Flushing out a rabbit from under the deck (1 Viewer)

[Paul D G]

So, when we bought our house 10 years ago we built a nice deck. What we didn't expect was rabbits would move in take up residence under there. They use our garden as a buffet then retreat back under there. Long story short I've managed to rabbit proof it finally, I think. Last summer I bought fine hard wire mesh and cut that thing to exact size around every opening possible and bent it along the ground several inches then staked that into place every few inches. I left one spot open and left a one way door there, surrounded by bricks, so I didn't trap anything in there. About a month later I looked under the deck with a flashlight and, dammit! there was a big rabbit under there! I could see no damage to my handiwork, nor any signs of a hole to dig under the fencing so I figured he might have thought he was trapped under there. I left the door in place.

Winter saw a near complete lack of rabbit tracks in our back yard. They'd venture in and leave, but the damage this year was minimal to years past. From my office window I have seen a rabbit hanging out near the edge of my deck but he always disappears from view and I can't see where he goes.

This spring once again I see a rabbit under there. I crawled under the edge of the deck and everything is secure. I couldn't find any spots I missed. There are no holes where he might have dug underneath. I don't know if this is the same rabbit I've seen in the yard. Can a rabbit last that long without a food source? I can't see how he gets in or out. I even spread flour all along the edge of the entire deck to locate where he might be visiting and it has yet to be disturbed. I don't see him currently but there's one blind spot. I want to seal up that one area with the one way door.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can lure him out? I was thinking of putting a carrot near the one way door but anything could take that. I don't want to seal him up under there but if he's too dumb to not find that exit in six months...

 

[Greg_S_H]

Do you only see him on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after the day of the vernal equinox?

I don't know, but I don't think he's survived half a year with no food. He's getting in and out somehow. I hope you find a solution that allows him to live. I have rabbits all over, but no garden for them to mess up, so I like seeing them.

 

[Dheiner]

If he is feeding in your garden, you could try a "live trap". Catch him with, perhaps some carrot green, then move him a few miles to release him.

 

[Jim517]

A carrot + pellet gun = serenity !

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Call this guy

 

[Stan]

Just be glad it's not a family of skunks. They'd sneak out at night, dig under my fence and go looking for dinner. I'd pile rocks, bricks, etc. in front of the hole, they always found a way back in. Finally moved on after about a month, but had to time it very carefully when I let my dog out into the backyard.

Never had a rabbit problem, but it's nature. We need to get along.

Had some years ago when I lived in a more rural area. Ugly.... They are not the cute white bunny rabbits we think of that people keep as pets. Big, long, stringy brown jack-rabbits. Luckily they moved on before I had to do anything.

 

[Paul D G]

I've had not only a skunk, but a family of raccoons living under there. The 'coons is what prompted me to sort out making sure nothing could find an easy way under there. Mama made her presence known whenever my dog went outside. We hired a guy to trap them but they moved on on they're own.

Yeah, I figure the rabbit must have a way in and out but I certainly can't find anything big enough for my pinky finger to fit through. I don't know how he does it. I do have a live trap but I don't want to set up where the one way door is as it will just give them a free entrance. I've watched rabbits just hop over the trigger.

I'm just going to have to seal up that area with the one way door and hope for the best. I don't think there's anything under there right now. Maybe i'll send my dog under there first. He's just a little guy. He won't get the rabbit to come out*, but I'll know if he's under there.

Thanks!

[* - the rabbits are not afraid of my dog at all. they actually play together! the rabbit runs around the yard and my dog chases him. The rabbit will stop and my dog with stand about three feet away, wagging his tail, waiting for him to run again. ]

 

[Scott Merryfield]

We had a ground hog underneath our deck several years ago, and our neighbor called to tell us she saw something crawl under our deck -- "it was either an armadillo or a wolverine". After I finally stopped laughing, I told her I was okay if it was a Wolverine, but if it was a Buckeye or Spartan I was shooting its ass.

Our neighbor is obviously a city gal. She called the police once when she saw a fox in her back yard. The policeman told her "lady, they have to live somewhere, too." I'd buy that cop a drink if I knew who he was.

 

[schan1269]

Move to Enumclaw WA.

There, they do not come out for cats under 75lbs...