbit for over a year. He started out as an inside rabbit, but we determined over the year that some bunnies are just better suited to the outdoors. We have a beautiful, fenced in back yard with lots of trees, bushes, etc. so whenever he was outside he seemed really happy. So...in the Spring of this year [2008], we moved his hutch into our screened-in porch in the backyard, and left the hutch door open and the screen door unlocked so he could wander into the yard as he pleased, or seek shelter/food/water or some peaceful sleep in his hutch in the screened-in porch [his choice]. He did great outdoors, and seemed really happy. At least twice a day a member of the family was outside with him, holding him, or playing with him, or checking on him. I worried about him during the summer months, as we live in Oklahoma and it is HOT. I checked on him frequently on the hotter days, and even bought bags of ice to put in the porch for him to lie by to keep him cool. My daughter loved to bring treats out to him...carrots with the stem...or strawberries...or bunny treats purchased at the pet store. We - unfortunately and naively - allowed our daughter to take Flops in the pool with her on occasion. He seemed to love it and would swim and float around. It was quite comical and cute, and of course all who saw him swim thought the same. On a Saturday in early August, we had a pool party for our son's basketball team. The kids wanted Flops to swim with them and we said 'sure'. After he was done he hopped away - we assumed to dry off and sleep/play/whatever. That evening it began to rain. I went outside in the pouring rain at about 11pm, as Flops hadn't come in to his hutch. I couldn't find him. Honestly I wasn't that worried. It thought 'we'll check on him tomorrow'. The next two days it continued to rain. A member of the family checked on Flops and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He seemed to be staying on the 'down low' due to the weather. On Monday evening I went outside to check on Flops, and I was happy to find him in his hutch, within the screened-in porch. I went to pet him and he felt wet in the back. I assumed it was from the rain He seemed not to be feeling good...was just lying there kind of closing his eyes. I thought that he must just be miserable from all the rain, and he was still wet, and so I didn't pick him up...I just covered him with his little towel in his cage. I brought out a strawberry to him but he showed little interest. Again, I thought, we'd just check on him tomorrow. I commented to my daughter that Flops seemed not to be feeling well...but I really didn't think it was of major concern. On Tuesday - I am ashamed to tell you - that not one of our family members checked on Flops. A horrific coincidence and lack of communication. We all assumed another had done it. That morning [Tuesday] I went outside to find him and he was nowhere to be seen. In the afternoon when the kids and I got home, I told my daughter to go find him but she got occupied and never did. My husband later told me that he had seen Flops early in the day under the azalea bushes, but didn't want to crawl in there to get him. We all thought 'we'll see him later'. The night got away from us...being the first week back to school for the kids there was lots of paperwork to review and things to be done in connection with school. The next morning my husband found Flops dead at the edge of the bushes. It appeared he may have crawled to the edge just before dying. He was swarmed with maggots. My husband actually thought a dog got into the yard somehow and killed him, as his skin was filleted from his body in the hind quarters. It was gruesome and horrifying and I don't think I'll ever get that sight out of my head. The way he died haunted me [and haunts me still]. I researched whether or not maggots could have come about so quickly upon death. I then found the articles on fly strike. It is a beyond cruel occurrence. I think about what Flops must have gone through, and I am so ashamed and guilt ridden, I have trouble eating, sleeping, working...I think about it constantly. It was a fluke that the last day of his life not one of our family members searched him out... that had never happened before. And of all days... I wish I had known about fly strike. I like to think of myself as intelligent, and I have always been an overly diligent pet owner. In this case I failed so, so miserably. Thank you for sharing your story, so I don't feel like we are the only family to experience this. It seems to have happened to so many... I bought some magazines and a book on bunnies and I do not recall seeing information on fly strike anywhere! I certainly would have paid attention to that! My husband and I often cleaned Flops' bottom of poo, but we used water, not knowing what could happen. We also would NEVER have let Flops in the pool had we known the risks. I cried to my friends and said I just want a 'do-over'. I feel so mad, and so sad. It's been over a week and I'm still crying daily...

Sarah,
I am so immensely sorry for your loss. Thank you for your post that absolutely underscores what the Rabbit Rescue organization from where I adopted my Bigwig
says about letting your rabbit outside. As a matter of fact they made me sign a sworn statement that I would never let him out as a condition of adoption.

Fly strike was the reason given. It sounded extreme to me at the time...after all how can hopping around outside possibly be dangerous? But I see now they were and are right.

Thanks for alerting the rest of the community.
And again, so sorry for your loss.

Tara