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How to Get Rid Of Rabbits and Keep Them Out Of Your Garden

What is the best solution to get rid of rabbits? The simplest and quickest way to keep rabbits away is by using taste and smell repellents. It is important to use them on a permanent basis because repelling odors evaporate within a short period of time and washed out with the rain. That is why we recommend buying a concentrated solution or stock up on granular repellent so that they last you a long time. Repellent can be of two types: natural and synthetic. You can also fence your plants and shrubs or trap intruders in a cage.

1. Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent
Repel rabbits before they eat your plants. The concentrate contains 10% putrescent egg solids that have a repulsive smell and mimic predator droppings.

Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent min: photo

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2. Bonide (BND871) – Go Away! Rabbit Repellent
The repelling granules are easy to apply, the product has the dispenser cap. Natural ingredients include cinnamon oil, thyme oil, and white pepper.

Bonide (BND871) - Go Away! Rabbit Repellent min: photo

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A bunny is one of the cutest and most amusing creatures ever. That is, if you encounter them online, of course, as watching funny videos and pictures with these fluffy balls is a real pleasure.

Meeting this cutie in real life is a whole different story, though. The rabbits become a true problem for farmers and gardeners, for those who live in small villages or even in big cities. Here’s why it is an issue:

  • The rabbits are almost omnivorous.
  • They breed extremely fast.
  • They are not that easy to scare and repel from your place.

We’ll teach you the complicated science of getting rid of rabbits, tell you about the delicate balance of using fence, traditional methods and artificial chemical repellents. But first, let’s take a closer look at a rabbit, the enemy of all gardeners and farmers!

How to Get Rid Of Rabbits in the Summer

Each season is characterized by having its own peculiarities to be taken into account when eliminating these dangerous animals. Things are pretty simple in the summer unless it’s raining. All of the existing rabbit elimination methods can be used during this season. We’ll classify them as either lethal (which kill the pest) and non-lethal. Let’s start with more humane ones.

  • Fence the whole area. Even a low fence will save you from rabbits in summer. In winter the animals can use snowdrifts as trampolines, but when it’s hot they won’t be able to even overcome a 2-3 feet high obstacle. You don’t have to make it solid, as a net with the cells smaller than an inch will do. By the way, rabbits are good at digging, so make sure the fence is deep in the ground.
  • Fence certain plants, shrubs and flower beds. The idea is simple here. Use a border or a net around the shrubs, herbs and berries, and wrap the trees with aluminum foil or some other protective cover. UC IPM, in its turn, recommends the following:

Poultry netting with a 1-inch mesh and that is 18 to 24 inches wide is ideal for cutting into strips 18 to 20 inches long and forming into cylinders for placement around the trunks of young trees, shrubs, or vines. Bury the bottom of the cylinders 2 to 3 inches, and brace them away from the trunk, so rabbits can’t press against the cylinder and nibble through the mesh. Inspect these barriers regularly, and be sure to keep the area inside the barriers clean of leaves, weeds, and other debris to eliminate feeding sites for small rodents. Commercial tree trunk protectors also are available.

EAGLE PEAK Low Tunnel Mini Greenhouse, Portable 71"x36"x36" Indoor & Outdoor Garden Green House with 2 Roll-Up Zipper Doors, Clear/Green PE Cover

You can also use ready-to-use fences, such as Pest Control Pop Up which come in different shapes and sizes, and cost Check current price This is a sort of a tent for your garden plants which is easy to install and to remove when necessary. The netting will provide for proper air circulation and won’t let the rabbits spoil your crops or flowers.

  • Use repellents. There are two types of repellents: organic and artificial ones. We’ll cover both best homemade and ready-to-use repellents with comments from the scientists in our Best Rabbit Repellents Review. Read it, there are many interesting things mentioned!
  • Use humane traps. Only lethal traps, such as mantraps are considered effective. Humane traps require too much fuss, such as installing it, finding bait, getting the victim 3 miles away from your house… Nevertheless, many states outlaw such traps, as you will basically drop a pest on your neighbors’ premises. Moreover, direct contact with a rabbit can make you catch some nasty disease. However, if you are ready to take the caught rabbits somewhere in the woods, pay attention to Havahart traps, such as Havahart 1083 Easy Set One-Door Cage Trap for Squirrels and Small Rabbits for Check current price. This manufacturer specializes in designing humane traps for different animals, including rabbits.

