Rabbitts and Squirrels - OK to eat?

[tcwin]

So my 12 year old passed gun safety and wants to do some small game hunting this fall to prep for deer season. I have been told that you shouldn't eat wild gray Squirrel or rabbit until after there has been a hard frost. Something about a parasite they carry that dies once it gets cold.

Is there any truth to this or are we safe to shoot and eat?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[motley man]

Never heard of it, but check with DNR they know all. Please post your findings.

[Burbot]

Early Rabbits carry fleas, I am guessing because they do not do as well preening themselves or the difference in the type of hair. That is one problem I have run into, another was a form of boil carried under the hair, I have heard that is caused by a parasite, but either way you will not want to clean them (I think).

[tcwin]

I called the DNR and the man that answered the phone said he was unaware of any problems eating squirrel and rabbit early in the season.

He said just thoroughly clean the animal and it should be fine.

He said not to worry about fleas and if the meat looks bad don't eat it.

[jeffreyd]

Tularemia (Rabbit fever)

[bobbymalone]

the only thing I have ever heard about is to stay away from "lazy" rabbits as they may be carriers of tularemia (rabbit fever), which can also affect squirrels.

here is a link to more info from the MI DNR

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10319-27293--,00.html

in my former life I used to see a few positive blood test results for tularemia and in a less former life I did a bit of research with a less virulent strain of the bug. Suffice it to say, it's some nasty stuff. Nasty enough that several countries, including the USSR and the good ol' USA developed it as a biological weapon.

My grandfather used to say something about waiting until a good frost because rabbits carrying this disease won't make it. Not sure if it is true or just more of the same kinda old timey stuff you hear from your grandparents.

Something to think about at least.

[jeffreyd]

one thing i read from a texas hunter is that if the rabbit has the worms now, a hard frost is not going to kill the worms in the liver as it is a warm place anyway. the frost might kill the fleas, ticks, and other insects that are on the outside.

[bobbymalone]

tularemia isn't worms, it's bacteria. unless you are talking about something else, then disregard.

the way i understood it was that the infected animals won't/can't seek shelter during a hard frost and they die, so the rabbits you see after that frost are uninfected.

like i said, there's a lot of stuff gramps says thats questionable at best.

[GatorBait]

Squirrels are my top target come Septemeber, and hunt them through February. Never in 18yrs have I became sick, infected, or anything else from them, nor has anyone else I know of. I've heard that you shouldn't eat them during the warm/hot months, but it's illegal to harvest them anyways, so....

I can't comment w/rabbits as I don't hunt for them and seeing they have no nutritional value I'd rather let them live and make fuzzy lil baby wabbits.

[katophil]

two words spring friers.

[bobbymalone]

seeing they have no nutritional value

But Squirrel's do???

[swamptiger]

Quote:

Tularemia (Rabbit fever)

What is tularemia?

Tularemia is an illness caused by a bacteria, Francisella tularensis, which can affect both animals and humans. Most cases occur during the summer months when deerflies and ticks are abundant and the early winter months during rabbit hunting season. During hunting season, illness usually results from skinning infected rabbits.

Who gets tularemia?

Anyone can get tularemia if they spend time outdoors in areas where infected animals, deerflies or ticks, can be found. Rabbit hunters, trappers, and laboratory workers exposed to the bacteria are at higher risk.

How is tularemia spread?

The most common way tularemia is spread is by the bite of an infected blood sucking insect such as a deerfly or tick. Another way people get tularemia is by getting blood or tissue from infected animals (especially rabbits) in their eyes, mouth, or in cuts or scratches on the skin. Tularemia can also be spread by handling or eating rabbit meat that is not cooked well. Drinking contaminated water or breathing dust containing the bacteria can also spread tularemia. Person to person spread does not occur.

What are the symptoms of tularemia?

The usual symptoms of tularemia are fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, chest pain, and coughing. If tularemia is caused by the bite of an infected insect or from bacteria entering a cut or scratch, it usually causes a skin ulcer and swollen glands. Eating or drinking food or water containing the bacteria may produce a throat infection, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Breathing dust containing the bacteria may cause a pneumonia-like illness.

How soon do symptoms appear?

Symptoms may appear between two and ten days, most often within three to five days.

What is the treatment for tularemia?

Antibiotics such as streptomycin and gentamicin are used to treat tularemia.

What can be done to prevent the spread of tularemia?

1. Persons at risk should reduce chances for insect bites by wearing protective clothing, and by searching for ticks often and removing attached ticks immediately. Tick/insect repellents containing "DEET" provide additional protection. Permethrin is also helpful when sprayed onto clothing.

2. Children should be discouraged from handling sick or dead rabbits, or other possibly infected animals.

3. Gloves should be worn when skinning or handling animals, especially wild rabbits.

4. Wild rabbit meat should be thoroughly cooked.

5. Face masks, gowns, and rubber gloves should be worn by those working with cultures or infective material in a laboratory.

Where can I get more information?

* Your personal doctor

* Your local health department, listed in the telephone directory

* The Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology (801) 538-6191

UTAH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

BUREAU OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

August 2001

Rabbit and squirrel meat is high in protein, low in fat.

[GatorBait]

Squirrels do, I profit from their tails which in turn puts plenty of food on my table. Therefore, it's a nutritional value. Gotta think outside the box a lil bit.

[half-dutch]

Tulermia is generally passed by getting infected blood into a scratch during cleaning and butchering rabbits. Although it can infect squirrels, it seldom does. It is recommended to use plastic gloves of a good brand to keep the blood off your skin when cleaning rabbits, never handle raw rabbit meat with bare hands and to always cook the meat thoroughly. The best gloves for this contain nitrile, and are quite puncture resistant. And you never bring a rabbit in for the table that looks sick in the field. Like was said don't eat lazy rabbits.

I sure could use a metro squirrel season this year. The little <bad word> got all my tomatoes in the backyard garden before they colored up, and they crawled up the stalk, shucked and ate every sweet corn ear as it silked out. The alley cats keep the cottontails down to nothing, but they don't get the squirrels.

[Archerysniper]

So my 12 year old passed gun safety and wants to do some small game hunting this fall to prep for deer season. I have been told that you shouldn't eat wild gray Squirrel or rabbit until after there has been a hard frost. Something about a parasite they carry that dies once it gets cold.

Is there any truth to this or are we safe to shoot and eat?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Maybe thats why I keep running into walls I'v never had a problem exept the old reliable tapeworm or two in the rabbits.