Rabbits do not eat field mice. No rabbit (whether tame or wild) would be interested in eating field mice. This is because rabbits are herbivores, which means they only eat plant-based foods.
However, you should still be careful of the two animals mingling – as mice can carry and pass on diseases and parasites to your rabbit.
And while rabbits wouldn’t hunt a mouse for food, they may act aggressively if a mouse is in their territory. They may also try and eat a mouse if one was offered to them. However, a rabbit’s digestive system wouldn’t be able to properly digest a mouse and would cause a bunch of issues for your rabbit if they tried.
Although rabbits don’t eat mice, they can attract them. Check out the tips below to see what you can do to keep the mice away.
Tips to Keep Field Mice Out of Your Rabbit’s Hutch
If you’re having a mouse problem, there are a few things you can do to prevent rodents from having easy access to your rabbit’s home.
- Make sure the wire on your rabbit’s hutch is close together. It needs to be small enough to prevent a little mouse from squeezing through.
- Clean the hutch regularly. Daily cleans of your rabbit’s home means it’ll smell less and not such an obvious invitation to any rodents.
- Don’t leave food sitting out all day in your rabbit’s hutch. Throw it away if your rabbit hasn’t eaten it after a couple of hours.
- Store food in a rodent-proof container.
What Should a Rabbit Eat?
Now you know that field mice are off the menu, you may be wondering what your rabbit should be eating.
The most important part of their diet is an unlimited supply of hay. They also need twice daily feedings of leafy vegetables, a handful of pellets, and fresh water. An occasional treat would be in addition to this.
Related Questions
Can a Rabbit and a Mouse Live Together?
A well-socialized and tame rabbit may be able to peacefully coexist with a tame pet mouse, but they are not ideal companions for each other.
Rabbits and mice both need the company of their own kind. They might be able to share a common area, but this would also depend on the personalities of the individual animals.
They also have very different dietary needs, so keeping rabbits and mice together may result in them eating each other’s foods or droppings which aren’t designed for any species other than their own. This could lead to an array of avoidable medical issues and vet bills.
Would a Wild Rabbit Eat Field Mice?
No, a wild rabbit wouldn’t be interested in eating field mice. Wild rabbits are herbivores the same as your pet rabbit. Instead of fiber-rich hay, a wild rabbit’s main source of food is grass and whatever natural growing vegetables they can scavenge.
Do Rabbits Eat Rats?
No, rabbits don’t eat rats. As rabbits are herbivores (basically vegetarians) they would have no interest in eating a rat. You may find rats and mice hanging around your rabbit’s hutch though – as they can smell food, urine, and poop from miles away.