Bumping. I'd love to know the answer to this also. Drat rabbits. I see evidence of them being here - rabbit droppings and flower heads eaten - so far it's only weed flower heads, but want them OFF my property.

Info about relocating would be very helpful also.

I know the Rabbits that live around my yard and garden, I know several of them by sight, but what if I were to trap and catch them, and choose which ones I released, or if I relocated all of them.

Here's my idea: I tend to think the rabbits are a healthy impact of the ecosystem. They aren't a huge pest... are they?

What are really the consequences of letting rabbits exist?

herboil, you ask "What are really the consequences of letting rabbits exist?'

Rather than try to answer that myself, suggest you Google "RABBIT DAMAGE". And I'd really like your reaction if you do so.

As an attempt at control I'm going to use a grinder to cut lengths of about 1/8" steel to drive into the ground along the perimeter of my back yard. Will have to determine first how small an opening a rabbit can get through.

This doesn't answer Bob's question, but might be a way for him to solve his rabbit problem.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rabbit damage pages on Google

It's not that hard to prevent rabbit damage though and I also prefer not killing them. I have tons of rabbits, there are a few things they do eat, but if I want complete control, I use fencing.

Bumblebeez, think you've been unusually lucky, seeing as you have tons of them. Did you perchance read any of the articles re damage?

Re fencing, my 6' privacy fence won't keep them out - they'll burrow beneath it. One solution to that is to install something like chicken wire, buried about 9" and coming up the fence some. I'm old. I've got a very large yard. I couldn't possibly install the wire due to my limitations - age, size, strength.

New to posting but agree about the rabbit. Rabbits and deer are my headache. Squirrels in my attic cost me $4000K's last year. I TRY to live with these creatures but it is difficult. Today I found where they nawed through 3 places in my drip irrigation We have been successful at trapping the squirrels and chipmunks but not the rabbits.

dsparkman, glad to have you posting. Sincerely sorry to hear about the extensive squirrel damage. $4,000. Yikes! I, too, have had attic damage, but nothing so terrible as yours. A friend loaned me an ultrasonic gadget which I plugged in and placed in attic. The damn squirrels ate through the wiring! Don't know why it didn't cause a house fire. I was blessed. Caught a huge number in my Havahart, took them a long way from home, released across the Chattahoochee River.

Seems squirrels will gnaw on ANYTHING.

Was at a friend's home Saturday. Just planted smoke tree was deer eaten the night after planting.

I still haven't been able to do anything about rabbits, but haven't seen add'l grazing. Hope they've gone down the street to visit the gal who thinks "they're so cute".

Sounding cranky. Sorry guys.

Rosie

We have a ton of rabbits in our neighborhood and I have little problem with them in my vegetable garden. Do you have a dog? A feisty dog playing in the yard and marking his territory often keeps both squirrels and rabbits away from the garden, etc. I have a friend with no dog who says buying fox urine from his local garden shop has helped a lot! No issues since spreading it...

Stellabee, I do have a dog NOW. Got her in mid-April. Dumbly didn't think that she might be a deterrent. See her running and barking at 'something' occasionally.

We went to a wildlife park last week and I smelled fox urine maybe for the first time. Ohmygosh, what an odor. Can understand the efficacy of fox urine now. I can research, but do you know if it's also used to deter deer?

So glad you posted.

Rosie

Hi Rosie,

Yeah, I would spend as much time as you are able with her near the garden, so that she does her business around the place and chases animals as she sees them. I know it sounds a bit mean, but, when I see rabbits and squirrels near my stuff, I throw wood chips at them. That way, I know they won't suffer any injury as they would with a rock, yet they experience enough of a scare to know there's a crazy lady to be afraid of on my property:-). I have less critters b/c of it.

Oh, and in reference to dear, I know people use both fox and wolf/coyote urine.

Rabbits do not like homemade cayenne pepper sprays either. One taste and they go a running. I bet that might work for deer too. I mean, what animal wants a burning mouth, especially on a day where water is scarce?

Hope this helps...!

Caught this one about three weeks ago. I used a carrot as bait, I kid you not. I re-set the trap and haven't caught anything since.

Good job. At least one less rabbit on your property. Last thing I caught in my Havahart was my cat! Ha! He couldn't resist the smell of sardines.

How far did you go to release the rabbit? I'd like to know if you found any specific info on best practice.

Rosie

I took it to my grandparents house which is about four miles from me and let it go. Haven't seen any rabbits since, but I did catch a squirrel today in the same trap! You can see its bushy tail in the pic. It wouldn't be still so I could get a clear pic!