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Introduction: Poison baiting is often a logical frst

step in an integrated program of rabbit management.


However, if used alone, baiting provides only short-term
control and is therefore best used as a means of reducing
rabbit numbers before carrying out other controls such
as warren destruction
1
. In some situations baiting may
be the only immediately feasible solution to a problem,
such as rabbits living in dense vegetation on the edge
of pastoral land. However in arid areas, poison baiting
is not usually cost-effective and landholders are more
likely to beneft from strategic warren ripping programs
2
.
The two most common poisons used to control rabbits
in Australia are sodium monofuoroacetate (compound
1080) and pindone. Poison and chemical use is managed
by state and territory authorities, and purchase, handling
and use restrictions usually apply. It is important to
assess the site and situation, and check with local pest
authorities before starting a poison baiting program.
What is 1080?:Compound 1080 is a single dose,
naturally-occurring compound produced by many
Australian plants. It is an odourless, tasteless, white
fuffy powder that is usually dissolved in water to make
a 1.5% solution. In the feld, 1080 is mixed with bait
material (ie oats or chopped carrot) that results in a low
concentration of the active ingredient. The bait is usually
dyed blue (or green) to give it a unique appearance and
avoid accidental misuse, and to reduce its attractiveness
to birds
3
. 1080 is a Schedule 7 poison and is subject
to state and territory regulations, which restrict its
availability, possession, storage and use. When used in
conjunction with other control techniques, 1080 is a
relatively cheap and effective poison for killing rabbits.
What is Pindone?:Pindone is a frst generation
(ie multiple dose) anticoagulant rodenticide used to
control rabbits. Pindone is more effective when a series
of smaller doses are taken over a period of 4-12 days,
although it is possible for rabbits to die from an acute
poisoning after a large, single intake
4
.
Pindone comes in two forms of concentrate products: a
salt (pindone sodium salt) and a liquid (pindone acid),
which are applied to bait material (ie oats or chopped
carrot). Concentrate products can generally only be used
by authorised persons. However pindone is a Schedule 6
poison, which can be purchased off the shelf as a ready-
to-use bait product (eg Rabbait), and stored and used
as required. Pindone is relatively expensive, compared
to 1080. It is typically used in populated areas such as
urban and semi-rural areas (eg hobby farms, golf courses)
where 1080 use is impractical or restricted.
How to apply: Poison baits are usually applied using
a baitlayer towed by a four-wheel drive or all-terrain
vehicle, by hand (ground baiting) and by aircraft (aerial
baiting)
5
. Aerial baiting is more effective for broadscale
rabbit control but is less accurate and may present
unacceptable risk to non-target animals in or near the
treatment area. Baitlayers dispense bait along a shallow
furrow or trail through the main areas of rabbit activity.
The choice of method and poison depends on the location
and area to be treated, the terrain, costs and equipment
availability
1
.
The right amount of bait is needed for effective control
and to minimise non-target impacts. In order to kill the
highest possible percentage, rabbits also need to become
accustomed to eating baits.
This is done by free feeding, where unpoisoned bait
is laid out on two or more occasions over a period of
710 days, prior to laying poison bait. (Note: prebaiting
is not required when using the one-shot oats technique
in Western Australia
6
). The amount of free feed left
after the fnal night provides an indication of how much
poisoned bait will be needed.
Free-feeding is an essential part
of a ground baiting campaign
Poison baiting for
rabbit control
Dyed 1080-poisoned carrot bait. Image: NSW DPI
Rabbit Factsheet
When carrying out a ground baiting program
3
:
poison bait should be laid along the same trail as the
free-feed
adequate trail must be laid around the warrens and
feeding areas of all rabbits as a guide, approximately
24 km of trail/km
2
of rabbit-infested land
in steep terrain, trails are best laid along the contours
if possible to reduce erosion risk.
Warrens, rabbit-prone areas and the bait trails should be
monitored after poison baiting so that any dead rabbits
can be collected and disposed of. Rabbit density and
damage estimates should also be monitored before and
