Outdoor Animal Control - Rabbits

In the last month or 6 weeks, I have noticed a large amount of rabbit "pellets" in several spots in my front yard. I first noticed this b/c the grass was turning brown when it's normally nice and green and as I took a closer look, a saw rather large spots full of rabbit pellets ..probably hundreds of them. And my grass looks munched on, too. Anyway, I initially set a spot light near and on the spot they had been congregating to see if that would keep them away. It does work for a few days but they come back and find a new spot in the yard.

Sorry ...bunnies are cute and all but it's time to kill the suckers or somehow remvoe them for good. This has never been a problem in the last 3 years we've lived here but recently with some major highway installation work being done down the street, they are coming out of the woodwork. Where I live, there are thousands of them just down the street in a grassy canyon area ...my dog loves chasing them. Anyway, I was thinking of spreading around mole poison pellets where they are hanging out to see if they'll eat them and be gone. I have a bottle of pellets already and I know this stuff will kill just about any rodent that eats it. Anyone know of a better way to rid them from my lawn or if what I am proposing to do is a decent enough way. They seem to be doing this at night while we sleep.

Thanks!
Steve

You could try a motion activated sprinkler system.

With the pellets you're dog could be at risk too.

sounds like deer , they produce many -pellets
they also like grass and come at night and early morning

Steve, try sprinkling flour around the spots where they are feeding to see if you can id their tracks. Rabbits and deer usually munch on more then just grass. You may have a different intruder. Here's some sites for tracks and to help you id their droppings (scat).

Animal scat
http://www.bear-tracker.com/animalscat.html

Animal tracks
http://dirttime.ws/Notebook/Notebook.htm
http://www.cityofmelrose.org/departments/Conservation/files/tracks/tracks.jpg
http://www.bear-tracker.com/index.html

I agree with Stumped that just putting out a poison could put your dog and other wildlife at risk. Know thine enemy. Once you are certain which animal it is we can better offer more suggestions.

Btw, when rabbits chew they leave a diagonal cut and deer leave a tattered end to the area chewed.

Newt

PLEASE do not put out poison, try to find a safe method to get rid of your problem. I work at a vet's office and when dogs and cats get into poisons (it's not just tasty to the intended party!) it's not a pretty sight.

Wildlife displaced from natural habitat by construction often moves into and adapts to residential areas. Many rural properties or properties adjacent to woodlands and open meadows share natural habitat.

"Thousands of rabbits" sounds like an uphill battle. While trapping for an occasional intruder is recommended, the best control for large numbers of wildlife in the lawn is motion sensor sprinklers. These are especially effective for control of nocturnal animals. Poisons in the landscape are not recommended because desirable wildlife, pets, and children can be affected.

thanks for all the feedback. I definitely know it is a bunny and only 1 I think. The last few days when I have come home from work late (7:30 pm), I see him in the front yard and one night, I chased him down the street back to the field near the construction. I probably looked like a total dummy chasing this slow moving bunny down the street. I think he was playing with me b/c they usually run very fast and he wasn't ...kinda like "come get me you big dummy". My dog chased him one night when we got back from the airport at 11:30 pm. He ran really fast then!

Anyway, I know that poison is not the best option and chances are, he's probably only wanting the green grass anyway. I've never heard of motion sensored sprinkler systems. I have an irrigation system. Where do I find the sensors to activate it? A big home improvement retailer? That's probably a great idea. I actually thought before I read these that only if I could somehow have the irrigation running when he came, it would hinder him from eating. Great idea! Now, when I get the sensors, where do I place them?

Thanks again,
Steve

You should be able to find motion sprinkler control at lawn and garden centers.

get a bb gun, I bought an diana 22 air rifle and will shoot bunnies - they are rodents and chew up and kill new plantings

BB guns aren't a good solution either. I can't tell you how many dogs and cats I've rescued with pellets in them that only maime and cause pain for their victims. Here's some links for rabbit problems that should be helpful.
http://www.ghorganics.com/page6.html#Rabbits
http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/pests/rabbits.asp
http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/Landowners_Guide/Species_Mgmt/Rabbits.htm
http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=79

Newt

Rabbits aren't rodents. They are lagomorphs and are more closely related to horses than they are to mice.

The use of BB gun usually results in a pellet lodged beneath the skin and that is all. Check local ordinances re: discharging a 22 air rifle in a residential area. Most areas prohibit the use of any type of firearm in a residential area. If trapping is an option, many locales have strict rules about relocating trapped wildlife.

Yes I know , the diana is considered a rifle -it will take a rabbit down - and they are a pest

The Diana is an air rifle more than a BB gun, capable of near firearm velocities and capable of putting stew meat on the table.


As twelvepole said rabbits are not rodents and most rodenticides are not going to be as effective on them.
Rodenticides have ipecac added to make non rodent species vomit out the poison.

Feed stores sell a product called blood meal

It's a blood based fertilizer that works well as a rabbit deterent

William Tell,
A BB/pellet/diana gun is not an option for me. The rabbits (3 now as I saw them all together in the yard about 4 nights ago) come at night, often times after I've gone to bed but sometimes before. I've got cops (husband/wife) that live across the street that I am friends with. I don't think they'd like me shooting a pellet gun in the neighborhood with all the kids around and honestly, I don't think I could even pull the trigger b/c the dang things are pretty cute, even though I did use poison initially to rid them, which did not work.

Ocoee,
I've seen the blood meal in stores but since I run the irrigation system every other day this time of year, I'm afraid that if I just spread the meal around the areas where the rabbits hang out and the water hits it, it will just dissolve into the ground making it ineffective. I've used that stuff for moles before and it has never worked.

