In this 5 mins read article, I will be bringing the van of clarity your way and will be making a stop in your yard.
It’s all about whether or not rabbits eat mice.
Funny right?
Even a 12-year-old when asked the food a rabbit loves would quickly scream “Carrot”, “Lettuce” or any other veggie he’s familiar with.
But as a responsible rabbit owner, veterinarian or rabbit lover, you could probably name a handful of food your rabbit would love to eat.
From veggies like Grass Hay (usually their favourite), Carrots, oregano, green beans, cucumber, fennel, pumpkin, radish tops and other safe veggies and herbs, to fruits (usually chopped in small bits) like grapes, banana, apple, dried pineapple, raspberries, strawberries and tomatoes to mention a few.
But Mice?
Really?
Do they eat that?
Well, what better way to find out than to read an article dedicated solely to exposing and bringing light and clarity to you on this very mind raking question?
Do Rabbits Eat Mice?
Though I’ve held it in since the beginning of this read, it’s time to let the cat out of the bag.
I know “do rabbits eat mice” sounds weird to you. Well, you might as well have guessed correctly that RABBITS DO NOT EAT MICE. Well, what kind of herbivore eats animals?
We know rabbits are herbivorous animals and we even highlighted some of the foods they enjoy if you noticed, there were no animals, only plants. (Scroll up To the first section of this piece to confirm this).
So it would be unthinkable for a herbivore to eat an animal. We know they are vegetarians simply put. So if you have a rabbit or you’re planning to get a rabbit and you’re asking this, never give mice to your rabbit. They’ll most probably ignore it.
And also note that wild rabbits never get so immersed in hunger that they eat other animals as they can utilize resources available in every season and also adapt to the fluctuations of food availability in different seasons.
Having said this, we do not dislodge the silliest, funniest and most puzzling of questions.
After all, you’re reading this article because you are curious. Read on as we continue on Mice and rabbits.
Why Can’t Rabbits Eat Mice?
Well firstly, they are Herbivores and it’s unthinkable that they eat mice or any other animals as they’d preferably consume hay and other veggies and fruits.
Rabbits and mice, though having a striking difference in diet preference both mammals can get along well if they are well handled and they can share the same common area. So it’s unlikely you’ll ever see a rabbit eat a mouse.
They possess adaptations and will change their behaviours in unfavourable seasons of food scarcity to ensure they make do with whatever is available, like changing their diet to woody plants in winter due to the unavailability of grasses. So with these adaptations, they will never get hungry to the point where they eat mice.
Furthermore, the digestive system of rabbits may not be able to handle foods that have high fats and proteins (which make up the mice) but can deal with foods with less energy and high fibre content such as hay. Therefore foods high in sugars, fats and proteins should not be fed to rabbits.
Rabbits will most likely not eat mice. Though they stay together. It just won’t happen.
Should Rabbits and Mice Be Kept Together?
We’ve just seen that both rabbits and mice can get along, stay together and share the same space and common area without anyone eating anyone.
Does that mean they should be kept together? Not quite!
Here’s why…
Both rabbits and mice even though they can stay together and share space have very slightly different dietary restrictions and whilst staying together, there’s a high possibility of either partaking of the other’s meal which may not be healthy and potentially harmful.
Also, they shouldn’t be kept together in an enclosed area because mice and rabbits are colonial So they’ll most likely do well amid their kind.
What To About Mice In Your Rabbits Enclosure?
Before you do anything about mice in your rabbit’s enclosure you need to know they are around.
Here are visible signs that mice are having access to your rabbit’s hutch.
- Mice Urine and Droppings
- Tracks
- Loose mice fur
- Packaging and products left with bites.
- Visual sighting
It’s important to ensure that other animals that aren’t pets like mice get into your rabbit’s enclosure as they could cause a handful of problems
Like…
– Because mice are very agile and kinetic, their presence and their up and down quick succession movements could scare your bunnies and rabbits and get them tensed/stressed out which is not good for them.
