mr williamson Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hi guys iv always had a health stock of rabbits on my ground. I reduce there numbers when needed. But what i saw this morning upset me! There are v little or no rabbits in a 10mile radius of my grounds and for years the bunnies on my ground have been fit and healthy. I am a hunter but i absolutely hate seeing any animal suffer. Thismorning i found a rabbit riddled with mixy, eyes swollen and oozing, loss of weight, the poor thing was hardly able to breath. I dispatched it as quickly as i could. This is the first one iv seen and it was well developed. I would hate to think someone had delibratley put a mixy rabbit on my land out os jealousy or spite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Hi Mr W, it's not just in your area, and I doubt if anyone would "infect" an area with myxi out of spite or jealousy. I shoot down in east Kent, and have the same as you Also, I'm in touch with a couple of other shooters around the country. Cambridgshire is quite rife with it, some parts of Devon have it, and the Midlands too. Basically everywhere, but,,,, on my shoots, which are very small rural gardens and horse paddocks, there are some adjacent areas that have a healthy, thriving population of rabbits. One theory that has been suggested, is that myxi is appearing in the vicinity of railways through the land Not always, but in quite a lot of cases. Theories are only that, and my mind is open, but my shoots are directly next to a main line track, and as I said, myxi has done my work for me. My sentiments are the same as yours,,,, I enjoy being out there, doing a "job" with pleasure, and hate seeing any creature suffering. Hope it improves for you, as it probably will, as rabbits will never completely disappear atb Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 That theory makes sense. The bottom line though is that when it's hot or when cold the rabbit will go underground to be cool/warm and the fleas await Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 That theory makes sense. The bottom line though is that when it's hot or when cold the rabbit will go underground to be cool/warm and the fleas await Yeah, that of course is correct. Another option/theory to the OP..... There is nothing to stop farmers/land owners picking up infected rabbits and introduce them to certain areas Unseen of course, as I'm sure we all know that is illegal Anyway, it is, and always will be, an ongoing battle,,,, especially for the bunnies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Mixxy is out there, it turns up and without doubt is unpleasant, then it goes away until the next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Another option/theory to the OP..... There is nothing to stop farmers/land owners picking up infected rabbits and introduce them to certain areas Unseen of course, as I'm sure we all know that is illegal Is it illegal? just wondering what law they would break, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Matt Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Its just reared its ugly head again on one of my small holdings after 2 years ago wiping everything out and taking 12 months for a recovery ! Ive had about 3 months of shooting healthy bunnys and back to the onset of myxi again ! ATB Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Is it illegal? just wondering what law they would break, Just thinking along the lines of trapping [picking up] a pest species and releasing it, not despatching it Don't know if I'm wrong Please correct me if I am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 no idea I know non natives you can't release but rabbits no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 no idea I know non natives you can't release but rabbits no idea. I thought I'd read it somewhere. It just stuck in my head somewhere,,,, rattling around :blink: If someone can confirm this either way, please do,,,, thanks. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amazed Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 I started a thread a while ago having had two mixy riddled rabbits on my land. First I have seen for a good 10 years. It must be cos of the damp conditions forcing them under ground for long periods. Shame really :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Pests act 1954. 12 Spreading of myxomatosis.A person shall be guilty of an offence if he knowingly uses or permits the use of a rabbit infected with myxomatosis to spread the disease among uninfected rabbits and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds or, if he has been previously convicted of such an offence, a fine not exceeding fifty pounds: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Well having to pay £20 would be enough to put most farmers off doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Pests act 1954. 12 Spreading of myxomatosis.A person shall be guilty of an offence if he knowingly uses or permits the use of a rabbit infected with myxomatosis to spread the disease among uninfected rabbits and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds or, if he has been previously convicted of such an offence, a fine not exceeding fifty pounds: Thank you kind sir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Well having to pay £20 would be enough to put most farmers off doing it. Maybe £50 is even more of a deterrent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Maybe £50 is even more of a deterrent Only if they got caught the first time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeonblasterian Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 (edited) Only if they got caught the first time! Though if someone is found guilty they will have a criminal record. Edited September 26, 2012 by pigeonblasterian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cottonseed Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Hi guys iv always had a health stock of rabbits on my ground. I reduce there numbers when needed. But what i saw this morning upset me! There are v little or no rabbits in a 10mile radius of my grounds and for years the bunnies on my ground have been fit and healthy. I am a hunter but i absolutely hate seeing any animal suffer. Thismorning i found a rabbit riddled with mixy, eyes swollen and oozing, loss of weight, the poor thing was hardly able to breath. I dispatched it as quickly as i could. This is the first one iv seen and it was well developed. I would hate to think someone had delibratley put a mixy rabbit on my land out os jealousy or spite. I'm in the North west as well and I've had a report of myxy rabbits within a mile of two of my shooting areas. In my experience it comes in waves every four years and it's due now. Populations always seem to bounce back in the following year, at least in my experience. I knew it was illegal to introduce myxy, but the fines are now laughable, not that I suspect anyone has done it on your ground. I've never heard even a rumour of anyone doing such a nasty stunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Lodge Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Mxy is carried by fleas, which if remember right have a slower reproduction rate as the rabbits, as rabbit population increases during the summer, the fleas can move around from burrow to burrow infecting the bunnies as they go. Most of them starve to death,not being able to find food, owing to the blindness from the puffy up eyes. British rabbits are slowly building a resistance to mxy, with some recovering from it and then pass this resistance on to their offspring. I remember once in the 90s, when working with a bunch of tree hugging hippy archaeologists, I found an extremely infected rabbit, which I promptly (and sadly) dispatched with a pick axe handle. It was only after this did they tell me they were all card carrying members of the LACS and Class War. When I tried to explain about mxy and it's effects I was informed that if the "Rich", (whom were all destined for the wall) didn't live in big houses and own all the land, then they couldn't breed rabbits for sport and then mxy wouldn't be an issue. Not much point saying much after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 You can spread mixy yourself without meaning to by shooting an animal and discarding it when you discover its infected. Rabbits will sniff a dead body and then the fleas jump ship. There's not much you can do unless you remove all infected carcases and incinerate them and whose going to do that? I tend to leave mixy rabbits in the top of the hedge so the crows eat them. Carrying them even a short distance from the area where they were shot is a bad idea as it risks spreading the disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 You can spread mixy yourself without meaning to by shooting an animal and discarding it when you discover its infected. Rabbits will sniff a dead body and then the fleas jump ship. There's not much you can do unless you remove all infected carcases and incinerate them and whose going to do that? I tend to leave mixy rabbits in the top of the hedge so the crows eat them. Carrying them even a short distance from the area where they were shot is a bad idea as it risks spreading the disease. All my myxi rabbits go in the freezer [carefully wrapped] then on to a BOP/Animal Centre. They are the favourite of the resident Cheetah's and Huskies, and the offal goes to the various raptors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colliwobbles Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 We've found a few down here in mid Cornwall too after not having any for a year or so! Again the wet weather seems to have helped to spread it unfortunately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon pete Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 have a read of this ,not just flees ! http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/understanding_myxo_feb06.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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