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Wascally Wabbits!
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Posted by maude_ia z5-SE Iowa (My Page) on Mon, May 28, 07 at 21:14
| Is anyone else having a problem with rabbits?
We've always had a couple of them, and they've nibbled the tops of a few veggies, but usually they stop when the plants get a little bigger. This year the rabbits are eveyrwhere! and they are killing a lot of plants, not just taking a bite or two.
Further question - does anything stop them? I've already tried blood meal, which has worked in the past, but isn't having any affect this year. What about those commercial rabbit barrier sprays - do they work? My cat says we're NOT getting a dog, and HIS name is not Elmer Fudd. What can I do??
I should probably add that we live in town, and the neighbors are all having the same problem. Some have replanted petunias or impatiens three times. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Wascally Wabbits!
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| Hey there, We live in town too. We even have a fenced yard but the rabbits still find there way in. I bought some spray repellent called Deer Off at Lowes. It works surprisingly well. But it loses it's smelliness after it rains so you need to reapply. It does come in a larger concentrate bottle so you can mix it yourself. This morning is the first morning were we have had success with our havaheart trap. Now dh has to go drop the little (or shall I say large - probably pregnant?) rabbit out in the country. I don't need a dead rabbit stinking up my garbage! |
RE: Wascally Wabbits!
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Oh I'm so fed up with the dang wabbits. I'm in Nebraska, (sorry, no Nebraska gardening forum) and I'm ready to spit nails. I'm in town too. I'll be watching for some tips on their control.
Leslie |
RE: Wascally Wabbits!!!!
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PS, I have a dog, but he has to be on a leash. They set just outside his range. But I do give them a real start sometimes. I'll take him, leash and all, and give them a chase.
Leslie |
RE: Wascally Wabbits!
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| I use a spray called Liquid Fence. It really stinks, but keeps the rabbits away. It's rain resistant, but I usually spray it on again if we get alot of rain. |
RE: Wascally Wabbits!
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| Cats seem to like rabbits, I heard a screaming rabbit the other night in the back yard, a cat was killing it. At 3am even. |
RE: Wascally Wabbits!
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| What a problem! Those wabbits are multiplying like, well, you know the saying. I've found that I have to use a combination of methods to preserve both my precious plants and my sanity! In winter I fence off tender young trees and shrubs. In summer, surround plants and shrubs with spent rose canes. Sprinkle shedded pet fur here and there for scent. Liquid Fence is the best commercial product I've found but it stinks to high heaven (hint: wear gloves when applying because the smell doesn't wash off your hands easily)! And lastly, and I hope I don't offend too many readers, there's the pellet gun. It's also a good idea to be on the watch for in-ground nests and clean them out ASAP. Leaving pet fur around the cleaned-out nest can help deter the persistent ones from rebuilding. It seems to take ALL of these methods to keep them out, and even then, they're probably plotting how to get past the barriers!! |
RE: for Tanna
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| Tanna, if you have a dead rabbit (or mouse, chipmunk, bird, etc.) to dispose of, bury it in the garden and let it "give back" some of the nutrients it took! M. |
RE: Wascally Wabbits!
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| My indian corn beds have been a "bunny buffet" this month. I finally fenced them with some chicken wire and leftover pieces of bird netting. So far, so good. To make matters worse...I have a neighbor who has bunnies as pets...so do her parents. Her Mom brought over some of her rabbits for a little bunny "roman orgy". Well, she decided to let the "little darlings" run around in her fenced in back yard around Mothers Day. Of course, one of the rabbits (a black one) escaped the "bunny stalag". And they have not caught it yet ... not that they are really trying. The escapee has been on my deck several early mornings this past week eyeing my pots of impatiens. I had the little bugger by the nape of the neck and was taking him back to bunny prison ...when he scratched me and I dropped him. (sigh) I'm positive, I smelled indian corn on his breath. (grin) We've also got plenty of the wild ones too. The past 2 seasons we had some hawks nesting in the neighborhood... and the bunny and starling populations were down. But, I've not seen the hawks this year...so the bunnies are back! I surely wish my Mother had not sold my 4-10 shotgun when I was away at college. Pete in IF |
RE: Wascally Wabbits!
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| I take about 6 eggs and blend them with water in the blender. I throw in some hot sauce for good measure. I than mix this with another gal on water in a pump sprayer. I spray everything bothered with this mixture. It stays on in the rain. The egg acts like an adhesive. The egg is a protein and rabbits aren't protein eaters. They use their nose to tell if the veggies are what they want. If you look on the ingredients of alot of the rabbit repals you will find that egg soilds are used. |
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