Urban(ish) rabbit control

[Flyonline]

Any ideas on how to get rid of some rabbits in an (almost) urban setting? We're right on the edge of town with houses either side but nothing behind. If I could justify a decent air rifle I might get one and surreptitiously take a few shots from inside the house with the window screen removed.

Alternatives or suggestions?

Don't want to put down pindone etc. as there are family pets around, as well as a local owl or two that do occasionally grab one. I'd be quite happy to live trap them and wring a few necks, but all the videos I've watched seem to trap suspiciously tame rabbits so not sure how something would go on wild rabbits. I did think of putting a heap of dry ice down the warren, but the burrows are not accessible on our property, or under containers etc.

Thanks

Steve

[Lazarus]

I don't know if a non primary producer can get it but Calicivirus devastated them here.
I went from shooting ~600 per year to a couple of dozen

[bladeracer]

Any ideas on how to get rid of some rabbits in an (almost) urban setting? We're right on the edge of town with houses either side but nothing behind. If I could justify a decent air rifle I might get one and surreptitiously take a few shots from inside the house with the window screen removed.

Alternatives or suggestions?

Don't want to put down pindone etc. as there are family pets around, as well as a local owl or two that do occasionally grab one. I'd be quite happy to live trap them and wring a few necks, but all the videos I've watched seem to trap suspiciously tame rabbits so not sure how something would go on wild rabbits. I did think of putting a heap of dry ice down the warren, but the burrows are not accessible on our property, or under containers etc.

Thanks

Steve

A compound bow perhaps, but it'll require a fair bit of practice to make reliable hits on rabbits.
Live trapping isn't too difficult, local council might have cage traps you can borrow. Then you can eat them as well.
As Lazarus mentioned, you might be able to get calicivirus, but it's pretty disgusting to watch them die from it.
Found another young one dead from it outside the woodshed yesterday.

[animalpest]

RHDV (calicivirus) is available and will work, but its best after the breeding season as young rabbits are not susceptible.

Pindone is a good option. Your pets are safe if they only eat the occasional rabbit.

Owls are a much greater risk from second generation anticoagulants as these have up to 180 days half-life whereas pindone is only about 3-5 days. This is why first generation such as pindone need multiple feeds to work while second generation only need a single feed.

I baited 90km of urban beaches for rabbits with pindone and achieved great control of bunnies and there was no reduction in fox numbers through secondary poisoning.

I have used pindone since 1982 although it's only been available to the public since about 2001

[Boundry Rider]

One warren?
I have a client with a 30000L concrete water tank next to the road- no shooting there.
Every 6 months a new doe will dig in and once the tracks are spotted we do the following: Around mid morning use a 2” poly pipe from the tractor or a petrol car exhaust into and fill around the highest bunny hole, idle for 20-30 mins and then smooth over the entrances to see if any survivors are ingress/egress any remaining burrows the next day.
The exhaust is heavier than air and will settle into the warren and vent at the lowest burrow. If you’re are on a hill you can fill entrances and leave 20mm pipe to vent the lower burrows which will elevate your gas level in the warren. Sometimes there will be burrows that are not linked hence check for tracks the next day.
This method is instant and safe in open areas, just manage your fire risk and keep children away for obvious reasons.

[Lazarus]

@Bladeracer
I believe you are thinking of myxomatosis.
That's the one that blinds them, makes them die slowly and suffer the entire time.

I wasn't aware that the Calicivirus had been put out and was thinking all the healthy looking dead rabbits I was finding were snake victims.

It's a haemorrhagic virus that displays no outward symptoms.

https://www.portroadvet.com.au/calicivi ... is-rabbit/

[bladeracer]

@Bladeracer
I believe you are thinking of myxomatosis.
That's the one that blinds them, makes them die slowly and suffer the entire time.

I wasn't aware that the Calicivirus had been put out and was thinking all the healthy looking dead rabbits I was finding were snake victims.

