Anyone else got a lot of myxomatosis rabbits about?

Yes, we have got loads here. I keep fetching hubby to dispatch them which doesnt please him but they are just sat in the paddocks looking so poorly.
It does seem to have some years where it is worse than others.
What a horrible manmade disease
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I have seen quite a few on the road sides - dispatched quickly - but not come across many in the fields... It does seem to be more prevalent this year. Poor bunnys! xx
 
Oh its so awful. One of our pet bunnies got it and we tried to nurse him through it but to no avail. Well done top those of you who can kill them quickly and humanely. I can't believe someone made the disease up, just awful. I haven't noticed anymore than normal with it in the Hants/W.Sussex area though...
 
We have loads. We seem to get them every year but this year it has started earlier than usual. I feel so sorry for the poor things, it is an awful way to die.

They seem to want to die. We've had them run straight into our kitchen...and we have nine largish dogs on the prowl.
 
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We have loads.
Last year our neighbouring farmer 'introduced' it. Trapped a load of mixi bunnies from the other side of town and let them loose round here. Plus he had the nerve to brag about it in the pub :-(.

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This is actually illegal so you should let him know if he doesn't already! Or report it.
 
Yes, it is the warm wet weather, mixxi really loves it.

Pet bunnies can get an injection to protect them.

Wild rabbits are a pain, but I would not wish this cruel disease n them
 
I remember seeing infected rabbits in Scotland back in the late 1960's. My granddad used to run them over saying 'poor wee mites'.

I have dispatches a few in the past, when keeping rabbit numbers under control with a rifle. Huge population of rabbits down here this year, but I've not seen any with myxi.
 
We've a huge rabbit population which comes over to our nice grass from the (council owned) park next door, no myxi seen so far. and the council won't control them because 'the public like to see bunny rabbits'. Have discovered bunnies will eat up to what they perceive is a fence - took down the electric fencing menage yesterday and the grass was getting on for foot taller the other side of the 'fence' yet there was nothing physical to stop them!
 
I really don't know much about it at all but there are loads of rabbits around where i am.....What symptoms do they show, how does it get passed on etc? Quite interested to know! So was it introduced as a way of keeping numbers down?
 
Introduced in the 1950's I believe, manmade disease to try to reduce rabbit populations. It is passed on by the flea! It is illegal to introduce it anywhere and some rabbits have natural immunity to it hence it does not wipe out a colony only reduce it's numbers. The disease exhibits symptoms of swelling around the eyes so that the eyes cannot be opened and the rabbit becomes blind, the external parts of the bottom and sex organs also become swollen. Both areas become pussy. The rabbit eventually looses weight and becomes emaciated. It is a horrible way to go but I do agree that the populations are increasing so much that it is a danger in horse fields. There are other methods I believe though that are far more humane. Thankfully in our fields we have hares!!! So no burrowing! Never seen one in the flesh before moving here and now I see them regularly!
 
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