Can Rabbits Develop Illnesses From Us?

[{Alli}]

Like the title says, can rabbits develop a cold/fever from us? Currently I am with a fever and have been since yesterday. It’s gotten better but I couldn’t get up at all yesterday therefore I am asking this question now. My mom had to care for Bun Bun and take him out for me which I’m grateful for since she likes him but she’d rather not take care of him. Since I can get up a little bit I was thinking I could lay in my bed and let him run around my room but I was concerned he could develop an upper respiratory infection from me or something.

[Bam]

It’s not likely.

[Flopsie]

from what i’ve read it isn’t likely that they can catch something from us, however, I would err on the side of caution. When i was sick, I made sure i washed my hands before handling and also minimized the amount of contact I had

[kirstyol]

I was always under the impression that rabbits can catch the human cold, but I cant remember where I got that information from. I have a really bad cold just now and have been doing my best to stay away from Bramble just in case, and I am definitely not handling his food till I am better. Its a shame really because although he clearly prefers the other half in a lot of ways (he can pick him up, I cant etc) he seems to prefer my pets and usually comes to sit with me for a while getting petted or brushed.

[Bam]

Viruses has to cross the species barrier to be transmitted between animals and people and this is of course what has happened with the pig flu and the bird flu and other flus and ebola from bats to people. I honestly don’t know if there’s been any recorded cases of transfer between rabbits and humans of common colds.

But as Flopsie points out, to err on the side of caution can’t hurt. Wash your hands, don’t kiss him, don’t sneeze all over his food etc.

Hope you recover soon!

[Flopsie]

I can be wrong, but I think i read somewhere that humans have the viral infections and bunnies pass the bacterial so we should be okay. I know that I had the shingles virus (herpes) and I asked specifically about this and I was told that there are no known cases of passing the herpes to bunnies but I should be safer than sorry

[Jo Leigh]

My mum’s a vet and she said that it is unlikely. However, as previously mentioned, don’t go sneezing all over him or anything! Feel better soon

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m curious about the Bordetella virus. I know that bunnies can get ill from it like respiratory problems, although most bunnies have it lying dormant in their system. When I had the baby, the hospital advised I get the Whooping Cough vaccine because it can be fatal to babies. I found out the whooping cough is caused by Bordetalla Pertussis. So I’m curious about whether bunnies could get ill if their person had whooping cough.

[{Alli}]

Thank you for all your responses! My fever’s gone but I’m still a bit weak so just taking the day to recuperate Now that you mention it, I’m also curious about the Bordetella virus. Haven’t heard much about it and I don’t think I ever got vaccinated from it. Would love to hear more about this!

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