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Otis Orchards WA.

Are Rabbits a threat to the Pumpkin plants? We have a neighbor a couple houses over that got tiered of raising Rabbits and let them all go about a year ago! So there are about 10 to 15 of them now. One has taken up home in my yard, and at any given time there four of five that hang around here. Its like playing Frogger sometimes driving out our driveway. I don’t mind the little guys as long as they stay away from my PUMKINS! I was just wondering if anybody has ever had a problem with Rabbits?
Thanks

5/19/2004 8:36:24 PM

Indiana

12 guage should hold them back.Rabbits like to chew on things.....

Tom

5/19/2004 8:45:00 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

Best way to prevent rabbits from eating garden vegitables or pumpkins would be to find a rabbit manure source and apply it around the base of the plants. Rabbits are territorial and will stay away from the area.

5/19/2004 8:55:32 PM

Long Island,New York

Rabbits will eat the leaves and tips of your plants....effectively pruning your plant and posibbly ceasing the growth of the main vine....or, they will eat the whole seedling. Been there done that. Rabbits are not good.

5/19/2004 9:25:07 PM

Montoursville, PA

It would be meat in the pot if it were my backyard.

5/19/2004 10:39:27 PM

Puyallup, WA

Rabbits did not bother my plants last year. A whole family lives near my patch. Keeping my fingers crossed for this year. :>)

5/19/2004 10:55:10 PM

get rid of them, they will eat everything had same problem but there are two less now pellet gun works good in town its legal in your yard

5/19/2004 11:50:09 PM

20 gauge would work. and tell your neighbors that they shouldn't let domestic rabbits out in the wild. Bob Barker wouldn't be proud. :-) the smell of a predator would probably keep them away too....check out the local hunting store and buy fox urine or something.

a .243 works too: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=12292

5/20/2004 2:46:09 AM

Canada

Well over the Past 4 Years The Rabbits around here have been breeding like crazy they always use to clear out my lettuce plants and anything small which had just sprouted
ive never had a problem with them touching my pumpkings ( fingers crossed)
ive heard that Bone/bloodMeal is a good thing to add to the patch, not just is it good for the patch but for some reason wild animals wont go near it when freshly applied

Dave

5/20/2004 3:57:14 AM

North Ga

Get some contractors to build new sub-divisions all around your property. That is sure getting rid of all the wildlife in my neck of the woods!! Helps to keep my garden ponds murky too!! LOL

5/20/2004 6:59:07 AM

White Plains, NY

Fence or eraticate

5/20/2004 9:26:23 AM

Edmonton, Canada

There's a family that lives next to my patch, and they weren't a problem at all.

5/20/2004 10:17:55 AM

Oz

live trap as many as you can.
take them to flea market.
or to local dog pound.

5/20/2004 11:48:56 AM

Spanish Ontario

put 6 or six conttainers of javex with some water mixed in an put some grass around not clipping,s container,s they will get a hot tummy

5/20/2004 12:36:44 PM

Indiana

My cat just took out a baby this morning. He gets an extra can of food today for being a good kitty!

Tom

5/20/2004 1:04:18 PM

Wichita, KS

I live on the border of civilization... close enough that shooting a gun is illegal. However, a pellet rifle is ok as far as I know, and has taken out a couple of sap suckers, so far. If I ever cought a glimpse of a rabbit on or near my property, I would not hesitate to waste an entire day waiting for it to reappear long enough to pull the trigger. Same with the deer, but the deer have learned the sting of the pellet, and don't come around anymore. Besides, only a couple of them can actually jump the fence.

5/20/2004 4:33:42 PM

Massillon, Ohio

"the border of civilization"...LOL

5/20/2004 5:09:53 PM

Hayes, Virginia

I have Rabbit problems . i went with a rabbit fence seems to work really well.plus bobcat urine around the outer fence seems to keep them under the barn and away from pumpkins.the fence i bought at lowes or home depot.around $15. bucks for 50 feet.so you might have to buy 3 or 4 .to outline your patch.

5/20/2004 7:42:18 PM

Otis Orchards WA.

Thanks for all the advice. I think the fence will be my best bet. In the meantime I took Tom’s advice and have our cat guarding the patch, check out the picture in my diary. :)

5/20/2004 11:48:44 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

electrify that fence....it only takes one zolt and they'll not be back

5/21/2004 3:07:30 AM

northern indiana

Be vewry vewry quiet. Tom is hunting wabbits

5/21/2004 11:04:02 PM

Wisconsin

gee........and last year i had a nest with 5 bunnies in my patch and had no problem...maybe it was because i was a newbie and didnt know better??!!!!!!!!!!!!

5/23/2004 6:04:02 PM

Indiana

I got one with the crossbow yesterday the wife keeps calling me Elmer fudd now.
Steve

5/23/2004 8:42:36 PM

El Dorado Hills, California

Dang... you guys are ruthless... lol
I've got tons of deer, turkeys, gophers, and I see an occassional rabbit... But I guess the lucky thing is... there's also a mountain lion in the area :-D And I've got my little wieny dog, Yogi... but he just annoys the deer... and more often than not the turkeys will chase him and I have to come to his rescue. He's good at getting gophers though.
But heck we've got a whole group of deer that sleep under our deck pretty much every night. They've stayed away from the pumpkin patch, as I believe they've accumulated quite a fear for wire fencing... One got stuck inside a 12 ft. fence around here once and the funniest thing is... they don't even have sense enough not to run into the same fence twice... or even 10 times. I sat there and watched one bang its head for several minutes before he finally figured out that there was a gate.

5/25/2004 12:05:32 AM

Sequim, WA

I had rabbits eat about 3-4 lbs off of my 642 last year while it was still growing. Who knows how much more weight it lost from weeping from the bitten areas. The finished off my beets and beans and started in on the AG's. They never touched the field pumpkins though. A dog or cat would be my weapon of choice. Unfortunately the Akita's that patrol the property I grow on can't get into the patch area and the horses don't mind the rabbits. If it starts to be a problem this year I may have to give them some lead poisoning.

5/25/2004 2:41:35 AM

Eldridge,IA.52748

I have plenty of rabbit problems, as of yet, none have gone into my pumpkin patch. Just put up a 2' fence around the veg. garden. But no need so far as to the pumpkin patch. However, my first year growing the small vines did get eaten off, so be on the look out for deer!
Always, Eldridge Pumpkin

5/27/2004 11:07:56 PM