Rabbit, Rabbit, rabbit

[Gazza]

Hi All,

Im new to this very informative but fun site, and also a bit new to growing my own veggies. A few spuds and toms in pots on a veranda in a town centre flat to a whole green garden in rural/coastal Suffolk! What bliss!

My problem is rabbits!!! What ever flower/shrub wise Ive planted out - theyve eaten! Iv prepped my first ever veggie patch and wondered if anyone knows what I can do or grow to stop the blighters having a feast!

I hope you can help.

[kernowyon]

12 bore

[veg4681]

Have you thought of fencing off your veg bed with some sort of fencing e.g. with chicken wire for a start?

[Gazza]

Ive surrounded the plot with straw bales, hoping they cant climb much. Didnt really want to use fencing or chicken wire as wanted garden to look as natural as possible. Think Im going to have to go that way though. Ta for the thought.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi and welcome to the vine Gazza. I don't have a rabbit problem - might be down to the dog or the cat - not sure. Mind you, it could just be due to having a mid-terrace garden

Good luck with keeping the bunnies out.

[Alice]

Hello Gazza, and welcome to the Vine. The bad news is rabbits will eat just about everything. The good news is they can only jump about 4' max. The answer is to fence them out - either from the whole garden, depending on size, or from your vegetable beds. It doesn't have to be strong fencng. Chicken wire will do. And they do burrow down, so you have to put the wire 18" down, or put it underground and turn it 18 " out at right angles. The problem can be defeated and is worth doing - a bit at a time if nescessary. Good luck.

[Nicos]

Bunny wire is slightly thicker than chicken wire- and we have had wild bunnies chewing through bunny wire!
Yes- they can clear a 4ft fence- and dig down at least one foot ( hence the need for burying the wire in an L shape).
Most bunnywire is 4ft high- best to bury it at least 12" and cut a piece across the top to make it 4 ft high.
Remember they can leap about 6ft from the top of a compost heap- so bear that in mind!!
I think we have finally sorted our problem...suddenly all our neighbours are putting in extra bits of fencing!!!

[bubblewrap]

Just to prove how high a rabbit can jump.
YouTube - Bunny Show Jumping

[Gazza]

Thanks all for the tips. It seems the chicken/rabbit wiring or fencing is the only way to go then. Thankyou Bubblewrap for the YouTube show. Not only did it dishearten me, it made me smile!! Bunnies - bless 'em!

[bubblewrap]

Rabbits timid critters?
YouTube - Rabbit VS snake most viewed

[sewer rat]

YouTube - Rodenator Drop Zone

Take a look at this - my local crop sprayer comany has just taken delivery and me and my farmer landlord are gonna blitz our bunnies burrows with it in March.

[momol]

Rabbits timid critters?
YouTube - Rabbit VS snake most viewed

Thanks Bubblewrap,
It really is like my bunny (Fluffy), very fierce and territorial but the sad part of my bunny is he chase and bite me and act like a mad territorial dog .

[JanieB]

My problem is rabbits!!! What ever flower/shrub wise Ive planted out - theyve eaten! Iv prepped my first ever veggie patch and wondered if anyone knows what I can do or grow to stop the blighters having a feast!

At an allotment near mine the allotmenteer uses plastic snakes, but after BW's post I'm not sure how effective they are . It probably works with normal bunnies though .

[HeyWayne]

Just to prove how high a rabbit can jump.
YouTube - Bunny Show Jumping

Show jumping? Looks more like an allotment sabotage training camp! What they don't show is that each "lead" is in fact a wire connected to 12 battery, and the handler has a little trigger in the handle. Each time they press the trigger - the rabbit hops as if by magic!

Can't think of rabbits without thinking of this: YouTube - Holy Grail - Killer Bunny

Fence them out Gazza!

[Gazza]

I know this works with cats, as my Mum uses them for that! Worth a try I think! ta very much.