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[CLKD]

Haven't seen that many rabbit corpses in the roads this Winter.  But as I don't go out and about at dusk/dawn I wouldn't know about lack of numbers - maybe ask a farmer?

However, pigeons 

[Taz2]

Around here there were always so many on the verges and in the fields. Since the beginning of last year they became noticeable by their absence and now, on my trips to and from the pub each evening, I don't see any.  The only mention I have seen of it is in this column from the Sunday Express where someone mentions "last year's myxamotosis wiping them out" http://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/mindy-hammond/379951/Mother-Nature-can-be-cruel-when-times-are-hard

Taz x

[Limpy]

We had been totally plagued by rabbits till about Nov last year, then a couple of months peace.
However, about 4pm ish today saw 2 in front garden.

They are bad news, they undermine fencing which then has to be replaced - costly.
Also they kick down rocks which land on the drive mostly, but the parked car has had a few near misses.

In the past there have been a few myxy  rabbits in the garden, we thought great they will infect the others.
Not a bit of it, the non myxy ones won't go anywhere near them.

[Taz2]

You can't possibly think it's great that rabbits have myxy Limpy!! 

Taz x

[Limpy]

Taz
Only great in that I / we had thought that myxy would reduce the numbers of rabbits, they have caused so much damage.
However don't panic, loads of non myxy rabbits poured in.

Myxy is horrible, if you meet one out in the lane while walking, they just don't know what to do.
Wouldn't wish it on anything, but had thought it might cut down numbers.

[Taz2]

Ah I see. Well it might cut down numbers but what a horrible way to cut them down. It is always advisable to get rid of any myxy rabbit you might see - either by picking it up and taking it to your nearest vet. I can't do the neck wringing thing after having seen a friend do it wrongly. Sixty years and it's still going strong!

I am sorry that you have such damage from rabbits though.

Taz x

[Limpy]

It's really weird with rabbits, the initial reaction is they are so small and cute.
How can one little rabbit cause so much damage?

The thing is on a summer evening looking out,  at the field directly below us, there were approx 40 rabbits at once in an area of about 3 acres. What's the expression they breed like rabbits 

[CLKD]

Except they don't - breed like rabbits  - a doe will only be fertile when the days are long enough, hwoever, our does used to throw 11 at a time ........... and raise most of the them. 

Mxy was introduced by man  in the 1960s, later it was re-introduced and by then many had developed ....... oh which word  whatever, they were able to survive.  Even those that looked really ill managed to recover.  I wonder what, further up the food chain, is taking them ...... expect birds of prey will get the blame 

[Taz2]

It was introduced by accident in the 1950's. It became illegal in 1954 to release infected rabbits into the countryside apparently. I found this blog from last year. It is written by a pest control officer.
         
"I have had several rabbit jobs recently where the rabbits had been causing havoc in client's gardens eating newly sprouting plants and excavating holes in carefully tended lawns. I've had quite good results with cage traps set in the feeding areas and Fenn Mk6 traps set in the burrows. This happy state of affairs, for me at least, is soon going to end locally as I've seen several dead & dying rabbits while I've been out with the dog in the last week or so. Indeed only this morning the dog pounced glee fully on an infected rabbit, proudly retrieved it and then looked at me in disbelief as I threw it on top of the hedge for the buzzards, after having put it out of it's misery.

 And a miserable, pitiful end it surely is, rabbits with myxomatosis suffer from swellings to the connective tissue around the eyelids, nose and genital regions. Their eyes often swell up so much that they can't see in the later stages of the disease and they lose their way from the burrows allowing them to fall prey to any passing predator.

 Myxomatosis first reared its ugly head in Britain in 1953 after a French doctor carried out experiments on his estate in France and infected rabbits escaped. There were initial attempts to stamp the disease out but it soon spread countrywide on its own and with artificial help from landowners releasing infected rabbits (a practice which was made an offence in 1954). The initial outbreak in the 50's killed an estimated 99% of several hundred million rabbits within two years and changed the face of the British countryside forever.
 

 The virus seems to come around every 2 or 3 years and depending on its strength or the rabbit population at the time, it has varying impacts on rabbit numbers, sometimes almost total wipe out, other times the rabbits recovering quite quickly.... and rabbits being rabbits, they are soon back up to good numbers. The disease is spread in Britain by the fleas which infest the rabbits and their burrows, passing the virus from rabbit to rabbit in the close confines of the warren. From infection it takes fully susceptible rabbits 11 to 18 days to die from the most virulent strain, however some rabbits always seem to survive an outbreak and these can pass immunity on to
their young.... I hope there are a few that make it through this time & the numbers are soon back up to the levels where they need control ( if not some ferrets might be facing redundancy)."

Taz x

[CLKD]

Wrong.  It was introduced by the farming fraternity to control rabbits - I was there, working in the industry as it were  ......... and it was re-introduced in the late 1970s to control rabbits by which time some had built up immunity.  It's a dreadful way of killing anything  .  Dad used to deal with any we found in the roads in the 1960s, he always carried a pen-knife .........

This morning is drizzly.  We have had less birds in the garden as I think more people are feeding ........ the black cap is still here, 2 robins, several blackbirds, 2 pairs of collard doves and lots of tits ...........

[Greyhoundgal]

I saw three pairs of birds this morning obviously doing the mating ritual dance.  A pair of blackbirds in the front garden, two pigeons in the back garden and a pair of doves on the footpath while I was out with the dogs frist thing - despite the gloomy weather spring is in the air

[Limpy]

Taz don't panic, whilst rabbits do have myxy , round here they are in the minority, lots of non myxy rabbits here.

Don't know how it was introduced, it's been in the UK for a long time anyhow.
I can remember going for a walk in the Cotswolds about 20 years ish ago, the footpath was full of very sick rabbits, that was horrible

[Firewalker50]

There are many situations where I have witnessed and experienced huge destruction by these saintly cuddly looking animals.   However, I think the myxomatosis is a cruel and horrid disease and it is terrible to see rabbits (or any animal) suffer like that. 

I am not sure what the answer is when there are so many that the ground rolls like a carpet with them.  My ex-husband is responsible for property services in a high profile business.   He had previously experienced myxi being introduced.  It takes professional and very expensive pest control to manage them and even that is temporary.  He has carried out night-time culls by (licensed) gun.  It may not sit well with people, but it is sharp and quick and not such a slow death as myxi.  I can understand the frustration of those whose property is destroyed by large numbers and cannot find an easy way to control them.

I think we should through down rabbit friendly and tasty birth control pills, or carrot flavoured bromide meal 

Here is the Wellcome Trust article on the history.  Hope you find it intersting.  I find it an interesting site:

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/2005/Features/WTX024879.htm

Fx

http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/2005/Features/WTX024879.htm

[Limpy]

Thanks Firewalker that's a really interesting article

[Hurdity]

It's been freezing cold here today (as everywhere) but the sun came out so I went up into our little orchard to pick some daffodils - my daughter is coming from London to stay the night with two friends.

It was odd to see the yellow flower heads weighed down with ice and snow, with the snowdrops still out, and the primroses now coming into flower. Bluebell leaves are all shooting up - so spring is on the way depsite the bitter wind...