Expecting A Baby (But Can I Still Keep A Rabbit?)

We get it; you’ve just found out that you’re about to be new parents and the excitement is overwhelming. This is a pivotal moment in every adult’s life. However, now that there will be a baby in the home, does this mean that your beloved bunny needs to move out?

It ignites images of Lady and the Tramp where the poor dog is shunned by the Aunt at the arrival of the bundle of joy. But pets and kids can live together, right?

Rabbits can be around babies provided the rabbit is healthy, free from parasites, and has a good temperament, however, as with any pet, interactions between babies and rabbits should be supervised by an adult.

Many new parents successfully continue caring for their rabbit after the arrival of their precious little angel, I myself currently have five rabbits and a 1-year-old daughter who loves interacting with the pets.

Here are the main things to consider if you are having a new human addition to your family or if you are thinking of bringing a rabbit into a home with young babies.

Can Babies And Rabbits Live In The Same House?

Having a baby is one of the most exciting, rewarding and wonderful things to happen to most of us. However, it can also be a time that is filled with fear, concern and a lot of questions about how you will keep your little human safe.

If you have pets, you will have likely thought about how you are going to manage with two dependants; one human and one animal. Your bunny has been part of your life for some time and you’ve grown to love him, so there is no good reason why your pet should have to be rehomed just because you will be bringing a baby home.

That being said, there may need to be some changes around the home in order for your son or daughter to be safe. As your child grows up, they will likely want to interact with the rabbit, and there are some considerations here too.

Rabbits, like all animals are susceptible to certain diseases and parasites that could be infectious or cause problems for humans. Newborn babies do not have such developed immune systems as their parents and as such, are much more likely to succumb to illnesses.

One of the best ways to make sure that your rabbit-loving home is ready for the new arrival is to have your rabbit checked by your vet.

They will be able to give your pet the once over and treat any problems that might be detrimental to your child. Furthermore, your vet will be the most qualified person to give you advice on safety where keeping pets and children are concerned.

Once the baby arrives, you will want to make sure that they have a space that is entirely rabbit-free. The last thing you want is for your baby’s bedroom to become ridden with rabbit hair or worse still, droppings. The key to successfully keeping animals and young children is hygiene so keeping the home clean is imperative.

As your child gets older, they will undoubtedly develop an interest in your pet and will want to pet it and play with you.

While we would always encourage allowing children to develop a positive relationship with animals, you should also air on the side of caution as children can be very heavy-handed and this might frighten the rabbit, causing it to react in an aggressive manner.

Are Rabbits Good With Babies?

Rabbits are generally social creatures and they do like to be given a lot of affection. When there is a new arrival in the home, a rabbit is likely to be less than curious. While pets such as dogs, will often be extremely inquisitive and potentially protective over the little one, a rabbit won’t likely pay much attention.

But one of the biggest issues when it comes to keeping a rabbit in the same home as a young child or baby is the safety of the two. Children, especially young ones, do not have the intelligence to understand that a rabbit is a living thing which could become stressed or even harmed when it is handled incorrectly.

While a rabbit would be unlikely to attack a baby without reason, it can never be completely ruled out, especially if the rabbit is a particularly skittish or aggressive animal. In which case, you might need to consider keeping the pet in a cage or hutch when the baby is awake.

Is It Safe To Leave A Baby With A Rabbit?

You should never leave a baby alone with any animal, no matter how docile or friendly the animal may be. We hear far too many horror stories of pet owners leaving for ‘just a second’ only to find that the animal has injured the child in some way.

Most of the time, these injuries are superficial, but there have been many incidents where children have been severely injured, or worse, after being left alone with an animal.

As we have mentioned, your rabbit will not typically hurt your child for no reason, but if they feel threatened, they may lash out. Rabbits do not like to be handled roughly, nor do they particularly like being picked up. Furthermore, rabbits are very delicate, especially along the spine.

While a helpless newborn baby won’t be doing any grabbing or poking, an older baby may be very curious as to what this cute, furry animal is and will likely try to touch it. a baby would be more than capable of hurting or fatally injuring a rabbit through grabbing or dropping.

It is important to teach your child from a very young age that you must be gentle with the rabbit. This will allow a healthy bond to develop but will also instill animal care into your child from a young age.

Make it a priority to spend time with the rabbit and the baby, showing your son or daughter how to gently pet the rabbit. If this is done consistently and correctly, both the baby and the rabbit will have a positive experience.

Is Bunny Poo Toxic?

Rabbits poop a lot! Their poop comes in the form of small pellets and they can do up to 200 of these in a single day! Fortunately, this poop is not toxic to humans.

Rabbit poop can, however, contain parasites such as roundworm and rabbit tapeworm although both are rare in domesticated rabbits (rabbit tapeworms cannot be passed to humans either unless rabbit meat is eaten and undercooked).

Regardless of the small risk, rabbit poop isn’t something that most would like to see a baby or young child ingest so it is vital that you keep things clean.

Is Bunny Pee Toxic?

Again, rabbit pee is not toxic to humans. However, there may be exceptions to this. One of the most common things that could infect rabbit pee is a fungus known as Encephalitozoon cuniculi.

This fungus is not such a threat to humans unless they suffer from some sort of immune system issue like HIV/AIDS and although this is extremely rare in children in modern times, thanks to screening during pregnancy, it is certainly something worth being aware of.

Wrap Up

If your awaiting the happy event of a child coming in to your life, you can rest assured that you can still keep your pet rabbit(s) and the two can coexist in harmony.

As mentioned, I myself have 5 rabbits and a 1-year-old daughter who loves interaction with our rabbits (supervised of course) especially feeding time. I can vouch for the fact that watching a baby interact under supervision with pet rabbits is an absolute joy.