Wild rabbits at new house- disease questions

[margali]

There are a lot of wild rabbits running around my house to be. They are all over the remains of the previous owners gardens and have been in and out of the shed I want as a rabbitry.

Can they give my new rabbits disease through contaminating garden/ browse material? How long do most rabbit disease organisms survive on wood like the shed walls and dirt?

If I live trap one to see if they have sniffles liver spots is that considered hunting? Like seeing the wild bunnies but I want mine to be healthy.

 

[MaggieJ]

Are wild rabbit diseases prevalent in your area? Which ones? One of the reasons snuffles is such a problem in domestic rabbits is because they are confined in close proximity. Most North American wild rabbits only get together for mating so contact is less once they are grown. The big hazard, if it is present in your area, would be something like Tularemia, which is a concern for domestic rabbits and humans alike.

http://www.ivis.org/advances/Disease_Fa ... aremia.pdf

We have wild cottontails here. I won't say I have never thought about a potential hazard from gathering greens for my rabbits, but I've never had a problem. The population density is not high and wild predators keep them under control.

Having the wild rabbits going in and out of your shed is a bit more problematic. I think I might consider spraying down the floor and lower walls of the shed with a bleach solution and blocking any access holes to keep the rabbits out before I moved my rabbits into it.

 

[Anntann]

Added to what Maggie has said...Once you get into your farm, and start moving around the buildings, the wild rabbits will vacate. We have hundreds around the farm..they cover the road in the evening. They'll come back at night for your garden if you don't fence it well enough, but it's unlikely they'll go inside the shed after there are new occupants.

They don't really carry diseases unless, as maggie said, you're in an outbreak area (rather rare). Parasites like fleas and mites are more common, tho. Just dust the floor of the shed with either DE if you're organic, (or a pyrethrin preperation) or us SEVIN 5% dust. That kills most everything that's harmful to the bunnies without affecting the buns.

After you move in, if you happen to find mites on the rabbits, you'll want to spray the wood with canola oil, or corn oil, etc. that will smother any mites that are living in the wood. (old poultry raiser remedy)

 

[margali]

Okay, I'm glad it sounds like disease transmission won't be a huge issue. I definitely will do the the bleach water to shed's wood and DE on the floor. I have to redo the bottom edge of the front wall and door because it is rotted out.

I don't know what disease are in the wild rabbits here. It is going on the ever expanding list of things to research and ask the ag extension. I hope they are patient with newbie questions. :0