Par, St Austell, CornwallOpen 24 hours, 7 days a week p.clarkey84@gmail.com07974 278830 AboutServices Areas ContactCall 07974 278830Call - Home/ - Pest control services/ - Rabbit Control # Rabbit Controlfor Lawns, Paddocks & SmallholdingsAcross St Austell & Cornwall Legal, humane rabbit control that protects lawns, vegetable beds, fencing and grazing — carried out by Paul Clarke, working alone across the St Austell and Par area. Call 07974 278830Request an estimate Call or message Paul directly to describe the damage — no call centre, no hard sell. - 15 years' hands-on experience◆ - Bees rehomed — never exterminated◆ - Poison-free methods used wherever possible◆ - Humane & legal techniques — live-trapping specialists◆ - Rats, mice, wasps, moles, squirrels, rabbits & pigeons◆ - Sub-12 ft/lb air rifle control on grounds, farms & estates◆ - Gull & bird proofing — netting, spikes & deterrents◆ - Homes & businesses — pubs, restaurants, farms, holiday lets & landlords◆ - One-off call-outs & ongoing prevention plans◆ - Locally owned & run by Paul Clarke◆ - Covering St Austell, Truro, Newquay, Bodmin, Fowey & across mid-Cornwall◆ - 15 years' hands-on experience◆ - Bees rehomed — never exterminated◆ - Poison-free methods used wherever possible◆ - Humane & legal techniques — live-trapping specialists◆ - Rats, mice, wasps, moles, squirrels, rabbits & pigeons◆ - Sub-12 ft/lb air rifle control on grounds, farms & estates◆ - Gull & bird proofing — netting, spikes & deterrents◆ - Homes & businesses — pubs, restaurants, farms, holiday lets & landlords◆ - One-off call-outs & ongoing prevention plans◆ - Locally owned & run by Paul Clarke◆ - Covering St Austell, Truro, Newquay, Bodmin, Fowey & across mid-Cornwall◆ ## Experience 15 years in pest and building-related work ## Method Live trapping or legal sub-12 ft/lb air rifle only ## Availability Open 24 hours, 7 days a week ## Coverage St Austell, Par, Lostwithiel, Bodmin and beyond The service ## Rabbit control that actually reads the ground Rabbits are one of those problems that look harmless from a distance — a few nibbled lettuces, a bare patch of lawn — until you look closer and find a warren system undermining a bank, a paddock fence being tunnelled under nightly, or a market garden that's lost an entire row of seedlings in a week. Cornwall's mild winters mean rabbit populations rarely get knocked back by hard frost the way they might further north, so numbers on smallholdings and field margins can build up fast and stay high for most of the year. Paul Clarke has spent 15 years working on properties across the St Austell and Par area, much of it in restoration building before moving into pest control, which means he's used to reading a site properly before doing anything — where the warren entrances are, which hedgerows and banks are being used as cover, which direction the animals are moving between feeding and bolt-holes. That groundwork matters with rabbits far more than with most pests, because a control plan that ignores the warren layout just treats the symptoms and the damage comes straight back. Control is carried out using live trapping or a legal sub-12 ft/lb air rifle, depending on the site, the scale of the problem and what's practical and safe there. There's no gassing of warrens — it isn't part of how this business operates. For gardens, lawns and smaller domestic problems the priority is usually removal plus practical advice on stopping rabbits getting back in; on paddocks, pasture and market gardens the aim is usually to bring numbers down to a level where grazing, cropping and fencing stop taking constant damage. ### Who it's for - Homeowners with lawns, borders or vegetable plots being grazed or dug up - Smallholders and market gardeners losing crops and seedlings to rabbit grazing - Landowners with paddocks or grazing land being undermined by warren systems - Equestrian properties where warrens close to fence lines or field edges are a safety concern - Holiday let owners and landlords whose grounds are being damaged before guests or tenants arriveCall 07974 278830 Left alone ## Why a few rabbits become a serious problem fast Rabbits breed quickly and the Cornish climate rarely slows them down for long, so a handful of animals on a boundary hedge in spring can be a settled warren system by late summer. The damage isn't just cosmetic — burrowing along field margins and banks weakens the ground, which becomes a real issue on grazing land where a horse or livestock can put a leg straight into a collapsed tunnel. On sloped ground and Cornish hedges (the stone-faced banks common across the county), warren activity can undermine the structure itself over time. On market gardens and smallholdings, the economic hit is direct: a bed of newly planted brassicas or salad crops can be stripped overnight, and rabbits will keep coming back to the same productive ground rather than moving on. Fencing that isn't specifically rabbit-proofed (buried skirt, small enough mesh) gets tunnelled under repeatedly, so even good stock fencing can fail to keep numbers out without control alongside it. ### Structural damage to banks and hedges Warren systems weaken Cornish hedges and field banks, sometimes leading to partial collapse where burrowing is extensive. ### Livestock and horse safety risk Collapsed tunnels and warren entrances in paddocks are a genuine trip and injury risk for grazing animals. ### Crop and planting losses Vegetable beds, seedlings and ornamental planting can be stripped repeatedly through a growing season. ### Fencing undermined Standard fencing without a buried skirt gets tunnelled under, so the problem returns