Anyone know anything about wild rabbits?

[trancejeremy]

So I'm sitting outside with my 2 dogs playing with them, when we hear this horrible noise coming from the woods. Naturally we go and investigate. Out hops this rabbit.

He hops around a bit, then he sort of collapses in a ditch. He's still alive, but he's a little bloody around the eyes, but I don't see any actual wounds. I'm hoping he will hop off, so I can untie my dogs, but he's been sitting there for about 20 minutes now.

Is there something wrong with him, or do they freeze up like possums? And what would attack (?) a rabbit like that? My dogs were with me and presumably if anything big were near, they would know about it.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

1) A lot of herbivores freeze when spotted because a lot of predators are keyed to attack movement. The rabbits in my neigborhood freeze all the time, but take off when anyone gets within a few feet of them in the open. When they have cover, they'll sit as long as they can. I've watched bunnies emerge in full flight from bushes my dog (a Border Collie) just walked by 30 seconds previously- she's a herder, not a hunter.

2) Rabbits are pretty near the bottom of the food chain- coyotes, predatory birds, feral cats and dogs...anything that hunts will consider them prey.

3) If you MUST handle the rabbit, use heavy gloves- you may wish to call animal control rather than handling him yourself because he's probably parasite ridden. Ticks carry Lyme disease, etc., and fleas carry all kinds of things, not the least of which is Bubonic Plague. If you reach him before death, he could bite you, making rabies a concern.

4) If you do decide to rescue him, you're in for some fun & heartbreak (a buddy of mine tried this with a squirrel last fall). Rabbits are cute, but any wild creature should probably be returned to the wild. If you successfully nurse him over his injuries, you're probably better off releasing him far from your home. That way, if you see a bunny later that didn't make it, you'll be pretty sure it wasn't yours.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Be careful! That blood around its eyes could just be left over after devouring its last victim.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Have some Rabbit Stew tonight!!!

 

[LightPhoenix]

While the rabbit may have been attacked by another animal, I would avoid touching it any further. Rabbits do freeze, relying on that and camoflage to avoid being seen. However, the way you describe it, it's possible the rabbit may have been sick. The blood could be any number of things, my bet would be internal bleeding. However, it could be indicative of disease as well. If it doesn't hop away, I would call whoever is responsible for wild animals in your area... usually the ASPCA is a good place to start.

 

[diaglo]

in europe they have Myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease in wild rabbits for some time. that's why they tell you in Engerland not to eat the things.


in the US, Myxomatosis also exists along with tularemia and plague. but they are very, very, very low.

 

[Mycanid]

From the first part of your description of a "horrible noise" my first thought was that a fox pounced on it and tore it up some but that the rabbit got away some how.

Definitely, definitely call the animal service to remove the beast (or if you MUST touch the thing at least put on those extra pair of plate mail gauntlets you have lying in the second drawer of the desk in your study - all gamers have something like this hanging around I believe).

I had to grab a fox a few years ago during a heat wave that was half dead because of dehydration. I brought it to the local ranger station (yes I live WAY in the sticks) and they took care of it. I wore my thick gloves, I can tell you....

Of course they looked absurd on a fungus, but sometimes circumstances demand strange things, eh?

 

[trancejeremy]

Well, I guess the rabbit is okay. Saw him hopping around yesterday. (I think it was him).

It's amazing that rabbits actually survive, if that freezing up is normal. I mean, when possums do it, I don't think animals want to touch them, really, because they have rows and rows of sharp teeth. A rabbit doing that looks like a tasty snack.

 

[Thunderfoot]

When a rabbit "screams" it means that it is frightened - kind of like a little girl (both in volume and pitch)

The blood around the eyes and the "freezing" was proabably shock. Think mild coronary in a human. If the thing did eventually get up, then this is most likely what had happened. (Disease might be a factor, but then the scream would be out of character.) Cats, dogs, wolves and foxes wil literally run a rabbit to death; since this one ran towards "civilization" it was probably a last ditch effort (sorry for the pun) to stay alive, looks like it worked.

As for what else I know about wild rabbits....
They taste very good, especially when roasted in a honey glaze and served with herb roasted potatoes and carrots.

 

[morrolan]

When a rabbit "screams" it means that it is frightened - kind of like a little girl (both in volume and pitch)

I didn't know what blood-curdling meant until I found a rabbit after a car had hit it. It had a broken leg and was screaming. That is a deeply disturbing sound.

They taste very good, especially when roasted in a honey glaze and served with herb roasted potatoes and carrots.

Hossenpfeffer? If I didn't know better, I'd swear this was carrots!