Why shouldn't you eat rabbits? Understanding the health risks

During the Great Depression and in many historical survival accounts, individuals suffered severe malnutrition known as "rabbit starvation" even with a full stomach. This illustrates a primary reason why you shouldn't eat rabbits as your sole food source, highlighting the dangers of an unbalanced, lean-meat diet and why this practice is strongly discouraged today.

Quick Summary

Exploring the serious health dangers associated with consuming rabbit meat, focusing on the risk of protein poisoning from an all-rabbit diet and infectious diseases like tularemia from wild game.

Key Points

• Rabbit Starvation: Caused by an all-rabbit diet lacking fats and carbs, leading to protein poisoning, malnutrition, and other serious health issues.

• Tularemia (Rabbit Fever): A dangerous bacterial disease carried by wild rabbits, which can be transmitted to humans through handling or undercooked meat.

• Wild vs. Farmed Risks: Wild rabbits carry a higher risk of infectious diseases and parasites like tularemia, whereas farmed rabbit health is more controlled.

• Proper Cooking is Crucial: Thoroughly cooking rabbit meat to an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C) kills most potential pathogens.

• Inspection is Key: Always visually inspect a wild rabbit's liver and spleen for white spots, which are a sign of tularemia, and discard the animal if found.

• Balance Your Diet: Avoid exclusively relying on rabbit meat and incorporate fats and carbohydrates to prevent rabbit starvation.

• Safe Handling: Wear gloves when processing wild rabbits and practice good hygiene to prevent bacterial contamination.

The Risk of Rabbit Starvation

One of the main reasons you shouldn't eat rabbits as your primary food source is the risk of "rabbit starvation" or "protein poisoning". This form of malnutrition occurs when a diet is very high in protein but lacks fat and carbohydrates. While protein is essential, the body can only process a limited amount, and excessive protein strains the liver and kidneys.

The Mechanism of Protein Poisoning

Without enough fat and carbohydrates for energy, a high-protein diet overwhelms the liver's ability to process amino acids, potentially leading to a buildup of toxic ammonia in the blood.

Symptoms of Rabbit Starvation

Symptoms of rabbit starvation can include diarrhea, nausea, headaches, fatigue, insatiable hunger, and weakness. This condition is particularly dangerous in survival situations where lean game like rabbits might be the only available food source. Historically, people prevented this by supplementing lean meat with fats from other animals. For those eating rabbit today, this risk is avoided by consuming it as part of a varied diet.

The Danger of Tularemia (Rabbit Fever)

Another significant risk, especially with wild rabbits, is tularemia, also known as "rabbit fever". This bacterial disease, caused by Francisella tularensis, can be contracted by handling infected animals or eating undercooked meat.

Transmission and Symptoms

Tularemia is a serious illness that requires antibiotic treatment. Hunters and those handling wild rabbits are at risk, as the bacteria can enter through skin cuts. Symptoms typically include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and skin ulcers.

How to Mitigate the Risk of Tularemia

1. Wear Gloves: Use gloves when handling wild rabbits to avoid contact with blood and tissues.
2. Inspect for Signs: Check the rabbit's liver and spleen for small white spots, which indicate tularemia. Discard the carcass if spots are present.
3. Cook Thoroughly: Ensure rabbit meat reaches an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C) to kill bacteria.

Wild vs. Farmed Rabbit: A Comparison of Risks

Feature	Wild Rabbit	Farmed Rabbit
Primary Disease Risks	Tularemia (Rabbit Fever)	Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV2), Coccidia
Control over Health	No control; health depends on the environment and natural exposure.	Controlled health, monitored diet, and vaccination against certain diseases.
Fat Content	Very lean, posing a higher risk for rabbit starvation if eaten exclusively.	Typically fatter than wild counterparts due to controlled feed.
Parasites	High potential for various parasites like intestinal worms and flukes.	Lower risk due to controlled environment, but can still carry parasites like coccidia.
Pathogen Entry	Higher risk of contamination during hunting and field dressing.	Strict hygiene measures in place during slaughter and processing.
Overall Safety	Requires careful inspection and thorough cooking; higher inherent risk.	Generally considered safer due to controlled conditions and processing standards.

The Importance of Moderation and Sourcing

Food safety also involves preventing contamination from bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli, which can occur with any meat if handled improperly. Sourcing rabbit from reputable farms helps ensure hygienic conditions and minimizes the risk of bacterial infections and parasites. Because rabbit meat is lean, adding fat during cooking can help prevent it from becoming dry.

Conclusion

Eating rabbits is not inherently bad; rabbit meat is a nutritious food source globally when part of a balanced diet. The concerns arise from eating only rabbit meat, which can lead to severe malnutrition (rabbit starvation), and from the risks of handling and consuming wild rabbits without proper precautions, potentially leading to infections like tularemia. By understanding these specific dangers, ensuring a varied diet, proper preparation, and thorough cooking, rabbit meat can be consumed safely. For more information on tularemia, consult resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is eating rabbit meat always dangerous?

No, eating rabbit meat is not inherently dangerous. The primary risks are associated with eating it exclusively (leading to rabbit starvation) or with improper handling and cooking of wild rabbits (risk of tularemia and other pathogens).

What is rabbit starvation and how can it be prevented?

Rabbit starvation is a form of malnutrition caused by a diet that consists solely of very lean meat like rabbit, lacking fats and carbohydrates. It can be prevented by ensuring a balanced diet that includes fats and carbs from other sources, such as nuts, oils, or other fatty meats.

What are the signs of tularemia in a wild rabbit?

The most common signs of tularemia in a wild rabbit are visible during the cleaning process. Check the liver and spleen for small, white, pin-head-sized spots or lesions. The animal may also appear sluggish or ill.

Can I get tularemia from eating cooked rabbit meat?

No, if rabbit meat is cooked thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 160°F (71°C), the bacteria that causes tularemia will be killed, making the meat safe to consume.

Are farmed rabbits safer to eat than wild rabbits?

Yes, farmed rabbits are generally considered safer to eat. They are raised in controlled environments with monitored diets and health, minimizing the risks of diseases like tularemia, which is typically found in wild animals.

What should I do if I find a sick or dead rabbit in the wild?

You should not handle or consume a sick or dead wild rabbit. If you suspect tularemia, discard the carcass safely and contact your local wildlife or health department. Do not allow pets or scavengers to feed on the carcass.

Is it safe to eat rabbit meat if it has parasites?

Many rabbits can carry parasites, but unless a hunter ingests raw guts, most intestinal parasites pose no risk to humans. Proper cooking destroys most parasites and pathogens. However, visibly diseased animals should always be discarded.