Myxomatosis

[greatbritishhoney]

We seem to have a bit of an outbreak of mixy here. I'm in a bit of a quandry about what to do. I don't like to watch animals suffer, so ordinarily I would have no hesitation to despatch anything that was in a bad way. However, I'm no great fan of rabbits - they ruin my fruit trees, destroy my veg and damage my fields. I'm also willing to bet that the fox population is probably closely linked to the rabbit population (i.e - lots of rabbits = lots of food for foxes = more foxes = more of my hens dead).
So, do I leave the mixy rabbits and let it naturally reduce the population or do I do the "nice" thing and put the fluffy bunnies out of their misery?

 

[Cazza]

I think when you see a mixy rabbit you should cull it if you are able. It will be outside the burrow so no longer infecting the other rabbits. The disease will still carry on within the burrow and reduce the population.

I am usually overrun with the little darlings but not this year. No mixy here at the moment so not sure why?
Cazza

 

[Brosville]

Shoot the poor creatures! Myxomatosis is a vile disease, and no animal should be left to suffer. Many moons ago I had the shooting rights over 400 acres, and found that myxy "did the rounds" of the ground, different parts being affected each year. I don't think your putting them out of their misery (which it is) will affect numbers to any great extent in the long run, but it is a humane thing to do (albeit not a pleasant task - at one point I'd get through 50 cartridges every evening during a particularly bad outbreak)

 

[hedgerow pete]

i would be out shooting them whether they have mixy or not

 

[Otleybee]

I used to work with an gamekeeper in the Banchory area who shot rabbits with a silenced .22 gun. He said if he missed the rabbits would just think it was a bee whizzing by!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Its a win-win for everyone bar the foxes. You get to shoot the bunnies you dislike, they have their suffering ended, plus you may have fewer foxes about.

Bang Bang Bang Bang goes the farmers gun.......

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Well, so far I've shot one and the dog had another (dead before I noticed I should add) and another that I saw and went to get my gun was squashed by a car in the meantime.
So, as yet, my conscience is clear!

 

[greatbritishhoney]

i would be out shooting them whether they have mixy or not

I do like a good rabbit pie!

 

[biglongdarren]

as cruel as it is letting it run its course will only benefit the coney in the long run,the more that get this the more that live through it and become immune to the whole thing!

 

[hedgerow pete]

i was told many moons ago by a keeper that mixy is an in the ground diesease. because the spres or germs can survive below ground for ages.

with this winter being very cold and the rabbits spending a lot of time under ground i would exspect so hear and see a lot more mixy this year. were as in a mild winter they stay above ground alot and there is very little mixy.

but either way i love a good rabbit pie. my only regret living is brum is the fact i cant go rabbiting as much as i want to ie every weekend

 

[bee ginnner]

it,s not in the soil,fleas spread it as they feed.and they dont seem to build up much resistance to it

 

[Erichalfbee]

Myxomatosis is a viral disease and the virus does not survive in the soil. It is spread by insect vectors, the most important being the rabbit flea and mosquitos.
It is usually present throughout the year, with a main **** in summer/autumn and a minor **** in spring. Its prevalence in the population depends on the presence of sufficient numbers of vectors and a sufficient density of susceptible rabbits so what you see is a visible epidemic once numbers of rabbits get above a certain density per area. These epidemics are most likely to start when fleas move between hosts more actively at the start and end of the rabbit breeding season (January/February and July/August).

Fleas will infest pet rabbits either by direct contact or by hitching a ride on the family dog so it is important to vaccinate pet bunnies.

EDIT...**** should read p e a k........why it's been censored I have no idea!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

**

 

[hedgerow pete]

ta

 

[milkermel]

If you want to keep the mixy running then kill the infected rabbits then put the bodies down the burrows, fleas will then hop onto next warm body and hopefuly re infest. We are seeing a lot more rabitts getting over mixy down here in cornwall. Not complaining, it keeps the other half in business! But really is becoming an issue.

 

[Foxylad]

Alot of rabbits are now immune to mixy. Some catch the disease, display symptoms and have a full recovery. Such is the fast breading cycle of the rabbit.

 

[hedgerow pete]

they recon that the rabbit numbers are up to the levels before mixy and in some places, i think it was the scotish boarders its even higher

 

[rowbow]

Yet another human intervention that has gone wrong, I wonder if they have anything to do with varoa.

John

 

[hedgerow pete]

to me the main problem with rabbits is that before the 1950 there was a fair few people out after rabbits for a living or as sporting goods, but i dont see that many doing it now so my worry is that as there numbers get bigger the work force to control them is not there any more

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Hit one in the car today. Unintentionally I might add. But it's one less.

Incidentally, how come mixy doesn't affect hares? Or does it?