A rapidly spreading virus is causing cottontail rabbits to grow black, tentacle-like growths out of their heads, prompting warnings to steer clear of the mutated animals.

Earlier this week, the internet collectively gasped and recoiled as photos went viral of rabbits in Fort Collins with features on their heads that resemble horns or tentacles. Join In The NoCo host Erin O'Toole in a Q&A with Kara Van Hoose,

Rabbit owners have been told to look after their pets after a number of 'Frankenstein' bunnies have been spotted in Fort Collins, Colorado. The terrifying-looking rabbits - comparable with the iconic Halloween character - have been hopping around in residents' gardens with tentacle-like growths on their faces.

The grotesque “Frankenstein”-esque rabbits — once just a Colorado curiosity — are now turning up in Minnesota and Nebraska, their furry faces sprouting grotesque horn- and tentacle-like growths straight out of a B-movie.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the growths are caused by a virus and though unsightly pose little health risk to wild rabbits and no risk to humans.