Rats!!/Mice!!

[sheridan]

Any help would be great.

For months, I have noticed what I thought were mice/rat droppings intheir hutch(which is outside) but convinced myself I must have beenimagining it. The droppings tend to be more in the food bowls.

Today while I was watching them from the window, I finally saw a mouserun in the hutch towards the food but couldnt see anything else. Itwould run back out and then back in!!!

I got the feeling the bunnies may have been a bit scared as they were playing outside(but I could be reading too much into it)

So my fear is that the mice/rats are eating the bunnies food and then may eventually start breeding etc.

Anyone else experienced the same problem? or is it just me?

 

[Gussy]

Many, many years ago I lived in the Far East andmy dad raised rabbits. One of the helpers forgot to securecage properly at night. The rats got in and killed quite afew of the bunnies. Of course, these are large rats.

 

[Haley]

Can you use something like chicken wire to coverthe wire on the hutch? Also, make sure there arent any holes in thewood or anything.

A while back, another member experienced the same problems. I cantremember who, maybe someone else will remember or have some otheradvice.

 

[undergunfire]

Just don't set kill traps for the rats/mice. They are just hungry, it's not their fault.

Domesticated rats can kill a rabbit if they wanted to. They can also seriously injure a rabbit, or vise versa.

I highly doubt wild rats will pose much of a threat....they are just looking for some yummies!

Mice can get in through the tiniest cage wire. They can fit in spaces as small as their "muzzle".

Wild ratties tend to be bigger, so something like chicken wire or awire with less than 1/2" would most likely keep the adults out.


I think the only thing I would worry about was my bunnies accidently eating some mouse or rat droppings.



- Amy:brownbunny

 

[Runestonez]

Same story as Gussy but with a twist...my Dadused to have a pair of breeding rabbits when he was younger.One night some mice raided the cage after the bunnies food.In the morning my father thought somethig had gotten into the bunniescage and killed them it was a massacre. The bunnies wereperfectly fine but the male had terminated the mice with extremepredjudice. I don't know if I would be too worried about themeating the food/breeding, I would be more concerned personally aboutwhat they might be carrying. Can you put hardware cloth up todicourage them? So they can't get in?

 

[Bangbang]

Yes both, the mice we launched an attack on, asdid bang bang, she killed 2 (yes my rabbit does actually kill :?) therest were caught in a non-violent trap and released in a vegetatedarea, as for the rats, they first were getting inside the cage thenbangbang launched an attack and know they only eat what falls out ofthe cage. Rats however are so smart getting rid of them is reallydifficult!!!! I have no answer for them we're still trying.

 

[undergunfire]

I think the only way to stop them would findwire small enough to put around the cage, so they can't get in. Wirethat is like 1cm x 1cm, but strong enough that it can't be chewedthrough.

Then if you want them to stop hanging around the bun, get a tray sothat food falls in the tray instead of down onto the ground, eventuallythey will leave the bun alone, since they won't see it as a food source.


The only other way that I can think of that will get rid of them wouldbe poison, and that is very inhumane. Lots of time live traps don'teven work for rats, they are EXTREMELY smart creature.

So, I would try customising the cage to make it mouse/rat proof before doing anything else.



- Amy:brownbunny

 

[pamnock]

I highly recommend trapping or poisoningthem. They can transmit diseases to both animalsandhumans. I can guarantee that if you've see acouple, there are probably a hundred more that you haven't seen.

Diseases are also transmitted through their droppings, so it is very important to take care of the issue ASAP.

Pam



I should also mention that rats will chew rabbit's toes off :X

 

[lovethetailyall]

But there just wild animals...people have movedonto there habitat so they make the best of it.Make a humane trap! buti can almost garentee you they will come back...the mouse could begetting feed for young....Find a way to keep them out...or perhaps..goto the spot that the mice get in throgh the shed and possibly poor somefood out there..so they wil go there for food!I dont know just donthurt the poor things i have rats as pets and all animasl havefeelings!

 

[Gussy]

I think the easiest way is to change the screen to something with really small holes.

There is another trick that might work, but you have to wrap the legsof the hutch with ziplog first. If you get 4 wide waterfilled bowls and set the legs inside the water filled bowls the micewon't be able to go into the cage.

