Decapitated rabbits!

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

Alex Allen — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:59:20 GMT

Classic predator behaviour - brains and pluck have the highest nutritional value. Foxes commonly decapitate rabbits initially and may take carcass back to den if young need feeding.

Birds of prey often remove heart and lungs and the body has a neat hole where bird has ripped open the chest to remove the prized organs.

Sparrowhawks are the messiest and will merrily cover your garden with feathers as they meticulously pluck their victims bald.

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

peewit — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:27:50 GMT

Just got up this morning to find my blue chicken decapitated and feathers everywhere and the brown one missing in action Live in a town and no foxes/mink etc here and 8ft solid fence around garden, however there is a new large ginger Tom in the neighbourhood .... :(

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

Edward Jones — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:18:46 GMT

My bet would be a cat. The brains are the tastiest bit, it seems.

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

Clair Firth — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:20:21 GMT

Our cat once brought home a decapitated rat - whether she did it herself or just found it dead though is anyone's guess!

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

Rob Loxley — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 14:36:21 GMT

I have seen this after fox attacks

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

James Laidlaw — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 08:21:09 GMT

What about a person? The fact the pluck was taken by an animal doesn't mean that happened at the same time that it died? Most animal kills wouldn't leave as clean a wound as you suggest I would think.

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

Emily Nightingale — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:42:18 GMT

Have had two of these whilst practising in Herts, (one O brought in rabbit carcass minus head and asked me in all seriousness to hazard a guess at how it had died...") Interesting to hear of cat thoughts.. parts of both rabbits fur was cut as if someone had had scissors to it in small patches... could cats teeth do that I wonder. I was very intrigued to say the least!!

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

bob lehner — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:12:19 GMT

I agree - one of my cats frequently does that - a very neatly decapitated bunny, with the body left completely untouched - usually deposited on the sitting room carpet..

I' ve often wondered why - skull and teeth one would have thought would be rather indigestible - but perhaps the brain/eyes etc. are so tasty it makes the rest worthwhile ?? Usually young rabbits - so I suppose the skull is fairly soft.

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:38:51 GMT

I have seen farm cats kill rabbits (especially young ones) and bite the head open, eat the brains and chew the head off. It looks quite neat.

I would say cat > ferret/stoat/weasel.

Foxes kill in a frenzy so don't have the level of calculation.

I have a big gun that will vaporise a bunnies head.

Re: Decapitated rabbits!

tess — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:40:40 GMT

We had a fox attack on our hens a couple of years back, and the heads were bitten off. I thought they just killed for what they needed to eat but it seemed more like a sport. It was in the run when OH went to shut the hens away, and it wouldn't back off even when he waved a stick at it. It was very bold.