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.

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.

Wildlife officials in Colorado have confirmed a troubling rise in cases of shope papillomavirus, a rare disease causing wild rabbits to grow tentacle-like growths from their heads and mouths. While the condition is not new to science,

The "Frankenstein bunnies" have been making waves across social media in the U.S. Recently, one rabbit potentially carrying the virus was spotted in a Seattle neighborhood.

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,

The co-hosts of Fox & Friends looked visibly perturbed by a viral news item about the so-called "Frankenstein bunnies" that are popping up across America.

As per experts the condition is caused by Shope papilloma virus, a disease that creates wart-like tumors on rabbits, often around the head, ears, and eyelids.

Experts believed the "Frankenstein" cottontails covered in wart-like, horn-like growths are where the legend of the Jackalope comes from