The American Beagler Forum

Put 4 wild rabbits in my starting pen in the last three weeks and I had two or three in there before that, but I am having a hard time jumping them. Might jump one or two. Wondering if anyone might know why. I did find a pile of hair in there tonight and some sort of animal feces, looked like coyote but in a way smaller version. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Cats probably had to put hot wire around the top of mine seamed to help

Cats usually burry their poop. Hawks leave a circle of hair. Owls will either take the whole rabbit or gut it, leave a pile of guts and carry the rest away. Cats will eat the head first, maybe eat more, not always. If there were clumps of hair around a spot but not enough to make up a whole rabbit chances a cat got a hold of one and it got away.
Hope this helps. I've been battling preditors for a while. Owls will clean you out and you won't even know it.
Thanks,
Bob

There was enough hair there to make up a whole rabbit, but nothing else. I am thinking most likely a hawk or owl, but possibly a cat. Any solution to get rid of the Hawks and owls?

Maybe a stupid question but what size fence did you use. My first try I used 2x4 field fence and the rabbits lasted about 24 hours before escaping.

It's regular rabbit enclosure fencing. Like chicken wire with the apron on the bottom

owls are real hard on them, and i wouldnt believe this if i hadnt seen it with my own eyes,but wild rabbits will climb the fence if there is not hot wire around it

You can use battery operated red lights for owls and hang CDs in trees to reflect and turn in the wind to discourage hawks. Check Snowman's Beagles on the net. He has a video about building a running pen. Sorry; I don't know how to create a link.

That's a hawk then. Try CDs nailed on top of posts, I have more of them on wires so that the wind will reflect the sun in their eyes overhead. That won't get rid of them all, but most of them. For owls get Night Eyes flashers from Northern Supply.
Thanks,
Bob

Hey Mr. Butt. Shut your gate before you leave. LMBO !! Just joking buddy.

Lol Greg, I will try to remember that. Thanks guys for all the info

Sometimes when rabbits are moved to new surrounding and learning that their escape is limited, they resort to sitting very tight. Night training may be more productive as the rabbit is a nocturnal creature moving around more in the dark.

The hair you found being pulled sound like a hawk has found your honey hole.

Several years ago a friend of mine put 4x4 post in his pen with a trap on top caught several owls and hawks.

Richie Foster wrote:Several years ago a friend of mine put 4x4 post in his pen with a trap on top caught several owls and hawks.

That will get you a big, big fine today. Hawks and owls are protected, at least in Michigan. But I think they are federally too.

I would try at night and see if there were in there. Might be sitting real tight.