adminRabbits are an extremely common and widespread problem for gardeners all over the United States and worldwide. The cute little creatures not only like to dine on flowers, vegetables, and fruits, but they dig burrows, leave droppings, and gnaw on fencing and trees. And they earned their reputations for multiplying- no one has a rabbit problem, it is always a rabbits problem! There may not be one single best rabbit deterrent, but this article will discuss a few of the best depending on individual situations.
Sprays for use on plants and fences deter rabbits in two ways: taste, or odor. The sprays (or sometimes, pellets, power, etc.) that deter the rabbits by odor do so by either mimicking the smell of meat, so that rabbits will not be interested, or by mimicking the scent of a predator, and frightening the timid creatures away. These types of deterrents include blood meal, which is a byproduct of meat processing, predator urine, or spray made with eggs.
Dried blood meal, available at garden stores and sold as a fertilizer, will also enrich your soil with nitrogen. It can be applied in areas needing protections from rabbits, and it will fertilize as well. Another benefit to this deterrent is that it also deters deer for the same reasons.
Pellets made from coyote urine or wolf urine is available in hunting and game stores and also deters rabbits (and deer) with its odor. There are drawbacks to this method, including the unpleasant odor, and the questionable treatment of the predator animals. Rabbits are afraid of cats, and so cat owners can employ this same scare tactic by using soiled cat litter around areas that need protecting. This is a free, but somewhat unpleasant, method to keep the rabbits away.
Pets of course can be excellent rabbit deterrents. Many types of dogs- terriers and herding dogs in particular– will be happy to chase away any intruders from the yard, and rabbits will avoid areas that are protected by a vigilant dog. Cats too, can be a deterrent, and some active cats even hunt and kill not just the usual mice and birds, but rabbits.
Taste deterrents are another category, and may be the best rabbit deterrent for many situations. Diluted linseed oil and castor oilcan be applied to leaves with a spray bottle to dissuade rabbits. Chili pepper, black pepper, and soap are other ingredients that can be tried on plants to provide a bad tasting deterrent for rabbits. Taste deterrents are also sold at pet stores for the purpose of puppy training, but they are just as effective for pet and wild rabbits. Tree trunks and other plants can be sprayed with the bitter taste deterrents. However, some taste deterrents are not suitable for edible plants, so directions on commercial labels should be carefully examined before using. The bitter taste can be absorbs by the plant and right into the food, so the smell deterrents might be the best rabbit deterrent for food plants.