– Mice in your rabbit’s enclosure may be carriers of pathogens and parasites which is very likely and when they come in contact with your rabbit, its food or water, they could transfer and spread diseases to your rabbits…
So for these reasons, Certain measures must be employed to ensure your rabbit enclosure is mice or rodent-free.
These include:
- Use of Rat Guards.
- Ensuring that the environment is clean, literally making sure uneaten foods and rabbit droppings are cleaned off regularly.
- Keep your rabbit in areas where the entrance and exit can be monitored.
- If a little bit more attention and intentionality are placed in trying to curb and reduce the entry of mice into your rabbit’s home, it can be achieved and will be of great advantage to your rabbit’s health and well-being as a whole.
What To Do About Mice In Your Rabbits Food Supply
As a rabbit owner, the well-being of your rabbits is the priority!
And as such, you cannot afford to have disease-carrying and spreading animals like mice and other rodents have access to the food supply of your rabbits to ensure their food does not get contaminated and then infected.
Here’s what you can do to put that in check:
– Check for and close or seal off any holes and entry points into where your rabbit food is stored.
Mice are small and are known to get into areas through small holes. Check for these holes, and seal them off.
– Execute regular sanitation checks.
Mice are known to be dirty and this is because they find solace in dirty areas therefore if the area where you store rabbit food is not kept, it is synonymous with inviting them over. So if you want to keep them from your food storage containers or houses, don’t play around with sanitation.
– You could also consider setting mouse traps around the food storage areas such as Electronic Traps, Bucket traps, Snap traps, chocolate traps, glue traps and so on.
– Invest in rodent-proof storage containers. Mice can eat through virtually anything except metal, heavy-duty plastic and glass. So make sure to store your food in containers made of these materials.
How To Keep Mouse Traps Secure for Rabbits
It should be noted that while trying to put an end to the rampage of the mice in your rabbit’s enclosure using traps without considering some things can harm your rabbit instead of the mice.
Therefore one must be careful if he wants to use traps to catch mice whilst keeping rabbits he might just get his rabbit maimed in the process.
Here are ways to keep these mousetraps secure for rabbits;
- One way to keep rabbits secure and safe whilst using mousetraps is by ensuring the bait is used to lure the mice. Make sure to not use bait that rabbits find interesting.
- Use a bait that rabbits dislike enough to run away from, and mice love enough to be drawn to the trap.
- Another thing to watch out for in securing your rabbits whilst using mousetraps is the positioning of the traps.
- You should ensure the rabbits are positioned in areas that are SEPERATE from the areas where traps are set. – Position traps in areas beyond the reach of rabbits.
I would advise personally that as a rabbit owner trying to bring an end to the rampage of mice in your rabbit’s enclosure, traps – mouse traps should be avoided. As they stand a high chance of bringing harm to your rabbits as to mice.
Your rabbits are even prone to Harm and that’s a chance you shouldn’t be willing to take for anything.
I’d advise you to use a “mouse-proof cage”. One of the best ways to ensure your rabbit is secured from mice and rats. The wires on the best rabbit hutches are big enough for mice to enter. But it’s not so for this kind of cage, It’s mouse proof!
Well, you might be thinking I already have a hutch but it’s not mouse proof
What should I do?
There’s Good news!
You can make adjustments to your current hutch by ensuring that any mesh walls are made with 0.5-inch chicken wire as this is the secret of the mouse-proof cage that prevents any animal (mice in Particular) from slipping through it.
This way is more effective to keep mice away and your rabbits safe than using traps which could harm your rabbits.
Conclusion
Rabbits are herbivores ie they feed on plants and as such don’t eat mice or any other animals. They could get along with mice sharing the same common area, but mice can be very harmful to rabbits as they carry disease-causing organisms.
Therefore, mice are not to be kept together with rabbits and the safest and most effective way to keep the Reign of mice in Check is by using mouse proof hutches.
Doing these will ensure the safety of your rabbits and set a leash on the rampage of mice in your rabbit’s enclosure.
