Predators

[MyBabyBunnies]

Up until today I have not really concerned myselfwith predators in my area because I have not really had reason to worryabout more than domestic cats attacking them or raven's. We have blackbears around here but I've only ever seen a black bear once in my lifeand that was in the mountains plus the bears generally stay fartherwest in less populated communities. There are coyotes here but I don'tgenerally see a problem with them getting in my yard since it's wellfenced. Also, there has been one reported case of a lynx in my town(about 4 blocks away) because a someone has a breeding farm nearby andit got loose, but that's it.

I was just reading the paper and apparently since 2003 we have hadcougars gradually moving from the mountains to more populated areassuch as my area. There have been horses killed and cats and rabbits butonly in the outskirts of populated areas. So far they have not quitegotten here but have reached the city that's about 30 minutes from me(slightly more south and east). Now I'm getting worried! I live acrossthe street from a huge school yard and then past that is a field andit's scaring me! Soon I'll be moving closer to the middle of town whichshould help a bit but it's still concerning to me to think we have bigcats like that wandering around.

 

[Carolyn]

Hi Laura,

Don't blame you a bit for being worried. I would be too.

As far as I'm aware, there's not much you do other than make sure theboys are securely protected in their cages, and put a fence aroundthem. Realizing cats can climb well, there's little a fencewill due to stop them, but I'm thinking in terms of dogs andcoyotes.Just make sure their hutches are securelylocked and there's no weak spots that a cat could punch through withtheir teeth.

I would imagine that if these cats are getting too close to people, theGame Production and Predator Control forces would have to stepin.

The mountain lion has a very small heart and lungs for its size, so itlacks the endurance for long chases. A 300 yard dash is about the besta lion can accomplish. Not sure the distance of the field toyour house, but if it's a good size field, they Mountain Lion mayprefer to get its dinner in the woods. An adult mountain lionusually only has to kill every 6-10 days.It tends to go forthe bigger prey, but will take what it can get.

-Carolyn

 

[Buck Jones]

I wonder if big cats respond to human urine scentas I'm led to believe wolves may? That is...to give it a wideberth. Might be worth querying on the internet and, ifviable, a simple means of protection.

Buck

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Wild animals normally just slink into town looking for easy meals.

I can't really cougar proof my cages since the wire is automatically aweak spot in comparison to such a strong cat. We have a sturdy 6' woodfence around my yard but cougars can get over the fence easily since agood fence is not going to keep a hungry cougar out.

My boys are safe from all other predators but there's little I can do to make then completely safe from cougars.

It's been reported that a cougar was in the big city near me and chasedsomeone inside by staring at them and attempted to try to steal thechicken off the barbeque but ran off after it burned its nose.

They've advised that kids don't go outside unless in a large group andto be back inside before dusk. They posted safety tips and how to scarea courage off if you ever come in contact with one so that tells methings are only going to get worse! Hopefull it wont get too bad untilI have that bunny shed built in another 2-3 years so they are protected.

 

[Carolyn]

True that the only way to really eliminatethe problem is to eliminate the mountain lion, however, as Buck pointedout, they have very sensitive scent glands and there are odors thatthey do not like. If you can tap into one of them, it wouldbe well worth your wild and piece of mind. I'll check with afriend of mine who's a wildlife biologist; he may be able to suggestsomething.

They are most active at dawn and dusk, so if you hear a rutkus, make a lot of noise.

-Carolyn

 

[MyBunnyLovesMe]

Loud noises usually help.

I used to live in the country, and my friend had a bunny who livedoutside (sadly, a coyote got him ) But before he got eaten,I was outside watching it and a big fox came, and I knew he'd probablytry to get the bunny so I went and got the hose and sprayed him withwater and he ran away.

My brother, who happens to be a drummer, once saw a big 'ol smellyskunk in our yard, so he ran inside got his cymbals and ran out thedoor crashing them together and chased it away. Animals dont like loudnoises.

But you probably don't have a spare drumset laying around

A hunting store sells stuff to lure away animals, just find a scent ofsomething that would eat a cougar and spray it around and maybe they'llsmell it and run away. But then again that might just attract thebigger animal I don't know...

 

[m.e.]

A motion-activated noise repellant mounted onyour fence or near the rabbit's cages may also be usefull Realizethat it may scare the rabbits :?, but it will also scare the predator.

 

[Meganc731]

I would be concerned about the coyotes. In mymom's neighborhood all the backyards are fenced with 6 foot cinderblockwalls, her neighbor had her cat outside just before dusk and a coyotegot it. We've never seen them in the backyard, but that doesn't meanthey're not there. We used to find fish from my mom's pond in themiddle of the yard half chewed, but it's hard to say what was gettingthem.

