Is a rabbit bite dangerous?

[Littlebunn]

Yesterday my bunny bit me because I tried to restrain her against her will. She was in my lap and heard a sound that scared her and I tried to comfort her but she wanted to run off and bit my arm which was in her way. The bite didn’t do any harm other than give me a bruise. There was no bleeding and the skin was intact. Do I need a tetanus shot? And what about rabies? She’s been with me for 6 months, almost 7 months now actually. She’s kept indoors, and is a single bunny. I’ve never let her outdoors. As far as I know rabies and tetanus only becomes a concern if the wound is severe right? Just looking for some reassurance

 

[Shimmer]

If you are in the UK, Rabies is not an issue
If the skin was not broken / pierced, there's no risk of other infections. A bruise will disappear in a few days.

For future reference in case of a rabbit bite, wash the wound straight away under a running tap using ordinary soap (or something like Hibiscrub, if you have any) to clean it. Pat dry with a clean cloth. Use pressure if needed to stop it bleeding. Use a plaster etc if you think you need to.

If the wound becomes infected, it will be red, sore, hot, swollen, maybe seeping fluid over the next few days. See a doctor if you are worried about any of these signs. If there are red track lines under the skin from the wound, you need to see a doctor urgently as it is a sign that there is a spreading infection.

Other than it being quite painful at the time, I've not had any issues from a rabbit bite. I would be more worried about a skittish rabbit hurting itself, if it was spooked enough to bite.

 

[Littlebunn]

No I’m in Pakistan so not sure about the rabies scene here. Never heard of anyone getting it though because dogs and cats are vaccinated against it. However for my bunny to have rabies she would have had to be bitten by another animal or been exposed to the saliva of a rabid animal and I don’t think rabbits survive attacks by other animals so that’s what I keep telling myself. And also since I’ve had her for 6-7 months she would’ve shown signs of rabies if she had been somehow infected before I got her right? But also the bite didn’t break the skin and she bit me over my jumper so I had a layer of clothing to cushion me a little hence just a bruise. Sorry if I seem a little paranoid I’ve got health anxiety

 

[joey&boo]

No I’m in Pakistan so not sure about the rabies scene here. Never heard of anyone getting it though because dogs and cats are vaccinated against it. However for my bunny to have rabies she would have had to be bitten by another animal or been exposed to the saliva of a rabid animal and I don’t think rabbits survive attacks by other animals so that’s what I keep telling myself. And also since I’ve had her for 6-7 months she would’ve shown signs of rabies if she had been somehow infected before I got her right? But also the bite didn’t break the skin and she bit me over my jumper so I had a layer of clothing to cushion me a little hence just a bruise. Sorry if I seem a little paranoid I’ve got health anxiety

I think you'll be ok. Rabies has an incubation period of 2-3 weeks, so having had her for 6-7 months, you'd presumably know if she'd been attacked by another animal. From what I understand if she had been infected, she'd be very poorly indeed & unlikely to survive. I have had a few bites (not many) over the years, none have become infected. Shimmer has given good advice on what to watch out for. Try not to worry

 

[bunny momma]

I hope you can stop worrying.
My sister's grandchildren had bunnies which were not neutered and they began to bite once they became adults. One bunny bit her and drew blood. She cleaned it and was fine.