Are you all ready to welcome a new child but worried about your furry child and how’s it gonna affect your health? Are rabbits a safe choice for the pet during pregnancy?
Rabbits don’t pose a threat to pregnant women. They don’t spread any diseases to pregnant women. Although basic hygiene precautions should be taken while handling your pet rabbit.
In this article, we are going to look more into pregnancy and pet rabbits.
Let us hop straight in!
Can You Have Rabbits When Pregnant?
You can keep your pet rabbits when you are pregnant. Rabbits do not pose a threat to the pregnancy. It does not spread any bacteria or viruses that can cause diseases in pregnant women.
You can continue to take care of your pet rabbit during pregnancy. Rabbits are relatively very clean animals and they always keep themselves clean by self-grooming. So the chances for you to contract any bacteria or infection from them is very small.
However basic hygiene precautions should be followed during pregnancy while handling your furry friend. You have to take extra care while handling rabbit feces and urine. It is recommended not to touch or handle it during pregnancy.
In very rare cases wild rodents or house mice can give rabbits a virus called Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis ( LCMV ). In such cases, you should not touch the pet or handle their chores. This can cause health problems for pregnant women.
One infection that can affect pregnant women is toxoplasmosis. This is a rare infection that affects 1 out of 500 pregnant women. Fortunately, rabbits don’t spread or catch this infection to spread it to you.
Rabbit is not as dangerous as other animals like cats for pregnant women. Unlike cat matters or feces, rabbits are not dangerous for pregnant women.
Generally, rabbits don’t directly pose a danger to your health or your baby during pregnancy. With basic safety precautions, it should be safe to have a pet rabbit in your house during your pregnancy.
Are Rabbits Safe During Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, your love for your pet rabbit should not decrease thinking maybe it will harm your baby or you. That’s not true!
Rabbits are safe for your health during pregnancy. Rabbits do not spread any diseases that could harm you or the baby. Rabbits are very clean animals and the chances for them to carry any diseases are very small.
Although during pregnancy you have to follow some basic hygiene precautions to be on the safer side. Some of them are:
- Always wash your hands after touching your pet rabbit, cage, or bedding.
- It is recommended for pregnant women to not clean their feces and urine. Someone else can do that or you can use a glove.
- You shouldn’t bring your rabbit near the kitchen or the food you consume.
- You should not kiss the rabbit or bring it near your mouth or nose.
- Avoid cleaning the cage in the kitchen. It is best to clean it outside or in the bathroom.
If you are to follow all the safety precautions then keeping a pet rabbit in your house during pregnancy should not be a problem.
Is It Safe To Clean Rabbit Hutch During Pregnancy?
It is safe to clean the rabbit hutch during pregnancy if you follow the safety precautions. Rabbit litter does not spread any disease-causing bacteria or viruses.
It is recommended that someone else cleans the rabbit hutch. If someone else is not there to help you out, then you can use gloves to clean out the hutch.
You should clean the rabbit hutch outside your house or in the bathroom. You should not bring the hutch into the kitchen or clean it in the kitchen.
It is better to not touch the remains in the rabbit hutch. Always make sure you use gloves and wash your hands with soap thoroughly after cleaning out the rabbit hutch.
Is Rabbit Urine Harmful When Pregnant?
Rabbit urine poses no specific hazard to pregnant women. Though precautions like using gloves and washing hands should be practiced.
Although rabbit urine contains Encephalitozoon cuniculi. This microorganism is very common in healthy pet rabbits. This will only affect people with really low immunity but with correct precautions, there’s nothing to be worried about.
Is Breathing Rabbit Pee During Pregnancy Harmful?
You should not inhale or breathe in rabbit pee during pregnancy. It is not a safe practice.
You should not ingest rabbit urine as it can cause health issues for you or your baby. Rabbit urine may contain the Encephalitozoon cuniculi bacteria that can cause kidney problems if ingested.
While cleaning the rabbit urine you have to be careful and not bring it close to your face or smell or ingest it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you protect yourself from LCMV during pregnancy?
To stay safe from LCMV when you’re pregnant: keep pet rodents in a separate part of your home, Wash your hands with soap and water after touching pet rodents, Keep pet rodents away from your face.
What animals should you avoid when pregnant?
If you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant, be very careful with rodents like hamsters, guinea pigs, and mice. They may carry a virus called lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (also called LCMV) that can be harmful to you and your baby. LCMV can cause severe birth defects and miscarriages.
Final Word
You don’t have to keep your rabbit out of your home because you are pregnant. After all, they don’t pose any health hazard for you if you follow the safety precautions.
By keeping the rabbit hutch away from your food and not touching the rabbit litter or urine you can keep yourself safe from any possible infection from your furry friend.
For more queries comment down below!
