Rabbit Control Guide

Practical advice, shared knowledge, and control information to help New Zealand landowners manage wild rabbits.

Plantskydd – A natural Rabbit/Herbivore repellent

Introducing Plantskydd, the 100% natural pest repellent. A growers worst nightmare is to view their plants only to see that half of them have been eaten by pests. We believe when it comes to pests, that prevention is always better than the cure as once animals have…

Fumigation 

Fumigants are poisons that are introduced into a rabbit burrow system, to form toxic gases which are inhaled by the rabbit, causing death by absorption. Fumigation does not require the rabbit to eat a bait and so is effective in areas where bait shyness is a problem….

Rabbit trapping

Trapping Leg-hold trapping is useful for dealing with small numbers of rabbits where alternative techniques are not viable. Effectiveness depends on the skill and experience of the operator. The Animal Welfare Act 1999 requires that traps are checked within 12 hours of sunrise, and for rabbits this…

Pindone Susceptibility

Pindone Susceptibility – Table showing Chronic Toxicity LD 50 of Pindone: LD 50 Mg/kg Animal Weight Mg Pindone of kill 50% Pellets to kill Rabbits 0.52 1.5 kg 0.78 21 Wallabies 2.0 10 kg 20 80 Birds of prey 2.0 Dogs 2.5 9 kg 22.5 90 Cats…

Pindone Rabbit Bait

Pindone Characteristics: Full grown Rabbits require 21 Pindone pellets for mortality. Eaten over 5-6 days. Multi-feed toxicant Assess the area to be treated using the Modified McLean Scale. It takes around 2-4 feeds before enough Pindone is digested. Majority of rabbits will die underground. The hierarchy within…

Night shooting

Night shooting is a reasonably efficient technique for killing rabbits and can be undertaken throughout the year as required. Often three passes are needed for control to be achieved, and at least 70% of the area must be accessible before contemplating night shooting. Night shooting tackles the…

Group of rabbits

Estimating how many rabbits you are dealing with

The Modified McLean Scale is effective when dealing with large populations of rabbits that are leaving obvious signs such as buck heaps, burrows and rabbits visible and quantifiable. This scale may not be ideal for smaller blocks where the signs are not so obvious. Using a spotlight…

Rabbit Proof Fencing

Eradication of rabbits is almost futile if you don’t keep any neighbouring rabbits out, especially if neighbouring properties are not keeping on top of their rabbit control. Since the 1880s, farmers have built rabbit fences using wire netting. Fencing had two distinct aims: to prevent rabbits spreading…

The History of Legislation for Rabbit Control

Online encyclopedia Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand outlines the history of rabbit control in New Zealand. The first Rabbit Nuisance Act was passed in 1867, and there have been many more Acts since. The 1881 Act established a system of rabbit inspectors. The 1882 Act…

rw-hare

Rabbit or Hare?

Hares and rabbits are lagomorphs and belong to the Leporidae family. Hares are generally bigger than rabbits. Hares are distinguished from rabbits by their larger size, longer ears, and longer hind legs. They also tend to live alone or in pairs in above-ground nests. Rabbits live in…

Biology of the Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus

Biology of the Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus (content copied from – National Pest Control Agencies Rabbit Guide) Rabbits of European or Australian origin were released in New Zealand during the 1850s. By 1876, numbers had increased and were widespread enough to cause concern in some areas. Rabbits spread rapidly…

rw-fencing

Poison Partner in Rabbit Fight

Rabbits were introduced to New Zealand in the 19th century for food and sport. They soon became a pest. Reaching plague proportions in some areas, they cost the country millions of dollars through lost production on farmland as well as through attempts to control them. Rabbit numbers…

Guest posts

If you are interested in providing a guest post for the Rabbit Watch website, please get in touch.

Scroll to Top