Yes, you can get rabies from rabbits, but it’s extremely rare. Rabbits aren’t rabies reservoirs. The real risk is when an infected animal’s saliva gets into an open bite wound or a cut, or touches a mucous membrane (eyes, nose, mouth). If wildlife bites or scratches your rabbit, move them indoors and call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet right away for urgent care. If a rabid animal bit you, wash for 15 minutes and get medical advice fast, then keep going to learn more.
Swift Summary
- Rabbits can get rabies, but cases are extremely rare in the U.S. and North America.
- Rabies transmission requires infected saliva or nervous tissue entering the body through bites or breaks in skin.
- Intact-skin contact, dry droppings, and most non-bite contact are not typical rabies exposure routes.
- Wildlife bites from bats, raccoons, skunks, or foxes create the highest concern and may represent spillover.
- After any suspicious bite or unusual rabbit illness, contact a rabbit-savvy exotics vet promptly for exposure assessment.
Can Rabbits Get Rabies? The Short Answer
Yes—rabbits *can* get rabies, but it’s extremely rare.
So, do rabbits carry rabies?
They’re usually listed as low-risk, not typical rabies reservoirs.
That’s why many people ask, why don’t rabbits get rabies—because natural cases are almost never found in routine reporting, especially in the U.S.
Still, a rabbit is a mammal, so rabies is biologically possible.
Can you get rabies from rabbit?
Risk is extremely low, but if a rabbit was unusually ill or bitten you, call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet and health department for next steps right away.
How Rabies Spreads in Rabbits and People?
If a rabbit has rabies, the virus usually spreads through saliva that gets into the body, most often via a bite that breaks skin. You also need to think about saliva touching mucous membranes—your eyes, nose, or mouth—especially if you have an open cut, a scratch, or the rabbit licks a small wound. Rabies is a zoonotic disease affecting the central nervous system, rabies can spread via saliva. And if your rabbit was attacked by rabid wildlife like a raccoon, fox, or skunk, you should treat it as high risk and call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet right away.
Virus Through Bite Wounds
When an animal has rabies, the virus spreads through bite wounds, because rabies lives in infected saliva and in nervous tissue. So you can’t catch it from intact skin. In addition, rabies can spread through saliva exposure. Can you get rabies from rabbit bite? In routine U.S. situations, it’s not known from rabbits, but treat bites seriously and contact a rabbit-savvy exotics vet or doctor. Rabbit scratch cause rabies? Scratches can transmit only if saliva gets into a break in the skin, and deep punctures matter more. How to know if a rabbit has rabies? Look for sudden behavior change, trouble swallowing, odd aggression, but any bite or wound needs prompt medical guidance. If your rabbit won’t eat or poop for 12 hours, act fast.
Saliva Contact With Mucosa
Saliva can spread rabies only when it gets where the virus can enter—like into your mucous membranes (the shiny, moist lining of your eyes, inside your nose, inside your mouth, or your genitals).
If saliva or nervous tissue from an is rabbit with rabies situation touches those areas, you have a real risk to evaluate.
“Mucosa” just means that wet lining.
So, can you get rabies from rabbit scratch or can you get rabies from rabbit poop?
Usually no, because intact skin and dried messes don’t let virus in.
Still, if any saliva lands in eyes or open skin, rinse 15 minutes and call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
Rabid Wildlife Exposure Risk
So, how does rabies exposure usually happen around rabbits and people? Most often, wildlife spreads rabies when rabid saliva gets into a bite wound or any break in skin.
You should also take “rabbit scratch rabies” seriously, because scratches and abrasions can be exposure if saliva or infected nervous tissue touched them.
Rabbits are low-risk compared with major reservoir animals like bats, raccoons, and skunks, and they’re rarely infected in real life.
Still, rabbits can be biologically susceptible.
If your rabbit was bitten or scratched by wildlife, contact a rabbit-savvy exotics vet right away.
If they stop eating or pooping for 12 hours, treat it as an emergency.
When Should You Worry After a Rabbit Bite?
After a rabbit bite, you should take a careful look right away, because some wounds need urgent care while most will heal fine with good cleaning and close monitoring.
Deep punctures, badly torn skin, uncontrolled bleeding, or exposed fat, muscle, or bone need emergency evaluation.
If your rabbit bite hits your hand, face, or a joint, or you can’t move the area, get help fast.
Watch for infection signs, like redness, warmth, swelling, pus, foul drainage, or fever of 100.4°F (38°C).
If your immune system is weak or your child got bitten, don’t wait.
Also contact a vet if the rabbit acts oddly.
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Do You Need Rabies PEP After a Rabbit Bite?
