With Rod Brindley
This year has been a bumper year for the rabbit population with numbers significantly higher in most areas of the Peninsula.
In February Rod Brindley gave our group and interested community members an excellent and well attended talk on rabbit control, with a particular focus on chemical control by baiting with Pindone oats.
The following information is from Rod and the Mornington Peninsula Landcare Network. There will soon be an updated version available on the Network website.
Why control Rabbits?
Rabbits are a direct threat to indigenous vegetation and seriously disadvantage native animals due to competition for food and habitat. They cause soil instability and land degradation, and can undermine structural assets and cause losses in pasture and agriculture.
Why Bait?
To significantly reduce rabbit populations a combination of control measures are required. No one method will work on its own.
Available methods of control include
Biological control: the release of calcivirus.
The Victorian Department of Agriculture has information about this here .
The response is variable and populations can be reduced by 30-40 % following release of the virus.
Physical control: The removal of dense weeds such as blackberry and English ivy; constructing barriers with chicken wire to areas that can harbour rabbits such as woodpiles; ripping warrens with earth moving equipment; trapping with nets and ferrets.
Chemical control : poison baiting and fumigating warrens.
Why Are we Using Pindone Oats?
Pindone works according to body weight and the risk of off target poisoning of sheep, dogs and cattle is low. Vitamin K is an effective antidote.
Pindone in an animal ethics approved method of rabbit control.
Pindone oats are less perishable than carrot baits and the poison husk is less likely to be consumed by birds.
When is the best time to bait?
Late summer/early autumn when alternative food is scarce. Baiting is less effective in the breeding season.
Wet bait is not effective.
How to plan a programme. It is important to have a plan. Ideally attend a demonstration before starting your programme
Choose the best place to lay baits by assessing your rabbit activity, looking for signs of scratching and buck heaps.
Choose an area to place hutches in between where rabbits shelter and where they like to feed.
Health and Safety
Read and follow the product label directions for use, first aid and storage information.
Wear rubber gloves when handling poison.
Avoid direct contact with poison.
Wash hands after handling (outside away from sewerage and septic systems).
Display completed notification sign in prominent place (include programme dates and contact information).
Minimising off target poisoning
Free feed (poison-free sterilised oats) are laid for at least a week prior to poison baiting to ensure only the target animal is accessing the bait.
Monitor what animals are feeding on the free feed and how much feed is being eaten.
Use shallow baiting hutches to prevent larger herbivores from eating bait. Don't just scatter the oats/Pindone oats around.
Do not apply more bait than required.
If dead rabbits are found, use gloves to pick them up and dispose of them.
Setting up your Bait Station
Use mattock to make a furrow.
Lay free feed/bait in a concentrated trail along the furrow, don't pile too high.
Place baiting hutch over furrow and fix securely with tent pegs.
Free feed with sterilised/steamed unpoisoned oats.
Monitor percentage taken and what species of animal has taken bait. Do this 2-3 times per week and record the information.
Replace as required, switching to Pindone once free feed uptake reaches 100%
Do not poison or free feed during rain. Remove both the oats or the Pindone oats when rain is forecast. The oats may germinate and Pindone oats may leach poison into the soil if wet.
Discontinue programme when rabbits no longer take bait (usually around four weeks).
Remove any unused product.
Rabbits are a problem that concerns the whole community.
If you can involve neighbours and work with them to control the rabbits in your area, the more effective your efforts will be.
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