Guinea Pigs and Rabbits Living Together: Is It Safe?
April 18, 2017
It may seem like a good idea to put guinea pigs and rabbits together, and you can certainly give it a try, but ideally, they’re better suited to living with their own kind. It has something to do with the size difference. A rabbit is much larger and has the potential to seriously hurt a guinea pig:
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Those big, powerful back legs could deliver a nasty punch.
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Those Bugs Bunny teeth could take a big bite out of a guinea pig.
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A frisky rabbit may try to mount your guinea pig and end up breaking a few bones.
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Rabbits can carry the bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica that infects the respiratory system of guinea pigs.
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Guinea pigs and rabbits have different nutritional needs and digestive systems, so their food will have to be kept separate to avoid the risk of toxic poisoning. Guinea pigs cannot digest Vitamin C and could get very sick from eating rabbit food.
Despite these warnings, rabbits and guinea pigs live quite happily together in many households throughout the world. So you could say, it all depends on the personality of your rabbit and guinea pig.
If you do decide to put them together, here are a few tips:
- Make sure the rabbit is neutered so he won’t be tempted to mount the guinea pig and show traits of aggression.
- Set up their living quarters so each has a space of their own to escape.
- Guinea pigs need a safe place just big enough for them, where they can pop in and chill out away from the rabbit.
- Food needs to be kept separate, as does feeding time.
If you can’t decide between a guinea pig and a rabbit and end up getting one of each, try them in separate cages side by side for a while before throwing them in together. It could end up being a better living arrangement for everyone!