HOMESTEAD Heavy Duty Live Trap - Professional Style One-Door Live Animal Traps for Rabbit, Squirrel, Possum, Skunk, Kitten, Mink Small

Other measures can be used in order to decrease the rodent population more intensely. For example, hold a cleaning day in the neighborhood and make sure you clean all the spots where the animals can hide. Getting a dog is also a good idea, although the rabbits are not that scared of barking chained dogs. Hunter dogs, on the other hand, fit into the lethal section which we’ll elaborate on below with less pleasure.

  • Use lethal traps. Rabbits will never stop munching on trees, even if they will have carrots or fresh herbs available. That’s what is handy for the fans of bloody traps. Rabbits fall for such traps easily, and your job is to dispose of the dead body and make sure you didn’t get contaminated by it.

Here is a trap recipe by UC IPM: “you can trap cottontails and brush rabbits with a Conibear trap (No. 110), which kills the animal outright. Place the trap inside a covered box constructed from 3/4-inch exterior plywood with a 4-inch wide entrance. To further reduce hazards to children, pets, and poultry, position the trap back from the entrance. Slots at the back end of the box help in positioning the trap as does the hinged lid. The hole cut in the top of the hinged portion and covered with 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth serves as a means to check the trap or bait. Other kill-type traps, such as a tunnel trap, are also available”.

As an alternative, you can use 1 Dz Dakotaline Rabbit Snares trap for Check current price, which is designed especially for catching the rabbits. It looks like a wired loop-wire which strangles the rodent’s neck and deprives it of oxygen. This trap has to be well-hidden in the grass in order for a rabbit to get caught on such bait. Don’t touch it unless you’re wearing gloves, as the rabbits can identify human odor easily.

lethal rabbit trap: photo
  • Use poisons. Scientists don’t advise using poisons as this is not the coolest method which can bring you a lot of trouble. The dead rabbit bodies, for example, can attract predators and the poison itself is harmful for pets. In addition, we weren’t able to find on the market any more or less good poisons designed especially for the rabbits.
  • Try shooting and hunting. Hunting rabbits is officially permitted in most regions. The drawback is that this elimination method requires much hassle and investment, although it does effectively strike the entire rabbit population and lets you even have certain fun in process.

How to Get Rid Of Rabbits in the Winter

We can’t say that when winter comes, the conditions and rules of getting rid of rabbits change entirely. Nevertheless, some seasonal changes still occur.

First of all, rabbits’ natural food reserves are substantially reduced in winter. That’s why they draw closer to human accommodation and are no longer afraid of external stimuli. Second, snow comes to their advantage, as it washes off poison and helps overcome artificial obstacles. Don’t worry, though, as some useful knowledge will help you!

  1. Use repellents. Most of these products are less effective in winter. They get dissolved in snow and rain, get covered with snow, freeze under ice and stop working. That’s why you should be very careful when it comes to picking artificial chemicals for winter. Read our Best Rabbit Repellents Review to find out which repellents are best-suited for winter.
  2. Fence the entire property and certain plants. This measure is still effective in winter. You have to bear in mind the golden rule that all of the fences should be enlarged proportionately to the size of a possible snowdrift nearby.
  3. Use mantraps and shoot. The brutal part of our guide does not change generally. The main idea is not to leave the victims rotting where you’ve killed them, so that no hungry predators are attracted to your house.

Moreover, remember that in winter the rabbits’ appetite is focused on young trees. Ensure their safety first and make sure there are no huge snowdrifts, bumps or brushwood piles on the territory.