Most rabbit bites don’t need rabies treatment, but since you’re already thinking about whether the wound needs urgent care, let’s talk about rabies prevention steps next.
First, wash and flush the bite with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. Then, use povidone-iodine.
For most healthy-acting rabbits, rabies PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) usually isn’t needed.
But if the rabbit shows nervous-system signs, unusual aggression, or is confirmed rabid, a vet and public health team may recommend PEP right away.
If the bite hit your face or head, or the animal can’t be tested, ask urgently.
If you don’t get PEP, monitor closely.
Are Rabbits Rabies Reservoirs?
No, rabbits aren’t true rabies reservoirs, meaning they don’t maintain the infection in nature.
Instead, rabies transmission cycles mainly stay in wildlife like bats and mesocarnivores (like raccoons and skunks), and rabbits are more like rare “spillover” victims after contact with a rabid animal.
Not True Rabies Reservoirs
Even though rabies is scary, rabbits aren’t considered rabies “reservoirs”—meaning they don’t typically serve as a source animal that keeps rabies going in the community.
In public health references, you’ll see rabbits listed as non-reservoir species.
That means rabbits are rarely infected, and they’re not known to transmit rabies to humans.
Healthy, normal-behaving rabbits almost never trigger rabies post-exposure steps.
If your rabbit bites you, treat it like any wound, wash it well, then call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
Testing is usually unnecessary unless there’s unusual illness or behavior.
Wildlife Maintains Transmission Cycles
Wildlife keeps rabies going through “reservoir” animals—species where the virus can spread and survive over time.
You’ll see it mainly in land mammals like raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes, plus bats.
In these groups, rabies circulates within their own populations, so the virus keeps getting chances to “spill” into other animals.
When it does, small mammals like rabbits are rarely infected.
If a rabid rabbit ever shows up, it usually reflects spillover from a reservoir, not a rabbit-to-rabbit cycle.
Serve your community by vaccinating pets and contacting a rabbit-savvy exotics vet after any bite.
Human Exposure Risk Minimal
Because rabbits aren’t recognized as rabies “reservoir” animals, the chance that you’ll catch rabies from a pet rabbit is extremely low. (A reservoir is a host species where a virus can keep spreading and surviving over time.) In public health guidance, rabbits are described as rarely infected and at relatively low risk, and rabies infections in rabbits—when they do happen—usually look like rare spillover from rabid wildlife, not something rabbits pass around.
And if you get a bite or scratch, still wash fast with soap and running water 15 minutes, then call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet. Watch for emergency signs: the rabbit stops eating or pooping for 12 hours.
What US Data Shows About Rabies in Rabbits?
In the U.S., rabies in pet rabbits is possible, but the data show it’s extremely rare. Labs test about 100,000 animals each year, and only around 4,000 test positive overall, mostly wildlife.
National reports from 1995–2010 found 737 rabid rodents and lagomorphs, with rabbits making up only a tiny slice. From 2011–2020, 401 cases were reported, again with very low rabbit testing.
In New Jersey, only nine domestic rabbits were found rabid, while no wild rabbits were identified. In Kentucky in 2024, 2 rabbits tested positive, but all others positive were bats or skunks.
How Common Is Rabies in Hares and Lagomorphs?
Rabies in hares and other lagomorphs (rabbits, etc.) is rare in North America, and public health reviews keep finding very low “positivity” rates—meaning only a small slice of tested animals confirm as rabid.
But when lagomorph cases do show up, they’re most often reported in the Eastern US, which fits the pattern that rabies usually comes from bigger reservoir animals, then spreads only rarely (“spillover”).
If your rabbit ever seems off—especially won’t eat or poop for 12 hours—call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet right away, because timing matters.
Rare In North America
Even though rabies sounds scary, it’s extremely rare in rabbits and hares in North America.
In Canada and U.S. guidance, you’ll see lagomorphs are “very rarely infected.” Surveillance programs test many animals and still find only a small fraction positive.
Human cases linked to rabbits or hares also don’t show up.
And importantly, public health says you usually don’t need rabies shots after touching a rabbit or hare, unless it shows unusual behavior.
Still, if a rabbit stops eating, or won’t poop for 12 hours, treat that as an emergency, and contact a rabbit-savvy exotics vet fast.
Most Cases Eastern US
While rabies in rabbits and hares is still very uncommon, it isn’t spread evenly across the U.S.
Most rodent and lagomorph rabies reports show up in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, where raccoons keep a “variant” (a specific local strain) going.
That steady raccoon reservoir leads to occasional spillover to other animals, like groundhogs and other lagomorphs.
