Foxes

Any extra tips on how to deter foxes.
I am sure my rabbit house is secure but still worry about some sly fox getting in.Stayed up quite late last night as heard the bunnies stamping but did not see anything.

Just use thick wood for everything, make sure nothing can be lifted off the ground to get underneath (if a human can lift it a fox probably can) and make sure all latches are secured with padlocks as foxes can learn to paw and twist things. Mesh should be galvanised wire mesh with holes no bigger than 1inch square, preferably 1inch x 1/2inch

Cheers Timboh,

Rabbits

My bunnies are more happier today, and dont seem to be bored
Maybe they have on and off days, i suppose
There a funny bunch

I haven't got any tips but there is an interesting article about deterring foxes in this months 'Rabbiting on', the newsletter from the Rabbit Welfare Association.

Best of luck:wave:

You might also want to consider doubling up on the mesh, one layer inside the wood and one layer outside just to be safe.

Rexbun said:

I haven't got any tips but there is an interesting article about deterring foxes in this months 'Rabbiting on', the newsletter from the Rabbit Welfare Association.

Best of luck:wave:

Click to expand...

I would recommend the article, it deals with everything from bolts and mesh sizes to electric fences and sonic deterrents - ring RWA and see if you can just buy a copy of that particular magazine if you do not want full membership. They usually sell one offs.

Yes i did receive my copy but have not looked at it until this evening.Very informative.When i was 12 (many years ago).We lost a rabbit to a fox i was heartbroken and now i am paranoid about it happening again.

Help

Hello, i just wanted to say R.I.P Cola, she sadly died on 21/12/09 :'( average life spane - 5yrs she just went whilst in the waiting room of the vets, she stopped eating 2 days before she died, i noticed that she hadn't eaten her food, and she usually eats it all, so i brought her in, and fed her with a syringe on porridge, and i kept her dry food and a bit of cucumber, she bit one tiny nibble of the cucumber but that was it, and she was just hopping about for 2 mins and then she would go and lie down in her fave spot, the next day she was just lieing down, she was drinking water from the bottle when i gave it her (she was still in out kitchen) but still wouldn't eat, we booked an appointment at the vet, and whilst waiting, she just passed away quietly, i kept putting my hand in the pet carrier to see if she was okay, and one time i put my hand in, and i couldn't feel her heart beat, and mum took the lid carrier off and she was dead :'( I love her so much.
I don't think she has a disease or anything, i think it was just natural causes. :'(

RebeccaLovesRabbits said:

Hello, i just wanted to say R.I.P Cola, she sadly died on 21/12/09 :'( average life spane - 5yrs she just went whilst in the waiting room of the vets, she stopped eating 2 days before she died, i noticed that she hadn't eaten her food, and she usually eats it all, so i brought her in, and fed her with a syringe on porridge, and i kept her dry food and a bit of cucumber, she bit one tiny nibble of the cucumber but that was it, and she was just hopping about for 2 mins and then she would go and lie down in her fave spot, the next day she was just lieing down, she was drinking water from the bottle when i gave it her (she was still in out kitchen) but still wouldn't eat, we booked an appointment at the vet, and whilst waiting, she just passed away quietly, i kept putting my hand in the pet carrier to see if she was okay, and one time i put my hand in, and i couldn't feel her heart beat, and mum took the lid carrier off and she was dead :'( I love her so much.
I don't think she has a disease or anything, i think it was just natural causes. :'(

Click to expand...

Awwww.Put her on Rainbow Bridge....
Bless her.xxx

Fox.

Its winter, in feb some time cola was dig out of her very deep hole in the ground and i am now worried that the foxes willl eat my other 4 rabbits, cola died of natural causes, which is a better death than being ripped apart, but she was dug out of her deep hole and i can't bare to think of it, i know she was dead, but i don't want her being disturbed, but at least she couldn't feel anything, but i am worried about my other 4 rabbits, could foxes somehow get into a shed, it's got a little lock like a latch thing that all i need to d it turn it, but it is at the top of the hutch, but out shed is made of wood, and there are a few minor tiny holes, you don't think they'd start eating it away and get to them would you? I also have a dog, and next door has a dog, but they still got Cola, would they try and get the others? I have now encouraged my dog to wee by the shed, so it has a dogs sent on, i hope this keeps them out, i advise you all to put human and dog scent around the rabbit hutches and sheds, as it may warn off foxes, i hope it does!

ask somebody to wee near the hutchs..... :lol: it might sound silly but before we had the rabbits we used to feed a fox and when we got the rabbits i read somewhere that human urine keeps them away.
it works for us and the fox keeps away..... :lol:

Bored.

