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dead rabbits

pottiepampottiepam Posts: 203
in Wildlife gardening
I've recently found some young rabbits dead without a mark on them so not myxomatosis. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this. 

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Could be the haemorrhage disease rather than myxie.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Hope not as that means every rabbit in the area is in danger. VHC and RHC are all over the country and will completely wipe out the rabbits that get infected. It also means every pet rabbit in the area should be vaccinated now ( which really all rabbits should be already vaccinated for) as it is fatal without any signs of illness, meaning most people don't realise that is what killed their pet .
    There is no way to stop it as it is a contact passed disease from anything from feed, bedding, other animals, birds, humans clothes, and remains viable unless strong disinfectant is used.  That is why inoculation is imperative. 
  • dave125dave125 Posts: 178
    edited September 2019
    About three months ago there was a dead Rabbit central on my lawn. It was stretched out so presumably died in pain but was totally unmarked. It seemed a bit odd but given the amount of plants it and it's three billion siblings have eaten over the years I suspended my sympathy quite easily. I chucked it in my small wood and presumably a Fox took it. No others have been seen dead recently although local numbers are down.
    Luv Dave
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    The trouble is @dave125 that putting the dead rabbit back into the wild if it was VHD or RHD ( sorry just spotted the typo on first post☺️) will have spread it as far as the carrion eater went.
  • dave125dave125 Posts: 178
    Totally agree and fair enough. I did know enough to look for Myxi but before today had never heard of V or RHD. It certainly won't happen again! Don't get me wrong the Rabiits may destroy on average a quarter of my garden every year and the Foxes poop copiously but I would never want to be without them.
    Luv Dave
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    In this area the Myxi has kept the numbers down, but this year its unusual to see one which is sad.
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