Do Rabbits Eat Mice? 4 Deadly Diseases They Can Get

It might sound weird when you’d hear the question “do rabbits eat mice?” as rabbits usually eat leaves or carrots. Well, the answer is no; rabbits could never eat mice.

As you can tell, they would most likely feed on leaves than to lick any mice. To make it simple: they are vegetarians.

Therefore, never feed mice to your rabbits. They will either ignore it or make it a friend.

If you plan to get a rabbit, you’d want to stick to their natural diet, consisting of veggies, fruits, and sometimes flowers.

Here’s what you should know:

Wild rabbits will never get hungry to the extent they would eat other animals as they utilize the resources around them available in the current season.

Nevertheless, we can’t avoid wondering even the silliest questions.

After all, you’re reading this article because you’re curious yourself. Regardless, keep on reading to know more about mice and rabbits.

 

Rabbits’ Natural Diet

As a pet owner, you’d want to note what rabbits usually eat to provide them the nutrients they need to be healthy.

Your pet rabbit is identified as domestic as it is taken care of by humans, and its diet still needs to match with wild rabbits.

The question is:

Do rabbits eat mice? No, they can’t. Rabbits cannot eat mice.

Perhaps, you’d want to offer them much hay and include lots of veggies i.e Cantaloup etc, fruits, and a quality pellet feed to provide your rabbit’s nutrients they need to thrive.

Wild rabbits survive despite the changes in the season, thanks to the vegetation around their area.

They are often found in grasslands, woodlands, gardens, and some in city parks. Wild rabbits will eat what is available for them not to starve to death.

After all, rabbits are not picky, they say. Do you agree with this?

A rabbit’s diet varies on what kind of environment or season.

During winter, wild rabbits would feed on seeds, woody shoots, or their favorite leafy greens.

While on hotter days, grass, clover, or flower is what they would most likely enjoy.

Nevertheless, a rabbit’s diet should be high in fiber while low in calories and calcium to be healthy.

Do not forget this:

Include vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, and many more needed by your pets to live happily!

 

Do Rabbits Attract Mice?

Despite knowing that rabbits don’t and will never eat mice, you’d thought that they would stay away from those little rodents.

But that’s not the case!

Yes, rabbits don’t eat mice, but they can attract mice and rats. please read here do rats eat rabbit.

The smell of your pet can make rats and mice gather around them, it’s not because your rabbit smells good, but it usually comes from their droppings, leftovers, or urine.

“Eww,” you might say, but rats and mice will love the smell!

These rodents will get through even in the smallest spaces to get what they need- food and warmth. Their sense of smell is very sharp, allowing rats and mice to smell food from a distance.

Therefore, you’d want to clean your rabbit’s little home daily till it’s clean and tidy to avoid rodent infestation.

Lastly, your pet wouldn’t want to share their food, especially from pesty rodents, so store rabbit food in a secure container to keep mice and rats away.

 

Possible Diseases From Mice

Such as how humans can get sick because rodents such as mice, rabbits are not safe.

Mice are known to be carriers of many diseases; the bacteria they carry around can be fatal if not treated.

Due to this, aside from the fact that you can’t feed your rabbits mice, you’d want your rabbits to be away from rodents as these can be threatening to their health and yours as well.

Here is a list of diseases mice can cause:

 

1. Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV)

You don’t want your rabbits to get a viral infection, acquired once exposed to fresh mouse urine, saliva, droppings, or to their nesting area. It causes inflammation of the meninges.

 

2. Hantavirus

Who never thought that a single dropping of mice could put your life in danger?

Hantavirus can be acquired by humans and rabbits from the mouse’s urine and dropping that dries up and goes with the air we breathe, leading to respiratory failure. Please read here do rabbit eat mouse

 

3. Salmonella

As mice look for food, they leave dirt and bacteria on where they step on, including where you place your food.

And one of these many bacteria they carry around would be salmonella, known as food poisoning.

Your pets will experience vomiting, fever, and diarrhea once they get salmonella.

The bacteria, but mice, also go with fleas, ticks, and parasites, primary sources of diseases.

Here are the following diseases your rabbits can get:

 

4. Lyme disease

Caused by ticks, Lyme disease has lasting effects on its host, making its health weak in the long-term.

 

5. Plague

I bet you already are familiar with this word, as bubonic plague was said to be from mice and rats when fleas transmitted it.

Mice don’t need to bite to spread such diseases, it is by their fur, saliva, urine, and droppings that we acquire the viruses and bacteria.

These rodents are dirty, carrying bacteria, viruses, and parasites, leaving it on any surface they touch.

That is why we advise you to clean your pet’s area thoroughly and keep rabbits away from areas wherein mice usually keep them from getting sick.

Take proactive measures to ensure your rabbits’ safety from mice and rats by cleaning to providing their food isn’t contaminated. please read here Do rabbit eat rats

 

Things To Remember In Taking Care Of Rabbits

As a pet owner, you’d want to take note of the list we will mention to help you take care of your rabbits.

• Rabbits are known to be herbivores, meaning they only eat fruits, vegetables, flowers, crops, Dill(Can rabbit eat dill) and grass
• Pellets are mostly fed to domestic rabbits but do add hay, vegetables, or a piece of fruit to their diet to maximize the nutrients they get
• You’d want to make sure that your rabbits’ hutch has wires that are smaller, not big enough for mice or rats to go through.
• Clean the rabbits hutch regularly to keep rodents away
• To optimize the precautions you do, purchase a rodent deterrent, an ultrasonic anti-rat device and bait stations which is ideal to use as it keeps mice and rats at bay
• Place your rabbit’s food where no rodents are usually seen, to be sure, use a rodent resistant container

 

Conclusion

Do rabbits eat mice? Well, mice and rabbits don’t come along, may it be as food or foe.

Keep in mind that mice are dirty and carry diseases you don’t want your rabbits to have.

Give your rabbits the ideal diet they deserve, mostly plant-based, to attain a healthy pet.

Your pet’s safety is your top priority as a responsible pet owner.

Regardless, hopefully, our article cleared out the question you’ve been wondering. Thank you for reading!