# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Hunting & Trapping >  Rabbit Fever

## Horsefeathers

Has anyone ever heard of someone actually getting tuleremia when cleaning a rabbit? I know you can use gloves to skin it, but not to wash it!

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## Grizzlyette Adams

I don't have any friends or family who ever had tularemia, but we take precautions against it. 

These folks didn't:

http://billingsgazette.com/news/stat...3e253fa5b.html

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_28...-county-health

It is on the rise across the country according to more than a few news reports.

About 135 new cases a year: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/0...-rabbit-fever/

It is easy enough to prevent, so why chance it? Just practice safe skinning, cleaning and preparation all the way until it is cooked. 

Years ago, we never bothered with such nonsense...but now we do, especially considering how the potentially tragic consequences of tuleremia are easily preventable.

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## Horsefeathers

What precautions do you take? Is it transmitted by the blood in a rabbit?

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## Grizzlyette Adams

Here are a few excerpts from the cdc and medicinenet.com:


http://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/transmission/




> Handling infected animals
> 
> F. tularensis bacteria can be transmitted to humans via the skin when handling infected animal tissue. In particular, this can occur when hunting or skinning infected rabbits, muskrats, prairie dogs and other rodents.



It can also be transmitted by ticks and deer flies. No need to be paranoid about every bite, but if I were to develop symptoms such as fever, fatigue, aches, headache or swollen lymph nodes I would get myself to a doctor pronto...read on...


http://www.medicinenet.com/tularemia/article.htm




> Humans acquire tularemia when they come into contact with infected animals or are bitten by insects that feed on infected animals.
> 
> Tularemia may be spread through inhalation of dried animal matter, eating undercooked game, skinning or dressing killed animals, or drinking water contaminated with animal carcasses.
> 
> Tularemia causes fever, fatigue, aches and headache. Swollen lymph nodes are common.  The organism may spread widely, causing major organs to fail. Pneumonia is common after inhalation but may also occur when the organism spreads throughout the body.
> 
> Tularemia is a potential bioterrorism agent because it can be freeze-dried into a power which can be aerosolized and only a few inhaled bacteria can cause disease.
> 
> If untreated, tularemia causes prolonged fever and fatigue and is often fatal. With treatment, death is rare.

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## Wise Old Owl

Yea met a guy who had it. From trapping & skinning Muskrats, his hands turned an odd color. He says his hands could not sweat anymore... they were clearly messed up. There was nothing that would help him.

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## kyratshooter

Fever, fatigue, aches and headache??? 

Good Lord I already have it!!!

The simple precaution of wearing latex gloves while skinning the game will solve this problem and with the prevalence of unknown diseases transmitted by all kinds of animals these days having a pair of latex gloves in the pocket of the hunting jacket or tackle-box is a common sense precaution.  

They should be a part of every first aid kit anyway.  They are expected and recommended gear.

Big boxes of them are available at the local drugstore, Walmart, Kroger or any other pharmacy.  I bought my last box from Harbor Freight!

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## natertot

I used to never use gloves until about three years or so ago. I now use them for cleaning game, but still don't use them for cleaning fish.

As Kyrat said, they are easily obtainable and cheap. Latex, vinyl and nitrile are all available types. I use nitrile because they stretch unlike vinyl and I don't have to worry about allergies unlike latex. They do cost a little more, but worth it IMHO.

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## TXyakr

You can theoretically also get the bacteria that cause plague, "Yersinia pestis" from rodents (rabbits etc.) so wear disposable gloves nitrile or whatever... (also makes cleanup easier)

http://www.cdc.gov/plague/transmission/

Probably more likely you will get a "super" bacteria from domestically raised animals you purchase in the grocery store saturated with antibiotics and that bacteria with be resistant to every antibiotic the hospital has but that is just my personal highly biased opinion...

Do you wear disposable gloves with all raw meat you handle at home in your kitchen? Especially if you have micro abrasions or cuts in your hands or use eye, face protection incase some splatters into your eyes, mouth or nose? Have you become a vegan? Are you concerned feral hogs may have contaminated the vegetables with E. Coli?  OMG the world is so scary!!!! Avoid restaurants someone working there may be sick with Ebola!!!

I ate a "Fajita taco" at a Truck stop north of Austin, TX yesterday. My lower intestine told me for several hours THAT was a terrible mistake, but the bacteria in it has not yet killed me... TMI. A full spread of BBQ at Rudy's in Waco cured me. LOL

I spent the weekend near Lockhart and never ate any BBQ there, THAT IS a criminal offense in Texas!

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## Batch

I do not have a lot of success in not tearing the gloves when processing animals. Especially the latex gloves. The nitrile stands a better chance.

I bought these for working on the greasy stuff on the UTV and ATV. Like busted axles and ripped CV boots. But, I still have ripped them processing hogs.

And yeah, I think about salmonella every time I crack an egg or touch raw chicken. Still vegetables are more likely to take you out then game from what I have read.

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## hunter63

Funny thing.....No matter what.......You ain't gettin' out of life...alive.

Worked on equipment in restaurant kitchens, surprised more people don't catch bad things..... 

Had a few "skunky" beers along the way as well.......

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## hayshaker

i've skinned out a few animals in the pas few years .
mostly heads , raccoons,bear coyote i first boil the skulls then let'em cool the tear the meat off gouge out
the eyes and soak them in peroxide for a couple of days. all the while wearing thick nitrile gloves.
i buy'em at the farm store by the box.

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## Wolfhound

I've been skinnin rabbits for years and have yet to have a sick one.  I have shot a sick squirrel that looked ratty.  That one got burned.  I don't eat sick critters.
Like was stated earlier, I fear the store meat and fast food more than home or wild grown.

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## nell67

I have cleaned hundreds of rabbits and some squirrels while never wearing gloves. I do use gloves in the kitchen though during preparation of any type meat.

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