Our rabbits have a hutch inside of a pen outside. We generally would let the rabbits out into the pen during the day leaving their hutch open so they could access their food and water. A rat has discovered this easy access to food (after 8 years!) and now we don\'t want to let the rabbits into their pen much anymore. I want to let them out into their pen with some water for an hour or so at a time (without food) but what if the rat appears? When better weather comes, I think we\'ll have to enclose the pen on all four sides, but in the meantime...?
The rat problem is a concern. Rats are notorious carriers of parasites and disease. What kind of feeder do you have? You would be surprised how small a space a rat requires for access to a rabbit\'s feeder. A rat would probably nor
directly harm your rabbit, though small kits are often attacked and even carried off.
I would probably do what I could to eliminate this pest. Where there is one rat, there is certain to be others...
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
If you have kits the rat make scare the doe and cause her to stomp the kits. I would definetly try to eliminate the rat.