Hay/Health/Rats question

Hi, I have a question about rats.

I was just at the vet (Patch and Daisy had their jabs) and I asked about rats as I saw one last weekend when I went to collect hay from the farm. The vet went through a list of potential parasites that would kill the buns if they were infected and it could be through rat urine on hay, although he said it was unlikely.

I don't want to put the buns at risk of anything, so I am thinking about going elsewhere for hay but the problem is I worry that rats are likely to be at any farm where I could get hay from  

Does anyone know of a good place to get hay locally in North Wiltshire that is rat free? I would get hay online but it can be difficult to collect if no one is in when they deliver.

Maybe I am being silly about worrying - there are likely to be rats in the fields where the hay is grown after all?

They love this hay and they eat loads more since starting on it, when we couldn't collect it because of snow and used shop bought hay they all got ill. I don't know what to do   any advice is welcome as always!

I will definitely speak to the man who sells this hay on Saturday to let him know about the rat

can you not just make sure you are getting a bale form the top where they are less likely to have been?

Its not really in bales, it is quite loose in big bags/tarps and is packed into smaller bags when I get there (or sometimes I pack it) so I think it is unlikely for rats to run across it as it is loose rather than bales but I still worry!

Considering how abundant rats are, I think it's unlikely that you'd get any hay that you could guarantee has not had rats in it.

I know it is a bit off-putting when you have actually seen one scampering about, but I bet there are far more of them that you have not seen.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it. You could always ask your vet what the life cycle of any parasites is likely to be once they are off the rat and on the hay, most things might just not survive...

Thanks for the replies!! I've had a think, and I'll continue getting hay from the same place. The rabbits love it...they get more excited about new hay time than for breakfast pellets nowadays!