Topic: I have a rabbit on the plot.

[cacran]

I have a baby rabbit on the plot. Eaten a bit of my stuff and do not want to hurt it, just to keep it off the veg. any organic ideas? ???

[greenscrump]

where there is one baby rabbit there will be lots more I'm sure.  We've found the only real solution is protecting plants with fencing, netting or plastic bottles.  If you run a search on this site for 'rabbits' you'll come up with a recent thread. Good luck  :)

[asbean]

Shoot it and eat it.

[shirlton]

I'm afraid you won't get much of a meal from a babby rabbit. the best thing is to protect your crops. We have to do this to keep the foxes from digging things up. I am a firm believer in live and let live, some will no doubt disagree, but each to his own. It is possible to live alongside the animals it just means that we have to be as cute as they are.

[valmarg]

cacran, if you are unable to kill the american grey tree rat, fluffy bunny is safe as houses on your plot.  Just accept the fact that it will eat all your hard work, and you will have very little, if anything, to show for your efforts!!

valmarg

[cacran]

Yep, Valmarg. I will not kill either. I am just an animal lover, whatever the consequences.  :-\

[cambourne7]

we HAD a hare on our plot.

One of the lotty people told me that as she went to her plot friday she saw a hawk eating something big and it flew off as she approched with something rabbit shaped in its tallons.

We also have a couple of sparrow hawks which patrol the site :-)

[asbean]

Best to use the barrier method, or let nature take its course, as Cambourne7 says.

[Robert_Brenchley]

What size was the hawk? A big female buzzard might lift a rabbit (they used to be called rabbit hawks in some parts), but nothing smaller.

[cambourne7]

no idea what the size was but my mate said big  ;D

Our allotment backs onto land managed by the wildlife trust and there is a couple of areas near by monitored by the rspb.

We never have a camera handy when we see them but will be carrying one most days now.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Most likely buzzard, it's our commonest hawk, and it is, as I say, a rabbit eater.

[davee52uk]

What only one - I doubt it!

Firstly what are they eating? I have found that contrary to myth they don't like lettuce but love any kind of cabbage and young french beans.

Next try some netting. I use netting propped up by as short a stick as possible. If the props are too big, rabbits,pigeons etc will find a way in and wander about inside. If it is close to the ground as possible it puts them off.

Another approach is to use plastic bottles with tops cut off. This useful for growing seedlings to a decent size. I think rabbits prefer soft, young seedlings to more coarse older plants. They also eat downwards so cannot reach up to eat things higher up - they will have a go at young runner beans but will leave them when they grow up the poles.

I would like to catch and eat them but don't have the time. Perhaps you may know someone who does have the time and equipment to catch them. I think that this is only going to get worse the numbers of rabbits seems to increase year by year.

I'm still working on approaches, but most of the above applies to deer - the problem I have. The other animal pest we have on our plots is badgers. These are relentless, strong devastators. They can push down and dig through most fences and will uproot anything in the serch for worms etc. Smells such creosote will put them off for a while

[kenkew]

This one was on my plot. Cheeky or what?

[valmarg]

Yep, Valmarg. I will not kill either. I am just an animal lover, whatever the consequences.  :-\

I think before 'animal lover' you should insert the words, extremely naive and misguided.

Cannock Chase near here was home to many of the indiginous red squirrels.  Thanks to the american grey tree rat they are virtually, if not completely extinct.

Personally, I would like a total cull of the american greys so that our natural reds can survive.

The grey that had the effrontery to come into MY garden this morning almost learned how to fly in its rush to get out.

The only redeeming features of american grey tree rats and bunnies, are that they make extremely tasty stews/casserloes/pies.

valmarg

[cacran]

Sorry Valmarg if I feel that I don't want to kill things. I know that sometimes it is necessary but I could not actually hurt anyone or anything unless they were physically hurting me or mine. Whatever you want to call me, feel free to do so. It is each to his own, really.