We have a ton of bunny rabbits around our house and neighborhood, health hazard?

[Jillpie]

Every time I come home now, theres two or three bunnies hanging around our lawn and neighborhood. They're everywhere! Is there any concern with them that you would have, any health hazard at all? (we have two lab dogs that go out to the back yard sometimes)

 

[Liberty Belle]

We have tons of them, too. I'll be interested in seeing the responses.

 

[georgina]

I've never had any health concerns about the rabbits, nor the squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs, or birds. The raccoons do bother me a bit. It's good to wash your hands when coming in from outside in any case.

 

[OhMari]

We found a nest of baby rabbits in the middle of our lawn. We actually caught six of them. We didn't kill them, but took them down to the nature center. When we returned home, we found another one. He must of been the goliath of the bunch. We could barely catch it. My dh let it go and it ran to it's momma. Now I see 3 bouncing around again, but I guess it is better than 9.

 

[happygirl]

I think there health would be more in jeopardy then yours

 

[kirbsam]

mmmm, hosenfeffer.

 

[Jillpie]

How much longer do you think they'll stick around? Just the summertime? We've been here for 10 years, and this has never happened.

 

[Aimeedyan]

We always get tons, including at least one nest of babies each year. Sadly, some have not been able to outrun my Schnauzer. No health issues that I know of. They are cute to look at, entertain my dogs (they can't even begin to catch the adult ones!), and since we have no flowerbeds or gardens, they don't destroy anything.

If your dogs are up to date on shots, they shouldn't have any issues with encounters. Believe me, those bunnies are going to run as fast as possible when they hear a dog out so it'd be unlikely they'd encounter each other (unless they came across a nest)

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Rabbits are prey animals and you are more of a danger to them than they are to you. Actually the only real danger I know of is if you have a garden or flower beds you don't want them in. They are very active in the afternoon and evenings and will probably hang around until it starts to get late fall/early winter possibly.

I have pet bunnies, so I am used to their habits, most of the time

Suzanne

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Do these look like pet-type bunnies or wild bunnies? If they look like domestic bunnies, it could be that someone dumped a pair of pets and they multiplied as bunnies tend to do. Domestic bunnies don't do very well living outside in the long-term. They should be humanely trapped and turned over to the Humane Society. If they're wild bunnies that belong outdoors, they shouldn't cause you any problems. If they don't like being around dogs, they'll take off soon enough!

 

[Jillpie]

Do these look like pet-type bunnies or wild bunnies? If they look like domestic bunnies, it could be that someone dumped a pair of pets and they multiplied as bunnies tend to do. Domestic bunnies don't do very well living outside in the long-term. They should be humanely trapped and turned over to the Humane Society. If they're wild bunnies that belong outdoors, they shouldn't cause you any problems. If they don't like being around dogs, they'll take off soon enough!

I'm pretty sure they're wild bunnies. They take off very fast when the dogs chase them, right to the woods. But then they keep coming back to our yard to graze.

 

[NotUrsula]

AFAIK, the only things that tend to be an issue with wild rabbits is worms. So you don't want to be eating them, and it is probably a good idea to keep up with keeping your dogs wormed if they eat them. (Though it may be that the worms that infect rabbits don't use dogs as hosts; I just don't know about that. I'm sure your vet could tell you if there is any danger to the dogs related to eating wild rabbits.)

 

[hucifer]

mmmm, hosenfeffer.

 

[momrek06]

We see them everywhere. They are harmless. I actually live seconds from the University of California/Irvine campus and DH & I walk all over the campus, as it is huge, there are rabbits alllll overrrr that campus...but they are adorable. Little tiny bunnies. No one ever bothers with them, thankfully.

 

[liamsaunt]

My yard is full of rabbits too! All sizes. Last night I saw six of them in the yard, chomping away on the grass. I don't mind them at all. I think they are cute.

 

[MichelleVW]

Tons of rabbits at my house too....I hate that they eat my flowers but they are cute!!

 

[teacherforhi]

There's a family living in my storage building in the back yard. They're very cute and never hurt anything. They do drive the cats crazy, though.

 

[pooh4evr]

We always have lots of families in the yards too- we usually find the nests by accident- (lawn mower ) but I ahven't hurt any yet they burrow down deep enough - although when they are a little bigger they will hop out of the way- I make the girls do a sweep of the yard to stand guard of any that are out so I don't get them. I don't think there is any health concerns or anything unless maybe you have a garden and peter rabbit is nibbling you vegetables.

 

[browneyes106]

There are a lot of wild rabbits around where I grew up. A lot of them get killed by coyotes, dogs, and other predators. When I was around 17 I accidently ran over a baby rabbit in our driveaway. I would be careful if you have gardens like pooh4evr mentioned.

 

[Aardvarks]

This rabbit 'nest' thing intrigues me. Are we talking jackrabbits , hares or rabbits?

We have rabbits in our garden and they live in burrows under the soil under large rhododendron shrubs, the only risk is in stepping in a hole and breaking an ankle.

Rabbits in the UK are not indigenous, they were introduced from France a long way back.

We get rabbits from France, grey squirrels from the USA, local owls, visting hawks, foxes after a rabbit dinner, an occasional dear or red legged partridge and one lonely lady amhurst pheasant and we watch them all from our kitchen with fascination. At night we just get the odd late bunny ,owls and a family of hedgehogs.

I guess we get so many visiting wild animals because we dont have dogs or cats.