Bloody rabbits!

alm721

Does anyone else suffer with rabbits, we have thousands (well maybe not quite that many ) but still they flipping eat everything! Am seriously put off from growing veggies here (new house). Someone please tell me they have rabbits and still grow veggies? How do you stop them? I swear its like watership down down the bottom of the garden. You have to be careful where you are walking as there are warrens everywhere, and you end up putting your feet in holes. Seriously thinking shotgun might be the answer! help!

A._Badger

I suffer terribly from the blasted things - and the cat just sits there, ignoring them!

The problem with shooting rabbits is disposing of the little furry corpses, but one answer is ferreting. If you you can find anyone who keeps ferrets, they will very possibly be able to get the blighters under control for you.

In my experience, the tree-hugger options (sprays, powders etc) are a complete waste of time and fencing Badger Acres would cost a fortune (and look ghastly).

Support a fellow mustelid, I say - feed a ferret! They're delightful creatures, anyway.

dane-katie

We have them too and i hate it, i have resorted to having people coming shooting them, or letting our dogs kill them when they catch them (only when we are not around) a 12 bore shot gun does the trick! or some really strong poison down for them.

miacat

dane-katie wrote: »

We have them too and i hate it, i have resorted to having people coming shooting them, or letting our dogs kill them when they catch them (only when we are not around) a 12 bore shot gun does the trick! or some really strong poison down for them.

ooh not nice...

alm721

We have 3 dogs (who will dispatch of them if they catch them, which they virtually never do) and 2 kids so don't really want to put poisen down. I think hubby has a mate with ferrets, think that might be a good way to go. Will they have babies already? I can cope with dispatching of some but feel bad if they have young down the burrows.

wiccanlou

They hate talcum powder or magnesium silicate they smell really bugs them

chelms38

Get a shotgun which will kill them instantly and have them for tea.

Lotus-eater

If you've got rabbit holes in your actual garden, you need to ferret them over a couple of weeks and clear them out completely.

Personally, I think a shotgun is overkill for rabbits and would .22 airgun them, or headshoot with a .22 rifle if you have a FC.

You have 3 options, either you fence, you wipe out the colony, or you do a mixture of both, live with them, now and again taking one for meat when you want it.

I wouldn't poison rabbits, I don't think they deserve that. Now is a time when they will have babies, so if that bothers you, it's something to think about.

Mr.Bump

If you want to shot rabbits you use an air rifle or if you are a bad shot use a rifle. You do not need a licence for an air rifle you have to skin and gut them when they are warm and watch out for mixey!

I have known people that gas them with the use of a 4x4 exhaust.:eek:

This time of year rabbits and wood pigeons are the only things that you can shoot legally.

Lotus-eater

Apart from rats and deer you mean. What else would you want to shoot anyway?

You're supposed to be able to eat mixy rabbits, although I would probably give it a miss myself, best to get rid of any that have it anyway.

A._Badger

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Apart from rats and deer you mean. What else would you want to shoot anyway?.

With an election due?