Electric Fences and Rabbits

[BYC-user-452147]

I recently set up an electric fence to keep my chickens off the porch, the fence had multiple strands of the 1/2 inch polly tape and with in a day, the chickens figured out the fence isn't something you want to touch. The electric fence works great for the chickens they don't ever go through it. I now want to start pasturing some of my rabbits and I wondered if I could use the electric fence on my Rabbits. my plan was to train the rabbits to the fence by running a strand of electric fencing inside the hutch. Once the rabbits figure out that electric fencing gives you a zap I figured I would be safe to move them out to pasture with an electric fence. What are your thoughts? Do you think the fence could hurt the rabbits? Do you think the rabbits would just run through the fence?

 

[GardenTillers44]

I don't know about domestic rabbits, which I know can be larger and more sedentary than cottontails, but we get rabbits inside the electric fence every day. We have an electric poultry mesh giving us 8000 volts that keeps out all the predators. However, the cottontail rabbits just jump right up and through the larger openings in the mesh about a foot off the ground. I'm looking at two right now that are inside the fence. It is amazing how they learned to do that. They stretch out in mid jump and glide right though the gap without getting zapped. We have 300 ft of fence so I'm not looking forward to adding new strands by hand.

 

[BYC-user-452147]

I was planing on angling the fence that way the rabbits would have to jump not just high but far too. I wouldn't leave the spacing more than an inch in between the stands of poll tape so I don't think they could get in between the stands of fencing without geting a zap. Thanks for the reply.

 

[GardenTillers44]

Our gaps are about 3" square and I've noticed it is just the younger rabbits getting through. The big mamas stay on the outside.

 

[Bunnylady]

Even our domestic rabbits know that the world is full of things that want to eat them. Snakes terrify them (even little grass snakes) and anything that flaps overhead sends them diving for cover. You can't predict what will spook them and when, but when something does, they may bolt right through the fence, or they may get tangled in it - with fatal results. Not what you had in mind I'm sure. If you are going to try to keep rabbits loose on the ground, you need something that they can't get through or over.

 

[GardenTillers44]

We have decided to amend our poultry mesh fence to keep the rabbits out. Safety for the rabbit plays a part, but we are also concerned about biosecurity for our poultry. I also feel that if a rabbit can shoot the gaps in that fence, so could a weasel.