How to Keep the Rabbits Out Of Your Garden

  1. Use water! If you have an automatic lawn irrigation system, set it properly. You need your optical sensor to react to movement detected and to shower the said spot. Powerful water jets will surely repel a rodent! If you like this method of repelling the rabbits, but you don’t have a sprinkler yet, don’t waste time looking for it and read our review of the Best Motion-Activated Sprinklers.
  2. Don’t let the rabbits drink this water. The water can not only repel, but also attract the rabbits. A small pool, a lake or a decorative pond on your territory will become very attractive for animals. They can get to it to drink some water, so don’t forget to enclose such areas with fences and borders.
  3. Use professional help. If you’re afraid that the rabbit infestation will turn into a real siege of your place and you can’t bring yourself to murder these cutie pies, call the exterminators.
  4. Feed them! This is a contradictory control method. You could try installing a rabbit feeder on your property. The animals assumedly will consume whatever is in the feeders and won’t damage your plants and garden. Still, such kindness can attract more animals than you can feed in some cases.

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21 thoughts on “How to Get Rid Of Rabbits and Keep Them Out Of Your Garden”

  1. I’ve long thought about how to get rid of rabbits in yard, but I can’t kill rabbits. Repellents are a way out and I recommend them to everyone.

    1. I agree! I don’t understand people who want to get rid of rabbits with deadly traps. Obviously, they are most effective, but it’s so cruel. I wouldn’t dare try them.

  2. In general, rabbits don’t bother me, but they damage my yards and crops. I hope that Pest Control Pop Up will help me get rid of some rabbits at least. So far, it’s been useful.

  3. The fence, trapping, the hot pepper spray and several other ways to control the rabbits does not work. And as far as them not liking onions, marigolds and garlic they eat all of them, even the rhubarb. You need to come up with another solution.

  4. Your lawn is the first thing that people see when they come to your place. This is the main reason why you have spent your time and money, It would be a shame to see it get destroyed by little pricks called Moles. Moles aren’t pretty at all whether they are mammals that mess your backyard or the in the shape of keels on your face. Everybody wants to get rid of moles at the earliest.

  5. I bought some rabbit poison with instant 100% results. It showed excellent results when I placed it in my backyard. The rabbits thought it was edible and died of poisoning; I found two corpses about 25 meters away from where I put the poison

    1. what was the name of the poison you used ? I’m in california trying to get rid of a sudden infestation of rabbits all over my yard.

  6. How to kill a rabbit with this poison? I put it all over my place, but achieved zero results. no rabbits ate it. They spoiled all of last year’s crops so I want to prevent repeat infestation this year.

  7. Does anyone has any ideas how to get rid of rabbits under deck? I’d love to read some suggestions regarding elemination of these pests.

  8. Yes, I know well enough that getting rid of rabbits is very difficult. They once gnawed the cabbage I grew (not all of it, but some part was damaged). I used poison to get rid of them.

  9. How to keep rabbits out of my yard? Poison won’t suffice here. I heard there are many repellents, but I doubt them much.

    1. I can give you a 100% proven method of trapping a rabbit in your yard, which is a great alternative if you don’t want to kill them. Simply invest into a Havahart cage. I’ve heard much about repellents too, but the opinions contradict each other: some say they are excellent, while other claim they are useless. You really need to try and see for yourself.

  10. How about everyone just learn to live with them. We can’t, nor should we, eliminate all “pests”…they aren’t pests. They are just living their lives. It is a ridiculous notion…and frankly I am shocked someone who supposedly has a PhD in biology would be promoting the idea…ESPECIALLY poison!!
    It is a battle you can’t win…you eliminate a rabbit, another moves in. (Common sense).

  11. I like Dakotaline Rabbit Snares. If you know the route by which rabbits move, you will very easily catch them. The trap is very high quality. And you can catch not only rabbits with this trap, but other small pests.

  12. Oh, these damned rabbits! Literally yesterday I saw rabbit holes in yard! That’s how to deal with them! I’m already tired of digging in these holes, it’s good that they have not yet reached my harvest, otherwise I would have completely gone mad. Such a question, is there any repellers for rabbits, the same as for mice? I want to put a couple, see what happens.

  13. Have 2 dog’s rabbits keep digging holes and having babies, dogs find them and want to bring in the house. So gross to have dead baby rabbits to get rid of. Don’t know what to do. Yard is fenced and lawn is kept short.

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