Or you can make 4 tin can like cylinder about 6" high using rolledcopper or some other shinny metal (I saw those on Home Depotyesterday). Roll those around the legs of the hatch and aslong as the back wall of the hutch is some distance from another wall,the mice won't be able to climb up.

 

[Starina]

I live in the woods so every winter we have toset out traps and catch mice. We got a late start this year. I noticedstuff moved on our kitchen couner. Then out of the corner of my eye Isaw something move by the sink. There was a mouse running around on ourcounter! My BF set a trap and we caught 6. 6! The trap has sat thereuntouched for about a month. Then a couple days ago, I was sitting inmy room and a mouse, very young ran towards me. I yelled and my BF juststared at me, like so kind of idiot. My rabbit was thumping earlier andI think she saw it first. When the mouse finally made an apperancethough, she was fast asleep, twitching and making Elvis faces.:rollseyesMy BF joked about the "attack rabbit" and nowwhenever she is full on dreaming, I look at my BF and say, "Oh, theremust be a mouse in the room." He has reset the trap on the floor thistime, since the new mice don't seem to hang out on the floor. I can'trisk the mice getting me, or my bunny sick. I have "cleaned out" thetrap once, and I really did feel bad about it, but I am not going tolive with mice stealing my oreos, and cheese weenies. (YES, they did!)


Whatever you decide, make sure to do it soon, and check your bunnieshay and bedding, make sure the mice haven't taken it over and had anybabies in it!


~Star~

 

[pamnock]

lovethetailyall wrote:

But there just wild animals...people have moved onto therehabitat so they make the best of it.Make a humane trap! but i canalmost garentee you they will come back...the mouse could be gettingfeed for young....Find a way to keep them out...or perhaps..go to thespot that the mice get in throgh the shed and possibly poor some foodout there..so they wil go there for food!I dont know just dont hurt thepoor things i have rats as pets and all animasl have feelings!

Part of the consequence of people moving into the animal's habitat isthat humans have disrupted the natural balance of animalpopulationsby eliminating many of the predators ofmice/rats. This forces us to compensate by artificialpopulation control.



Pam

 

[sheridan]

Starina, I got the creeps just reading your reply!!

I am going to put some mesh around the hutch tomorrow and hope thatstops them. The front of the run is always open but I am hoping therats wount be brave enough to go through the front.

Sorry to all you guys that didnt want this, but I think my dad hasdecided that he is going to put out some traps ( away from where therabbits can get to but where the rats do). Once he has mad up his mind,there really is no changing it!.

I didnt see anything today but who knows if there was anything

Pamnock, I got tears in my eyes reading about the toes!!

 

[undergunfire]

Well, I hope you can find a better solution and don't have to kill the poor ratties.



- Amy

 

[Gussy]

undergunfire wrote:

Well, I hope you can find a better solution and don't haveto kill the poor ratties.



- Amy

You know they actually serve those in China!

Oh, I would never eat them though!

 

[undergunfire]

I don't want to start a fight, but I can'tbelieve you posted that. That was EXTREMELY uncalled for and disturbingfor the people who LOVE rats. It put me in tears at the site of that.

Please edit your link out.



- Amy

 

[lovethetailyall]

I have rats myself..i remeber at a cottagehearing a"SNAP" and SQUEKK!!! It killed me! I Used to have 6 girls buti only have 3 now.....there sweethearts!Ohh Plase dont post that iagree with "undergunfire" i dont want to look at that..i will feel sosick.....:shock:

:sad:

undergunfire wrote:

I don't want to start a fight, but I can't believe you postedthat. That was EXTREMELY uncalled for and disturbing for the people whoLOVE rats. It put me in tears at the site of that.

Please edit your link out.



- Amy

 

[undergunfire]

I was the unlucky one who had to see the link that had hairless dead rats in a bowl. VERY disturbing and uncalled for.

Thank you for editing out the link.


- Amy

 

[lovethetailyall]

I never klicked on the link..i ahve a hairless ratty..her name is Spirit..she is the biggest baby in the hole world!

 

[undergunfire]

Awww! I just love ratties. They just aren't the pet for me. I am too weak to deal with their short lifespan.

My babies were cute though. I do miss them very much. They are livingwith my bunnies former foster mommy! They now have four neutered boysand three other girls in a huge cage to share!


- Amy