Rural rabbit management specialists.

If your project is small, less than a days work, then for economic reasons (travel costs) we are best staying within an hour or so of Lake George. However, if you have a larger job or can group together a bunch of neighbours, then get in touch. We are happy to travel if we can make it work for all of us. Check the contact form for our location and see how far away we are from your property.

YES. If you have a larger property we are happy to come and discuss a strategy that works for you. Costs will depend on the scope of work and can be worked out on day rates or warrens, whatever we agree on.

The NSW DPI has produced SOP 09 to govern the use of the R3 unit. When used in accordance with these procedures the process has been assessed as the #2 most humane way to dispatch rabbits after a clean head shot.

If there are neighbours close by, they need to be notified prior to work starting. When the R3 is activated, it sounds much like a shotgun going off. This can cause concern to unaware neighbours as well as horses, dogs etc. Also, for best results we ask you to identify your warrens. We can give you flags to mark them if you need. Owners know their own properties and are best placed to work out where the problems are. We can do this for you but may miss some warrens, not to mention the added cost of us just wandering around your place instead of getting on with the rabbit work. However, if you are time poor we will do whatever needs doing. Before we start work we will go over the process and develop a strategy for your property.

Below is an extract from the Pestsmart website. Check it out for further reading.

Competition and land degradation by rabbits is listed as a key threatening process in Australia4. Rabbits can cause damage by:

• overgrazing native and sown pastures, leading to loss of plant biodiversity and reduced crop yields

• competing with native animals and domestic livestock for food and shelter, increasing grazing pressure and lowering the land’s carrying capacity

• building warrens, causing land degradation and erosion

• preventing or inhibiting the regeneration of native shrubs and trees by grazing

• increasing and spreading invasive weeds

• acting as a food source for introduced predators, which can lead to increased lamb losses and disease prevalence, and a decrease in small mammal diversity.

All of these impacts eventually lead to higher management costs, loss of productivity and huge financial losses for Australia’s farmers, as well as other land managers (eg national parks).

Although biological controls (myxoma virus and rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, or RHDV) have provided ongoing rabbit control for over 60 years with little cost, they have not eliminated the problem. The overall loss caused by rabbits to agriculture and horticulture in Australia was recently estimated to be about $217 million per year.

Management costs and loss of production

Rabbit damage and control costs at the property level vary depending on the land use or enterprise, climate and rainfall, and control methods used. The cost per rabbit also varies depending on the value of the affected commodity (eg crop type). For example, rabbit damage to high-value crops such as canola might be more financially devastating than damage to lower-value crops (eg lupins, barley), which generate lower returns per hectare. The return on investment in rabbit control is greater when high-value commodities or resources are protected from damage.

While the initial costs of rabbit control can be high (eg warren ripping costs are about $10–$20 per warren), the benefits can be long term. Often costs can be recouped by added livestock or crop production, or minimised by being shared among neighbouring properties using a coordinated approach. Taking no action against rabbits is likely to result in higher costs in terms of lost production and ongoing damage.

If you are on a smaller land holding commodity prices may not affect you. However, if you have a horse or two or some other animals then read on. 18 rabbits eat the same amount of feed as one grown sheep. They also like what horses, goats, pigs and cattle eat so every rabbit on your property is costing you money, especially if you are buying feed. The environmental damage they do can be even more obvious on a lifestyle block because you don't have to go far to see it.

Absolutely impossible sorry! Some rabbits will be above ground living in squats. Some may not be home when we visit their warren although we have a very keen blue heeler who runs around before we start work sending most rabbits to ground. Neighbours rabbits will probably jump the fence at some stage so always good to co-ordinate rabbit work across several properties. The R3 and fumigating is very effective but not 100%. The use of several strategies such as shooting and baiting after the R3 or fumigating is recommended to clean up. The R3 is also a very effective follow up tool after myxoma virus (MV) or Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV1 has been through. Finally, the best strategy is to reduce the numbers and then keep on them annually. Painful yes, but will yield the best results.

Costs will depend on the size of the job and location. Here are some indicative rates.

1 Travel to site from our base in Lake George is $1.00/km. Involve your neighbours and we can split travel cost.

2 Setup and pack up of equipment on site is $70

3 Each warren detonation is $60. The rate is $40 if the client does the shovel work!

4 Initial site assessment if required will start at $80 but is not always needed. Ideally the client will identify all warrens prior to work. If we need to do this then assessment costs will apply and we may miss some not knowing your land as well as you do.

5 A digital survey can be done prior if you send us a maps link and description of affected areas. We can offer an emailed quote based on this information and discuss rates if we find extra issues on site later.

1 Travel to site from our base in Lake George is $1.00/km. Involve your neighbours and we can split travel cost.

2 Setup and pack up of equipment on site is $70

3 Treatment cost is $50 per warren regardless of size.

4 Initial site assessment if required, will start at $80 but may not be required. Ideally the client will identify all warrens prior to work. If we need to do this then assessment costs will apply and we may miss some not knowing your land as well as you do.

5 A digital survey can be done prior if you send us a maps link and description of affected areas. We can offer an emailed quote based on this information and discuss rates if we find extra issues on site later.

This is tricky to answer as there are a number of variables. 1kg of bait will cover approx 33 rabbits. The bait cost is a little over $30/kg so we can say approx $1.00 per rabbit. However, we require three treatments over a number of days so it's closer to $3.00 each rabbit. Baits are laid at dusk and checked the following morning along with carcass collection. Uneaten baits need collecting or burial. This all takes time and multiple site visits which adds to overall cost. Prior to all this we need to offer at least one but probably two or three free feeds (poison free) to educate the rabbits. Baiting programs really need a site assessment to get a proper costing worked out, so please contact us.

The lead operator on every job has a Vertibrate Pesticide Induction Training certificate and an ACHNMON305 Operate Specialised Machinery and Equipment certificate. The latter relates specifically to the R3 unit.