# Baby bunny bit by a wild rat!!



## Riffy (Apr 29, 2010)

one of my baby bunnies 1 month old jumped out of a bin that i kept it in and was roaming my room while i was asleep... i have holes in my room and rats from my building's basement go up and start runnin around my house but dont worry the landlord gonna fix that problem tomorro...but yeah...i was sleepin bunny came out then i hear a super loud scream..i see him he is bleeding i wash his back with warm water on tissue and towel...den i pet it see if its ok and i put him bak with his mommy...the mommy starts licking him as if she knows he is hurt...he is acting normal now ... but is he sick? does he have a desease? what should i do? the rat i saw it run away and hide .. its big like a street rat...idk what to do..what shudd i do..?


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## Pipp (Apr 29, 2010)

Yikes, do you have hydrogen peroxide handy? Betadine is even better, but whatever you have on hand. 

Very gently clean the wound with it. (The peroxide will sting and might kill a few cells, but it really needs to be disinfected). Once its clean, you can put a little Neosporin on it, although not the kind with pain relief, just regular, or any triple antibiotic ointment. 

Rats do carry bacteria and parasites, the baby really should get to a vet for antibiotics ASAP.


sas :clover:


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## jamesedwardwaller (Apr 29, 2010)

off hand i would error on the side of caution,,meaning get an exam,by an exotic dvm for antibiotics and probiotics.//.just as if one of you got rat bite,,rats and bad bacteria go together,,which could easily/promptly overwelm your rabbits immune system,,and very bad things happen fast...sincerely james waller


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## pamnock (Apr 29, 2010)

It is rare, but rats can also be infected with rabies. With the rabies outbreak in Manhattan (raccoons), I'd be a little concerned. I would recommend calling the authoritiesfor advise- better safe than sorry! (My husband has had to go through the series of rabies shots a number of times - so I'm a little paranoid about rabies).

There are numerous diseases spread by rats - I'd certainly pressure the landlord to get this problem solved immediately.


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## undergunfire (Apr 29, 2010)

*pamnock wrote: *


> It is rare, but rats can also be infected with rabies.


A rat is more likely to die from the bite due to stress from a rabid animal, so it is extremely rare...

http://www.ratbehavior.org/WildRatDisease.htm#Rabies


I doubt your baby is at risk for any diseases (wild rats carry parasites, myco, and most "rat bite diseases" are extremely rare), but I'd disinfect the area really well. People/animals can be allergic to a rat bite (due to saliva), so that is a concern.

I'd say you are lucky your baby bun is alive, as rat could have easily killed the baby upon attack.


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## Pipp (Apr 29, 2010)

LOL! I was going to post THIS link: 

http://www.ratbehavior.org/WildRatDisease.htm

I'm under the impression that any carnivore is going to have a particularly nasty mouth, but I'm mostly thinking about the cat bite being such an issue for rabbits. I'm not a bacteria expert, but the bacteria the rats carry look pretty nasty to me! 

Good discussion. Hope the baby is okay. 


sas :clover:


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## undergunfire (Apr 29, 2010)

Any bite is cause for alarm, in my opinion. I was just posting "backing up" the rat a bit because rats aren't as nasty as people think they are :whistling.


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