Bunny Hugger.

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Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 9:15 am Post subject: Bunny Hugger.

We are currently experiencing a mini plague of rabbits that are intent on turning my newly planted cider orchard into saw dust.

At the moment the rabbit guards are keeping them at bay but its quite disconcerting to see hoards of the little blighters every morning as I do my feeding and watering rounds. I might be cracking up here but I feel sure that they only have one thing on their mind. No ! Not sex but my apple trees

I've shot a few at night time but their numbers and ambition seem to show little if any sign of decline.

A few months ago, at great expense I lashed out on a catch alive rabbit trap. They aint cheap I can tell you. For the first month or so, I faithfully followed the instructions and baited both the trap and the surrounding area with chopped apple and carrot but to no avail. The bunnies have totally ignored it and have 'cocked a snoop' at me. Its also become a standing joke within the family, who are also good at snoop cocking with me being the butt of considerable amount of humour.

First thing this morning I had rather a suprise, infact it was one hell of a suprise.

I'd caught my first rabbit after all this time and then promptly let it go.

It was only a 'lickle baby one' and I hadn't the heart to bump it off. Now, if it had been its Ma or Pa I would have killed and eaten it. I wasn't prepared to kill the baby rabbit but was quite prepared to make it an orphan, how much of a hypocrit does that make me ?

Last edited by Bodger on Fri Mar 27, 09 9:27 am; edited 1 time in total

Brownbear

Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 14929
Location: South West

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 9:21 am Post subject:
Dry your eyes and buy a rifle.

lettucewoman

Joined: 26 Sep 2006
Posts: 7834
Location: Tiptoe in the Forest!!

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 9:22 am Post subject:
AAAAAAAAhhhhhhh

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 9:25 am Post subject:
I've got the pie crust pastry ready for him when he's bigger. Do you think that the apples and carrots will make him tastier when he's bigger ?

whitelegg1

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 409
Location: Woodford Green

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 11:03 am Post subject:
I could offer some assistance Where abouts are you.......? I'm housetrained, and used to be quite successful!! Till I met the rabbits with radar!!!!! Pete

willow1

Joined: 12 Feb 2009
Posts: 16
Location: Hanham in Bristol

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 12:03 pm Post subject:
But that little Cute Bunny is going to grow bigger and eat more of your trees. Not sure where you are but im in Bristol and if you need a hand with an extra air riffle just give me a shout if im near by to you all the best with those rabbits

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 12:59 pm Post subject:
Hundreds of miles away unfortunately.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 1:48 pm Post subject:

bodger wrote:

I've got the pie crust pastry ready for him when he's bigger. Do you think that the apples and carrots will make him tastier when he's bigger ?

Subtly flavoured with your tree saplings? Probably going to be gorgeous.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 2:10 pm Post subject:
Over my dead body. They've all got Colditz style wire netting guards around them. I dropped a small gooley when I first fitted them, which allowed the rabbits to get a nibble but touchwood, since I refitted them there's not been any further damage.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 3:24 pm Post subject:
i sympathise ,the rosewood bunnies are dug in like the viet cong and seem to know the moment i change from watcher to hunter

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 3:28 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

i sympathise ,the rosewood bunnies are dug in like the viet cong and seem to know the moment i change from watcher to hunter

They smell your intent.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 3:42 pm Post subject:
maybe ,it is odd how being watched is ok but being watched with intent has them laughing from the scrub at the edge of the hedge/warren in a tangle of twigs the ones in sussex and scotland were easy prey but this lot are canny judging by the number of 12 bore bangs in the area i recon darwinism is in action and this lot have evolved esp

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 09 6:52 pm Post subject:
Bodger, next time im heading that way I will pack my air rifle and see if we can have bunnie pie if you like I know how much you like knocking things up out of old pallets so pop up a hide now and let them get used to it, then it will be a suprise when a hail of deadly lead comes their way.

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Fri Aug 07, 09 8:30 pm Post subject:

Bodger - I feel your pain! Rabbits took out FOUR of the apple trees in our orchard early this year despite the trees being rabbit-caged. Then the trees went on to astound me by not only surviving but bearing a heavy crop of apples. Go figure.

I am going rabbiting soon to stock up the freezer and keep 'em under control. Rabbit pie for us!

Don't bother trying to eat a rabbit that's been caught in a live trap. They are so scared by the time you get to them that they are tough as old boots.

woodsprite

Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 2943
Location: North Herefordshire

Posted: Sat Aug 08, 09 9:01 am Post subject:

Quote:

Don't bother trying to eat a rabbit that's been caught in a live trap. They are so scared by the time you get to them that they are tough as old boots.
_________________

I absolutely agree!

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