after poisoning, to determine the effectiveness of the
program. A successful baiting program should kill 95% of
the rabbit population
1
.
When to bait: Baiting is recommended during late
summer/early autumn when alternative feed is scarce
and rabbits are under stress. During the breeding season
(usually spring), juveniles all too frequently survive if
they are too young to be feed on the poison trail. Young
rabbits only 14 days old can survive the death of their
mother.
It is recommended that bait is distributed in the evening
to minimise its availability to non-target animals and to
ensure overnight consumption by rabbits, although this
can increase labour costs.
Welfare, health and safety: While there are some
species that are not affected by 1080 (eg native species
from Western Australia where 1080 occurs naturally in
some native plants), there are others that are sensitive to
its effects. Rabbits, dogs and foxes are highly vulnerable
to 1080, while humans, sheep, cattle and possums are
also susceptible. Animals that eat poisoned baits are at
risk of primary poisoning but predatory or scavenging
species may be affected by secondary poisoning (ie
after feeding on a dead poisoned rabbit)
7
. There is no
effective antidote for 1080, which is one of the reasons
why 1080 baiting is not allowed in some areas (eg close
to dwellings or waterways).
Rabbits are also highly vulnerable to pindone however
dogs, sheep, cattle and people are fairly tolerant to it
1
.
Vitamin K (phytomenadione) is an effective antidote.
There is a low risk of secondary poisoning from pindone
and generally most poisonings can be avoided if the bait
is prepared and applied according to the appropriate
instructions. The amount of toxin applied to bait has
been calculated to ensure that most rabbits are killed,
but where possible, risks to other species are minimized.
The choice of bait material is also important. Carrots
may be used, but tend to deteriorate more rapidly than
oats
2
. Oat grain is specifcally chosen because 1080 can
be applied to the husk alone and many seed-eating birds
discard the husks, further reducing risk. A thinly laid trail
of oats at recommended rates allows rabbits to readily
take in a lethal dose of poison. But for large animals
like kangaroos and wombats, there is little beneft in
trying to glean individual seed grains from the trail. So
although these non-target species may eat some bait,
they are unlikely to take in a lethal dose.
Conclusion: A strategic approach to managing rabbits
will typically involve poison baiting as the frst step. It
is a useful, cost-effective method for reducing rabbit
numbers prior to warren destruction. There are different
toxins available for use in different areas; however the
most commonly used is 1080 oat baits. Before introducing
the poisoned bait, it is important to encourage all
rabbits to feed on the trail by free-feeding. Successful
baiting programs should aim to kill 95% of the rabbit
population
1,2
. It is also important to remember that
rabbit control is only one aspect of natural resource
management ongoing pest and weed management
in conjunction with neighbouring properties is vital to
ensure long-term conservation and production benefts.
Further information:
1. Williams K, Parer I, Coman B, Burley J and Braysher M
(1995). Managing Vertebrate Pests: Rabbits. Bureau of
Resource Sciences, Australian Government Publishing
Services, Canberra.
2. Hart Q (ed.) (2003). Conventional Rabbit Control: Costs and
Tips. Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra.
3. Sharp T and Saunders G (2005). RAB002 Ground baiting of
rabbits with 1080. NSW Department of Primary Industries,
Orange, New South Wales.
4. Sharp T and Saunders G (2005). RAB004 Ground Baiting
of Rabbits with Pindone. NSW Department of Primary
Industries, Orange, New South Wales.
5. Sharp T and Saunders G (2005). RAB003 Aerial baiting of
rabbits with 1080. NSW Department of Primary Industries,
Orange, New South Wales.
6. Lowe T and Twigg L (2007) Rabbit control in urban and semi-
urban areas. Pestnote 241. Department of Agriculture and
Food, Western Australia.
7. Williamson R and Bloomfeld T (2003) 1080 poison baits for
pest animal control. Landcare Notes LC0300. Department
of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria.
Watch: Baiting with a baitlayer for rabbit control on
PestSmart YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/
PestSmart)
May 2012
RABFS8
feral.org.au
The use of recommended baiting
practices reduces risks to both
operators and non-target animals

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