adminBest outdoor rabbit deterrent
Rabbits just like deer, raccoon and rats are pests which should be kept out by all means because the damage they create is cataclysmic. To make life for you as a homeowner easy, we have compiled some effective outdoor rabbit deterrent techniques. The good thing about these deterrents is that they are inexpensive and work pretty well.
- Habitat modification
This is probably one of the easiest methods of deterring rabbits outdoors. All a gardener needs to do is to eliminate dumps, brush piles, patches of weed, piles of stone and every other things that creates makes a garden or yard habitable for rabbits. You may need to consult with a pest management expert because habitat modification if done wrongly will worsen exactly what you are trying to avoid.
- Outdoor repellent
There are lots of commercial repellents in the market that can make your yard or garden rabbit proof. Do bear in mind that some of the repellents contain poisonous elements while others are made of natural ingredients with little or no harmful effect.
Repellents are basically of two types; odor based and taste based repellent. Odor based repellents deter rabbits by giving off a repulsive smell which they hate – dried blood meal is a good example. Taste based repellents on the other hand only works when the rabbits attempts to chew a protected plant.
Care should be taken when applying odor based repellent because the pungent smell they produce could severely hurt the plant they are meant to protect. In times of acute food shortage, rabbits will feed on just about anything, so you make have to use repellents in combination with other control techniques.
- Trapping
Trapping is another control technique which works best in urban areas. Live traps go for $25 to $35, and can easily be purchased from a local pest control store or online. Better still, you could rent one from a pest control firm if buying one doesn’t appeal to you.
To use, locate spots where rabbits visit frequently and then strategically place the traps there. Attractants like dried apple or cob corn work pretty well as a bait. You could also use baits like cabbage and carrots. Check the traps every day for a new catch, but if no rabbit gets trapped after a week, you can either replace or move the trap away.
Trapped rabbits should not be killed but released in isolated areas with little or no human activity.
