Myxomatosis in your areas?

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Dennis1234567

I can understand the Australians need to remove the rabbit but Myxomatosis was wrong, and wrong in the extreme. The person who came up with that idea should be hung.

Having come up with that the Australian are at it again. In 1995 they released rabbit haemorraghic disease virus RHDV (also known as rabbit calicivirus) into the wild population. This one is as ugly as Myxomatosis and causes internal bleeding over a prolonged period.

As it's a virus it will spread like Myxomatosis and reduce the population by 99% like Myxomatosis.

That's disgusting, didn't know that.

[Dennis1234567]

rabbit calicivirus

No obvious change in physical appearance
Watery fluid may run from the nose and mouth
Rabbit's liver may appear pale and swollen
Spleen and kidneys will be dark and enlarged
Rabbits appear listless
Blood clots form in the major organs such as
the lungs or kidneys
Death

[paulthomas]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

I sometimes wonder, just wonder, whether there is a grey squirrel variant of myxi ..... but, as is noted, it is a long and painful process which I wouldn't want to inflict on anything ... even grey squirrels ... probably ....

Greys can carry the Squirrel Pox virus which they are immune to but which is almost 100% fatal to our native Reds.

[BloomingMarvellous]

Found this little fella today, eye's firmly shut with sore nose, he didn't even see me. Is there anyone I should be reporting this to.

[ellen h]

Originally Posted by BloomingMarvellous

Found this little fella today, eye's firmly shut with sore nose, he didn't even see me. Is there anyone I should be reporting this to.

When I have seen them in this state the kindest thing is to put them out of their misery.I know not everyone can face doing that though,but I just think its kinder than leaving them to a lingering death.
ellen

[Meta menardi]

I agree, a compassionate person will kill it if they have the strength to do it, I always do. I apreciate that many don't find this easy. There is no-one to report this to, it is now an endemic disease and has been so for 50 or so years. It can be very distressing to see this disease, 6 months from now the rabbit population can be completely healthy.

[dan-fisher]

Found an older rabbit the other night while owl watching. Thought it'd been hit by a car which it had, but only very minor. Eyes were not only sealed shut, oozing white liquid but set deep in and had been like it some time. Shame.

[Dogghound]

My local patch is just starting to recover after last years outbreak. There are a couple of warrens in use but their numbers are still down. It not only affects the rabbits but also the local predator populations such as stoats, these will either starve, or more likely adopt a new diet or move on. It is a disease that affects the whole ecosystem, it is also a big factor is the decline of the Iberian lynx over in spain.