Rabbits and ducks seem to have a lot in common: They both are farm animals, small, and are enjoyable to be around. But can they live together in close proximity?
Rabbits and ducks cannot live together because of different needs in housing, socialization, diet, and environment. Both animals can be owned at the same time, but they should not be kept together, due to their conflicting care requirements, like temperature, food, and socialization.
Living Needs of Rabbits
Housing
Rabbits’ living needs are pretty easy and accessible for everyone. It’s essential for rabbits to be housed indoors only! When rabbits are housed outdoors they are susceptible to diseases, predators, and becoming depressed because of the lack of attention as opposed to when they’re housed inside.
Socialization
Rabbits thrive on socialization. It’s one of the things that help rabbits be the happiest in their lives is interacting with others. Without socialization, the rabbits will become sad, depressed, and lonely. So, proper socialization is essential for your rabbit.
Tip: Is your rabbit lonely? If you are considering getting another pet for your rabbit because you think he needs a friend, check out my article Rabbit Only Comes for Food? Six Better Ways to Bond. This article will help you and your rabbit develop a stronger connection in the interim of you thinking about choosing another furry, scaled, or feathered companion for your rabbit.
Cage & Litter Box
Make sure that you do not get a wire cage for your rabbit. This will really hurt your rabbit’s feet and bring them a lot of discomfort. A large or giant-sized litter box is also very important to have for your rabbit that is filled with hay, pee pads (on the bottom), and wood or paper pellets.
Food & Water
Rabbits love to eat! They love to eat hay especially, so always have it available for your rabbit. Also make sure you have pellets and give them 1-2 cups of fresh, dark leafy veggies for them each day to add variety. And of course, make sure you have a clean water supply for them.
Play Time
Playtime is super important for rabbits’ socialization, so make sure you make time for and have toys for playtime for your rabbit. Also, make sure that there are multiple rabbits there so the playtime is a good time for your rabbit. Source
Living Needs of Ducks
Housing
It is essential for your duck to be housed OUTDOORS! They are just not suited for an indoor lifestyle. It might seem cool or fun to bring your duck inside with you, but you and the duck will be much happier if you keep your duck outside.
Socialization
Just like rabbits, ducks are very social animals and thrive on being with other ducks. So, it’s important for there to be at least one other duck for the one you already have. If you keep a duck alone, the duck will become very depressed and lonely, which is not something any pet owner wants.
Food & Water
It is super important to make sure your duck has the proper food and water every day. They love to eat veggies and grains. Just make sure that they aren’t heavily seasoned and you’ll be fine. Also, make sure that they have easy access to clean water every day to drink in.
Clean Up
You have to be diligent with the clean-up of your duck. The waste will start to build up and give off a rancid and awful smell that you just don’t want around your house. This will also help your duck remain happy and healthy. Don’t make a habit of slacking on this chore.
Duck Poop
Talking about duck poop might seem silly, but it’s an important part of caring for your animals, especially if you are trying to keep ducks and rabbits close together. Duck poop can contain germs such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, or Cryptosporidium. These bacteria can be very harmful to your rabbit if they are ingested. This is another reason why you would need constant and consistent clean-up after your animal. Source
Compare and Contrast
| Rabbits | Both | Ducks |
| Housed Inside Only | Need for Socialization (within their species and owner) | Housed Outside Only |
| Hay, Pellets, Fresh and Dark Leafy Veggies For Food | Frequent Clean-Up | Veggies, Greens, Grains for Food |
| Open access to water can be harmful to them | Clean Water Daily | Needs ready access to water |
As you can see from the table above, ducks and rabbits do have many similarities. However, those similarities don’t hit the key points of housing and making both animals feel safe. The animals can’t really live together if one has to live inside and the other has to live outside. It just doesn’t work well together. It would just get to a point where you’d be tired of going in and out of your house multiple times every day. Since these two animals don’t fit well together, let’s see which animals are good pairings for the two.
Good Friends for a Rabbit
- Chickens
- Mice
- Hedgehogs
- Squirrels
- Cockatoos
- Macaws
- Parakeets
- Bearded Dragons
- Other Rabbits
These animals above would make great companions for rabbits. Just make sure to do your research and have proper introductions with the animal and rabbits before you choose to let them live together so that no accidents happen. Rabbits are very active, social, playful, and affectionate animals, so make sure the animal you will introduce to your rabbit is within the same temperament to make a good pair of friends to live together. If you are considering purchasing another rabbit for companionship, you’ll need to consider How Many Rabbits Can Live in One Cage? and How to Bond a Baby Rabbit to an Older Rabbit. Both of these articles I wrote will help you in making the best choice possible for your family’s living situation.
Good Friends for a Duck
- Geese
- Chickens (precautions)
- Turkeys (precautions)
- Horses
- Donkeys
- Cows
- Goats
- Sheep
- Other Ducks
Like rabbits, it’s so important to do your research and take precautions with the animals that you have living with your duck, especially the chickens and turkeys. You must make sure to set boundaries and pay attention to the males of all species so that they don’t mate with the other species.
Conclusion
Rabbits and ducks are very similar to each other in personality and the way that they interact with those of their own kind and humans. With it being on paper it seems like rabbits and ducks would be good living together and even be good friends. It’s just the individual needs that complicate and makes the combination just not suitable to live together. So, get a duck or a rabbit! Both are great and amazing animals, just not living together.
