Parasite on rabbit.

Question
My daughters 3 month old rabbit looked like it got bit on its neck by an older rabbit. We got another cage and kept it by itself. The rabbit's diet and activity stayed the same. It looked like the wound was healing, but after a week, the scab was not a scab. It is what look's like a fat brown grub worm in its skin. I pulled it out and treated the wound. What could it be?

Answer
Dear Jack,

Your bunny was attacked by a botfly (Cuterebra sp.), and the maggot you removed was its larva.  These are nasty creatures, but not as dangerous as blowfly maggots, which can literally eat a rabbit alive if an adult lays eggs on a bunny's messy bum or wet fur (a condition known as fly strike).

The bunny should be seen by a good rabbit vet to be sure there's no infection:

www.rabbit.org/vets

The only reliable way to protect your bunny is to make her a housebunny, where she'll be safe from environmental extremes and predators (and parasites!).  Rabbits are very clean, quiet, and easy to litterbox train.  You can find all the best information here:

http://www.rabbit.org/care/new-bunny-index.html

Hope that helps.

Dana