Rabbits have been attacking my young fruit trees and flower bed. Despite having
fencing around the plants, they manage to get in and chew things up. Is there any way to get rid of them, short of shooting (my suburb doesn't allow it). Can't keep dogs for other reasons, plus they can't be outside in all kinds of bad weather.
760 Pumpmaster .177 cal pointed pellets. Give it 12 pumps, the neighbors won't hear a thing, then check out this site.
1) A repellent that contains the ingredient BITREX will stop rabbits and deer from chewing on plants. This can only be used on ornamental plants or trees and shrubs that are not in fruit. (And don't get it on your hands. It isn't toxic but is EXTREMELY bitter.) The stinky repellents are not as effective if the varmints have already made a habit of feeding on your plants but will work fairly well if used diligently after installing bedding plants or from the time seedlings or perennials sprout out. 2) Rabbits can belive-trapped using cut up apples as bait. Having caught at least one rabbit makes the trap more effective. Be sure the trap is on a hair trigger as bunnies are rather light-footed. (No pun intended there!) Also be sure the trap is cleaned of any manufacturing oils (if new). 3) Improve your fencing where you can. 1" hex netting ("chicken wire") applied to the bottom of a fence with larger openings up to a height of 12" will stop most rabbits. Reinforce the bottom of the fence by burying a short distance of hex net or running patio blocks along the outside edge (makes a nice mowing strip). 4) Wrap the trunks of young fruit trees to protect them not only from rabbits and voles but also from sunscald. Or box them in with hardware cloth.
"Val" expounded:
Cool. Will it take out a woodchuck?
There is rabbit fence. Chicken wire works too.
Yes.
Val
The most effective solution depends on where the rabbits come from and how many there are.
1) If you can locate the burrows and there are not too many, poison, ferrets+nets or physical collapse will do the trick. The exhaust from a vehicle (+nets) is toxic in a confined space and does not leave baits about that other herbivores may eat. Some quite interesting critters may emerge into your nets during this procedure, are there dangerous snakes in your area? 2) If you cannot access the burrows but the numbers are limited then poison, trapping etc on your place has a chance of reducing the numbers to a manageable level. 3) If the numbers are large then better fencing is the only practical solution unless you, your neighbours and the County all declare war on bunnies at once. If in plague numbers fencing is the only thing.Solutions #1 and #2 will have to be repeated every few years as they will breed up and make new burrows unless suppressed regularly.
David
I have read that blood and bone meal spread liberally round the plants is a deterrant. Don't know if it works though.
Horsehockey. A .177 pellet will NOT 'take out' a 15lb Marmota monax.
Maybe not from a 760 Pumpmaster, but an RWS 48 in .177 will do it. Air-over pneumatic, 1100 fps. There are a few other makes/models around that have even more oomph! (serious price tags too...)
Leon Fisk expounded:
The Gamo we bought shoots at 1,200 feet per second. We'll see if it'll kill the groundhog, I'll report this spring.
Be patient and get as close as reasonably possible. Make sure you have good aim (use a rest) and shot placement. They are quite muscular, tough critter, but it should do the job.
Don't expect it to be silent either. They (high-power spring over air) make more noise than you would think. Oh, and enjoy your new gardening tool :)
I'm curious--any reason not to use a crossbow on the little bugger? Other than that you have to clean the arrow afterward?
I grow the hottest peppers I can get. I dry them and grind them and put the dust where I don't want rabbits and deer to eat. I have been doing this for about 4 years and it seems to work.
From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley
"J. Clarke" expounded:
They're illegal to firewithin 500' of a house around here, unfortunately. Same with a .22, or I'd be using the one I already have :o(
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