Birds and rabbits?

Th3RabbitP3rson · Dec 18, 2020

okay so if anyone here knows about both rabbits and birds can you help me? so I already have a rabbit and was thinking about getting a conure. I don't know what kind yet. I was thinking about getting a cockatiel but I've heard they produce dandruff-like stuff, so I changed my mind on that bird. Anyway, I've heard birds and rabbits can spread diseases to each other and was wondering if this could still happen if I put an x pen around the birdcage and not let my rabbit go by the poop. my rabbit is free roam in my room and the bird would also have to be in my room. So is there a way to prevent illnesses when having a rabbit and a bird in the same room?

Watermelons · Dec 18, 2020

A healthy bird shouldnt spread anything to your rabbit. But the rabbit doesnt need to go eat the mess the bird will make so an xpen is a good idea.
All birds are messy and all leave bits of feather sheath everywhere when preening but yes cockatiels/toos/greys are the worst for dust/dander.

You have room for a large bird cage as well as your own things and the rabbit cage?

Th3RabbitP3rson · Dec 18, 2020

I don't have a rabbit cage. he's allowed anywhere in my room and yes I have done research and have a big birdcage picked out. I've heard rabbits can get respiratory infections from birds. is this true? and is it likely?

Diane R · Dec 19, 2020

Th3RabbitP3rson said:
I don't have a rabbit cage. he's allowed anywhere in my room and yes I have done research and have a big birdcage picked out. I've heard rabbits can get respiratory infections from birds. is this true? and is it likely?

Even humans (with far more robust respiratory systems) can get 'bird fancier's lung'. I would not get any birds especially if you cannot keep them in separate rooms.

AVIE · Dec 19, 2020

I can just imagine a friendly bird swooping down to any surface would be terrifying for a bun.

Preitler · Dec 19, 2020

I don't think dandruff or so would hurt a rabbit, unless it's a lot of birds and an crowded situation, a full aciary or pigeon house or a few birds in a cage in your living space are different things. And those feather-mites are host specific.
Coccidia is often mentioned when chicken and rabbits are talked about, but this kind of a umbrella term and the specific bacteria are different in different species.

Rabbits and birds are so different animals, humans are much closer related...

About scaring rabbits: normally rabbits know very well what a danger is and what not. When mine are out in the garden they listen carefully to birdsong, when I go down to where they graze I sometimes find them upright already looking out, since the birds saw me first. So I'm pretty sure that they can deal with harmless birds. And about skittish prey animals and so, my house rabbits start to ignore new dogs I brought home after about 3 days.
A playful kind of parrot that likes to pluck furry things would be another matter of course.

I can imagine a lot of situations or things about a lot of stuff that could be bad, in real life not much of that did materialize. Concrete info and experiences that something doesn't work well is another matter.

Watermelons · Dec 20, 2020

The rabbit should not have access to the birds area. Birds make a mess and rabbits are likely to attempt to clean up that mess which can lead to chronic tummy upsets.