Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
What is an acceptable way of getting rid of rabbits from a residential
lot bordering a cornfield and a "mini-zoo"?

When we saw them running around our yard, they seemed cute at first.
Now we find they are burrowing under our shed, which I has a slight
list -- but I don't know whether that is the result of the burrowing
or whether it has always been that way without my noticing before.

Back on the farm in UK many decades ago, my father used two
approaches:
(a) A commercially available (at that time) product, "Cymag,"
containing a significant percentage of sodium cyanide (in 7lb cans!).
Plug up all the holes but one, dump in some of this stuff, then plug
the last hole. It reacted with the moisture in the soil to generate
hydrogen cyanide gas, which made short work of the furry little
darlings. Somehow I cannot imagine this being readily available in my
local garden store
(and it was banned in the EU with effect from the end of 2004).

Or

(b) A ferret with a collar and leash. I'm not so sure about that one
either. Hungry ferret disappeared down the hole. Unhungry ferret
emerged from hole.

My father had a double-12 shot gun too, but he didn't waste it on
rabbits.
What is a socially acceptable remedy in this enlightened age?


Instead of Sodium Cyanide, we used Calcium carbide. When wet, it generates
acetylene (the little rocks used to be used in miner's lamps). Anyway, block
the holes as before, throw in some pellets, add water, cover remaining hole.

If you like, after a couple of minutes, toss in match and watch the BOOM!