my 2 days out

[Spacemonkey]

Yep, they kill the lot to silence them, and try to come back for as many as possible. Trouble is , they normally get disturbed hence the myth of only taking one.

I always thought the black ones were a genetic throwback of recessive genes. Is it true that they are all purposely 'planted' within the groups then?

 

[george]

I always thought the black ones were a genetic throwback of recessive genes. Is it true that they are all purposely 'planted' within the groups then?

Spacemonkey

Thats my understanding of it too. I used to live in a place with a huge rabbit population (very few where I live now though ) Every few years mixi would come back and I would have to put down one or two almost every walk. Things would settle down once numbers had been knocked back and the rabbit population would start to grow back. After another 3 or 4 years (less if the growing conditions for their food was good) I would start to see white and black rabbits. garanteed that next would come mixi.

I was told that white and black were reccessives that only began to show if the rabbits had more than a certain amount of litters that year. Once that happened there would be enough of them to begin to repopulate the infected warrens that had been cleared at the last outbreak. Once they repopulated the warrens they would get infected and so it would start again.

George

 

[nameless]

hopefully i wil;l never have to put down a rabbit due to mixxy,i'm not againist eating them. But if i do come across one how should it be humanly put down? all i can think of is to cut it's throat, is their a better and less stress free wat for the rabbit?

Cheers
Adam

 

[FeralSheryl]

hopefully i wil;l never have to put down a rabbit due to mixxy,i'm not againist eating them. But if i do come across one how should it be humanly put down? all i can think of is to cut it's throat, is their a better and less stress free wat for the rabbit?

Cheers
Adam

It was one of the things I couldn't bring myself to do at the Rescue. So I cant offer any advice there. In retrospect I should have learned but there was always someone else around to take over the responsibility at the time. There is a very simple and very quick technique involved but I never stayed around to watch. Certainly no knives involved, I wouldn't reccomend that at all. Perhaps someone else could advise on this one, if not then have a word with the RSPCA or your local Wildlife Rescue.

 

[george]

Adam

Breaking it's neck is a very quick and easy technique to learn but it's crucial to get it exactly right so you don't cause any more suffering to the poor creature, thats why it's best demonstrated and why I won't try to explain it in print. Find someone who works with ferrets - get them to show you what to do.

Whatever you do don't try to cut it's throat, it doesn't work easily and will end up terrifying both you and the rabbit - don't do it.

If you regularly come across mixi'd rabbits then as Sheryl says contact the RSPCA for advice on what to do. In some places they keep track of mixi and are pleased to get any information possible.

Hope you don't come across too many of them - horrible disease.

George

 

[nameless]

cheers george on that, the only experiance i have of killing is fishing but thats proberly a million miles away.

Cheers
Adam

 

[TheViking]

Quickest way to dispatch is hold the rabbit in the legs and hit it hard in the back of it's head, with a heavy stick.

 

[Spacemonkey]

I used the blunt back of my MOD knife, which is very heavy (1/4 inch thick steel blade) and gave a heavy snap blow to the top of the head (cranium) as you would a large fish. It was instant. Still upsetting though.

 

[george]

Quickest way to dispatch is hold the rabbit in the legs and hit it hard in the back of it's head, with a heavy stick.

Vik

You may be right that it's quick mate, but we're talking about putting a mixi'd rabbit out of it's misery - you try picking one up by it's hind legs and you're going to have a seriously terrified rabbit on your hands, sh***ing itself and squealing blue murder before you kill it. Leave that method for ones that are already stunned or got a bunch of pellets in them.

George