It's a haemorrhagic virus that displays no outward symptoms.

https://www.portroadvet.com.au/calicivi ... is-rabbit/

No, calicivirus is equally as horrible. We keep meat rabbits and lose them every year to calici. The fitting, gasping, screaming, and copious blood loss from the nostrils are certainly visible outward symptoms.

[Boundry Rider]

“I wasn't aware that the Calicivirus had been put out and was thinking all the healthy looking dead rabbits I was finding were snake victims.”

Calicivirus has been released twice, Chinese strain and Korean strain. The Korean strain kills much quicker and blowflies can transmit it as well as mosquitoes.

[Lazarus]

“I wasn't aware that the Calicivirus had been put out and was thinking all the healthy looking dead rabbits I was finding were snake victims.”

Calicivirus has been released twice, Chinese strain and Korean strain. The Korean strain kills much quicker and blowflies can transmit it as well as mosquitoes.

It's obviously the Korean strain released here then, the dead look just like they've gone to sleep.
Definitely no bleeding visible, they just fall over dead.

Perhaps you have the Chinese version Blade.

[bladeracer]

“I wasn't aware that the Calicivirus had been put out and was thinking all the healthy looking dead rabbits I was finding were snake victims.”

Calicivirus has been released twice, Chinese strain and Korean strain. The Korean strain kills much quicker and blowflies can transmit it as well as mosquitoes.

It's obviously the Korean strain released here then, the dead look just like they've gone to sleep.
Definitely no bleeding visible, they just fall over dead.

Perhaps you have the Chinese version Blade.

The baby ones we find just look like they're asleep, but once they're older they really suffer. Ours are kept behind mozzie mesh but the virus is windborne. Rose takes liver samples and sends them in. We did have a rogue strain one year.

https://pestsmart.org.au/toolkit-resource/bait-delivery-of-rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease-virus-rhdv1-k5-strain/
https://pestsmart.org.au/toolkit-resource/frequently-asked-questions-about-rhdv1-k5/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5oB5pP1gVs

[bladeracer]

I have video of a couple of ours dying in our arms, but I never put it online and it's on my old computer box.
It's very unpleasant.

[Lazarus]

Well there's another difference, the strain here doesn't effect the kits, only once they reach breeding age at around 10 weeks.

[Oldbloke]

One warren?
I have a client with a 30000L concrete water tank next to the road- no shooting there.
Every 6 months a new doe will dig in and once the tracks are spotted we do the following: Around mid morning use a 2” poly pipe from the tractor or a petrol car exhaust into and fill around the highest bunny hole, idle for 20-30 mins and then smooth over the entrances to see if any survivors are ingress/egress any remaining burrows the next day.
The exhaust is heavier than air and will settle into the warren and vent at the lowest burrow. If you’re are on a hill you can fill entrances and leave 20mm pipe to vent the lower burrows which will elevate your gas level in the warren. Sometimes there will be burrows that are not linked hence check for tracks the next day.
This method is instant and safe in open areas, just manage your fire risk and keep children away for obvious reasons.

This will work. No problems. You could use your car. Any internal combustion engine will work. CO kills silently. They just go to sleep.

Then there is wire snares over the entrances.

Or there are various sub-sonic 22lr ammo that could be useful. I believe CCI Quiet-22 Segmented HP are good. Silencer is not required.it

[Flyonline]

Thanks all, wasn't aware that calici was available to be got. So far it seems to be doing a good job around here, bunnies are pretty rare in the bush - must be just these urban hipsters that are tough Good to hear on the pindone, that I can get hold of easily here!

I did think of a bow (have a few recurves) but honestly I think a 12gr pellet is a lot less risk than a 500gr pushing a razor sharp broadhead. I won't shoot small game with blunts etc as I had a hare run off with an arrow hanging out of it squealing like a stuck pig.

These are the biggest healthiest wild rabbits I've ever seen, so would be good to get in the pot but might not happen. Warren/burrow access is limited as I had thought of the CO trick. Might try a homemade trap for gits and shiggles and get serious with something more targeted Suspect it will be a continual warfare as they have free range on the farmland behind us. I think I know the farmer who owns it, so a little chat might be in order at some stage also to see if I can jump the fence with bow or gun.

