As pet owners, we want to protect our rabbits from vermin such as bugs and other insects. These are harder to get rid of since they’re usually small in size and their population is massive.
Owners are curious to know if their rabbit attracts certain types of insects. By obtaining knowledge about this, they will know what kind of solutions they would do to prevent the insects from causing potential harm to their pets.
1. Flies
Do Rabbits Attract Flies?
Rabbits that have trouble in terms of their mobility are prone to attracting flies because they cannot clean themselves.
We’re also aware of the fact that flies love to flock on feces, so if that’s the case, when rabbits have sticky feces that stick to their fur, they would be prone to attracting an awful lot of flies.
Here are other reasons why rabbits attract flies:
- When rabbits have damp fur, that increases their chances of attracting flies.
- If rabbits have wounds these would also attract flies.
Do Rabbits Attract Fruit Flies?
Yes, rabbits do attract fruit flies.
There are several stories coming from owners where they claim that fruit flies flock inside rabbit cages because they’re attracted to the pee and feces of the rabbits.
Are Fruit Flies Harmful To Rabbits?
Luckily, fruit flies aren’t harmful to rabbits at all.
Can Fruit Flies Cause Flystrike Rabbits?
Yes, fruit flies can cause flystrike.
Owners must take note that a rabbit will only get a flystrike if its bottoms are filthy.
Do Flies Come From Rabbit Poop?
No, flies don’t directly come from rabbit poop. Instead, flies lay their eggs on a rabbit’s behind.
Are Flies Bad For Rabbits?
Yes, flies are bad for rabbits.
Since flies can cause flystrike, and this is known to be a fatal condition for rabbits, this makes flies bad for rabbits.
The worst-case scenario would be death since rabbits are known for succumbing to shock due to flystrike.
Can Flies Kill Rabbits?
Yes, the illness (flystrike) that flies cause can kill rabbits.
How Do I Keep Fruit Flies Out Of My Rabbit Cage?
To keep fruit flies out of your rabbit’s cage, make sure that the interior is clean at all times.
You can keep an eye out on the following items below to ensure that your rabbit’s cage is clean at all times:
- The litter must always be cleaned.
- You can purchase a sticky flytrap and place a bit of food in there so that flies would flock over it. Take note that the flytrap must be non-toxic.
- Remove any traces of food inside the cage.
- Clean the cage using a disinfectant and make sure to dispose of the rabbit’s feces in a bin far away from the cage.
2. Cockroaches
Do Rabbits Attract Cockroaches?
No, rabbits don’t attract cockroaches. However, rabbit feces do attract roaches.
Can A Cockroach Hurt My Rabbit?
No, cockroaches can’t hurt rabbits.
Usually, roaches don’t pose a threat to animals like rabbits and hamsters.
Are Rabbits Afraid Of Roaches?
No, rabbits aren’t afraid of roaches.
Rabbits won’t run away when they spot a roach in their midst and would probably just ignore them anyway.
How Do I Keep Roaches Away From My Rabbit?
The same method used in keeping flies away will be applied to roaches as well. Always keep the rabbit cage clean to avoid roaches from going into your rabbit’s enclosure.
3. Bugs
Do Rabbits Attract Bugs?
Yes, rabbits can attract bugs.
Rabbits attract bugs for numerous reasons, one reason could be the type of hay that’s being used inside a rabbit’s cage.
Certain hays are home to bugs, sometimes even spiders.
Do Indoor Rabbits Attract Bugs?
Yes, indoor rabbits do attract bugs.
Since indoor rabbits make use of hay, these can attract various types of bugs and even spiders. Also, there are several bugs that are attracted to the feces and pee of rabbits.
Does Rabbit Poop Attract Bugs?
Yes, rabbit poop attracts bugs.
An example of bugs that are attracted to poop would be ticks and fleas. These bugs lay their eggs on poop and spread like wildfire.
For some reason, bugs are just attracted to moist organic matter.
Are Rabbits Scared Of Bugs?
No, rabbits aren’t afraid of bugs.
Most often than not, rabbits wouldn’t even pay any mind to bugs, unless of course, it causes them discomfort.
How Do I Keep Bugs Out Of My Rabbit Cage?
You can keep bugs out of your rabbit’s cage if you frequently clean the cage itself and ensure that it’s free from things that would potentially attract bugs.
