While people in the UK have been grumbling about the current heatwave, it seems that residents in the United States are facing something that’s a bit more alarming.
It’s not about the anxiety of Donald Trump presenting the World Cup trophy to any team other than the U.S., or the potential beer shortages that major cities might be experiencing due to the influx of international fans.
Rather, several states are reportedly dealing with a troubling surge of rabbits—a sight that typically brings a smile but, in this case, these particular bunnies look a bit… different, with what appear to be tentacle-like appendages sprouting from their faces and bodies.
Unfortunately, these rabbits are dealing with an illness known as the Shope papilloma virus. This virus causes malignant tumors to develop mainly on their heads, earning them the eerie nickname of “Frankenstein rabbits.”
We’ve been alerted about this unsettling virus affecting rabbits before, but it remains just as distressing and jarring when it happens, particularly if you happen to spot one. For instance, one user on Reddit shared, “I have never seen this. Didn’t even know about this. Anyone else seeing infected rabbits like this in Minnesota?”
Meanwhile, a Facebook user from New York commented: “I made eye contact with this rabbit and immediately regretted it. All jokes aside, I reported it to the proper wildlife authorities, but this thing was gnarly.”
The first reports about these peculiar rabbits emerged back in August 2025 in Colorado. Now, they seem to have returned this summer, which is perhaps not surprising given how the virus spreads.
Experts believe that these rabbits contract the virus mainly through bites from infected insects like mosquitoes and ticks, rather than from one rabbit infecting another. So, it’s really those pesky bugs that are to blame for the outbreak.
As these insects reach their peak populations during the summer and autumn months, it’s not uncommon to see an uptick in cases around this time.
The tentacle-like growths can be alarming, especially for pet rabbit owners, but they’re generally harmless—unless they cause issues with a rabbit’s ability to eat or drink. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) noted, “The growths have no significant effects on wild rabbits unless they interfere with eating/drinking. Most infected cottontails can survive the viral infection, after which the growths will go away.” They don’t recommend euthanasia for these rabbits unless their ability to feed is impacted.
That said, there is a risk that the warts can progress into squamous cell carcinoma, which is a more serious form of skin cancer.
Can humans catch the Shope papilloma virus?
While encountering one of these bizarre rabbits late at night might be unsettling, you can rest easy knowing that it’s not possible for humans to catch the virus and grow their own tentacles. Still, keeping a distance might be wise.
