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Can't they? 1"x2" wire? Somebody recently mentioned finding a rat inside a cage with her rabbits.Mary Ann's Rabbitry":1xe8qxev said:
Why did she rip their LEGS OFF???
- Thread starter GBov
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GBov
Well-known member
Miss M":2j1ebfxp said:
And some of my cages have inch square wire above the half by inch bottoms. Does quarter inch come in 16 or 14 gauge wire?<br /><br />__________ Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:10 pm __________<br /><br />And the one remaining baby died. Found it this morning in the very back of the nest box, stone cold dead. Why it chose to crawl away from the nice warm nest is a bit of a puzzle to me but then, this entire litter has been one big puzzle.
I've never had any trouble with rats getting into my rabbit hutches. That said, I have had pet rats for many years. I assure you a rat can get in to a hutch or cage with 1" x 2" wire. If they can fit their head in something, the rest of them can follow. Also, rats mature and in the wild would probably hunt their own food, long before they are full size. Plus, they are able to very easily grab and pull whatever they want through cage wire. My rats have had cages with wire 1/2" or if possible 1/4". I make sure not to leave anything withing a foot of the cage, because if I do, its inside and chewed up in the morning. Even if it seems to be way past their grasp, they somehow reach it anyway. Don't underestimate them, they are smart, nimble, and can get in anything, and I can imagine that wild rats would be one of the worst predators to deal with when raising rabbits.
bowbuild
Well-known member
I always thought it was due to a protein deficiency? I had ferrets, and was told if the mother lacked in protein they would consume their young untill their needs were met. I have rabbits do this from time to time, and increase their protein, and they stop. Try some straight alfalfa.
sommrluv
Well-known member
I generally tell people never to blame a rabbit until they can 100% make sure it's not their fault or the fault of the environment around them. People generally see these things happen and just blame the rabbit and I doubt this was the rabbit. Moles and Voles are also very tiny and will rip apart a young kit.
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
GBov":1xggfrin said:
You sure those are NZW and not American Whites?...REWs only throw white when bred to each other. If what you have is American Whites, you could get blues.....<br /><br />__________ Mon Nov 19, 2012 12:43 pm __________<br /><br />
sommrluv":1xggfrin said:
Yes, and skunks will also do this....ask me how I know that one....
That wire is to big ... Mine isnt that.Miss M":1az2j7po said:
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
1" x 2" is standard size for the walls and top, floor is 1/2" x 1"....which one are you referring to Mary Ann?
starshotbandit
Well-known member
I have to agree that live traps are soooo expensive, around here there are places that rent live traps of all sizes. Our local animal control use to do cat traps for $12 - $15 a month, and they did rent coyote sized. NO matter what you have the right to protect your Kids, pets and livestock. Check with your animal control to see if they have or know of any programs.
Mine is the half inch wire on all walls and floor. I didnt want any rats getting in mine. One by two inch is to large. They will get in that for sure.OneAcreFarm":2fdtrw62 said:
garden lady
Well-known member
Mary Ann's Rabbitry":1xfrjbe2 said:
Mine is 1/2 inch all over too. I read about the other wire with animals pulling chicken feet through and rabbit body parts. What my friend in Kansas went through with her chickens :x 1/2 is big enough for me.
GBov
Well-known member
My floor wire is half by inch and many are made of just that size but several of my first cages are two inch square wire with half by inch on just the floor.
I am NOT blaming the doe! Yes, she did have the kits on the wire instead of the nest box but that was a first timers mistake and forgivable. Knowing how many raccoons we have - one is in the fridge right now waiting for dinner time :twisted: - I am almost certain that it was a raccoon that did the damage.
Have re-bred the doe.
She is a NZ but she wasnt with a NZ REW buck, she was with a RED NZ buck and I just forgot. Still dont know where the BLUE kits came from but that is OK, surprises are fun.
Sadly the one remaining kit died so will never know what color it would have developed into.
I am NOT blaming the doe! Yes, she did have the kits on the wire instead of the nest box but that was a first timers mistake and forgivable. Knowing how many raccoons we have - one is in the fridge right now waiting for dinner time :twisted: - I am almost certain that it was a raccoon that did the damage.
Have re-bred the doe.
She is a NZ but she wasnt with a NZ REW buck, she was with a RED NZ buck
and I just forgot. Still dont know where the BLUE kits came from but that is OK, surprises are fun.Sadly the one remaining kit died so will never know what color it would have developed into.
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
I would never be able to afford cages made of only 1/2 by 1 or 1/2 by 1/2....Most of my cages are a good three feet off the ground, if not more and hanging from the ceiling. We don't really have rats or mice much, but we do have the larger predators like raccoon, skunk and possum. So far, the only area that has been hit is the shed, where there is a slant board under the cage for them to stand on...I think I will not be having any does with kits in those 5 cages any more.
ZRabbits
Well-known member
Hoping the "rebreed" went well and soon you will have more healthy kits. And hoping that raccoon find its way into your freezer real soon.
Karen
Karen
GBov
Well-known member
ZRabbits":20o73u4p said:
The re-breed went really well adn then I sold her :lol: Got a really good price for her, one of my Chin-Zealand bucks and gave the buyer my first ever buck who was slated for dinner here as he no longer fited my program so getting him a really good home was a WONDERFUL thing!
ZRabbits
Well-known member
GBov":1nu16zri said:
Sounds like a Win-Win situation. Whether sustenance or money in your pocket.
Karen
GBov
Well-known member
ZRabbits":3b0do7po said:
I was dancing to not only get a good home for Bowler - who had no real value cash wise - and full price for the other two. They paid for most of our Thanksgiving dinner and opened up a few cages for some grow outs and new blood. Win Win indeed
Did this exact thing once with quail and came back to find it had been pulled through the bars bit by bit with the same spacing of a havahart which is probably no more than 1/2x1. They got the entire quail out through that.
GBov
Well-known member
akane":ntd7mqsa said:
I double wired the live cage bit so the actual spacing is more like half by half inch, 16 gauge wire and I made sure to put an extra layer between the live trap and the live bait cage.
Live and Bait are very happy in their bunker like home
I do know that when ever I catch a 'coon they pull EVERYTHING around the trap into it, shredding it at the same time :angry:
