Rat poison is the most common thing to be found in any household. Rodents are unclean and spread plenty of germs in a space, so it is best to keep some rat poison handy.
However, if you have pets, that is a whole different story. Rat poison will affect any living thing that eats it. It does not matter if it is a human, dog, cat, mouse, or rabbit. Rabbits do have an innate reaction toward certain foods like honey. They avoid them on their own. So, will rabbits eat rat poison?
Yes, rabbits will eat rat poison. The chemicals used in rat poison or rat bait do not only attract rats and mice. They also ignite a rabbit’s curiosity. If you have a pet rabbit, you should try nonpoisonous methods of removing rodents from your house.
Rabbits are curious animals. When you adopt a bunny, you will notice your rabbit going into every nook and cranny to explore. The more you stop your bunny from going somewhere, the more curious it will get about that space.
Your rabbit might behave obediently on your face, but as soon as your leave, it will devour the forbidden fruit. Keep reading more about how rat poison affects your poor bunny.
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How Does Rat Poison Effect A Rabbit’s Health?
Rat poisons are a bit complicated to understand. There are two types of rat poisons with different killing capabilities.
Anticoagulant
This type of poison prevents blood from clotting. Every living thing requires particular blood consistency to heal wounds and bruises and prevent blood loss. Anticoagulant rat poison works oppositely to hemorrhage the rat to death.
If your rabbit eats anticoagulant rat poison, it will not die instantly. However, the poison will start affecting your precious pet adversely. Once your rabbit has eaten this rat poison, it will surely hemorrhage, leading to death. Rat poisons in this category are bromadiolone, chlorophacinone, brodifacoum, difethialone, and warfarin. Watch out for these poisons if you have a pet rabbit, and keep it away from your cute furry friend.
Non-Anticoagulant
This type of poison does not interact with your rabbit’s blood. It attacks significant organs and systems of your precious pet. If your furry friend eats non-anticoagulant rat poison, it will severely affect your rabbit’s nervous system.
Furthermore, it will build calcium in your rabbit’s body, affecting your pet’s heart, kidneys, liver, and brain.
Non-anticoagulant is more of a silent killer than its counterpart. With an anticoagulant rat poison, you can see the blood coming from your rabbit’s nose or ears.
However, with non-anticoagulant rat poison, you will not realize your rabbit has eaten poison until it is too late. A few examples of non-anticoagulant rat poison are zinc phosphide, cholecalciferol, strychnine, and bromethalin.
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How Will Your Rabbit Exhibit Rat Poisoning Symptoms?
Watching your rabbit’s every move is impossible. Bunnies are hyperactive creatures. They love to run, hop and zoom around a place. During all this playtime, bunnies love to munch anything they can get their hands on.
If you have rat poison at home, there is always a chance your bunny can access it. Bunnies do not show signs of poisoning right away. You will have to keep a keen eye on your pet to observe a change in their behavior and health. Here are a few symptoms your precious furry pet rabbit will exhibit if it has ingested any rat poison or bait:
Hematuria
Hematuria is a term used for when there is blood present in your poor rabbit’s urine. You can observe this on the hay in your rabbit’s cage, groin area, or litter box if you have any.
Unless your precious furry friend has eaten beets or beet greens, there is no reason your rabbit’s pee should have a red color. Contact your vet immediately.
Dyspnea
Rabbits are fast breathers as they hop around all the time. Something is wrong if you observe your rabbit wheezing or struggling to inhale. Check for signs of any pain experienced by your rabbit while breathing or if it is lethargic. Dyspnea is a symptom of rat poisoning, do not ignore your rabbit’s wheezing.
Irregular heart or lungs sounds
It would be best if you went personal with your precious pet rabbit for this symptom. Bunnies are sensitive and anxious creatures.
Lift your rabbit gently and place your ear near its heart and lungs. Listen closely for any irregularities or muffled heartbeat. Contact your rabbit’s vet if you notice any missed heartbeats or stifled breathing.
Lethargy
Ingesting rat poison will induce sluggish behavior in your precious pet rabbit. If you notice that your bunny is low and is not playing too much, chances are high that it has eaten rat poison.
Depression
Your bunny will not engage in its favorite activities and might not come out of its cage if it has eaten rat poison. If you observe this change in your bunny’s behavior, snuggle with it and call your vet.
Swollen Joints
Rabbits have a thick fur coating that hides all their joints and muscles. To check if rat poison has affected your precious furry baby’s joints, lift it gently and examine for puffiness around the bones.
Pale Mucous
Your bunny has a natural mucous membrane in every open orifice, like the nose, ears, etc. It keeps your rabbit’s body hydrated and retains moisture.
If you notice that the color has changed to a hue of white, your rabbit has ingested rat poison. This mucus should be a light pink color. Call your vet instantly.
Other Symptoms
There are plenty of other signs your rabbit may exhibit as evidence of rat poisoning. Other symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, high or low temperature, hunched posture, lack of appetite, avoidance of water, weakness, mouth irritation, epileptic seizures, and pain.
What Should You Do If Your Rabbit Ingests Rat Poison?
When you realize your voiceless little furry baby has eaten poison, unimaginable pain and stress will engulf you. However, this is when your pet would need you to keep your calm so you can take care of it.
Take a deep breath. Focus on your pet and give all the love you have. Rabbits get anxious and stressed when they go through any physical disease or pain. You need to step up and calm your bunny as a pet owner.
You should stroke your rabbit’s head and pet its fur. Show it that you are there for your furry friend. While you do that, contact the vet and book the earliest appointment.
Once you are at the vet, let the professionals do their job. Tell your vet what type of poison your rabbit might have eaten, so they know what to do. Your pet will be in good hands.
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What Can You Expect Your Vet to Do When Your Rabbit Eats Rat Poison?
Your vet will do a bunch of extensive tests to determine the course of treatment for your rabbit. Some of these procedures are invasive, and others are not. Pets are like kids to the ones raising them. When your vet is exploring your rabbit, it might seem that your rabbit is hurting. Your instinct will be to go for its aid. Do not do that. Remain out of your vet’s way so they can save your rabbit’s life.
Here are some tests your vet will run on your bunny:
- Blood sample
- Liver sample
- Bleeding time to check to clot
- Urine analysis
- X-ray
The procedures mentioned above are essential to determine what type of poison and how much is in your rabbit’s body. After the tests, your vet will begin treatment, and your pet will be better in no time.
Final Word
Taking care of a pet rabbit is challenging as they are fast and have sensitive bodies. Before you get a bunny as your housemate, research everything good and bad about rabbits.
Learn what benefits a bunny’s health and what can cause irreversible damage to your precious furry friend. Once you know everything about raising a rabbit, you are ready!
Bunny-proof your house and eliminate rat poisons or baits to ensure your furry baby’s safety. Bunny rabbits require loads of love, attention, and playtime. As long as you give your rabbit your time, it will give you your heart. Easy, right?
