Myxi rabbits

[theclaud]

Is it just me, or is there a lot of myxomatosis around at the moment? I've seen two rabbits with it within a week on my morning rides - before that I can't remember having seen one for years. Very distressing. Is it exacerbated by warm wet weather?

 

[Bigtwin]

It's a bumper year for them generally, so I guess if there is mix about it will be more evident.

Round here they are just hungry all the time - place is covered with them day and night - you can kick them out the way in places, but they aren't ill, just feeding.

 

[Wigsie]

Had a wave of Mixie round by me a few years back but not noticed anything for a fair while.

 

[Panter]

We have loads of rabbits down here.
Apparently mxyi is a Spring and Autumn event although we only get them in large numbers in the Autumn.
Apparently, mosquitoes are the main spreaaders so it's probably a symptom of the very wet Summer.

It's a horrible disease

 

[wafflycat]

I've noticed it in wild rabbits out during the day round these parts. Nasty disease.

 

[NormanD]

Myoxmatosis will have been introduced into an area where the rabbit population has exploded, its common practice for infected rabbits to be released near warrens to help reduce the population. The virus being spread by fleas

Rabbits seem to have built up a resistance to the virus and it's not as deadly to them as it once was, I used to be a pest controller and I've lost count of the many rabbits I've dispatched over the years, if I saw a badly infected rabbit I would dispatch it, a not so one I would leave to help spread the virus.

I know it’s a horrible death for the animals, but its one of the most effective ways of culling the rabbit population. People think of the animals as cute, but you ask a farmer how much damage they cause each year and you'll be surprised. It is estimated that rabbit damage alone in the uk runs to something like £100.000.000 annually.

Norm

 

[Yellow Fang]

Isn't it illegal to spread myxmatosis? I thought I'd read somewhere it had been made illegal. It's a cruel disease. I haven't seen many around this year, but then I haven't been around on my bike so much. I've seen a few in previous years.

 

[Globalti]

My son recently ate a cheese toastie followed by a ham toastie then barfed up. When I asked him how he was feeling he replied: "Ooh Dad, I think it was because I've been mixing my toasties!"

 

[stoatsngroats]

Ted caught one a few weeks ago - it ran very slowly tho' - it was dead by the time my wife caught up with them both....(that sounds very odd - like a joke!)