Rabbits

[tootles]

HELP
I live in a rural area and there are loads of rabbits on the track near my plot. There has been nothing cultivated here for nearly 40 years but I know they will cotton on soon! I have bought fencing 1,20m high with holes 10cmx5cm, I thought I would cut it in half to 60cm high (and double the length) but will this keep them out? I had thought of putting cling film arouind the base of the fence to keep out mice and low flying nasties or is that just crazy???

[Paul Wagland]

I wouldn't cut it in half - but I would bury the bottom 30cm under the ground (rabbits are excellent diggers and will go straight under a fence). I don't know if 10x5cm is small enough to keep out young rabbits... any rabbit experts amongst you grapes?

Clingfilm will disappear quickly in windy weather, maybe a much smaller-gauge fence is the answer?

[tootles]

I was afraid someone would say something like that! fencing is astonishingly expensive here and I was hoping to cut costs... although we do have deer here as well and I suppose they would just step over a 60cm fence.
Thank you though!!

[Peter]

Five to six foot high chicken wire with one foot folded out at right angles and buried a few inches underground thus L will defeat rabbits.

I believe, deer need a fence in excess of six foot high.

[bubblewrap]

Be afraid be very afraid!!

YouTube - Bunny Show Jumping

[Nicos]

!0 x 5 cm holes????

I think the babies would easily squeeze through tootles.
A bunny can jump 1.5 m easily- don't cut it in half!!

You also need to bury it by 25-30 cm.
I would suggest to take it back and swap it for finer mesh if poss.

I have had terrible probs with bunnies and have finally sorted it ( fingers crossed!)
30 cm buried sweeping outwards under the soil;Rest of the 1.2m above ground, and 1/3 of the depth cut into a strip and added to the top making it about 1.5m tall.
Bunny wire buried under the gate about 3cm deep with stones beneath to prevent digging.
No gaps either side of the gates.
I think my netting holes are about 3-4 cm-( but I could be wrong!!)

Never heard of anyone using cling film!! Worth a try!!!!- let us know how it goes!

[Norm]

Garden Centres charge an arm and a leg for chicken wire. Find your nearest farm supplies and ask them. I get 50m rolls of 1.5m wire for £22 which works out at about 10% of what GC's want.
As for height, the little sods can clear a metre without effort.
Also, if you don't want to bury the bottom, fold it back so you have a 6" lip sticking outwards on the floor. Rabbits may be able to jump, but they are notoriously stupid and will get right up to the edge of the fence to dig and chicken wire is a bugger to dig through, unless you have rabbits with a JCB
Our rabbit population on the lottie was reduced by 90% last year by a mink. Foxes loved the idea though - free food for weeks

[moggssue]

My new lottie is already bordered by chicken wire but only about 2' high. Now youve got me worried about my likkle babies ... ! Some of the older peeps on the site dont seem to bother with any protection so hopefully the bunnies know this and will leave my stuff alone - fat chance hey

[Norm]

Had a panic this morning, there was a dead rabbit on the car park at the lottie. First thought :- Oh hell, they're back. Second thought :- What killed it? Got to my plot, talked to my mate off the plot next door and he started telling me about the Stoats he'd seen on the path. Rabbit problem solved again. Mink last year, Stoats this year, what's next?

[johnygreenfeet]

buzzards

[tootles]

OMG I'm doomed!!!!!!
although buzzards?? we have loads! perhaps that is why most gardens around here have minimal fencing?!
I'd better get a shotgun just in case - rabbit pie anyone??????
Tx