even after visible repairs. ### Common mistakes worth avoiding - Filling in warren entrances without removing or controlling the rabbits first, which just pushes them to dig a new entrance nearby - Relying on fencing alone without addressing an established warren on or near the boundary - Using unlicensed or inappropriate methods that are neither legal nor humane - Waiting until a whole crop or lawn area is lost before calling for help, by which point numbers are much higher Our process ## How rabbit control is carried out Every site is different — a domestic lawn, a paddock and a market garden all need a different approach — but the process follows the same structure. - 1 ### Site assessment Paul walks the site to find warren entrances, runs, feeding areas and the scale of the damage, and discusses what's practical and legal for that specific location. - 2 ### Method agreed Depending on the site — proximity to buildings, public access, livestock, size of the area — live trapping or a legal sub-12 ft/lb air rifle is agreed as the appropriate method. - 3 ### Control carried out Control is carried out safely and discreetly, working around livestock, pets and site access as needed. No gassing is used at any stage. - 4 ### Follow-up and advice Paul advises on practical steps to reduce rabbits returning — fencing considerations, ground management and monitoring — based on what he's seen on your specific site. What you get ## Why work with Paul directly ### A building-trained eye on the ground 15 years of restoration building experience means banks, hedges and structures are read properly, not just the visible damage. ### Humane methods only Live trapping or a legal sub-12 ft/lb air rifle — no gassing, ever, regardless of the size of the job. ### Works on any scale From a single garden lawn to a working smallholding or grazing paddock, the same careful approach applies. ### Direct contact, no call centre You speak to Paul, who does the work himself, and describe the actual problem rather than working through a script. In detail ## Rabbit control in detail Some of the detail worth knowing before you call, covering method, timing and what to expect on different types of site. ### Live trapping vs air rifle control Which method is used depends entirely on the site. Live trapping suits gardens, sites near houses or public footpaths, and situations where discretion matters. A legal sub-12 ft/lb air rifle is more suited to open land, paddocks and larger rural sites where it's safe and appropriate to use. Both are legal, humane methods used within the law — there is no gassing of warrens under any circumstances. - Live trapping suited to gardens, courtyards and sites close to buildings or footpaths - Air rifle control suited to open paddocks, fields and larger rural land - Method chosen on a site-by-site basis, discussed before any work begins - No gassing, snaring, or unlicensed methods used at any stage ### Reading the warren, not just the damage A single warren can have several active entrances feeding into connected tunnel systems, sometimes running well beyond the obvious problem area. Paul's building background is useful here — the same instinct for reading roof lines and cavities for rodent entry points applies to reading a bank or field margin for warren structure, which affects where control actually needs to focus. - Active vs disused entrances identified before deciding where to focus effort - Runs and feeding routes mapped to understand movement patterns - Warren proximity to hedges, banks and structures assessed for stability ### Paddocks, grazing land and equestrian sites On grazing land the priority is usually reducing the safety risk from collapsed tunnels as much as the grazing damage itself. Warren activity near gateways, along fence lines, or on sloped ground gets particular attention because that's where livestock and horses are most likely to be moving quickly. - Warren entrances near gateways and fence lines checked first - Sloped or uneven ground flagged as a particular safety concern - Advice given on ongoing monitoring for landowners managing larger acreage ### Market gardens and smallholdings Productive growing ground needs a different approach to a garden lawn — rabbits will return repeatedly to the same beds through a growing season, so timing matters. Control is often best carried out before planting or early in the season, before a pattern of grazing becomes established on a particular bed or crop. - Timing discussed relative to planting and cropping schedules - Particular attention to boundary hedges bordering productive beds - Practical advice on rabbit-proof fencing detail (mesh size, buried skirt depth) ### Domestic gardens and lawns For a garden lawn or border being grazed, the job is usually more contained — removal of the animals causing the damage plus advice on stopping others moving in from a neighbouring field, hedge or verge, which is a common source in villages and edge-of-town properties around St Austell and Par. - Assessment of likely entry points from neighbouring land or hedgerow - Removal carried out discreetly, with minimal disruption to the garden - Advice on planting choices or barriers if rabbits are a recurring seasonal issue ### Ongoing management for larger sites On bigger sites with a persistent rabbit population, a one-off visit sometimes isn't enough to bring numbers down to a manageable level, particularly where neighbouring land is also harbouring rabbits. Where that's the case, an ongoing arrangement can be more effective than repeated one-off call-outs, with visits timed around breeding season and growing or