Mice can carry a variety of diseases that can be spread to rabbits through bites, scratches, or even shared food and water sources. Some diseases that mice can spread to rabbits include leptospirosis, salmonellosis, and tularemia.
You’re sitting at home, minding your own business, when you see a mouse dart across the floor. You’ve seen mice before, and they’re harmless, right? But then you start to wonder if they can spread disease to your pet rabbit. Can mice really make rabbits sick?
It turns out that mice can spread various diseases to rabbits, but thankfully there are a few things you can do to prevent this from becoming an issue.
What You'll Learn
Do Wild Mice Pose a Threat to Pet Rabbits?
Yes, wild mice pose two significant threats to rabbits.
1) They carry disease
2) They carry parasites
This article will be focused on what diseases mice can pass on to rabbits, but many of the prevention methods apply to parasites as well.
What Diseases Can Mice Spread to Rabbits?
Mice carry quite a few diseases, many of which can be spread to rabbits. The six most common ones include:
- Bovine Tuberculosis
- Salmonellosis
- Hantavirus
- Leptospirosis
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV)
- Tularemia
- Bovine Tuberculosis
Bovine tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that affects both cattle and rabbits. It’s caused by the Mycobacterium Bovis bacteria and is spread through contact with contaminated food, water, or bedding.
Salmonellosis
Salmonellosis is another bacterial infection that’s caused by the Salmonella enterica bacteria. This infection is often spread through contaminated food or water but can also be spread through contact with an infected animal.
Hantavirus
Hantavirus is a virus that’s spread through contact with contaminated urine, feces, or saliva from an infected animal. This virus can cause several serious symptoms in rabbits, including fever, lethargy, anorexia, and even death.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that’s caused by the Leptospira bacteria. This infection is often spread through contaminated water or contact with an infected animal.
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV)
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) is a viral infection caused by the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. This virus is spread through contact with contaminated urine, feces, or saliva from an infected animal.
Tularemia
Tularemia is a bacterial infection that’s caused by the Francisella tularensis bacteria. This infection is often spread through contact with an infected animal or contaminated food or water.
How Do Mice Spread Disease to Rabbits?
Direct Contact
Mice can spread disease to rabbits through direct contact. This is most likely to occur if the rabbit and mouse are housed in the same enclosure.
Urine
Mice can also spread disease to rabbits through their urine. If a rabbit spends time near an area where a mouse has urinated, the rabbit can become infected.
Feces
Mice can also spread disease to rabbits through their feces in the same way it can be spread through urine.
Another way that mice can spread disease to rabbits is through shared food and water sources. If a mouse contaminated food or water, a rabbit that eats or drinks from the same source can become infected with the disease.
Prevention Your Rabbit From Catching a Disease
Listed below are the steps you should take to keep your rabbit disease free.
Keep Mice Out of You Rabbits Cage
The first step to prevent your rabbit from catching a disease is to keep mice out of the cage. This can be done by repairing any holes or cracks in the cage and lining it with hardware cloth. You should also set traps around the perimeter of the cage to catch any mice that try to enter.
Keep Your Rabbit Away From Where Mice Live
Another step to prevent your rabbit from catching a disease is to keep them away from areas where mice live. If you have mice in your home, make sure your rabbit does not have access to any of the rooms where they are present.
Vaccinate Against The Most Common Diseases
You should also vaccinate your rabbit against the most common diseases. This will help to protect them if they are ever exposed to a disease.
Don’t Let Old Food Sit Out
Finally, you should make sure to not let old food sit out. This can attract mice and other pests, contaminating the food and spreading disease to your rabbit.
If you take these steps to prevent your rabbit from catching a disease, it will be much less likely to become sick. However, it’s still important to regularly check your rabbit for disease symptoms. This way, you can catch any illness early and get your rabbit the necessary treatment.
How Often Should You Check Your Rabbit For Symptoms of Disease
You should check your rabbit for symptoms of disease at least once a week.
Some of the symptoms you should look for include:
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Anorexia
- Unusual discharge from the eyes, nose, or mouth
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Labored breathing
- Ruffled fur
If you notice any of these symptoms, take your rabbit to the vet as soon as possible. Early treatment can save your rabbit’s life.
Is It Safe to Keep Rabbits and Mice Together?
No, it is not safe to keep rabbits and mice together. As you now know, mice can spread disease to rabbits through direct contact, urine, feces, or shared food and water sources. If you have a rabbit, take steps to prevent them from coming into contact with mice. This will help keep your rabbit healthy and free from disease.
Rabbits and Mice Are Not Best Friends
Bovine Tuberculosis, Salmonellosis, Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, and Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV) are the most common diseases that can be spread from mice to rabbits. These diseases can cause severe illness or death in rabbits, so taking steps to prevent your rabbit from coming into contact with mice is essential.
You can prevent your rabbit from catching a disease by taking steps such as keeping mice out of the cage, keeping your rabbit away from where mice live, and vaccinating against the most common diseases. It’s also important to check your rabbit for symptoms of disease regularly. If you notice any symptoms, take your rabbit to the vet as soon as possible for treatment.
