Wild rats

can they pass diseases to rabbits? :?

Not sure, but will bump

hmm i would doubt that rats could carry anything that would harm rabbits.

They have very different diseases but i suppose something could be carried in the fleas perhaps?

"There are FEW diseases that rats and rabbits share with each other and this also doesn't mean the rat is at fault. The bunny may be the culprit as well, but once again, rabbits and rats do not pass things on to each other since most of their ailments are either species specific or host specific. Rabbits are not rodents and do not suffer from the same type of viral infections like rodents do.

The mites rats have are species specific or host specific. They only stick to their own species OR host."

There ya go got that off this website.. http://en.allexperts.com/q/Pet-Rats-3537/2008/2/Rats-Rabbits.htm

I have pet rats and a bunny and obvously wild rats and pet rats carry the same things. I know wild rats can pass on some disease to dogs but im not sure which one it is. I don't think it'd effect rabbits though.

Hope this all helps

Thank you thats very helpful

Rats can carry leptospirosis that can be passed on to dogs via the rat urine e.g dogs can catch it from water, such as streams, if rats have urinated and contaminated the water. Rabbits are not at risk from this disease, or any other that i am aware of, from rats. Humans are also at risk of leptospirosis (although it has a more common name in humans, that i cannot remeber!). So long as your dogs are routinely vaccinated, they should be protected from lepto.

I think Lepto is only a particular risk when it's in standing or stagnant water, not running water. Also, off topic I know, but the lepto vaccination only protects against the most common strains - not all of them (and there are quite a few). So your dog could still be infected with Lepto, despite being vaccinated. It's rather like the human flu vaccination. It protects you against the most common strains but not all of them.

I know that there's a wild rat living under my bunny shed. I've tried to catch him many times (in a humane trap) but the little devil doesn't want to be caught. Honestly, I bait the trap with the best peanut butter money can buy but to no avail! I've yet to see the rest of his family but I'm guessing that where there's one rat, there's bound to be others. He's been around for at least a year and to be honest, the rabbits 'ain't bovvered' a bit. There's never any food lying around because they eat the few pellets they get immediately I put them down. I don't think rats eat hay and I've never seen them munch on broccoli or spring greens!!!!!! Clearly, I don't encourage the rats but they seem to be more scared of the rabbits than the rabbits are of them.

oo try bating the trap with chocolate. they love chocolate! My dad was trying to catch a rat in a humane trap.. it found ways to steal the bait without setting the trap off! it was hilarious!

Ever seen mouse hunt? :lol:

*ahem* sorry for being off topic