Can Rabbits Get Ticks? (Do Bunnies Carry Ticks)

Rabbits are wonderful and playful animals that make great pets. But have you wondered, can rabbits get ticks?

Ticks can be a menace to pets and even other animals. You have probably wondered whether your pet rabbit could be having ticks, and how you can prevent or even treat the ticks.

In this article, we get to talk about whether rabbits get ticks, and how to prevent and treat them in case they get ticks.

Continue reading to:

• Know if rabbits get ticks
• Know how to treat ticks on rabbits
• And much more…

Can Rabbits Get Ticks

Rabbits just like any other animal can get ticks. Ticks can be found on both indoor and wild rabbits. Rabbits can get ticks all over their body but they will mainly be found on their face and around their face. Ticks tend to hide in areas such as your bunny’s ears and groin area; be sure to check such areas when grooming them.

The ticks can also be found in places like their groin and armpits. If you do not groom your rabbit regularly the ticks will probably stay on it longer.

And the longer ticks suck and feed on the rabbit’s blood, the more the health of your pet is in danger. Ticks can carry and transmit life-threatening diseases to rabbits.

If the rabbit is really playful then ticks are likely to fall off.

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How Do Rabbits Get Ticks?

Pet rabbits can get ticks from other pets like dogs and cats. If you let your rabbit play out in the yard where there is lots of grass they may attract ticks.

If the environment indoors is humid, ticks can thrive here and attack your rabbits.

Rabbits will also get ticks if they are not regularly groomed and the spaces they live in are not properly and regularly cleaned.

To ensure your rabbits are free from ticks you need to groom and check their bodies for ticks regularly.

Do Rabbits Carry Ticks?

Now that we are aware that rabbits can get ticks as well as how exactly they get ticks. It’s also important to get an understanding of if rabbits can carry ticks.

Rabbits that are exposed to ticks will carry ticks and pass them on to other pets in your households if not taken care of. Grooming them on a daily basis with a flea comb will help with the situation.

Outdoor rabbits are more prone to carrying ticks as they are exposed way more to the outside compared to indoor/pet rabbits.

Pet rabbits that are domesticated with other pets such as cats and dogs are also more likely to carry ticks. They may get the ticks from other pets and sometimes this could make it really hard to manage the infestation especially if the main source of the ticks hasn’t been identified.

How Do You Know If Your Rabbit Has Ticks?

Ticks are easy to spot because the more blood they feed on the bigger they become. They can be seen or felt on the fur of your rabbit.

Ticks in bunnies will be found when you are grooming or cleaning your pet. You will be able to see and fill ticks in their body especially behind their ears, under their armpits, and around their groin.

They can get ticks in other parts of their bodies but they are able to pull them out with their teeth. You should also ensure you check your bunny for ticks every day.

If you take your rabbits out regularly it is most likely going to pick up ticks from the grass or the environment outside.

To check for ticks put the rabbit on a flat surface, carefully and thoroughly check the back and then turn it and check on the stomach.

You can also use a flea comb to gently comb and get under the fur, if you see black spots or bumps your bunny probably has ticks.

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Are Ticks Harmful To Rabbits?

Yes, ticks if left out for too long are very harmful. Some tick infections may cause paralysis and even make the bunny weak.

Severely affected bunnies that are highly infested by different types of ticks may lose a lot of blood which may bring about anemia.

Some ticks may carry diseases that may be deadly to rabbits. You wouldn’t want anything happening to your bun friend.

It’s therefore important to know how exactly to treat and prevent ticks from getting to your bunny.

How To Treat Ticks In Rabbits

If you notice that your bun friend has ticks, you can choose to carefully pull out the ticks by their head from the bunny. If pulled wrongly and the ticks head remains on the rabbit it can cause infections.

So if unsure that you can pull out the ticks correctly, take your pet to see a veterinarian. At the veterinary, they will remove the ticks and give you aftercare products.

To remove the ticks you can use tweezers to pull them out, have a bottle of alcohol ready to kill the ticks and then carefully clean the area you removed the tick from with disinfectant.

After removing and cleaning lookout for swelling. If the swelling lasts for a while take your rabbit to the veterinary.

Avoid using tick treatment products prescribed for other pets to treat your rabbit. These products can be dangerous to the rabbit.

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Tick Prevention For Rabbits

To protect your rabbits from ticks, talk to your veterinarian to prescribe products that can be in form of sprays. These sprays can help reduce ticks in highly affected areas.

Groom and clean your pet regularly, this way you are able to remove ticks as soon as any are found. And also this reduces the chance of the ticks laying eggs and increasing in numbers.

Remember never bathe your rabbit as this could lead to some serious complications such as hypothermia, pneumonia

Regularly clean the space left for the rabbit. This ensures that no ticks are lying around laying eggs and multiplying.

If you take your bunny to play out in the yard regularly ensure that the grass is regularly mowed and the environment out there is generally clean. This will ensure that even animals from outside can’t leave ticks on your yard.

If you are a multi-pet homestead, you might need to identify the main source of the tick infestations and eliminate it. Otherwise, your efforts to try and prevent your bunny from getting ticks may never bear fruits.

Avoid using flea collars as they are dangerous and toxic for rabbits and can lead to death.

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Conclusion

Rabbits can definitely get ticks. It’s important to ensure that they are groomed regularly using a flea comb. Cleaning their hutch regularly will also help in ensuring any tick infestation doesn’t affect your bun friend in the future.

Treating ticks can be quite a journey, especially if you can’t completely control the most affected areas. You, therefore, need to maintain high standards of cleanness to be able to prevent any further tick infestation.