Viral Haemorrhagic Disease in Rabbits

flyingfisherman

Well-Known Member
Has anyone seen cases of VHD in the UK for themselves? I've heard of it spreading in parts of the scottish borders and read on the internet about cases on the south coast.
 
dont know if it was VHD but something wiped out a lot of our local warrens about 3 years ago, where there used to be loads of bunnies there are now none :(
 
Its meant to go through rabbits like a dose of salts. I assume that because it kills so quickly, it doesnt travel too far as the rabbits are all dead. Dont know then how long the disease stays in the ground (if at all?)
 
Yes, although not officially confirmed as such.
However, with plenty of experience of rabbit breeding, and with a vet in the family, I'm in no doubt that that's what it was.

Can be carried very long distances on clothing, footwear etc I believe.
 
I think a farm i shoot over must have has it some years ago, initially the farm was pickled in bunnies, but then you would be lucky to see 2 or 3, no myxy around.
I think the problem is a myxy outbreak is obvious, but with VHD they mainly die in their burrows from what i understand.
Cheers
Richard
 
Comes through here quite regular now. A few rabbits build up and then they are gone. I find a few but I think most expire to ground. Mixxy then hits the survivors:(
 
Yes,seen it on one of my permissions,rabbits just seem to vanish:die underground I presume and then warrens left barren.Mixy,in contrast,you see afflicted rabbits/roadkill.Quite comfortable with shooting bunnies as humanely as I can but don't like to see them killed by painful disease.
 
Had it in South Linc's three or four years ago. Found a few rabbits bleeding from nose but dead and the whole lot disappeared in a week. They have now come back in a few small pockets but Myxy still strikes each year.
We hear a lot about anti's and the Labour party are still very vociferous concerning fieldsports. Considering that Myxy was introduced on their watch and they are quite happy to see rats controlled by poison,which takes a while to kill, and rabbits can still be hunted by dogs they will always be the most hypocritical shower of b......s that ever walked the earth to me.
 
Have seen it on the south coast of England, kills rabbits quickly, no external signs rabbits look to be in good condition, just dead. Rabbits do not seem to be recolonising the area.
 
It's endemic round here and has been here for years. It spreads quickly and soon stops if there is a "no rabbit" boundary. It kills quickly (within 48 hours) and often the first thing you see is no rabbits!

Over the last couple of years rabbits have been picked up round here, dead with often grass still in their mouths but with no sign of disease, Certainly not mixy and no blood traces as in VHD. Not sure what that's all about. In some areas the rabbits have all but disappeared, I've not seen such a decline in numbers since mixy first arrived.
 
A good 15 years ago we got it up here , within the space of a week.....no rabbits !
They have crept back a little bit ,but not near the numbers we used to have .Then every July/Aug we get mixi which knocks them all back again.
 
I haven't shot a rabbit in nearly 10 years; there are just none about anymore & if we ever see one when we're out they're treated with great reverence & no-one would lift a gun to it.

I used to enjoy rabbit shooting more than pheasants so I must try & arrange a day somewhere this year. Any one got a surplus?
 
Some very large populations of rabbits have completely disappeared here in the borders, 1 or 2 popping up here and there again now...

I know myxy was blamed for the decline in Buzzards when it was first introduced, now we have no rabbits but plenty of Buzzards , what are they living on:-|???
 
I know myxy was blamed for the decline in Buzzards when it was first introduced, now we have no rabbits but plenty of Buzzards , what are they living on:-|???

People, according to one post in the "Other shooting and keepering" section :rofl:
 
Rabbits have been very scarce in the eastern Borders for three or four years. That is until this spring when I have been seeing more and fairly widespread. Ferret men on one farm where I shoot pigeons had 90 for the year up to mid April.

Blackpowder
 
Has anyone seen cases of VHD in the UK for themselves? I've heard of it spreading in parts of the scottish borders and read on the internet about cases on the south coast.


As already stated, rabbits have been hit very hard in the borders, my last ferret died last month and won't be replacing them, no point as no where to ferret anymore round these parts. Can't remember when the last time was when I shot a rabbit, it was so long ago. You can actually go out with the lamp and are lucky to see half a dozen at a time over a very large expanse of several farms. The first signs started here around 15 years ago, now where there used to be huge warrens you would think the rabbit population had never ever existed. There are small pockets starting to appear here and there, but they are by no means quickly getting over this.

M
 
I went from shooting 20 or 30 in an evening to zero rabbits over a few weeks maybe 10 years ago. If I see 2 or 3 together I quietly rejoice.

A
 
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