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Rats and rabbits

Hi,

I have two rabbits and their hutch has a ramp down to allow them to run into the garden. Unfortunately yesterday morning a rat was on the grass. I kept scaring it away but it kept coming back (we back onto a large field). When I had gone back inside the rat had come back and was walking up the ramp. The braver of the two rabbits kicked it and ran after it to scare it off.

The rat then came back and went up the ramp again into the hutch (yuck)!!! I ran outside as soon as I knew and scared it out. It was eating their food out of their bowls. I disinfected the bowls inside and sprayed some hutch cleaner where I thought it had been and put the rabbits away as I was at work all day so I knew the rat could not get back in.

Do rats cause rabbits any harm (health or as a physical threat)? How can I stop rats returning back and getting back in the hutch??? The rabbit food is obviously going to attract them in the future!

thanks
 
Rats could potentially bite a rabbit. My rabbits eat their dry food is seconds, so if you're finding it in the bowl awhile and attracting rodents it's possible they are being fed too much.

Wild rats can carry Leptospirosis which is a zoonose, so it is posible for your rabbits to get and and you by return. This is of course worst case senario.

I'd just try and keep their living area as clean and secure as possible to try and disuade the rats from visiting.
 
Make sure the rabbits eat all their food straightaway so there is no food left for rats, except the hay but I don't think rats would be interested in that. If your rabbits are vaccinated then they are covered generally speaking for the worst diseases. I don't think they would attack the bunnies, they would have to be pretty desperate for food to do that, although someone else may have more advice. So, if there is no food for the rats they will go somewhere else, hopefully. You don't leave the bunnies free-range while you are out do you, there are foxes around.
 
Hi yorkshire rabbit..
I had rats in my rabbits shed and run complex two winters ago... the shed and run set up is protected by fox proof wire fencing to prevent anything getting in. But one weekend i re-aligned the run with the shed and forgot about a small gap at the base of the join between the two. then i began to notice that the bunnies weren't using their run as normal and not even venturing far out of their hutch which is always open within the shed. It turned out rats had got into the set up via the small gap underneath the run and had made a large nest completely out of view, under the run hidebox with stolen food and nesting materials. when i examined further i found rat droppings all over the rabbits shed, and i realised that the rats had basically been thieving all the food whilst keeping the bunnies confined to their hutch afraid to come out.
Once i discovered the nest i removed everything, repaired the gap, disinfected everything and we began again, but the bunnies are still wary of the run area. i feel that the rats did bully my bunnies and completely took over their territory in just a short time.
My bunnies never suffered any health issues as a result and were not bitten, but i thank my lucky stars that i noticed in time and i have kept up with strict security measures to prevent rats ever entering again.
The bunnies have the run of the garden only when i am home with them and i am constantly aware of the possibility that rats may enter again.
There is only one way i know to keep rats out and that is to fully secure the area with fox proof wire, and let the bunnies free range in garden when area is being monitored.
Others will know more. XXX

Edited to add : Never once did i actually see a rat. Just the evidence they were there. If you are seeing rats during the day, it means they are hungry and very interested.
 
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Thank you for all the helpful and detailed replies.

We have only recently moved into the property. The fence is 7 foot high around the whole of the background so yes the rabbits have had the free run of the garden even when I am out during the day as a fox attack is very unlikely during the day. The hole back up to the hutch is open all day obviously and is only rabbit sized so they can get refuge at any point. This is where the rat gained entry. On a night they are obviously safely locked in the hutch.

At my old property the rabbits were also outside free range all day (enclosed garden) and I also never had problems.

Since the rat incident I have been keeping them in the hutch unfortunately and I can tell they are very frustrated but its for their own protection until we sort the issue.

I put less dry food in the cage last night (one handful) and they still had some left this morning. If i put any less in I worry I will be starving them!

The rat visits are in the day yes and we saw them again when we got home from work! Very worrying and annoying as my rabbits are having to be locked up. We put a snap trap down and the rat just walked away with the trap, unbelievable!!!! I have never known rats to be so brave and outgoing in the day!!!!
 
There should be no food left after say 20 minutes of you feeding them. If there is then you are overfeeding them. Their diet should consist of 80% hay with a few pellets and small amount of veg, herbs or forage.
 
There should be no food left after say 20 minutes of you feeding them. If there is then you are overfeeding them. Their diet should consist of 80% hay with a few pellets and small amount of veg, herbs or forage.

Thanks, I’ve put even less in tonight. They have the expensive hay all day so that’s not an issue.

I let the rabbits out for a bit tonight while I was home watching.

Rat was back again tonight but thankfully I went out and scared it off and shut them in before it could do anything. Really not a good situation!
 
A rat / fox proof run seems the best answer, so the bunnies can go out of their hutch when they want. The housing threads are full of brilliant design ideas. They can then have some freedom whilst being safe from pestering rats and also free range when you are with them. xXx
 
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