[Sweetpea C]

Hi all,

So, I have this piece of land which I intend to grow veg on, however there are rabbit burrows on it, about 5m squared....

Any advice on what to do would be very helpful, I'm at a loss as to how to approach it.

Thanks,

Caroline

[compostqueen]

There are two schools of thought on this. Trap or get dogs in to sort the problem out.
Trapping by snares is illegal but folks still do it. Not me I hasten to add

I have rabbits on my plot and they only problem they cause me is eating the bark on the fruit trees, which kills the tree, so I have had to protect the trunks.   I protect my crops rather than killing the rabbits.  I protect brassicas and net new sowings and plantings at least til they get established, as rabbits do tend to dig things up

[Tom Hill]

Enquire if anyone keeps ferrets and ask the local specialist butcher if he is interested in a supply of fresh rabbit.

[pdblake]

Trapping by snares is illegal ....

Pretty sure it's not. Nearest I can find is North Yorkshire Police's take on it, but the law's the same countrywide:

http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/index.aspx?articleid=461

[Sweetpea C]

Oh dear, so I can't just serve them an eviciton notice then? It's watership down or nothing? The neighbour did say he'd help me, maybe I'll just let him deal with it and I will pretend to have nothing to do with it.

[finleyfreyaseth]

one man a couple ferrets plenty nets and a warm flask problem solved just ask in your local therell be one of them very close to you,he,ll snap your hand off for a days ferreting .

[compostqueen]

Ferrets and terriers are good to flush them out and then they get knocked on the head. Thus you get to eat rabbit for tea, which of course is delicious.  I reckon ferrets or dogs are less cruel than snares. 

I just co-exist with them though but we do seem to get regular miximatosis outbreaks which kills loads of them off.  Apparently that is spread by rabbit flea infestations

[Sweetpea C]

Ferrets and terriers are good to flush them out and then they get knocked on the head. Thus you get to eat rabbit for tea, which of course is delicious.  I reckon ferrets or dogs are less cruel than snares. 

I just co-exist with them though but we do seem to get regular miximatosis outbreaks which kills loads of them off.  Apparently that is spread by rabbit flea infestations

It wouldn't be a problem if their warren isn't right in the middle of my new patch! I think we'll see how we get on, maybe nce I start digging and disturbing them they will go elsewhere.

Thanks for the advice all,

Caroline

[compostqueen]

My Jack Russell got stuck into a warren on my plot when I first got it. It was empty for 20 years so lots of the blighters had set up home.  He cleared the rats out too    They come back though, the rabbits that is and they now hang out under my shed 

[finleyfreyaseth]

free food and lodgings they not gonna go anywere unless u evict them 

[Ema]

I think a lot of country parks etc gas them these days it sounds like the most human method of you ask me.

Are they still using the burrow? are there fresh droppings?

I would fill most of the holes over quite loosely leaving 1 clear and see if there disturbed overnight. If not I'd just start digging

[richy]

I think a lot of country parks etc gas them these days it sounds like the most human method of you ask me.

Are they still using the burrow? are there fresh droppings?

I would fill most of the holes over quite loosely leaving 1 clear and see if there disturbed overnight. If not I'd just start dogging

I think the rabbits are an issue here, not sure where dogging comes into it

[sowitgrowit]

Trapping by snares is illegal but folks still do it. Not me I hasten to add

Snaring is legal but there are restrictions on the type of snare (non lethal snares are legal, so you must check them AT LEAST every morning and night and be prepared and able to despatch what you trap.

Ferrets are a more effective way of clearing a warren.

[Ema]

I could throw this iPhone in the bin it's pants for predictive text. I'll change that dogging

[shokkyy]

I have a big rabbit warren in my garden, but have never had any problem at all keeping them out of my veggie beds. I just put some kind of wire fencing around the beds, doesn't have to be high, and that always keeps them out. I'd have to put something around the beds anyway, to stop my dogs from racing through the middle of them. They do far more damage than the rabbits. If you look on Bunty's blog, she reckons all you need to do is lay the bottom of the wire on the ground and put some soil on top of it. I've never buried it in the ground or anything, but if that doesn't work for you try it her way. There's no need to kill them if you don't want to, barricades have always worked for me. I did have one big hole right in the middle of a bed, but I just put some large stones in it to block it and covered it with soil, and it never came back.