Preparation is everything – getting is all cleared is crucial

Rabbit Control is an ongoing problem for farms and properties which are on the boundaries of farm land, woods or railway banks etc. There is not one solution, it has to be a combination of lethal methods like ferreting, shooting, falconry or gassing, and non lethal methods like exclusion or rabbit fencing in simple terms.

Unless somebody is prepared to pay a Kings ransom for daily trapping and shooting visits, we would normally recommend a hard hitting campaign once per year to control the rabbits underground by ferreting or gassing carried out  during the winter months, and some form of exclusion like rabbit fencing providing the more permanent barrier to stop entry to your garden.

A few weeks ago we carried out quite a major fencing project in Oxfordshire where the property owner backs onto some large fields and some woodland. This house has been under constant attack over the last few years, but the owner was building extensions, digging up the grounds etc and didn’t mind too much, but now the works have been finished, the rabbits still think it’s OK to run riot in the grounds. The final straw was when the rabbits ate all the new plans in the secret garden and dug up all the fresh turf….then it was time to sort it.

One of the most important parts of rabbit fencing is to clear and prepare the ground. This was made slightly more problematic on this job as the old barbed wire fence was in such a mess. We literally had to cut out all the old wire, section by section to clear it. It is important to use the old fence line as the farmer will almost certainly kick up a stink if you don’t, so we tried to follow the line as best as we could – even though it was no where near anything like straight!

We tend to use the tuck under method of rabbit proof fencing due to the cost savings made – it is only worth trenching it in if you have a clear run and a digger on site. The tuck method works just as well and keeps rabbits out just as good – in fact I would say its better as there is no fresh earth to dig into. Regardless of the method, it does require ongoing checks to make sure no entry has been made – or that the gardener has not strimmed through the wire!

The Finished job – rabbit proofed for years to come

Anyway, the job went smoothly and the client was delighted to have a rabbit proof garden – well almost anyway – they actually don’t have front gates yet….and the little devils will find a way in….but if they do, they will never get out alive!

So if you have persistent rabbit problems and need a permanent and cost effective rabbit fencing solution, call Rapid Pest Control now for a survey and quote for rabbit fences – with offices in Newbury, Basingstoke, Reading, Swindon and Oxford, you can be assured of a fast response.