Rabbit

Rabbits were introduced to Britain by the Normans who kept them in fenced off warrens and harvested their meat and fur. The earliest known records of rabbits in Britain occurred during the 12th Century. Rabbits are very adaptable and have become so successful in many areas that they are considered to be a pest. Wild rabbits are gregarious and several hundred individuals may be found in one warren (a network of underground burrows). They are active during dusk and dawn, but will also come out during the day in undisturbed areas. Rabbits primarily feed on grass and leafy plants, but they will feed on bulbs, bark and twigs when food is scarce. Before the second world war rabbits were very commonly eaten many people. For small numbers, cage traps are an effctive method of control.

How to Prevent Entry

Rabbits have preferred feeding areas in fields, gardens and golf courses.

The most effective long-term method of keeping rabbits off a property is to erect a rabbit netting fence, dug 6 inches into the ground, all around the property.

Correctly positioned and properly maintained, a good quality fence can last for 20 years or more.

When planting trees in rabbit infested areas, always use tree guards of at least 60cm height.

There are products on the market that can deter rabbits from feeding in certain areas for a limited period of time, but they all have a short effective life and need to be re-newed regularly, especially after periods of prolonged rain. However, they can be very effective where the requirement is to keep rabbits from grazing on a plant until it has grown beyond rabbit damage, for example newly planted trees.

It should be recognised that in areas of high rabbit grazing presure and little alternative food, these products will struggle to disuade hungry rabbits.