Do rabbits have rabies?

[SillyChick]

Hello

I'm soon on buying a pair of rabbits as friends but suddenly rabies went in our mind. Do rabbits have deadly rabies on their bites? I'm worried because I don't like to get infected. Do they have rabies?

Thanks in advance!

 

[PurpleChicken]

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Rabbies is a disease that is transmitted by other animals that have it.

No, your rabbits won't have rabbies.

 

[Gazinga]

Rabies is a viraly transmited condition from animals already infected with the disease. Rabbits are quite capable of having rabies, however highly unlikely that your rabbits wil already have rabies.

 

[arlee453]

In order to have rabies, they would have had to have been attacked by another animal that had rabies, like a fox, racoon or dog.

If one of those common vector animals got close enough to the rabbits to bite them and give them rabies, it's not likely the rabbit would survive the initial encounter to actually develop the rabies disease.

Just be sure you don't buy any rabbits that have gaping bite wounds and you'll be fine.

 

[walkswithdog]

Almost any animal can get rabies from another rabid animal. Like they said it's a virus, transmitted by being bitten by a rabid (and dying) animal.

Rabies is UGLY and usually fairly obvious. They behave AGGRESSIVELY or are avoiding drinking water, some stagger or stare with an obviously "off" look to them. Wild ones loose their fear or avoidance of people. A wild rabid rabbit may stagger toward a person or hold still "not tuned in."

Rabies is a disease that doesn't really HIDE. Snotty, miserable, yes - foam at the mouth in some cases, or drooly. Usually animals are visibly impaired. Bats may just be lying there in the daytime. They become disoriented and weak and can't fly. They pant, they stand or sit or lay in off positions.

Don't ever buy a snotty, panting, drooling, foaming at the mouth animal of any kind. You'll avoid many diseases and infections. If it tries to bite you, don't buy it. If it's eyes are goopy, runny or cloudy, don't buy it. Behavior is a key to health. Normal behavior, friendly, calm, clean, clear eyed, no snot, no matting or wetness near anus, no drooling and you've at least got a start on a healthy animal.

If you buy from a breeder - see the breeder's facilities even if it's a yard or pen, it should be clean, free of dangerous debrie, see the OTHER animals where they sleep, their feed containers.

Foul circumstances suggest purchase or adoption else where.

Pity purchases of weak and sick animals should be left to idiot professionals like me... sigh.

 

[SillyChick]

Thank you for the replies everyone!

Thank you for the info on the rabies. I'll try to avoid unhealthy rabbits as much as possible.

Thanks again!

 

[patandchickens]

Being mammals, rabbits are capable of contracting rabies. However it is INCREDIBLY rare for a rabbit or rodent to turn up rabid (far far rarer than in pretty much any other kind of mammal) (well, there's a rabid woodchuck reported every year or two in N America, but not *other* rodents).

While rabies is, sort of, something to worry about in cats and dogs, and certainly in wild animals, and sometimes even in hoofed stock like cows and horses, it is NOT something to worry about in rabbits, especially pet rabbits.

However, if this was a question you had, you really REALLY need to get yourself a good website or book on pet rabbits, the health and care thereof. No offense meant, it's just that there are a lot of important things to know about rabbit care -- for your sake as well as for the rabbits'.

Best of luck,

Pat

 

[walkswithdog]

Ditto what Pat said. Knowing the needs of the animal, including health/appearance, caging and feed needs BEFORE you buy is important.


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