Having a house rabbit while pregnant

Question
Hi Dana,
We have a 3-year old neutered, male lionhead house rabbit who is never confined to his cage and is very good about using his litter box (we're in a condo).  Now that I am expecting a child several people are concerned that I have this pet.  As long as I don't touch our bunny's waste I feel I'll be fine, and I tell myself it's almost like having a cat.  Do you have any advice about this situation?

Thanks so much!

Answer
Dear Adrienne,

Sorry for the delay in answering.  Had a bit of computer down time!

You don't need to worry about contact with the bunny or his waste harming you or your unborn child.  The thing the concerned people are worried about is toxoplasmosis--infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii--which is carried by some cats and transmitted via feces.  Most pet cats do NOT carry this parasite, and you're actually more likely to come in contact with it if you garden in an area where feral cats have left their waste.  But most people like to err on the side of caution, and tell a pregnant woman to NOT come into contact with a cat's litterbox.

Although rabbits can (rarely) harbor Toxoplasma, they do not have the infective stage that can be passed to humans.  So no special care needs to be taken.  (But this is still a great opportunity for you to get someone else to take care of his litterbox!)

Hope that helps.

Dana