Wild cottontails with mange

Question
I've noticed that the wild cottontail rabbits that live on my property (in southern California) always seem to develop mange. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to fix this problem apart from administering medicine to each rabbit... Maybe something for the soil?

Thank you

Answer
Dear Mia,

The mites are not likely living in the soil.  They are more often resident on the rabbits themselves. They usually do not proliferate to numbers that cause clinical signs of disease unless the host animal is otherwise stressed or ill, causing the immune system to become compromised.

It's difficult to see how you could help them, shy of trapping them and treating each one with Revolution.  This is what we do with our sanctuary cotties and jackrabbits, and it keeps them well.  But I realize this may be far beyond the scope of what you are able to do for them.

Thank you for caring about the little wild ones.

Take care,

Dana