20 years ago I might have got away with a .22 but we've got an airbnb next to us, so urbanites are a constant menace

Steve

[animalpest]

The amount of CO2 put out by modern cars isn't enough to be effective on warrens. When the engine first starts from cold it puts out more but very quickly reduces. You need a pre 1976 vehicle or a stationary motor with no emission control stuff on it.

[Oldbloke]

The amount of CO2 put out by modern cars isn't enough to be effective on warrens. When the engine first starts from cold it puts out more but very quickly reduces. You need a pre 1976 vehicle or a stationary motor with no emission control stuff on it.

I find that very surprising. It takes very little Co to kill people.

[Oldbloke]

Well, it seems animalpest is right.

Cars now emit about 1000ppm of carbon monoxide from the tail pipe.
https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extension-a ... s-aen-208/.

It was much, much higher. This is due to catalyc converters now being fitted.


It takes a concentration of about 3000 ppm to kill within 30 minutes.
https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extension-a ... e-aen-172/

Would exhaust gasses push out/replace all of the fresh air anyway? They would then be asphyxiated due to lack of oxygen. . You would need to achieve pretty good seal of all exits. I'm unsure if that could be achieved.

Perhaps diesel engines produce more co?

[NTSOG]

G'day,

Many thousands of Pommy shooters take rabbits with sub-12 ft pd air rifles that they are allowed to keep and shoot in the UK without taking out a Fire Arms Certificate. I don't have any rabbits on my property, but use some of my low powered air rifles to shoot pest birds in my machinery shed. My selection of vintage 10 m. target rifles [5.5 ft pds] with competition sights is lethal on smaller birds. I would be looking for a spring air rifle or similar and head shoot the blighters.

Jim

[Lazarus]

Well, it seems animalpest is right.

Cars now emit about 1000ppm of carbon monoxide from the tail pipe.
https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extension-a ... s-aen-208/.

It was much, much higher. This is due to catalyc converters now being fitted.


It takes a concentration of about 3000 ppm to kill within 30 minutes.
https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extension-a ... e-aen-172/

Would exhaust gasses push out/replace all of the fresh air anyway? They would then be asphyxiated due to lack of oxygen. . You would need to achieve pretty good seal of all exits. I'm unsure if that could be achieved.

Perhaps diesel engines produce more co?

G'day OB

Most people who use exhaust to kill themselves die from CO, carbon monoxide not CO2.

It was the Nazi's first choice before they settled on Zyklon B.

Petrol or diesel both put out plenty of CO.

[Boundry Rider]

I’ve used a BA falcon running on LPG or a ‘68 MF petrol tractor successfully so far.

[animalpest]

There has been much research over the years on using motor exhaust fumes to treat warrens. This has included measuring the concentration of gases in various parts of a warren.

The results have been that there is insufficient concentration of lethal gasses to be effective in modern engines.

Complex rabbit warrens have breeding chambers off the main tunnels and these are where rabbits survive.

[Lazarus]

Well, it seems animalpest is right.

Cars now emit about 1000ppm of carbon monoxide from the tail pipe.
https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extension-a ... s-aen-208/.

It was much, much higher. This is due to catalyc converters now being fitted.


It takes a concentration of about 3000 ppm to kill within 30 minutes.
https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extension-a ... e-aen-172/

Would exhaust gasses push out/replace all of the fresh air anyway? They would then be asphyxiated due to lack of oxygen. . You would need to achieve pretty good seal of all exits. I'm unsure if that could be achieved.

Perhaps diesel engines produce more co?

Well, buggeration, I just read your post again, properly this time.
I should read a little slower.

Sorry OB

[Oldbloke]

Well, certainly looks like to CO theory is no good.

Back to traps, snares, subbies, air rifle I guess.

No problemo Lazarus. Lol

[animalpest]

Just use the RHDV to reduce numbers then bait with pindone. Does the job and no issues if used correctly.

We do this on properties every week for the past 20+ years.