Rabbits Do Not Jump Over Fences

Q. We are planning a wall to surround our yard so we can
keep the rabbits out. We live in Sun City Anthem in Henderson. We have been
told that the local rabbits can jump very high, and our three foot wall will
not work to keep them out. Can you let me know? I want to build it at least
that high, and maybe a little higher.

A. I don’t agree with the advice you were given. Our
chicken coop wire (with 1 inch holes) at three feet tall was very effective at
keeping them out of our vegetable plots as long as they could not lift the
bottom edge of it with their noses or dig a little bit and get under it.

            However,
baby cotton tails can squeeze through a 1 inch hole at a dead run.

            Usually
animals will not jump walls if they cannot see the other side. If they can jump
to the top of it and look, then that is different. I have never seed rabbits do
that.

            But check
and make sure there are no gaps in the wall itself. If they can get their head
through a hole, they can get the rest of their body through it as well. We had
to bury our chicken wire only about two inches deep to keep them from getting under
it.