National surveillance even logged just one rabbit in older detections, and recent Kentucky submissions had only 2 rabbits among 362 suspected cases.
If your rabbit was bitten or scratched, call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet right away.
What Counts as an “Exposure” Besides Biting?
If you’re worried about rabies after an animal bite *or something that almost looks like one*, it helps to know what counts as an “exposure.” In general, health officials focus on whether saliva (spit) or nervous-system tissue from a rabid animal got into a fresh open cut**, scratched skin, or your mucous membranes—those are the wet linings in your eyes, nose, and mouth**.
And remember, licks that reach broken skin can count too. Direct contact with brain/nerves, or contamination of eyes, nose, or mouth, counts as well.
Still, for rabbits, these routes are extremely uncommon. If saliva touched open wounds, call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet and your local health department.
What Rabies Signs Should You Watch for in Rabbits?
Pay close attention to your rabbit’s behavior, because the first rabies signs can look like “just being sick” at first. Watch for lethargy, fever, and loss of appetite, plus eye or nasal discharge, and unusual restlessness.
Next, look for sudden temperament change. Your rabbit may become uncharacteristically aggressive, unusually tame, or prefer hiding. You might also hear odd vocal sounds.
Then comes the neurological part: head tilt, tremors, staggering, incoordination, seizures, or blindness.
Finally, watch for swallowing trouble, drooling, slack jaw, jaw dropping, and paralysis. If your rabbit isn’t eating or pooping for 12 hours, treat it as an emergency—call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
Do Indoor Rabbits Have Lower Rabies Risk?
Indoor rabbits really do have a much lower rabies risk than rabbits that live outside, because rabies spreads mainly through bites.
When you keep your rabbit indoors full-time, it usually can’t meet rabid wildlife, like skunks or raccoons.
Rabies guidance also treats healthy indoor rabbits as low concern, so testing or shots for you often isn’t needed.
Rabbits are also rarely infected with rabies, and indoor cages block the main exposure route.
Keep supervising outdoor time too, and prevent unsupervised roaming.
If your rabbit bites or scratches, wash well and call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet right away.
Why Outdoor Cages Increase Rabies Exposure Risk?
Outdoor cages can put your rabbit at higher rabies risk because they place your pet right in the same area as wildlife that can carry rabies—bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes—while the cage often doesn’t fully block teeth, claws, or saliva.
Outdoor hutches near wildlife increase rabies risk—bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes can reach through gaps for bites or saliva.
And when wildlife bites or scratches through bars or mesh, your rabbit can still survive long enough to develop rabies.
You need to serve your rabbit by preventing contact.
Keep hutches raised and fully secured, close all gaps, and avoid stray wild animals.
In rabies areas, even a “small” unobserved attack must be treated as a possible exposure.
If exposed, contact a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
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How Do Wildlife Bites Happen Under Wire Floors?
When you use wire floors outside, wildlife can get under the enclosure—raccoons, dogs, and even foxes may reach in through weak spots or gaps at the perimeter and bite exposed toes or hocks.
If there’s a tear, corrosion, or a missing skirt, a predator’s saliva can transfer through broken skin, and that bite can injure your rabbit fast, even before you notice anything else.
Wildlife Access Beneath Wire Flooring
If you keep your rabbit in a wire-floored run or hutch, wildlife can sometimes get access from *beneath*—and that’s when trouble can start.
Start by checking if the hutch sits directly on soil. Burrowing animals can dig tunnels, and they’ll reach the underside of the wire.
If you didn’t bury a sturdy mesh or solid barrier about 6 inches (15 cm) down, you’re leaving a shortcut.
Lightweight wire like chicken wire can deform, and gaps wider than 1 inch (25 mm) let heads, snouts, or small bites through.
Also, fix any corroded spots fast.
For safety, ask a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
Predator Bite Injury On Paws
Envision this: you’ve already checked for weak spots under the wire, and now you’re asking how a predator can reach your rabbit’s paws anyway.
Predators grab when full entry is blocked, especially outdoors at floor level.
They bend, break, or pull at wire while your rabbit panics, thrashing and slamming into mesh.
Paws get caught in openings, then get crushed or torn, even without full bite penetration.
Bite marks may look small, but the damage can run deep, with punctures, lacerations, and even partial avulsions.
If your rabbit is bitten, call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet the same day.
If they stop eating or pooping for 12 hours, treat it as an emergency.
Saliva Transfer Through Broken Skin
Saliva transfer through broken skin is the key way rabies risk can happen after a wildlife bite, even under a wire floor. If a rabid animal bites your rabbit, the virus in saliva can enter a fresh cut, puncture, scratch, or even a mucous membrane like the mouth or eye.
