The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Fruit => Topic started by: melholly on June 12, 2011, 08:07:52 pm
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We have a huge rabbit problem round here and this year is by far and away the worst - not even the mixi naturally culling. It coincides with the year we decided to get rid of our old strawberry plants as last year the crop wasn't that great. Feeling smug at the reports of 'bumper strawberry crops' we've fed, nurtured and protected them as best we can. Tonnes of fruit on them...and yep, you guessed it. Blinking rabbits chewed through 2 layers of netting then left the leaf and ate every single strawberry!
Aarrrggghhhhh!!!!!
Mx
http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com (http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com)
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Time to invest in some electrified rabbit netting me thinks...........
Thanks
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I've previously had electric rabbit netting, problem is other small animals also get tangled up and electrocuted in it. Hedgehogs for example. I've even had to rescue (yes, rescue) a very frightened young rabbit that had it's leg tightly wrapped in it. Never again.
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i have grown to dislike rabbits so much, they are also out of control on my land, and as I've yet to rabbit proof fence the veg plots they are a menace.
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Im Afraid that like it or Loath it, electric netting is the only way to keep them out.
When putting it in, never put it vertical - always angle it outwards at the top, that way the animal tends to get a shock before it is right up against the bottom of the netting.
Thanks
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When putting it in, never put it vertical - always angle it outwards at the top, that way the animal tends to get a shock before it is right up against the bottom of the netting.
Might zap a bunnies ears, but not the prickles of a baby (or bigger) hedgehog.
Sorry, not a fan.
Guess another option would be chicken wire correctly attached to upright posts. A veg garden is permanent anyhow, so might as well do a proper job.
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Hi,
Guess another option would be chicken wire correctly attached to upright posts. A veg garden is permanent anyhow, so might as well do a proper job.
Good idea, that way when they get their cute bunny heads stuck in the chicken wire they can slowly sever their ears or heads ;D ;D ;D
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Hi,
Guess another option would be chicken wire correctly attached to upright posts. A veg garden is permanent anyhow, so might as well do a proper job.
Good idea, that way when they get their cute bunny heads stuck in the chicken wire they can slowly sever their ears or heads ;D ;D ;D
In 2cm hole chicken wire? Blimey - your bunnies sure are small! ::)
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Ah but you didn't specify 2cm chicken wire to start with ... :bunny:
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The only way to stop them is a GUN! Get an air rifle like .22 or .177 depending on your ground and and shoot the b***ers, with an air rifle you dont need to get a lisence ect. Plus its good fun :D
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The chicken wire needs to be buried to a depth of at least 30cm and up to three feet above ground to deter rabbits.
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Well DH is keen for gun - mainly for the awful carrion around here but jury's still out for me (though for those who know my duck woes I'm coming round to the idea!) my labs not too bad at catching them but in a lab sort of way! My garden is wholly chicken/rabbit wired, dug down with 2 rows (we inherited it like that we are not that obsessed!) but they still appear everywhere. Not sure about the electric fencing - seems a bit extreme for strawbs given my ducks have electric fencing around them. In saying that, aside from the annoyance, financially it hurt!
Quite difficult isn't it, perhaps I'll just leave it to the dog and gun along with properly wiring the patch off...
Mx
http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com (http://selfridgestoscats.blogspot.com)