Wild rabbits visiting our tractors.

[Albert]

We noticed that out fruit trees were being de-barked during the night so I set up a lookout spot to see what was visiting. Sure enough a wild rabbit has been visiting the garden and coming right up to the rabbit tractors. This now explains the markings on our Bucks head as I think they've been spraying him to assert dominance.

I could have got a picture but I was too busy taking a shot at it on the third visit. What are the dangers of these visits? I have an unmated doe in one tractor and a doe with 2 week old kits in another. Is there an easy way to keep them out or should I just shoot them?

Thanks

 

[Preitler]

Imho the worry would be diseases, like Myxo. It spreads through the wild population once the density is high enough, here that's about every 5-10 years. Wild rabbits evolved partial resistence, so some of them survive, domesticated rabbits didn't get that chance. In my first year with rabbits it killed 14 out of 15. Some time later a small wild buck squeezed through the fence and knocked one of my girls up, 3 times his size. If your wildies are lone young bucks too looking for does this would be less of a worry than a nearby warren.
A good fence was the first step, but since then I moved to a valley without wild rabbits, just the occassional hare passing through in winter - really eases my mind.

 

[MsTemeraire]

We noticed that out fruit trees were being de-barked during the night so I set up a lookout spot to see what was visiting. Sure enough a wild rabbit has been visiting the garden and coming right up to the rabbit tractors. This now explains the markings on our Bucks head as I think they've been spraying him to assert dominance.

I could have got a picture but I was too busy taking a shot at it on the third visit. What are the dangers of these visits? I have an unmated doe in one tractor and a doe with 2 week old kits in another. Is there an easy way to keep them out or should I just shoot them?

Thanks

I'd be a lot more worried about RHDV. It's pretty much endemic in wild rabbits in most European countries (if not all). Your adults may be vaccinated but you might have young rabbits still too young to vaccinate.

 

[Olbunny]

Yes get rid of them