OMG Hornets Nest in garden- with Benji and Pippin- one in Ben's hutch

[jcottonl02]

I am so worried-

Okay- so I'm out in the garden pouring Benji some food and giving him a little huggle in his hutch, and something huge comes flying out of the corner of his hutch and lands on him. I'm scared at this point and slap it off, and it goes flying around, hitting the french windows etc. then it lands on my 10 week old puppy, who scratches it off. This is when I realise it's a hornet. It was HUGE. It then proceeds to land on Benji again.
Now can I just say- I NEVER kill animals- bugs, spiders- anything at all. I just dno't because I feel so awful afterwards- it is noone's place to needlessly end an animal's life, no matter how small.
But it landed on my Benji twice and Alfie once, so I just walked up to it in the air and killed it between my hands. Okay- now I know this was a very stupid thing to do cos I could have easily got stung, but I was just in 'defence mode'. I would do anything to defend my animals- anything.
So I've done that and thought- ahh a rogue hornet. Then another one comes flying out at me. So I killed that one too (with my shoe this time) because it was flying around Alfie's head. Rolo was stung by a wasp once- and he cried for hours and hours. Hornet's are supposed to be ten times worse.
I called my dad after that and he came out and started searching for the nest but we couldn't find it. I went back inside.
Today I was cleaning out the rabbit hutches and another one came flying out at me, but I was cleaning the hutches and couldn't exactly stop halfway through. I didn't kill it becuase it wasn't a threat to Benji or Pippin, although I didn't exactly cherish the thought of being stung myself.

So today my dad bought this 'hornet trap' thingy which will hopefully catch them and kill them, but if needs be we are going to have to get an exterminator or something. in this situation I realise I might have to keep Ben and Pip inside for a few days incase the thing he uses is toxic etc.

But I'm worried about them- what if a hornet goes in and stings them? What if they are allergic or something and have one of those.....anafalactic things? I don't know but I'm worried- the first hornet I saw was actually in Benji's hutch!!!! Please anyone who can help- I am scared for my buns.
They couldn't die if they got stung could they? Do I need to cover their hutches or anything?
Randy I know ur help will be great on this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please I'm going out of my mind with worry.

 

[JadeIcing]

Yikes no idea on this one. I myself am allergic.

 

[Mikoli]

Oh, how horrible! Maybe put some mosquito netting over the hutch so the hornets can't get in? Or can you bring the rabbits inside until the hornets go away?

I don't know much about rabbits and hornets, but I can't imagine it would be very comfortable if you got stung by a hornet. Maybe call you vet and ask?

Good luck!

Rachel.

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

Don't know about hornets but yellowjackets have made homes in my hutches before and they seem to leave the rabbits alone. I usually knock down the hives so they are never up for too long. I spray a bee killer spray on the parts of the hutch that they like to make a home. This keeps them from coming back once I knock down the hive. Just don't spray it near the bunnies or in any part of the hutch that the bun has access to. My rabbits are in wire cages inside a wood frame so I only spray the wood part (they can't get at it).

Sharon

Good Luck

 

[Penna]

That's awful! I would agree with Mikoli, and try to get some misquitoe netting or something and use that.

 

[gentle giants]

I don't have any idea on the allergy thing, but if your hornets over there are anything like the ones we have here, they make nests either underground, or in a big paper ball up in a tree. It's pretty obvious if it's a big paper ball,so I'm guessing you may have an underground one. Those can be hard to find, basically it's little hole in the ground with hornets flying in and out, LOL. I hope that helps you get rid of them.

 

[rabb1tmad]

Oh no, poor you and poor Benji and Pippin. I'd be scared to death as I hate anything that stings!

Personally I have never heard of a rabbit dying from a hornet sting in the UK but I bet it would hurt them a lot. I would put up some netting if I were you - that will help twofold as it will stop the hornets from getting in and it will stop those nasty mosquitos and flies too and given our myxi problems at the moment that's a good thing.

 

[Ivory]

The only way they're going to find out if the rabbits are allergic is they get stung and have a reaction, which could be quite bad.

 

[jcottonl02]

Thanks for all your replies

Well thank god none of you have said 'yes thats incredibly dangerous omg omg omg', although it's definately not good. The last few nights I haven't seen a hornet- we a thinking maybe they are a few houses down or something.
Still, my Dad is going to buy some plasic or netting to put over the hutches if the problem persists or if we see another hornet.

The only thing that still terrifies me is that one of them was actually in Benji's hutch......