It seems summer is here in Central Otago, rabbiting up Arrowtown way today and the dogs are feeling it!
Hot Dogs
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Questions I get
We have been using a fair bit of Pindone over the last couple of years. How often should we do this?
Pindone is best used May to end of July. On the odd year March and April can work if it’s extremely dry. The doe’s have planted young who can survive without mum by the end of July.If you are using Pindone it MUST be in bait stations unless you are licensed, and even then it must be fenced. Also you must have signage up stating that poison is in use. That’s whether it’s in bait stations or broadcast.
If you poison someones dog you are liable. Just at one vet practice in Wanaka they are having 3 to 5 poisoned dogs coming in a week! I haven’t heard what the survival rate is but if you get them to a vet in time they can give vitamin K.
I’ve also seen rat poison used. This is, well I don’t know what to say about this. So illegal and so dangerous. Secondary poison can happen with using this for years.
We haven’t got a fence, can you kill our rabbits? Why yes we can, but they will be back hours after we leave, at lesser numbers but who knows for how long.
Fencing really is very important, especially on the lifestyle type blocks OR if you have some government department for a neighbour (good luck to you, you’ll need it). These include DoC, LINZ councils both district and regional, tranzrail or is it kiwirail? I can’t keep up and no doubt a few others I’ve forgotten.
Best advise for fencing is to get the rabbiter in BEFORE you get the fencer, that way he can give you the best methods and places to fence. Maybe the fence should be up the other side of the driveway or other side of a garden.
Fences cost a lot of money so why not do it right the first time. Remember, fencers aren’t rabbiters…..
Any other questions then fire them at me and I’ll add them here.
Cheers Stephen
Rabbit season 2021
So the rabbit season for 2021 has begun and I think it’s going to be a very interesting time. First younger rabbits for the year have been got in Central Otago at least, havent heard about the rest of New Zealand yet. I think the very wet July killed quite a few young rabbits which is something at least.
I do love this wee pack for carrying the ferrets around, a mile better than the normal cat cage or box. I need to get another one just for a spare.
A few staff changes lately as the main offsider went into the army. So a new night shooter who is going well and a new day helper who is going very well, really good with both the dogs and ferrets.
We are starting to have major supply issues just like everyone else, the big problem being ammo. So far it hasnt held us up but we’ll see where that goes……
Starting to see a lot of rabbits around the place which is normal for this time of year but every year it seems to catch people out. They get all shocked with how many are around.
Newsroom on rabbits
Melanie Read from Newsroom was down in Otago doing an in depth report on rabbits. Along with George the camera man, they were all over the place, even down to Southland.
Below are the links to the series of items they did. Very interesting! All the people need to realize that it isn’t just an Otago problem but is cropping up all over the country.
Action from central government is ZERO!! But they have proved how incompetent they are when it comes to all the pest control, but what would you expect from a bunch of fools as successive governments have proven themselves to be.
The most bizarre email ever
Earlier this year I got the below email, it made my week! Enjoy the read…
Hi there,
My name is Adym and I live in Taranaki.
I work for an organisation who rescue and take on kittens that are unwanted. I received a call yesterday that someone had rescued a ‘kitten’ from being drowned. I agreed to take the kitten but once I received it I have seen that I’m pretty sure it’s a ferret.
I have been feeding him on Royal Canin kitten milk and he seems to be quite strong.
I was wondering if I could donate him to you? I will gladly take care of him until he is older and I will also desex him for you as I have many vet friends who have already agreed to desex him. I will also drive him too you once he is ready also.I don’t want to euthanise him if you can take him on and give him a loving home with an awesome job.
I have added a photo to show how young he is.
Feel free to call me if you wanted too on XXXXXXXXXX.
Kind regards,Adym
Well of course after getting this email I rang him for a yarn. Adym was going to drive over 2000km and a couple of ferry crossings to drop it off. I let him know that legally he could keep it but I was happy to take it if he wanted. Below are updates…
Hey there,
I thought that I would give you an update on how the ferret is going.
Firstly you are correct in the fact that I would keep him. He is definitely now apart of the family.I was feeding his every two hours even during the night and now he is the coolest dude ever!I’m super happy that he made it.He is healthy and eating properly and is toilet trained (nearly). He gets a whole room to himself during the day when I’m at work and is obsessed with stealing socks.
So I guess now I have a pet ferret haha.
Hope you had a good Christmas and a happy new year.
Kind Regards,Adym
Very cool!Plenty of people overseas let their ferrets sleep in the sock draw.
Get his nuts out July/August.Email me mid winter and I’ll try and get some rabbits up to you to feed him. It’s a lot cooler then so easily doable.
Cheers
Stephen
Awesome!! Thank you so much!
And yeah I’ve found a vet who will do it for me so that’s lucky!
Here is an updated photos of the little man… mid belly rubs
Maternity wing
We’ve gotten real flash at Kill That Rabbit LTD, we now have a maternity wing at camp. Fly is on the left with a litter of little rabbiting dogs at foot, Jess is on the right expecting a litter later this month.
A whole bunch of cuteness
Fly’s had pups! Very cute pups they are as well, Levi the whippet is the father……. not that he cares 😀 Both the parents are such good natured dogs and great hunters of the rabbits these should be real crackers!
The second person to see them was all over the runt, half a tail and half the size of the rest. I normally keep the runt of the litter myself but she was so all over him/her (I haven’t checked yet) I might cave. To soft….
Dingo begins
Dingo, Wolf’s pup is into the rabbiting already! 12 weeks old and loving those Otago rabbits.
Pup fun
It seems playing is way more fun for some today instead of rabbiting. Well ok, it is the end of the day and we’re in Queenstown waiting on the ferret to come out.
This wee cute
This wee cute (Dingo) had her first day at work rabbiting today, well ok, she slept in the Ute. But she came for a drive to Wanaka while we killed rabbits!
And here’s a picture of mother and daughter.
Kill That Rabbit 