Many health concerns and worries follow when you raise a pet in your home. Common pet animals like dogs, cats, and rabbits have fur that can contain various infections and bacteria. Humans are prone to these diseases because we snuggle and care for our pets.
Rabbits are the cleanest pets possible. They are strict about their hygiene and eat a clean vegetarian diet, reducing their chance of carrying diseases that can harm their pet owners.
However, it does not mean a rabbit cannot transfer any disease to its owner. Human error is always possible, like touching your mouth after cleaning your rabbit’s backside after a poop. So, is rabbit poop harmful to humans?
Rabbit’s poop is clean of harmful bacteria that can make humans sick. However, it is still fecal, and you should ensure your hygiene after touching it.
Rabbits are self-cleaners and can spread bacteria all over their bodies. When humans pet their precious furry friends, they can get these bacteria on their hands and mouths. It can make people sick and cause infections. Keep reading more to know about bacteria and your rabbit’s poop.
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How Much A Rabbit Poops In A Day?
Rabbits are grazing animals and love to eat at all times. As a bunny’s food intake is high, its defecation speed is also more than other house pets. A rabbit approximately defecates 100 fecal pellets in a day.
If your rabbit is pooping less, it can be due to a change in its eating habits. Every rabbit is different and has a different bodily clock and functioning. However, if you notice your rabbit defecating significantly less, consult your vet to be on the safe side.
On the other hand, defecating too much can also be a problem. It could signify diarrhea or unsettling food in your rabbit’s stomach. You should contact your vet to clarify doubts when your rabbit deviates too much from the 100 pellets daily routine.
Facts of Healthy Fecal Pellets of A Bunny
Knowing your rabbit’s poop is essential as it is the first thing that shows if your bunny is healthy or unhealthy. A rabbit’s digestive system is sensitive, and it is the first one to take a hit when your rabbit eats something toxic or becomes sick.
Rabbit poop might look the same to you, but it is not. Each rabbit will have a different type depending on the food it eats.
However, there are specific characteristics that all healthy bunny poop will exhibit. You should keep an eye on these facts to ensure that your bunny is healthy, happy, and content. Here are a few facts about the healthy fecal matter of a rabbit:
- A healthy bunny will defecate the same shape poop every time. You must also keep an eye on your rabbit’s poo color, size, and consistency. Each rabbit can have different poops, but each should always have consistency in the features mentioned above of fecal matter.
- Cecotropes and fecal pellets are different in texture. A rabbit’s cecotropes are softer pellets that contain essential nutrients for your rabbit to eat. The usual fecal pellets will be a bit sturdier than the cecotropes.
- Rabbits love to hide their illness as a way of protecting themselves. Bunnies are prey animals, and showing weakness can be fatal for poor animals. If you think your rabbit might be sick, the best way to confirm it is to check your rabbit’s fecal matter for any change in texture or color.
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What Diseases Can A Rabbit’s Poop Transfer?
Rabbit poop does not contain bacteria that can cause illnesses in humans. However, if mishandled, touching bunny poop can cause infections to people.
A rabbit’s fecal matter is the cleanest poop of all animals. Nonetheless, it is still feces that needs proper handling and disposal. If you do not take care of your hygiene and dispose of the rabbit poop properly, you can have one of the following:
Intestinal Infection
A bunny’s fecal matter does not induce infection in a human by touch. However, if you do not take care of your hygiene, you can get an intestinal infection from a rabbit’s poop.
A rabbit’s poop can carry Salmonella sp., Escherichia coli, and Clostridium difficile. These bacteria are often present in a sick bunny’s fecal pellets. However, healthy rabbits can also carry these in their droppings. Humans can catch these bacteria if they do not keep their hands clean.
Rabbits clean themselves after they defecate. They use the same tongue to clean their bodies. If you pet your rabbit, you touch the saliva that can carry the dropping bacteria.
People sometimes need to take care of their cleanliness and touch their mouths while petting their rabbits. The bacteria can enter your body through the mouth and give you an intestinal infection.
Encephalitozoonosis
It is a parasite present in a bunny’s urine. If your precious furry friend uses the same litter for pooping and peeing, chances are its excreted matter will mix from time to time.
The urine can transfer the parasite to the fecal matter. If you do not use gloves or wash your hands after scooping your bunny’s litter, you will be at risk of catching an infection from the Encephalitozoosis parasite.
Rabies
Rabies is one of the scariest viruses out there. Rabbits can have rabies, but it will not spread to humans if you take precautions seriously. Rabbits carry the virus in their spit. If you get in touch with a rabbit’s saliva and touch your eye, mouth, or an open wound, you will get rabies.
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Safety Measures To Avoid Getting Sick While Handling Rabbit Poo
A healthy rabbit’s poop will not have harmful bacteria that can cause its pet owner to get sick. However, it is best to take precautions when handling your precious furry friend’s poop to avoid unnecessary doctor visits and stress.
Here are a few tips and tricks to adopt while handling your pet rabbit’s poop:
Wear Gloves
Paper cuts and other tiny cuts are not visible to the naked eye. However, it will be easier for bacteria to get into your bloodstream. Wear solid gloves to avoid getting the infection through cuts.
Use a Plastic Bag
Refrain from carrying the rabbit dropping in an open container. It is best to put the fecal matter in a plastic bag and seal it. It will ensure no bacteria seeps into the air or on your hand and other animals.
Dispose of it Properly
Once you bag the rabbit dropping, your job remains undone. Throwing it away is the key to removing the chance of getting sick from bacteria in your pet’s poop.
While composting your rabbit’s fecal matter, ensure that you use a closed bin to avoid fumes from coming out. Plus, it will also keep other animals away from the potentially bacterial poop of your bunny.
Wash Thoroughly
After you handle the rabbit dropping, wash your hands and gloves thoroughly. It is best to use disposable gloves that you can throw out later, but if you have reusable rubber gloves, wash them with 50% bleach. It will ensure getting rid of all the bacteria on the gloves.
Hang your gloves somewhere away from the dirt and gems to dry. Washing your hand is the next step. Use 25% bleach solution diluted in water to wash your hands. You can use a sanitizing soap to do this as well. Ensure that your hands are clean of the surgery grade. Dry your wet hands with a towel you use for this purpose.
These cleaning methods protect you from catching bacteria in your rabbit’s poop.
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Final Word
All fecal matter has some possibility of making humans sick. However, it is when there is a barrier breach via second-hand contact through the mouth, ears, or an open wound. People get sick from rabbits dropping the same way they get pink eye. If you are careful while handling your rabbit’s poop, you will have to worry about nothing.
Healthy rabbits do not have bacteria that can make their pet owners sick. Provide your bunny rabbit with an optimal environment and food to avoid getting your precious furry friend sick. Give it much love, care, and attention to ensure its emotional health. A healthy bunny will lead to a healthy pet owner!