Intact skin acts like a barrier, so unbroken fur and epidermis help protect.
Under wire floors, small wildlife can reach toes pressed to mesh. They may leave tiny nips, or gnawing that creates new breaks.
If your rabbit gets bitten, wash with soap and water, then call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet. If not eating or pooping for 12 hours, treat it as urgent.
Rabbit Bite: Testing and Quarantine Steps for Pets?
Because rabbits are considered low‑risk for rabies, a typical rabbit bite to your pet (or you) usually doesn’t mean you need rabies testing or a forced quarantine.
First, call a rabbit‑savvy exotics vet, and describe the bite, your rabbit’s behavior, and any possible contact with bats, raccoons, skunks, or foxes.
Second, watch for unusual signs like clear sickness or nerve problems in the rabbit.
Most healthy rabbits don’t require quarantine.
But if the rabbit acted unprovoked, seemed neurologic, or you can’t rule out rabies contact, your vet may suggest a rabies investigation.
Also, report serious wounds promptly.
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What To Do If Your Rabbit Is Bitten by Wildlife
If a wild animal bites your rabbit, don’t wait—move fast and stay calm.
Put your rabbit indoors in a secure, quiet enclosure, away from more wildlife.
Then check for bite wounds, scratches, or crush injuries on ears, skin, and limbs.
If bleeding happens, press clean gauze gently to the spot—don’t use a tourniquet on small parts.
Rinse superficial wounds with lukewarm water and mild soap.
Next, call an emergency rabbit-savvy exotics vet right away for pain control, antibiotics, and trauma assessment.
Identify the wildlife if possible, and report it to animal control or health officials.
How to Prevent Rabies in Pet Rabbits at Home
Preventing rabies in pet rabbits starts with one simple goal: keep them away from rabid wildlife and stray animals.
First, keep your rabbit indoors when you can.
If you go outdoors, use a secure, predator-proof fenced space, and supervise nonstop.
Check hutches weekly for holes, loose panels, or damaged wire.
Use raised, double-walled hutches with solid walls or fine mesh floors to reduce bites.
Next, never feed or handle wild or stray animals, even “tame” ones.
Store pet food indoors, cover garbage cans.
If you spot odd, aggressive wildlife nearby, report it.
Finally, ask a rabbit-savvy exotics vet about keeping other pets vaccinated.
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Quick FAQ: Rabbit Bites, Rabies Risk, and Next Steps
After you’ve taken steps to keep rabid wildlife out of your rabbit’s world, it’s smart to know what to do right away if a bite happens.
First, wash the wound with soap and running water, then call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
Can rabbits get rabies?
They can, but it’s rare.
Can you get rabies from a rabbit bite?
In North America, health departments call domestic rabbits “rarely diagnosed” and usually “not a rabies risk,” especially if the rabbit looks healthy.
How do you know?
Rabies signs are mainly serious, new neurologic problems like paralysis.
Can you get rabies from poop or scratches?
Rabies needs saliva in fresh wounds or mucous membranes.
If your rabbit stops eating or pooping for 12 hours, treat it as an emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Get Rabies From a Rabbit Scratch or Rabbit Poop?
You almost certainly won’t get rabies from a rabbit scratch or poop—panic’s unnecessary. Rabies spreads via saliva into bites or open wounds. Droppings don’t count as an exposure. If you’re worried, call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
How Can I Tell if a Rabbit Might Have Rabies?
You can’t confirm rabies at home, but watch for sudden behavior change, lethargy, fever, lack of appetite, drooling, trouble swallowing, incoordination, head tilt, seizures, or paralysis. Call a rabbit-savvy exotics vet immediately if you see these signs.
Are Outdoor Pet Rabbits More Likely to Get Rabies From Wildlife?
Yes—outdoor pet rabbits are way more likely to catch rabies from wildlife than indoor ones, because raccoons, skunks, foxes, and especially bats can bite or lick exposed wounds. Keep hutches predator-proof, and see a rabbit-savvy exotics vet fast.
What Should I Do if a Rabbit Bites Me or a Child?
If a rabbit bites you or your child, wash the wound with soap and running water for 5–10 minutes, apply pressure for bleeding, cover it, and call urgent care today. Also contact a rabbit-savvy exotics vet. If the rabbit seems sick, confine it.
Why Don’T Rabbits Usually Get Rabies Compared With Bats and Raccoons?
Why don’t rabbits usually get rabies like bats or raccoons? Rabbits rarely get infected and don’t maintain the virus in the population; rabies needs long-term reservoirs and aggressive biting. If exposure happens, contact a rabbit-savvy exotics vet.