grazing cycles. - Ongoing visits available for farms, smallholdings and larger grounds - Timed around breeding season for the best long-term reduction in numbers - Reviewed and adjusted based on what's actually working on that site ### Related services - Mole Control - Squirrel Removal - Rats, Mice & Rodents - All services ### Areas covered Rabbit Control across mid and south Cornwall, from the Par, St Austell base. - St Austell - Par - Charlestown - Lostwithiel - Polgooth - Fowey - Mevagissey - St Mawes - Truro - Newquay - St Columb Major - Bodmin FAQs ## Rabbit Control — your questions Still unsure? The line is open 24 hours, 7 days a week — call 07974 278830 and describe what you have seen. How much does rabbit control cost?There's no fixed published price because every site is different — a single garden lawn is a very different job to a paddock with an established warren system. Paul quotes after seeing the site or hearing a clear description of the problem: scale of damage, size of the area, and which method is appropriate. Call to describe what you're dealing with and you'll get an honest, specific quote rather than a generic figure. Is gassing used to control rabbit warrens?No. Gassing is not used under any circumstances. Control is carried out through live trapping or a legal sub-12 ft/lb air rifle, chosen based on the site. Both are humane, legal methods, and the choice between them depends on factors like proximity to buildings, public access and the scale of the warren. How quickly can rabbit numbers actually be reduced?It depends on the size of the warren and the site, but noticeable reduction in grazing damage and activity is usually seen within the first couple of visits. Larger warren systems, or sites bordering land you don't control, may need a longer programme of visits to keep numbers down, since rabbits will continue moving in from neighbouring hedges and fields if the wider area isn't addressed. Will rabbits just come back after control?They can, particularly on sites bordering fields, hedgerows or verges with an ongoing rabbit population nearby. That's why advice on fencing, ground management and monitoring is given alongside control, and why an ongoing arrangement suits some larger or rural sites better than a single visit. Paul will be upfront if he thinks a one-off visit won't be enough. Can you help with rabbits undermining a Cornish hedge or bank?Yes — this is a common issue on older stone-faced Cornish hedges and field banks, where burrowing can weaken the structure over time. Paul's background in restoration building means he can assess how much of a structural concern the warren activity actually is, alongside carrying out control of the rabbits themselves. Do you work on farms and paddocks as well as gardens?Yes, control is carried out on everything from domestic lawns to working farms, paddocks, market gardens and equestrian sites across the St Austell, Par and wider Cornwall area. The method and scale of the visit are adjusted to suit the site, but the same careful, legal approach applies regardless of size. Is rabbit control available out of hours or in an emergency?Pest Management Cornwall is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, so you can call any time to discuss a rabbit problem. Rabbit control itself is rarely a same-hour emergency in the way a wasp nest can be, but call whenever the problem becomes noticeable and a visit will be arranged as promptly as the situation and site allow. What happens after the visit — is there any ongoing prevention?After control, Paul will talk through what he found on site and what's practical to reduce rabbits returning — this might mean fencing recommendations, monitoring advice, or an ongoing visit schedule for larger or rural sites. For a contained domestic garden, a single visit combined with some basic prevention advice is often enough. Do you cover areas outside St Austell and Par?Yes — alongside St Austell and Par, work is regularly carried out across Charlestown, Lostwithiel, Polgooth, Fowey, Mevagissey, St Mawes, Truro, Newquay, St Columb Major and Bodmin. Call to check your specific location if you're unsure. ## Get rabbit control moving Call or message Paul Clarke directly on 07974 278830 to describe the site and the damage you're seeing. You'll get a straight answer on what's involved and an honest quote — no call centre, no scripted process, just a legal, humane plan for your specific ground. Call 07974 278830Request an estimate - Open 24 hours, 7 days a week - Par, St Austell, Cornwall - p.clarkey84@gmail.com Owner-operated pest control across mid and south Cornwall. 15 years on the tools, poisons avoided wherever possible, bees rehomed rather than destroyed. ## Services - Rats, mice & rodents - Moles - Squirrels - Rabbits - Air rifle pest control - Wasp nest removal - Gull & bird proofing - Pigeons - Bees — rehomed, never killed - All services ## Areas covered - St Austell - Par - Charlestown - Lostwithiel - Polgooth - Fowey - Mevagissey - St Mawes - Truro - Newquay - St Columb Major - Bodmin - All areas covered ## Get in touch - 07974 278830 - p.clarkey84@gmail.com - 74 Polgover Way, St BlazeyPar, St AustellCornwall PL24 2RD - Open 24 hours, 7 days a week ## Popular pest control searches in Cornwall - Rat control St Austell - Wasp nest removal Cornwall - Mole catcher Cornwall - Bee removal and rehoming Cornwall - Seagull proofing Cornwall - Air rifle squirrel & rabbit control Cornwall - Pest control St Austell - Pest control Truro - Pest control Newquay - Pest control Bodmin © 2026 Pest Management Cornwall. 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