Rats and kits and newby forehead smacking

[Permajen]

Dear Rabbit talkers,

I feel like such an idiot... I researched about colony raising before setting up my rabbitry, but I didn't read anything about rats harming kits until last night. For some reason I believed the doe would be enough protection, being nocturnal and able to see in the dark (I was more caught up worrying about foxes and dogs, which I've guarded against well).

Unfortunately with regard to rats, my 14' x 14' structure is impossible to ratproof all the way up, though it does have a concrete floor and fine mesh low down.

I guess I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has raised rabbits in a colony setting without particular attention to rat proofing. Do you get by with a bit of vigilance with trapping etc, or is kit loss inevitable? Is there a hope that having the nestboxes well hidden by straw and with only one entrance might help avoid disaster?

I've had no rats in the rabbitry yet, so I'm hoping the births in a week's time will be okay...

Many thanks for sharing what you think...
From downunder,
Jen

 

[caroline]

I've never raised in a colony setting so maybe I won't be of much help but I have had rat's get inside cages with 1x2 wire and eat kits They can get in almost anywhere

The only thing that has helped is keeping rat traps set at all times. I put them out at night an pick them up in the morning so that I don't catch my duck, etc.

Perhaps you can encircle your colony area with traps.

 

[MaggieJ]

Rats can be a major problem for rabbit raisers whether they use cages or a colony. They can squeeze through anything larger than one inch wire mesh. Loose fitting cage doors and J-feeders without lids are an open invitation to them.

In my experience, rats become a serious problem when their numbers increase suddenly and the food supply dwindles. Desperation makes them particularly bold and ruthless. You can guard against this with consistent trapping and poison in secure bait stations. Keep feed in rat-proof bins and keep the surroundings clean and uncluttered.

You don't give much detail about your colony structure, but I don't understand why it should be impossible to rat-proof over time. It won't be cheap, perhaps, but you might want to start saving up for materials before the problem becomes serious.

 

[Dood]

Have you had losses due to rats already?

Not all rats have figured out that baby rabbits are edible so your local rats might not bug your bunnies at all. Just don't teach them that rabbits taste good by leaving stilborns or parts left over from butchering around for them to nibble on.

We have a few rats at the horse barn but they are not very bold and I've not had any in the rabbitry in 3 years I've been breeding bunnies.

If rats become a problem and you are using nest boxes then I would bring the kits in at night.

 

[Miss M]

If you have other animals about that might get into poison, or if you just don't want to use poison, and you find that traps don't seem to catch them, you might try "killer cupcakes": any-idea-on-how-fast-they-die-t10410.html

 

[dayna]

I don't raise colony style but I have rat problems. They can get into fairly small spaces between wire. They can climb. They can chew through wire and metal. Once they know that baby rabbits taste good you're kinda up a creek. I have to bring in all my nest boxes each night and if I put them out too early in the morning (even after it's light) the rats get in there.

I trap, poison, beat to death and shoot rats. I'm hoping that moving my fence back so my dog can now be in the rabbit area helps.

 

[Miss M]

For my part, I had rats in the old rabbitry, but the only thing they ever went for was the feed.

I know... I was very fortunate.

 

[Permajen]

Thank you all for the help. I'll continue regular trapping and sweeping feed spills. Maybe our little terrier might get over her fear of damp grass and bitey things to do some of the work for me.

MaggieJ, just to explain the ratproofing difficulty, my rabbitry is a metal post structure with a polypipe arch covered by tarp and shadecloth. (I wasn't sure I'd get into rabbits seriously, so didn't want to set up something I couldn't easily dismantle -- I just used what I had lying around.) It's all a bit of a trial, really. If the rabbits survive disease risks (e.g. rabbit ebola -- our science institution is just about to release an even nastier version) then I'll build something much better.

Here it is (unfinished -- I 've since added bamboo screening to the walls and nestboxes inside the strawbale area):



Our climate is temperate to subtropical, so I've tried to build against heat rather than cold (by summer I hope the chayote vines will have grown up the walls to shield the interior from sun -- it's autumn here now).

Hope this all makes sense.
Many thanks for any thoughts,
Jen <br /><br /> -- Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:32 pm -- <br /><br />

Perhaps you can encircle your colony area with traps.

Great idea -- thanks!
And I'll also try this one:

If you have other animals about that might get into poison, or if you just don't want to use poison, and you find that traps don't seem to catch them, you might try "killer cupcakes": any-idea-on-how-fast-they-die-t10410.html

Thanks too, Miss M.

Have you had losses due to rats already?/quote]
No -- I've only recently bought the rabbits. I've raised lots of chicks though... I just can't understand why it didn't occur to me baby bunnies would be just as vulnerable, but there you go...
I'm really grateful for the ideas and comments -- cheers everyone.

 

[dayna]

That looks really nice, I like it.

 

[Permajen]

That's very kind, thank you Dayna!
The rabbits took to it surprisingly well. They were used to being outdoors, which helps.
I've never had rabbits before, but am wondering why -- they're lovely.
best wishes
Jen