4. Spiders
Do Rabbits Attract Spiders?
Rabbits don’t necessarily attract rabbits directly, it’s more like the environment of the rabbit is what causes spiders to come to them.
As previously mentioned, we said that there are certain types of hay wherein spiders are attracted to and will most likely use as their home.
Spiders like bug-infested and moist hay.
Are Spiders Harmful To Rabbits?
No, spiders aren’t harmful to rabbits.
If spiders were to be seen inside a rabbit’s cage, then neither the rabbit nor the spider will pay mind to each other.
Rabbits don’t eat spiders intentionally and spiders don’t bite rabbits randomly (unless they feel threatened). So there’s no need to worry about seeing spiders within the same living space as your rabbit.
Are Rabbits Scared Of Spiders?
No, rabbits aren’t scared of spiders.
Rabbits show no sign of fear when faced with spiders and the same goes for other insects and bugs.
Can A Spider Kill A Bunny?
Yes, a bunny can be killed by a spider, specifically, from a poisonous spider bite.
Although poisonous spiders aren’t common in places such as the United States, there’s a small percent of them that roam around places.
Nevertheless, owners must be cautious about this and keep their rabbits safe by frequently checking their cages for spiders and cleaning the entire cage itself.
Can A Hobo Spider Kill A Rabbit?
No, a hobo spider can’t kill a rabbit.
Studies have shown that a hobo spider’s venom is not deadly to both humans and animals. This has been proven through tests such as injecting the venom of a hobo spider to animals and not showing any negative reactions.
Can A Wolf Spider Kill A Rabbit?
No, wolf spiders can’t kill rabbits.
Although, a wolf spider’s bite can make animals feel uncomfortable. So naturally, if rabbits are bitten by a wolf spider, they will show signs of limping and they will also lick the area where the spider has bitten into.
5. Ants
Does Rabbit Poop Attract Ants?
Yes, rabbit poop attracts ants.
Cecotropes (also known as rabbit poop) are packed with nutrients and we’re fully aware that ants are fond of substances that are high in protein.
This is exactly why rabbit poop attracts ants.
Are Ants Harmful To Rabbits?
Red ants are known to be the type of ants that are harmful to rabbits. Black ants on the other hand are not harmful to rabbits at all.
How Do I Protect My Rabbits From Ants?
You can protect your rabbits from ants by always cleaning their cages. Start by disposing of the rabbit’s feces as soon as possible so that ants won’t flock to it.
Do Fire Ants Kill Rabbits?
Yes, fire ants can kill both rabbits and bunnies.
If fire ants managed to build their colony inside the enclosure of your rabbits, they may very well be exposed to possible death by being bitten by a bunch of fire ants.
6. Gnats
Do Rabbits Attract Gnats?
No, rabbits don’t attract gnats in a general sense.
Gnats are attracted to multiple things and one of them is moist substances. Gnats would probably be more attracted to rabbit feces rather than the rabbits themselves.
Are Gnats Harmful To Rabbits?
No, gnats aren’t harmful to rabbits.
However, gnats can be pretty annoying to owners since they will flock over to the rabbit’s litter box and stay there.
7. Fleas
Do Rabbits Attract Fleas?
Yes, rabbits attract fleas.
Like any other household pets, rabbits get fleas from the outdoors. Rabbits can also get fleas from other pets such as cats and dogs.
Even if owners let their rabbits stay indoors, fleas can still find a way to enter a house. They can do so by jumping through open windows.
Fleas can jump really high so they’re very much capable of entering any open window in a home, be it high or not.
How Can I Keep Fleas Off My Rabbit?
Keeping fleas off of rabbits requires specific medications to remove them completely.
Despite being a tedious process, fleas can be removed from a rabbit’s skin.
Be wary of unsafe products though because there are some medications that would actually cause more harm than good (Frontline and Sentinel).
The easiest treatment owners can do for their flea-infested rabbits would be using a comb and combing through the fur thoroughly.
In order to kill the fleas, the comb must be submerged in soapy water or alcohol. Make sure that you rinse the comb properly before using it again on your rabbit.
Resources:
https://www.vet4life.co.uk/flystrike/
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/taking-care-of-your-pet/looking-after-your-pet/rabbits/flystrike
https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/infectious-parasitic/how-get-rid-fleas-rabbits
