Lumps on Rabbits

[savagman]

Did a bit of Rabbit hunting last weekend and shot a cottontail and a couple jacks that had lumps on them. Two were smaller than a golf ball but one of the jacks it was larger than a baseball with a hole in the middle. Anyone seen that before? Did some research about Bot Flies but didn't see anything that large.

[billrquimby]

Did a bit of Rabbit hunting last weekend and shot a cottontail and a couple jacks that had lumps on them. Two were smaller than a golf ball but one of the jacks it was larger than a baseball with a hole in the middle. Anyone seen that before? Did some research about Bot Flies but didn't see anything that large.

 

 

Never saw anything as large as a baseball or even a golf ball, but it may be because I never messed with skinning very many jackrabbits. However, nearly all that I did skin had what I was told were "warbles," the larva of a fly. These were hard, dark-colored lumps (with holes in them) about the size of the end of my thumb. I never found warbles in a cottontail, but a certain percentage of the Texas whitetails my friends and I shot in the Texas Hill Country years ago also had them. More than a few also had strange-looking hard, white growths buried between their shoulders and ribs.

 

Bill Quimby

 

 

 

[savagman]

Bill,

 

I have seen the small warbles before but this was huge and I left that rabbit where it lay. I am concerned about the meat of the other two. I have pictures on my phone and plan to post them and send them to Game and Fish. I just need to figure out how to get them off the phone.

 

Eric

[AZantlerhead]

I ate the first rabbit I killed with my pellet gun when I was ten in Nutrioso, it was good eating and parasite free .

Arrowed one once and he ran off with my arrow and I couldn't find him, wasscilly wabbits !!

I killed a couple a few years ago with my 22 and they had tons of fleas and worms, in February I didn't eat those...

 

Now these " tumors" , yuck.

 

I guess rabbits just arent allways edible, but their fun to hunt and definately overpopulated in areas, especially in the yard and garden !!

When they are good, they taste like chicken .

 

 

 

 

[Benbrown]

It was likely a viral fibropappliloma-- a technical term for a fibrous skin growth caused by a viral infection. They are harmless and will come off with the skin when the animal is cleaned. They also occur in deer. They enlarge and eventually drop off. Other animals become infected by consuming these growths. As far as I know, there is no evidence that the virus is harmful to humans or that it can be passed by either handling or eating the meat from affected animals. They are fairly common in whitetails in more humid climates. I have never seen one on a deer or rabbit out here, but have heard of animals that had similar growths (rabbits, hares (jackrabbits) and deer).

[savagman]

I appreciate the posts. I have hunted this area for several years and have never seen anything like it. All the rabbits, jacks and all, have been tasty. I crock pot the jack legs with onions and garlic til tender then brown them up on the grill and baste with BBQ sauce. Tender yummy eating. The loin gets cut into steaks and pan fried with eggs for breakfast. I guess you just have to get over the bugs and lumps. I will copy the reply I get from G&F when I get one.

[coyotekid]

savagman,

It took me a few days to find these pics I took a few years ago on an elk hunt in the multi units. I dont think this is is the same as you were describing but it is a weird lump on a jack. I dont know if it was some kind of cancer or tumor but it didnt look good and needless I didnt eat it!

[savagman]

Great pictures - the largest one was very similar. A hard lump between the muscle and the hide. It didn't seem to hinder the rabbit any. Hope G&F can shed some light on the subject.

[CouesWhitetail]

My guess is that Ben Brown is correct and it's a viral fibrous tumor.

 

Amanda

[Coues Archer]

I have witnessed the very same thing and man is it disgusting i also left the dang thing there where is laid dead!!! It is either a tumor of a parasite. either way it is nasty.