Megan

 

[Cinnabun]

hey, yeah thats a scary thought with the Cougars!they really are a beautiful animal, i plan on applying for a liecense(when im older) to get one for school Education programs. are theytranqalizing them and then relocating them? somewhere farther..

yeah in my area i have bears,Coyotes, foxes,skunks,owls,turkeys,hawks..bascully everything you can think of! and since they have been doingHouse Constrution cutting down the trees and building houses. they havebeen trying to cross the highway to get across unfortnatly not alot ofthem make it! but i've seen a fox in my neighbors yard eating a babybird is what i was thinking.. i had my window open one night and i kepton hear this little animal scream and it sounded like a baby bird, iwould call out to it, and everything, i was about to go outside to golook, but then i'd wake my dog up, and she would start to bark and wakeeveryone eles up! but then i was just watching to see if i could seesomething and i saw this fox walk away, the next day i went out thereto look and i didnt see any evidence to a baby bird, i saw a couple offeathers but not enough! and that was when i had my rabbit (Missey)inside because he pen outside was broke! and i'm just soo greatful thatshe was inside!

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

We don't have a problem with coyotes in town.Many nights I sleep outside or just lay awake outside in the summer andhave never had a problem with them in town.

They are not doing anything about the cougars because they are notcausing any problems with the people. There have been no reported casesof attacks. It's guessed that they are coming farther west because ofthe exploding deer population on the prairies because the deer haveeasy grazing on the cleared land. I'm not all that far from themountains and foothills so it's not really a shock to have wild animalsheading our way.

 

[Meganc731]

That's silly that they're not doing anything...it doesn't sound like they have any problem approaching humans, it's adisaster waiting to happen.

MyBunnyBoys wrote:

It's been reported that a cougar was in the big city near me and chasedsomeone inside by staring at them and attempted to try to steal thechicken off the barbeque but ran off after it burned its nose.

If someone gets hurt or killed, it's not good news for the cougars. You would think that they'd catch them and relocate them.

Megan

 

[SLRabbits]

We have all kinds of predators down here. Bears,cougars, coyotes, wolves, foxes, rattle snakes (which will eat the babyrabbits), scorpions (which will get in there cages).. it goes on and on.

The only one that worries me the most are the rattle snakes. Thereisn't anything I can really do to keep them out. I am just hoping forthe best this summer. The other guys stay pretty well away. I have onlyseen one snake in the yard (not a rattler) since I have been here, andthen we just have squirrels and armadillos, so I have nothing to worryabout with them, lol.

~Nichole

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I think it would be pointless to relocate thecougars back to the mountains because if it is the deer explosionthat's causing them to move west then they would simply end up comingback anyways.

We have prairie rattlers here but very rarely are they spotted this farnorth but are abundant about 3 hours south because it's slightly warmer.

I don't have to worry about snakes or scorpions or other poisonous bugssince those all live in warmer climates. I have mosquitoes and fliesand wasps/bees to contend with in the summer but that's pretty much itthat worries me. I'm just glad I don't live closer to the mountains orI'd have Grizzly Bears to compete with, too.

 

[Cinnabun]

i mean like couldnt they like relocate them to another patch of woods away from any houss delovpments? sorry i was typing fast!

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

There is no place away from house developmentsexcept the national parks in the mountains. But sending them therewould just make them come back.

 

[Cinnabun]

ohh i see, sorry

 

[bunnylover78642]

We have every thing. Other than the big cats. Wehave domestics, dogs, raccoons, possum, skunks, turkeys, chickens,hawks, volchers, and to top it all off coyotes.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

MBB, we had a cougar here, probably one that gotaway from or was dumped by an owner. (they are not normallyhere although we do have a bobcat or two around)

This cougar has chased horses through fences, eaten pets, and killed a pony.

I am always afraid of these type of things. We have a LOT ofcoyote. In the warmer months, you can hear the mommies andbabies making a bunch of noise *chattering* at the back of my property,and along my inlaw's hay field. Sorta creepy......

 

[Cinnabun]

i LOVE to watch them from inside my house! forsome odd reason im just not scared (that is if im from a safe distancelol) i'll sit there and watch them for like ever! lol

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Coyotes don't really bother me. I've chased MANYoff at the farm I used to help out at but there was only ever 2together so it never concerned me. I'd never go near a pack of coyotesbut alone they are nothing but chickens!

On outside cages the wire will always be a weak spot and there isnothing I can do about that. The wire is not a huge thing until stronganimals like bears and large cats are in the area and that's why I'mgetting concerned.