# what killed my rabbits??!



## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

I got up this morning and my does were laying in my colony headless... No guts drug out not chewed on and no blood trail or tracks of any sort.... I was thinking our neighborhood fox but how would it take a head without any mess or guts drug out? I have about a 4'6" fence so it could be jumped by an animal. I don't think a **** could catch two does and take a head clean off like that with no signs of any other struggle. My neighbor thought possibly vandals in the area that have been stealing things from him. Maybe they would have just chopped there heads off.


I'm not sure but whatever it was has taking off with the head and left no sign of anything else. I still have my buck so now I guess its time to start over.


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## AprilW (Nov 25, 2007)

I'm sorry something killed your does.  I've had a couple of dog attacks over the years. When the dogs bothered to eat their kill, it was usually just the head and no other apparent trauma.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

I cant even find words to say how awful that is.. I must say this does sound like a person but how terrible a person must be to commit such an act. And how odd to only kill the does. What would motivate a vandal? How well do you know your neighbor? Any teenage kids around?


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## 64102 (Sep 21, 2010)

Wow... Sorry for this tragic loss...


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

I don't know what would motivate someone to do that if it indeed was a person. I would hope no one would do such a thing. My closets neighbors I know well, on down the road we have trouble with. Partying throughout the week until 3 a.m. and out walking the streets screaming and stupid stuff. But still why would anyone do that? 


Could an owl do it? I mean momma do was BIG I'm talking probably 11lbs or more. I did just go out and set fox foot traps so if its anything that walks that might come back tonight hopefully I will know in the morning.


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## texasramblerbj (Aug 13, 2013)

Hi , I just got in on the conversation. I am so very sorry for your loss. I am a wild life rehabber and retired vet tech. for over 35 years with the state of Texas I have raised dogs ( many breeds) longer. Most wild animals will either carry off its kill and eat it. or will stay in place and go for the organs first then the body. head is usually the last if eaten...Dogs, coyote's, etc. well.. a whole different story.. and I have lost a lot of different animals from them in the past years. they usually eat or tear the whole animal apart. they are sloppy diners. and some kill for the sake of the kill. of course these rabbits were pend . so were they pulled threw the wire? there should be some cage damage if dogs or coyotes. did this . I would get a camera and set it up. if it is a wild animal it will most likely return.... sounds like a weasel, they go for the head and the arteries drain the blood and have been known to leave the body in tack. ......Again I am so sorry, I don't know where you are located or what type of rabbits you would like to have, but let me know and if I can I will help you get started again... I have Flemish Giants. and meat pen Checkers.................


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## BunniesGalore (May 13, 2013)

So sorry for your loss. 
I've heard of weasels chewing the heads off of chickens, so I don't see why they wouldn't try a bunny or two if they have the chance. I would hide a trail cam or two around your bunnies. If it's any decent size animal or a person, you will get a photo of the culprit.


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## Wolfy-hound (May 5, 2013)

If they were headless and the heads were there, I'd say person. Have you walked around and checked the surroundings to make sure there's no heads around?

If the heads are gone, then I don't know. I couldn't see a rabbit getting close enough for a dog to tear off it's head through the fencing(I don't know what size the fencing is). Sound weird.

Chupacabra?


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

Owls, ***** will eat the head and leave the bodies of chickens. I dont know about rabbits though..their heads are a lot bigger than chickens.


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

They were in the center of the pen. Not close to the fence. From what I have read other places I'm thinking possibly an owl. Do you think an owl could sever the head of a full grown new Zealand white? 




texasramblerbj said:


> Hi , I just got in on the conversation. I am so very sorry for your loss. I am a wild life rehabber and retired vet tech. for over 35 years with the state of Texas I have raised dogs ( many breeds) longer. Most wild animals will either carry off its kill and eat it. or will stay in place and go for the organs first then the body. head is usually the last if eaten...Dogs, coyote's, etc. well.. a whole different story.. and I have lost a lot of different animals from them in the past years. they usually eat or tear the whole animal apart. they are sloppy diners. and some kill for the sake of the kill. of course these rabbits were pend . so were they pulled threw the wire? there should be some cage damage if dogs or coyotes. did this . I would get a camera and set it up. if it is a wild animal it will most likely return.... sounds like a weasel, they go for the head and the arteries drain the blood and have been known to leave the body in tack. ......Again I am so sorry, I don't know where you are located or what type of rabbits you would like to have, but let me know and if I can I will help you get started again... I have Flemish Giants. and meat pen Checkers.................


