Rabbits Facts Identification

Rabbits

Facts Identification & Control

Appearance

Rabbits are small or medium-sized mammals, and belong to the Lagomorpha order and the Leporidae family. There are various species of these mammals but the most familiar species to human is the cotton-tailed rabbit.

Behavior, Diet & Habits

Rabbits are usually small-sized and furry. They are often considered as pests, however they don’t raid peoples’ homes but they can destroy gardens and other decorative plants around a property. They are often described as timid, evasive and quick. And just like other animals, they feed at every opportunity they have. They have a preference for varied kinds of plants and areas of trees and any opportunity they get, they will often like to graze on any landscape in gardens. They rarely live far away from their food supply. A lot of them prefer to live underground in burrows, while some live on the surface. You will most likely find them in areas that have huge pile of rubble, thick bush or lush vegetation.

Reproduction

Cotton-tailed female rabbits can have two to six litters per year, however this number depends on the duration of their breeding season. The size of a litter also varies from two to six because similar reasons.

What kind of damage do rabbits cause?

Rabbits are herbivores and true to their nature, they consume a huge amount of plants. Rabbits inhabiting the urban and suburban areas destroy gardens, trees, fruits, bushes, grasses, and landscaping. Rabbits are also known to eat beans, beets, beans, lettuce, and carrots. Rabbits may sometimes completely destroy trees and other decorative plants they find around. Rabbits also prefer berries like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and cherries. Rabbits are also known to gnaw at soft and tiny irrigation pipes. They will also make burrows beneath buildings when they are looking for enclosed roosting spots.

Another issue is that rabbits carry tularaemia. Although the disease is uncommon, but humans and pets alike could contract this disease if they come in contact with an ill rabbit or through being bitten by a deer fly or tick infected by the disease.

Rabbit Damage

Depending on certain factors and considerations, the question of when to consult a pest control professional may have different answers. First and foremost, it mostly depends on how much the homeowner can tolerate the rabbits and the destruction they wreak. Being herbivores, they feed on any kind of vegetation they can find around. They also make burrows in the backyard and under shelters, floors or under buildings.

It becomes quite important to consult your pest management professional when the rabbits are more than the homeowner can take. Additionally, you should also consider the risk of disease transmission. The major disease they transmit is tularaemia. Majorly, tularaemia is transmitted through infected deer fly or tick bites or through direct with rabbits that have been infected.

If necessary, you may consult a pest management professional in order to help with:

• Making out what animal is ravaging your gardens and other ornamental plants. These animals can sever branches that near the ground especially ones that are 18 inches off the ground and they can hack these branches at an angle of 45-degrees. Their tiny pellet-shaped poop and trails can help establish whether the pest is a rabbit or not.
• Averting the destruction that rabbits could cause by constructing fences, electric nets, traps or trunk guards for small trees.
• Getting rid of piles of brushes and putting mesh under sheds while making sure that the base of the building is nearly one foot high above the ground. This could assist in preventing rabbits from burrowing.
• Making a contract to provide exclusion services, follow-up services, and maintenance contract.
• Ensuring that the homeowner is operating within the laws and rulings of wildlife requirements and regulations.

Signs of Rabbit Infestation

Rabbits have the capacity to wreck vegetation and gardens. This is one credible sign of rabbit infestation. Others signs are visual identification of the rabbits and their feces.

More Information

It is not difficult to control rabbit population but it is easier done with the aid of a pest control manager. It is best to remove their habitat completely. When you have cleared up thick bushes, the rabbits will move out of the area they inhabit, breed or feed. This action will have a lasting effect on the activities of rabbits in the area. Another technique could be fencing. Although this could keep rabbits away but it may not necessarily have any impact on the behaviors of rabbits.