Over the last few weeks, we are being asked to quote for rabbit fencing more and more. With the unseasonal weather, rabbits are breeding earlier then normal years and in increasing numbers.

With rabbit control, it is best to get to grips with a rabbit problem during the winter months. We can use a number of rabbit control measures, particularly ferreting, to clear the rabbit population, but this year it all ended a bit too soon really. It is almost impossible to ferret once young rabbits are seen as all you do is spend your day digging out the ferrets as they will kill and eat the babies down the burrow.

We still have gassing as a fall back and this year we have used lots of gas to great effect, clearing vast numbers of rabbits from established burrows. The problem is that if your neighbour is doing little or nothing to control rabbits on his land, they will return. This is where rabbit fencing and exclusion comes into play.

Now a fence is not the end to it all. Rabbits are very determined and if they want to get in, they will have a really good go. We have seen evidence where rabbits will actually bite through steel wire to get in, so ongoing checks and maintenance is essential to protect your investment in rabbit fencing.

Rabbit fencing can be expensive to install. In an ideal world, a trench should be dug, then the wire is buried to a suitable depth, then back filled to create a barrier under ground as well as above ground. Most situations do not need this level of expense, so at Rapid Pest Control, we assess the problem, work out the areas of highest risk and plan our approach accordingly, always looking to keep your cost to a minimum.

The last two jobs we have completed, did not call for massive excavations, so we used the client’s existing fencing where possible, then used a the “tuck under” method to create a rabbit proof barrier. The wire is held in place with highly tensioned straining wires, then over time vegetation will grow through the wire adding further adhesion.

This method is used very successfully in forestry situations as well as farming and domestic areas. The main advantage is that your do not cause damage or disturbance to the ground, but also the costs are significantly cheaper to the client, making rabbit fencing a real option.

Here are a few pictures of 2 different jobs, for clients in Goring and Basingstoke, both of which are delighted with the results and are now having rabbit free gardens.

So if you have a rabbit problem and want to discuss if rabbit fencing is the right option for you, call Rapid Pest Control in Newbury now on Newbury 01635 247193 or Rapid Pest Control in Oxford on Abingdon 01235 280035 – or of course Contact Us Here