Rabbit fun

[Gill Catton]

evil evil Myxomatosis I see it slowly kill bunnies in the fields around me every couple of years...

On a lighter note, I used to regulalry see bunnies play - or at least they looked like they were playing, sometimes it even seemed to be rounders (minus the bat and the ball) with rabbits running around in a large circle shape displacing others to run around it too - very strange and very cute!!

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

evil evil Myxomatosis I see it slowly kill bunnies in the fields around me every couple of years...

On a lighter note, I used to regulalry see bunnies play - or at least they looked like they were playing, sometimes it even seemed to be rounders (minus the bat and the ball) with rabbits running around in a large circle shape displacing others to run around it too - very strange and very cute!!

Couldn't agree more! Deliberately introduced in 1953 to control the ever increasing rabbit population. Another stupid thing to add to the ever increasing list of man’s nonsensical endeavours!

On a happier note, most of them are immune to it to a certain extent now, with the affected ones often just showing a few bumps, and then getting over it after a few days. It goes in cycles though, usually every 3 or 4 years of so.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Alan

Couldn't agree more! Deliberately introduced in 1953 to control the ever increasing rabbit population. Another stupid thing to add to the ever increasing list of man’s nonsensical endeavours!

On a happier note, most of them are immune to it to a certain extent now, with the affected ones often just showing a few bumps, and then getting over it after a few days. It goes in cycles though, usually every 3 or 4 years of so.

The rabbits in my parent's garden will go up to being a population of around 11 and Mxy will come along and wipe out all but two every two to three years, so the population does survive but still, most die or are taken while sick sadly
Presumably the immunity will steadily grow within the population, but it hasn't really in my parnts garden (or adjacent fields) as yet!

[nicole]

Found a mixi rabbit at work yesterday We felt the kindest thing to do was put it out of its misery. It really is a evil disease.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by nicole

Found a mixi rabbit at work yesterday We felt the kindest thing to do was put it out of its misery. It really is a evil disease.

I soooo wish I could do that......
I'm just too soft, breaks my heart that I just can't bring myself to help in that way

[Alan]

As the average wild rabbit only lives a couple of years - if it’s lucky, and if it survives myxy, the chances are it will be immune within that period. But when the next generation comes along, the whole process starts again! Hence the cycle.

A pic of a youngster with myxy I took the other week (please don't look if this kind of thing upsetts you!):

[spiepie]

The rabbit in the picture is very similar to the one I saw this morning.
Did think about putting it out of its misery but was not sure about the diagnosis.
Even now after googling Myxi I think they are better left as some apparently recover.
Not my place to play 'God'. However It is a viral infection spread by insect bites so to cull the infected may save the healthy?
I am not sure.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by spiepie

The rabbit in the picture is very similar to the one I saw this morning.
Did think about putting it out of its misery but was not sure about the diagnosis.
Even now after googling Myxi I think they are better left as some apparently recover.
Not my place to play 'God'. However It is a viral infection spread by insect bites so to cull the infected may save the healthy?
I am not sure.

In the past I have dispatched a few with myxy, but these days I leave them alone. If myxy was going to wipe them out completely, it would have done it 50 or so years ago! So I give them the benifit of doubt, and leave them as they have at least some chance of recovery.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Alan

In the past I have dispatched a few with myxy, but these days I leave them alone. If myxy was going to wipe them out completely, it would have done it 50 or so years ago! So I give them the benifit of doubt, and leave them as they have at least some chance of recovery.

The one's that are so far gone that they sit out in the open though, presumably stand very little chance of recovery as they are so easy for foxes and other predators to catch?

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

The one's that are so far gone that they sit out in the open though, presumably stand very little chance of recovery as they are so easy for foxes and other predators to catch?

Yeah each to there own I guess. Even these though if you watch them, usually still feed. So just move them somewhere less exposed if you feel this will help.

Whether you decided to kill them, and say leave the body there, or leave them and don't kill them, the foxes will get them either way!