| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 3:32:51 PM
Oh my word - girls - what do I do??? This morning, my DH was out painting the garage, in front of which grows a good portion of my garden. Suddenly he heard a squealing sound - and a teeny tiny bunny hopped out in front of him. He and our dog chased it and it hopped into the garage. Then he couldn't find it, so he left the garage door open, hoping it would come out. Meanwhile, the dog was hot on the trail, furiously sniffing at something else. I looked - another bunny!!! After a pretty good chase, our dog seized it in her mouth, but thankfully she's a peach and heeded our, "Pawlee! Nooo!'s" She just trapped it to the ground. My husband went over and caught it from her lock. Bunny in hand, he turned to head to the back gate; it squeeled and our dog saw it and lunged at it. Startled, my hubby lost his grip and we were soon off on the hunt for it again... Yeah, that was fun... I think we lost some potatoes... Well... this went on a good part of the day. Eventually, my husband caught two bunnies and released them down the street in an abandoned lot. I told him they'd only come back again, but he didn't listen - city boys... Later on this afternoon, after our cookout was over, he went to the garage for something, and when he opened the door there was all this squealing. TWO MORE BUNNIES trapped in the garage!!! He and my foster son caught them, walked further up the road and released them, but you just know they'll be back, too. I can't figure out where they're living - in the garage? In the garden? Where were they born? And how many of them are there - I have no idea how many babies a rabbit gives birth to!!! My foster son said we could have a dozen or more - eghads! How do I find them - and how do I get rid of them. Oh my goodness - I'm so upset. They were SOOO stinkin' cute - and only the size of the palm of my husband's hand... but I know if they continue to take refuge in my garden, I'm going too lose everything I've worked so hard to cultivate!!! Noooooo!!!!
HEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPPPP!!!
I had wanted to raise rabbits, but not this way... And I know you can't catch and raise wild rabbits at all, either. <sigh> Any suggestions? I don't know what to do!
Thanks -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 24 2011 : 9:37:37 PM
Well, after torrential rains and winds Thursday night, I woke up to corn lying on its side in the garden. I finally broke down and contacted the county extension - they were extremely helpful and supportive! After addressing the corn situation, I picked the master gardener's brain about the bunnies. He was so helpful and had some interesting suggestions.
At first "Rick" said to put dried blood down, which I had already done. I explained that it didn't really seem to affect the bunnies. When I explained they were babies, he said that they were probably too young to recognize the scent of the blood meal as "danger" yet, which is why they weren't phased. I told him a couple of friends (that's you, Tina & Elaine!) suggested fox urine. He just gave a loooong "Aaaaah," and then said what would work even better would be a topical called "Liquid Fence." He said it is STRONGLY scented of garlic and egg whites - that we won't like it at all when we put it down. He said that we could put the "Liquid Fence" directly on the plants, too - that it wouldn't hurt them one bit. The rabbits can't stand the smell - and babies don't need to be "trained" by their mothers to recognize it. I may try that, but last year I made a mean spray from garlic and hot peppers that was extremely pungent, too, so I'm thinking I should try that first. Either way - I'm going to try! And I'm still going to get the fox urine spray. He really didn't seem too keen on the idea, but he didn't elaborate, and I was so busy writing everything down, I didn't ask. If you all say it works, then I know it will work!!!
I also expressed my sorrow about us (well, more precisely, my husband and foster son) having touched the bunnies to remove them and release them elsewhere. We hadn't considered at all that they would be rejected by their mother(s) and die because of our human scent on them. "Rick" reassuringly said no, not to be too concerned about that. He said they've often heard that same thing not only about bunnies but baby birds as well, but in his experience, it's just not the case at all. He said they'd be fine. (I tend to believe you girls, though!) I have mixed emotions about that: I wouldn't want those cute little cuddly-looking baby bunnies to die or be rejected, but on the other hand, I wouldn't be upset not to ever see them in my yard again! (Our dear old dog, however, is loving the chase... Since we started finding them in the yard, her countenance has suddenly once again become that of a young pup! Her ears perk up, her front leg points, she sniffs around wagging her tail, and jumps from plot to plot with this excited yet sad look on her face as we tell her to stay out of the veggies! LOL! She doesn't kill them, she just gets them in her jaws and holds them down for us - she's amazing. And sadly, she has not only plowed down a few of my cabbages and potatoes, now she has even trampled my yellow squash while in hot pursuit! It's hard to be angry with her, though - she's only doing her job and taking pride in her role as our protectress... And it's so good to see her so young and perky again... I can deal with the plants - she won't be around forever!)