Hello, it's winter, not really a good time in the year - especially for my rabbits!
I am at school 5 days a week, i clean them every 3 - 4 days, i clean out any things that need to be cleaned out, that can't be left daily.
But there is ONE problem...BOREDOM! :O
I do usually let them out in the garden for a little while until it gets dark in the winter, but next door has got a new cat and keeps coming in my garden and i have seen it attack my rabbits a few times luckily i chased it away and none of my rabbits were injured, so i can't do this i need to stay out there with them, i usually just let them out make sure there are no holes in the fences, and watch them through the windows, or get up and keep checking every 5-10mins, i can't do this anymore but in the summer, its warm, its lighter for longer, and i can stay out there, and life for them in the warmer months is a better one, but the wintery months are a problem, they must be bored, they can't go together, they always always fight and try to kill each other, so this is no option either, i suppose they would talk to each other through the hutches? but there is not a lot i can do, i give them scrunched up paper balls, they most of the time have wood to chew on, but what else could i do? as they do not get to go out very much in the wintery months, so this is very boring too, they do go out most days, but not for a long time, sometimes its just in my little outhouse where i know they are safe, but i don't know what to do, i don't want them to be sad and bored :'( Must be horrible.
Does anyone have any ideas? or is it just best to keep it as it is, until the warmer months.
Any advice?

hmmm

What do i do?

You definately need to watch your rabbits whilst they are free in your garden. If they won't get on then try dividing your garden into two. For dealing with the neighbours cat I recommend a water spray gun, I got one of those pump action spray bottles from wilkinson. They soon learn to stay out of the garden.

As for the shed foxes can rip through wood with their teeth, so if there are any lose bits or small holes you need to reinforce them with strong wood very quickly. For the door I would recommend fitting a hasp and staple style lock at the top and bottom of the door and securing it with a padlock. You can get these cheaply from wilkinsons. Padlocks are the only thing that is really safe from foxes. You have to put one at the bottom to make sure the door can't be bent or pried open enough to let the fox through.

I have foxes living in my garden!! My bun is a house bun and isn't outside at the mo (Just moved ina dn it needs sorting out, new gate as i'm on a main road and anyone can just walk in. Just don't trust em!!)

If I had my bun out in the day in a run would a fox come up do you think?? They are really big and quite brave by the looks of things (Not exactly in the country). The other day me and the OH were comming back from food shopping, parked by the back door and the fox was sat curled up on the floor keeping warm or something . We drove RIGHT up to him and he didn't move not until we opened the doors. It only seamed like he moved becuase he had to. wasn't in a hurry or anything. Also becuase they spend so much time going in and out the garden to their den can my bun get flees and ticks etc from them??

Rachy bunny said:

I have foxes living in my garden!! My bun is a house bun and isn't outside at the mo (Just moved ina dn it needs sorting out, new gate as i'm on a main road and anyone can just walk in. Just don't trust em!!)

If I had my bun out in the day in a run would a fox come up do you think?? They are really big and quite brave by the looks of things (Not exactly in the country). The other day me and the OH were comming back from food shopping, parked by the back door and the fox was sat curled up on the floor keeping warm or something . We drove RIGHT up to him and he didn't move not until we opened the doors. It only seamed like he moved becuase he had to. wasn't in a hurry or anything. Also becuase they spend so much time going in and out the garden to their den can my bun get flees and ticks etc from them??

Click to expand...

Yes, do not even think of letting your bun outside, the fright of seeing a fox could be enough to kill your bun. You need to get some deterrents and/or better fencing etc. Any blood sucking parasites could carry myxomatosis and I don't see any reason why a fox couldn't be carrying some.

It is literally in my garden that's the big issue!! Sounds cruel but how on earth can I get rid of them????

I come from chesh and they are an absolute nightmare. They just kill for fun. We were house sitting for my friends boss (A vet) and the fox killed all their turkeys. Just bit all their heads off for fun and left them there.


:evil::evil::evil::evil::evil:

?

Thanks for your help, i'll have to get my dad to do that, i fixed up the little holes, they were only tiny ones anyway, and the fox cant pri open the door, i checked it, i think i do need to get a better lock though, but what can i do about boredom? Today i cleaned them out, they ran around for a little bit whilst i was cleaning them out,and me and my family gave them some little cuddles so i think that cheered them up a bit, especially Sugar, because you know she was Daisy's baby? well i had to give them away and her owner didn't look after her properly and they never ever came in the house or got any cuddles so she is quite nervous really, so can go for people at times, she hasn't bitten me yet, although has tried too, she gave me a little nibble earlier though lol x :wave: :lol: so hopefully that cheered them all up i also gave them a stick each to chew on, a scrunchy paper ball, and for a special treat a little bit of banana each they loved it and gobbled it straight up Cola used to really love them Miss her :'(
But i hope that cheered up my rabbits, it'll be better when it is warmer months and the lights are on for longer
So does anyone have any ideas how to cure boredom?
I occasionally give them toilet tubes (empty) stuffed with treats, hay, or food
Anything else i could do to cure this problem? i don't want them to be bored.
Thanks x