Baby Bunny Bit By Rattlesnake And Lived!!!

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

As some of you may have read on my journal; we recently relocated the whole farm and my rabbit cage stands were old and falling apart, so we were in the process of making new ones and only had a couple built. The rest of the cages were still sitting on the ground. Well last week a rattlesnake got into TWO of my cages, (the ones with my most recent litters, they were about 6 weeks old), and was repeatedly striking at the babies (I'm assuming it wanted to eat them, but the snake was too small). It killed four out of six in the first cage and three out of four in the second cage. The last baby in the second cage was also bit, but I didn't notice any affects until two days later. Actually I thought at first it didn't get bit, but it did. I won't get too graphic, but the side of her face and neck swelled up and popped. I thought she was a goner, but she never did die. I gave her a bit of baby aspirin and some sub-q fluids and then a couple days later some penicillin. Now almost a week later she is eating and drinking and on the mend and acting just fine. I can't believe she lived! She must have gotten just the smallest dose of venom. It's amazing a baby bunny can have that happen and live while humans, thousands of times her size, die. I just wanted to share the story as I thought it was really neat and unusual.

 

[Bunnylady]

Sorry you lost so many bunnies. I've known non-venomous snakes to suffocate chickens and doves that were too big for the snake to ingest; it's annoying to lose an animal to a predator that couldn't at least make a meal out of it.

Apparently the bunny that survived got only a tiny dose of venom. I've heard that venom is an "expensive" thing for an animal to produce, so a lot of snakes can actually adjust the amount of venom they inject with a bite. I've heard that sometimes when a person gets bitten, it is discovered that the snake didn't inject any venom at all! But if the snake killed 7 other babies, perhaps it had just about run out of "juice." Amazing little survivor!

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Exactly, we think it was running out of juice too.


I know, such an amazing thing!

 

[LostTrailFarm]

I realize this post is about 8 yrs old, but it popped up in my search for information after my rabbit buck was bitten by a rattlesnake last night. I guess the snake was looking for a good bed for the night and discovered my buck.

I was trying to research whether or not it is safe to eat a rabbit that was bitten by rattlesnake and I cannot find the answer. Does anyone know?

However, upon my searches I learned that rabbits are immune to snake venom. Rabbits are used to create anti venom medication for humans. The venom will not harm them. I thought this was such cool information! Now snakes can suffocate and kill rabbits other ways. I'm assuming your babies , that died, all succombed to the wounds. That's sad .

I checked my buck this morning. He's not happy. Still bleeding on side of his face. Bloody water which was immediately freshened. But he is alive. I don't know how many times he was bitten. He is about 13 weeks old. The rattlesnake was about 3-4 foot long and now in my freezer.

I figured I would share what I learned. I never knew rabbits were immune to snake venom. Very interesting!

If anyone knows whether or not venom from a bite actually affects the safety of the meat, for eating, I would love to know. Links to knowledgeable sources would be super appreciated! Just in case my young buck was wounded to much and doesn't survive. I waste nothing unless it's unuseable.

Thanks!