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

Wolfy-hound said:


> If they were headless and the heads were there, I'd say person. Have you walked around and checked the surroundings to make sure there's no heads around?
> 
> If the heads are gone, then I don't know. I couldn't see a rabbit getting close enough for a dog to tear off it's head through the fencing(I don't know what size the fencing is). Sound weird.
> 
> Chupacabra?


Yeah we have looked all over for the heads. I haven't found them anywhere. And the fencing is 2X4 fencing but the bottom two feet have chicken wire all the way around. The floor of the pen is covered by 2X4 wire and I laid 2X4 wire around the outside of the pen on the ground about 18" to keep things from digging in.


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## BunniesGalore (May 13, 2013)

fullof?? said:


> They were in the center of the pen. Not close to the fence. From what I have read other places I'm thinking possibly an owl. Do you think an owl could sever the head of a full grown new Zealand white?



I've seen some very large owls around northern IL. I have no doubt the ones I have seen _could_ do that. Not sure why they wouldn't take the whole thing, but Mother Nature has some odd habits.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Mink. Happened with Mom's rabbits. And of course the favorite one was the first killed.

It got into the cage through the j feeder.


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## d'vash (Apr 25, 2013)

I have seen domestic cats dehead rabbits, and not touch anything else, just as you have described. These were, however, our native wild rabbits that are significantly smaller than an adult NZ.


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## redneckswife (May 2, 2013)

booby trap the area around your colony pen with foot traps or leg snares and see if you catch anything..man or beast.


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

redneckswife said:


> booby trap the area around your colony pen with foot traps or leg snares and see if you catch anything..man or beast.


I set the fox traps around inside the pen. I'm gonna buy another trail can to set out. I've been trying to find some more fencing to build up and make a roof over my colony before I set back up.


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

Here's a before and after photo..... I didn't take one of the big momma for some reason.


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## 64102 (Sep 21, 2010)

NO BLOOD???? CLEAN BODY??? Must have been a weasel. I had one suck all the blood from my buck years back but did not take the head off. Do you have fishers down there? I don't know if they suck the blood though.


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## redneckswife (May 2, 2013)

wow, that really is a clean kill.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

That is heartbreaking. Wow. I can't imagine.


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## paradox (Nov 19, 2012)

I have had dogs do this. They broke into a cage and got 5 of 9 just weaned babies.


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

I'm looking to buy used dog kennels to put around and on top of my colony before is start back up


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## KatSchultz (Jul 7, 2013)

Well, I would like to add in my own experience with... headless critters. There is a cat in my neighborhood, she only takes the heads off of her kills. I find mice, large red squirrels, chipmunks, gofers and the likes out in my yard all the time. We never see the heads, she tends to eat them or hides them somewhere, it seems.

At first I had no idea what was going on. It was so disturbing. It wasn't until my neighbor's child told us about it that we found out what was doing it.

It's more than possible it could be a cat doing this.

They all are headless, and there is no bloody mess.


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

I guess cats could be it. We did have a large cat population in my barn when I moved in. I have thinned the population. Either way I'm stepping up the fencing and protection before I start back up a breeding operation. Its one thing for me to kill and eat an animal, its another thing for it to go to waste. I don't like that. Except for cats, they make me sneeze!


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## Sam Burton (Sep 17, 2013)

Weasel or Raccoon, most likely. Possums would kill them just for fun, but leave everything intact. Raccoons, like possums are good at getting inside pens and cages. They usually take just one at a time and keep coming back. Weasels are evil things that also kill for fun.


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

I have got some wire to fortify my colony some. I have just restocked to begin breeding again. But am currently using my hutch inside. 

I started a new thread on my restocking.


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## AprilW (Nov 25, 2007)

Did you ever discover what or who the culprit was? Good luck in rejuvenating your breeding program!


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## fullof?? (Jul 17, 2013)

No our trailcam doesn't want to work anymore. But I have moved it back inside my shed that I can lock up at night. I'll post a pic of the setup now..... On the bottom side of the hutch I split open the two bottom cages and made them one for my new momma and babies. Its 27X63 for them.


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