"Rick" also said that building up the garden even higher would help deter the bunnies from hopping in. We already have our beds raised up to the height of one railroad tie, but he suggested THREE. He said that would be even better for my root vegetables, like carrots and beets, of course. The main thing he said, though, was that rabbits really wouldn't be too happy with it. I don't understand why that would deter them, but he's the master gardener! Hmmm... 'Gonna have to chat with my beloved DH about that one! He should be able to get ties from down at his family docks again, and his cousin was more than happy to generously donate soil from his farm (I sent over a HUGE basket of produce, homemade jam and homemade artisan bread at the end of the season that he STILL talks about to this day!)... Maybe we'll do that this fall after the harvest... we'll see what kind of time we have then!
So, that's where we're at with all of this. Thank you all for your suggestions and support. Our dog is long overdue for her summer shaving, Jen, so I'll have my DH save her fur to border the garden. And I'll definitely check out that website, Lorraine! :)
Happy gardening!
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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| Tea Lady |
Posted - Jun 22 2011 : 10:16:40 AM
This website had some great info - http://www.reddoorshelter.org/wildlife_rescue_info.html - hope it helps. Good luck.
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Jun 22 2011 : 12:15:16 AM
I've heard that brushing all the spring hair out of your dog, and laying down the hair around the borders of the garden will deter rabbits and vermin. It seems to be working for me, but then I cut down all the grass thickets and debris on my property fence line at the beginning of spring so there wasn't really anywhere good for them to burrow.
I've only seen one very young rabbit, in the morning on the front yard size of the fence, but since I eradicated the cover over there... nada.
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Jun 21 2011 : 8:43:13 PM
differant sizes and ages, means multiple does...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 21 2011 : 8:17:40 PM
Drat - another baby under the beet leaves today... Teeny, wee, little baby... It hardly hopped or gave up a fight when my DH went in to retrieve it. SO cute... I just wish we could tame them and keep them. :( One of my son's friends said he and his dad had kept 6 bunnies two summers ago, but "most" of them died from heat stroke... He didn't say what happened to the ones that survived. When I asked, he hedged... I'm wondering just how wild these critters actually are...
I can't make it out to get the fox urine til Thursday, now, as our plans have changed this week... I did put down the cayenne, too, but maybe it wasn't enough - or maybe the bunny was already in there. Ugh.
Well... I'll let you know how I make out with everything... Thanks again for all of your advice and concern, girls!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 20 2011 : 07:13:07 AM
Oh! Diane! I have a HUGE container of it, too! I will do that this morning! Thank you!!!! :)
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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| Fiddlehead Farm |
Posted - Jun 20 2011 : 05:13:45 AM
Nini,
Sprinkle a border of cayenne pepper around your garden. Rabbits hate it and stay away.
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922
I ask not for a larger garden, but for finer seeds.
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 6:15:42 PM
Hi girls - thank you! The momma was actually in the yard next door when we pulled out of our garage tonight... I hadn't considered that she would no longer care for them. I feel so bad. I've never had to put an animal down at all - I wouldn't even know how...
I will definitely talk to my DH about the fencing and we'll get the fox urine. Can't make it out to the store til Tuesday or Wednesday, but it's the priority on my list! AND the Irish Spring! I put down blood meal today, and a good part of my garden is already edged with onions and garlic. I thought with that I had it covered... silly me... I should've known better... Live and learn!
I also believe that even if you could cage the rabbits, their stomachs couldn't handle store bought rabbit food.
After I typed to all of you, I found my dog chasing something in the garden. She plowed down a few cabbages and a section of potatoes. And now, she's at the foot of the stairs sleeping like a baby and snoring like my husband! LOL! Sheesh. I really hope my veggies come back to life!
Thanks again for your help - I really, really appreciate it.
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
www.papercraftingwithnini.myctmh.com
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| embchicken |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 5:45:46 PM
I can vouch for the effectiveness of fox urine spray! I am using it to keep bunnies, squirrels and one nasty honking groundhog away. Also I grate some irish Spring soap around and they don't like that.
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 5:22:48 PM
wild rabbits would never survive being caged, they are too flighty and nervous, they will beat themselves to death trying to escape, plus they carry parisites and disease, not worth the chances...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 5:19:53 PM
Nini, I saw a bunny the other morning as I was walking to the garden. Bubba saw it too. I let him chase it away. I know there have to be more out there. But I think with the dogs around, the bunnies won't be around too long. Your dog sounds like mine. Likes to chase things. Other than putting up tin pie plates or scarecrows, I don't know what to do to keep them away. I hope someone else has some good ideas.
And why can't wild rabbits be raised like other rabbits?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| oldbittyhen |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 5:18:54 PM
if they are that small, they will most likely not survive without momma, and she would not take them back either, do to the human/dog scents on them (my advice to to put anymore babies you find down humanely)...if you don't want rabbits in your garden, fence with tight mesh, 2 feet down and 3 feet up, get some fox urine at your local sporting goods store and spray garden fence and all around your yard, rabbits will destroy a yard/flowers and veggy garden in no time flat, and where there's one, believe you me, there are alot more...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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