Rabbits are animals of prey. In the wild, many predators rely on rabbits as a vital part of their diets. One predatory animal that could find its way close to domestic rabbits is the snake. Do Snakes Eat Rabbits?
Every rabbit owner endeavors to protect their bunnies from harm from any source, including other animals. Rabbits kept outdoors with their kits are more vulnerable to attack.
Accordingly, this article provides insight on how to protect rabbits from snakes. Also, you will find a very interesting fact about rabbits’ defense against snakes. In all, we will answer the following questions:
- Do Snakes Attack And Eat Rabbits?
- What Kind of Snakes Eat Rabbits?
- Are Rabbits Immune To Snake Venom?
- How Do I Protect My Bunnies From Snakes?
Do Snakes Attack And Eat Rabbits?
Snakes are genuine carnivores, meaning they can only get nourishment from animal flesh. Snakes aren’t known for being fussy eaters; they’ll eat nearly any animal they can swallow. Mice, rats, hamsters, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and a variety of other rodents and small animals are included in this category.
If you keep your bunnies outside, make sure their hutches are secure and find strategies to keep snakes away. Otherwise, your rabbit may become snake food. Rats, mice, and other creatures that are attracted to rabbits may attract snakes too.
Still, not all snakes will attack or harm rabbits. Smaller snakes are unlikely to harm the bunnies.
But you may wonder, how can snakes eat such a relatively large animal as a rabbit? No matter how much a snake desires a particular food, if the animal will not fit through the snake’s jaws, the snake will not eat it. But a snake’s upper and lower jaws are not attached, so it can open its mouth to incredible widths.
This enables them to consume prey that is many times bigger than their size. As a result, after a snake eats a large animal, it won’t move for a few days as the meal digests. The massive bloat in the snake where the meal is sitting may be seen right after feeding.
Despite the snake’s desire to eat every living creature that would fit into its mouth, most snakes will not eat rabbits because they are quite large in comparison to other available tiny animals. Consider the difference in size between a rabbit and a rat. Thus, a snake would have to be quite large to consume a rabbit.
Still, many snake species are capable of devouring full-grown rabbits. After all, some snake keepers use rabbits as a cheap source of food for their large pet snakes such as pythons.
What Kind of Snakes Eat Rabbits?
Many snake species are capable of consuming baby bunnies, as well as full-grown rabbits. Some examples of such snakes include:
Burmese pythons
Burmese pythons are among the world’s largest snakes. They usually reach a length of 16 feet. Burmese pythons are native to Southeast Asia, but they have become an invasive species in recent years.
Large adult Burmese pythons have been known to consume alligators, pigs, goats, and even deer, so it’s easy to understand how they could devour rabbits.
Reticulated Pythons
The world’s longest snake is the reticulated python. Reticulated pythons, like Burmese pythons, are native to South and Southeast Asia, where they can reach lengths of over 20 feet. Adult humans have even been recorded to be killed and in some cases swallowed by these snakes.
Boa Constrictors
Although boa constrictors aren’t as large as the first two snakes on our list, they can still eat rabbits. Female boas can grow to be between 7 and 10 feet long, while males average approximately 6 to 8 feet.
Anacondas
This giant snake can easily swallow rabbits. South America is home to anacondas. Green anacondas can grow to be over 17 feet long and weigh over 150 pounds. Anacondas are one of a kind since they spend much of their time in the water. Yet, They eat almost any animal as long as they can dominate it. Tapirs, deer, caimans, and capybaras are among the huge wildlife that anacondas eat.
Even in zoos, caretakers feed anacondas with large prey animals like rabbits, poultry, etc.
Bullsnakes
Bullsnakes grow to be 6 to 8 feet long as adults, though individuals up to 8 feet long have been seen.
Bullsnakes are among the largest snakes found in North America. Squirrels, mice, gophers, and rabbits are among the small mammals this species of snake likes to eat. The older and larger the bullsnake, the more likely it is to eat rabbits.
Are Rabbits Immune To Snake Venom?
Here is an interesting rabbit fact: rabbits are immune to snake venom. When exposed to venom from a snake bite, rabbits generate antibodies. These antibodies shield them from snake poison, which would kill even a much larger human. This is why antivenom drugs for humans are made from antibodies extracted from the blood of immune rabbits and other animals.
Snakes cannot kill rabbits with their venom, but they can kill them in other ways. Constriction is one way. Constriction is when the snake wraps its full body around its prey and crushes it. Because some snakes can crush animals considerably larger than themselves, such as deer, goats, or humans, a snake can easily perform this move on a rabbit.
In addition, constriction can cause the blood vessels of small prey animals, such as rabbits, to collapse and the heart to stop working, resulting in heart attacks and strokes.
Snakes are also known for consuming whole prey since they lack limbs to tear it apart. So, to accommodate huge prey into their mouths, they separate their lower and upper jaws. Some of the snakes’ teeth face backward to prevent prey from escaping once it is in the mouth. Because the snake’s skin is incredibly elastic, the prey will stay in the snake’s body until it is digested.
Interestingly, rabbits are not the only animals not affected by snake venom. Other animals immune to snake venom include:
- Hedgehog
- Mongoose
- Honeybadger
- Opossum
How Do I Protect My Bunnies From Snakes?
Because it provides quick access to food, shelter, and water, your rabbit hutch is a big attraction for snakes. Snakes and rabbits, on the other hand, can never live happily together as snakes eat rabbits, particularly rabbit kits.
Given this, keeping rabbits indoors is one way to keep them safe from snakes. When determining whether to keep your rabbits indoors or outside, there are several things to consider.
Firstly, due to the lesser risk of predators, only leave rabbits outside during the day. Keep in mind, though, that even the sight of a snake, fox, or neighborhood cat might cause a rabbit to die from shock. This is because rabbits are naturally skittish.
Secondly, domestic rabbits lack the abilities and instincts that wild rabbits possess. Rabbits are at the bottom of the food chain, and they rely on these survival skills to thrive in the environment. However, extreme temperatures, solitude, and predator surprises are not suitable for pet rabbits.
Helpful Hints
If you can’t keep your rabbits inside, good planning, care, and a robust hutch will help keep predators like snakes at bay. Here are some helpful hints.
- Wire cages are a popular option, but they aren’t sturdy enough to keep rabbits safe outside. A solid wooden hutch provides the best defense against predators like snakes.
- A sturdy wooden floor will keep your rabbit’s resting quarters safe. Two-wire meshes and one wooden wall can be used to fortify the outer section. It is best to use a half-inch by one-inch welded wire for hutches with wooden floors.
- Make sure the hutch is ACCESSIBLE for cleaning. You can incorporate a catch tray into the design of the enclosure. That way, you can pull out the catch tray at the bottom of the hutch to make cleaning easier.
- In your rabbit hutch, seal all of the openings. Fill in any holes or gaps in the wooden component of the hutch with wood putty, following the manufacturer’s directions. Cover apertures larger than 14 inches with hardware cloth, such as windows, wire fencing, and ventilation openings.
- Snakes won’t be able to hide if there aren’t any hiding places. Trim any shrubs or bushes on the sides of the rabbit hutch and mow your lawn short.
- Remove any food that has been left over. This will keep snakes and pests away from the hutch if done regularly.
- Use a snake repellent that isn’t harmful. Snakes may be deterred from approaching your rabbits if you use a snake deterrent around the hutch.
Conclusion
While it is disturbing that snakes eat rabbits, it is good to know that rabbits are immune to snake venom. In addition, you can easily make your rabbit’s outdoor hutch unattractive to snakes by following the tips above. Then you can relax knowing that your bunnies are well protected.