Abundance of bunnies.......should I be worried?

[el_Snowflakes]

Hello,
Over the last few weeks and I've noticed a lot of rabbits at the livery yard where I keep my horse. I'm a bit concerned about the danger of holes in my horses field ( although i haven't spotted any yet) how do you all cope with rabbits?
Thanks

 

[muckypony]

I have loads, they don't seem to cause a problem and I check the fields everyday. They just help out by eating the grass!!

 

[Dazed'n'confused]

I have loads & they drive me nuts!!! They don't even eat enough grass for me to be slightly tolerant!!! The only time I don't have to fill in holes is when the ground is so hard & dry they can't dig....
Every morning I set off poo picking with a selection of large stones to put in the holes I also have a hyperactive mole or two but at least they provide me with soil to put over the stones in the holes!!
Pesky wabbits

 

[Goldenstar]

I hate rabbits and yes they can kill with their nasty holes ,we roll the fields and stick Stones down the holes , we shoot them , the dogs go round the fields and harass them ,the buzzard catches some of the little and stupid ones .
Last year we had loads ,this spring we got mixey and they are down to a reasonable number .

 

[Polos Mum]

In lovely Yorkshire with it's stone walls I haven't seen on - in Lincs they were a menace - we let people come and shoot them (always people looking for somewhere to go) and trapped them as well. In a good year they had 3 litters of pups so 2 could become 20 without any trouble in one year !!

 

[Dazed'n'confused]

In lovely Yorkshire with it's stone walls I haven't seen on

You must be near the moors because I'm in North Yorkshire & we have hedges & no walls & it's like blummin Watership Down!!

 

[Polos Mum]

You must be near the moors because I'm in North Yorkshire & we have hedges & no walls & it's like blummin Watership Down!!

Sorry yes - West Yorks - still keep forgetting it's quite a big place !!

 

[Dazed'n'confused]

Sorry yes - West Yorks - still keep forgetting it's quite a big place !!

Oh you could be lost for weeks in Yorkshire!! Lol!!
I have a friend on Otley Chevin & his rabbit population is a lot less than mine!!

 

[planete]

Call a reputable rabbit/fox pest controller who will use either a gun or/and ferrets. Your local gamekeeper should know somebody. If you let the rabbits establish warrens on your land, one day one of your horses is going to put a foot in a hole, or the roof of the warren could even collapse under a cantering horse.

 

[ozpoz]

Get a whippet. Mine does a very good job as he loves to motor round at speeds rabbits find scary. I don't have nearly so many since I got him.

 

[Archangel]

I have loads too, plus some pretty coloured ones obviously once a pet and just dumped in the field. I have two places where they have dug huge holes so fenced these off. I used to fill them in but then they pop up somewhere else so I figure if I let them have one of two entrances they won't open any more. The big horse can cause the tunnels to collapse in very dry weather. Apart from keeping an eye out for holes and eating a bit of grass we all just rub along together. I have very active moles too.

 

[Sprout]

I have loads here, despite the best attempts of foxes, buzzards and my dogs to keep the numbers down. Holes are generally around the fence lines, so not too much of a danger to the horses, but the wretched things love to dig right down to the membrane in the school!
I have recently noticed quite a few with Myxomatosis, so that might bring the numbers down.

 

[Equi]

Loads here at the mo too, and haven't seen any in the last few years so they have all been hiding out! Neighbour shot 60 but i say he could easily get another 60.

 

[rowan666]

we have lots and as cute as they are, they do dig holes in our fields and its a constant worry wondering if ive missed one (i fill them with rocks then soil and make sure its packed tightly) we have a lovely guy and old terrier that comes down shooting (although not as often as we would like in recent years) them and he always eats what he catches too which makes me feel better, we have lots and lots of people ask about shooting on the land but you have to be so careful who you can trust around horses because some just have litterally no common sence atall and should not be in charge of a gun! if you cant find anyone trustworthy by word of mouth then maybe consider hiring a professional?
our local farmers used rabbit fencing... do not waste your time and money on this it dsnt work, rabbits arnt stupid! lol

 

[Polos Mum]

We had a ferret guy too a couple of times worked really well and he sold the rabbits to the butcher so good for the local economy. Not easy to find or get hold of and it has to be a very specific time of year so the ferrets don't find the small ones and just sit in the holes eating them !!

 

[mirage]

We have loads this year too. I have been filling in holes like nobodies business. My other half shoots so I have instructed him to spend and evening in the field whilst we go out for a hack,to try and reduce their numbers. They are very bold too, I can get a few feet away before they run,OH says it is a bit unfair to shhot a sitting target,but I told him it'll be a damn sight more unfair if one of my ponies gets a foot down a rabbit hole.

 

[cremedemonthe]

In lovely Yorkshire with it's stone walls I haven't seen on - in Lincs they were a menace - we let people come and shoot them (always people looking for somewhere to go) and trapped them as well. In a good year they had 3 litters of pups so 2 could become 20 without any trouble in one year !!

Baby rabbits are kittens, not pups, dogs, seals and other critters have pups

 

[trottingon]

I used to be on a farm full of rabbit warrens and I would fill the holes with horse poo whenever I was poo-picking. I don't know if it's s recommended method but they never dug through it!
It was a few years ago before I'd heard of worm testing, we just wormed every three months back then.

 

[10wardd]

We have loads of them round here so we shoot them (air rifle)... They're very tasty BBQ'd if you want some cooking suggestions! We also have 2 whippets which love to chase and eat them... It's effectively free food after all!!!

 

[LaurenN]

Hi, if anyone from the Cheshire / Merseyside areas have any problems with rabbits / rats / pigeons etc I can help you clear them as I do this as a hobby with my father I already do this on a regular basis for other members of the horsey community and old courses and farms etc. just PM your contact and I will respond as soon as I can.
Many thanks, Lauren / Steve.

 

[Ali2]

Yes, you should be concerned. We've had some legs go down collapsed small holes, no injury thankfully but waiting to happen. Now have a hunter come in and regularly shoot them. The population isn't decimated but it's well under control.

 

[Copperpot]

We had loads. I was forever filling holes with stones. The terriers catch a few and my OH shot 50 plus over the course of a week. Now just got to keep the numbers down.

 

[Dry Rot]

A complete numpty who I wouldn't normally ask the time of day suggested pushing a plastic feed bag down the hole, then either back filling or leaving it. In exasperation, I tried it. It doesn't always work but most of the time it does seem to help.

If you really have a lot of rabbits, there are 'drop boxes' (Google 'rabbit drop box') that can be dug in where there is a rabbit fence. Or get someone in wo can use a long net.