I think the choice of irrigation sensors is really the most environmentally friendly way to go in this case. I am heading to the big box home improvement retailer today after work to get some other things ...I will search for the sensors tonight. Thanks again for everyones comments!

fsufan8

Why not try a live trap? Take them out somewhere and release them unless you want rabbit stew. If you want stew you can kill them without the neighbors ever knowing.

I can trap the bunnies all day and they will still keep coming. There are literally hundreds of them just a few hundred feet down my street where the open field is and many of them come up into the yards to feed off the green lawns. I caught (saw) one in my neighbor's yard about 3 houses down from me about a month ago. The cul de sac where the field starts is littered with bunny droppings and my neighbor 2 doors down in the other direction has a patch of grass about 4 feet in diameter that is completely dead and will not regrow b/c the bunnies have peed and dropped no. 2 there.

I checked the big box home retailer last night and unfortunately, they do not carry the irrigation motion sensors (only rain and freeze sensors). I might have to try an irrigation specialty store that I know of about 10 miles away. This bites!

fsufan8

fsufan8, have you tried a google search for the irrigation motion sensors? Also try the larger garden centers or nurseries.

Newt

Newt ...thanks. I will do so today and let you know what I find.
Thanks ...fsufan8

fsufan8, you are very welcome! I'd love to know if you find one.

Newt

Newt ...so far, nothing. The only thing I found was that one that comes up on every search engine. It's a rooster head looking thing that you stick in the ground and attach your hose to and it's got a battery powered motion sensor on it. It's about $70 and it looks goofy. I don't really want that thing stuck in the middle of my front yard with the hose attached to it day after day. I thought there might be some kind of sensor that is inconspicuous and links to my irrigation system but I have found nothing of any kind like that. If someone knows of such a thing, please let me know.

The bunnies are regularily coming in 3s now and they are bold little guys. I watch them from the front door at night. When I turn the outside light on and open the front door, they only move a few feet and watch to see if I actually come outside. I literally have to chase them down the street back to their hole. If I stop running towards them, they stop in their tracks and watch me. I think that BB gun idea might be a good one afterall since they just stand still most of the time, even when I open the door and slowly move towards them. They are gutsy! They WILL go down!

You don't have to put on the decals that make it look like a rooster head. The distance it sprays and the arc is also adjustable. Would it be possible to place it near shrubs and aim it out into the lawn?

Newt

Same problem here, bunnies ate 2500sq feet of sod! Tried liquid fence, cow poops, onion spray. Bunnies left lots of their poop, brown dead spots and literally ate to the dirt. Should anyone have any ideas rather than killing the fuzzy hungry critters please inform me! Thanks so much.

Ahhh,bunnies. Got 'em by the boxfull out here too. They made a feast of the small grass area outside my front door. No matter to me, as it was in poor shape and I needed to remove it and regrade it anyway.

One thing I found that stopped them from partying on that area was a comrade that was left there by some unknown predator. Headless right down to the shoulders and gutless.

Now they party on the weedy part of the property - which is fine and helps me a little. One new thing is around a tree I'm fighting to save. They keep plowing and digging thru the dirt-ring I built around it.

Between them and this sudden, new invasion of pidgeons, I'm ready for an Army surplus flame thrower.

Just to scare them, of course...

Rabbits aren't rodents. They are lagomorphs and are more closely related to horses than they are to mice.

The use of BB gun usually results in a pellet lodged beneath the skin and that is all. Check local ordinances re: discharging a 22 air rifle in a residential area. Most areas prohibit the use of any type of firearm in a residential area. If trapping is an option, many locales have strict rules about relocating trapped wildlife.

Air rifle is not a firearm. Sorry. Shoot the rabits. or get a cat....

Does your dog live outside? We have alot of rabbits around here and I have an outside dog, she would kill herself trying to get one of them suckers! She actually caught a few at our old house. There is also a German Shepherd next door that does the same thing. We have a bunch of trees in the back yard and there is also a ton of squirles, they will not come out of the trees unless both dogs are in there houses asleep...they go over to the other nieghbors yard who has an inside dog...ankle biter


Shawn

I have used human hair successfully. Stop down to the local barber shop or hair salon and get a bag full. sprinkle it around the area or use it in clumps if they have a favorite spot. It should do the trick. Of course it won't last forever so you'll need to do this every so often. :D
kidbarb



Does your dog live outside? We have alot of rabbits around here and I have an outside dog, she would kill herself trying to get one of them suckers! She actually caught a few at our old house. There is also a German Shepherd next door that does the same thing. We have a bunch of trees in the back yard and there is also a ton of squirles, they will not come out of the trees unless both dogs are in there houses asleep...they go over to the other nieghbors yard who has an inside dog...ankle biter


Shawn

Newt ...so far, nothing. The only thing I found was that one that comes up on every search engine. It's a rooster head looking thing that you stick in the ground and attach your hose to and it's got a battery powered motion sensor on it. It's about $70 and it looks goofy. I don't really want that thing stuck in the middle of my front yard with the hose attached to it day after day. I thought there might be some kind of sensor that is inconspicuous and links to my irrigation system but I have found nothing of any kind like that. If someone knows of such a thing, please let me know.

The bunnies are regularily coming in 3s now and they are bold little guys. I watch them from the front door at night. When I turn the outside light on and open the front door, they only move a few feet and watch to see if I actually come outside. I literally have to chase them down the street back to their hole. If I stop running towards them, they stop in their tracks and watch me. I think that BB gun idea might be a good one afterall since they just stand still most of the time, even when I open the door and slowly move towards them. They are gutsy! They WILL go down!

fsufan8: how did you finally resolve the rabbit problem? My lawn is getting ruined in several spots. I too live in SoCal and I'm sure I have the identical problem you reported. Did you ever find a solution?