How to Get Rid of Rabbits
Reduce the areas where rabbits like to hide., Secure structures., Remove access to any water sources., Plant as many rabbit-deterring plants as possible., Plant trees that deter rabbits., Protect shrubs and trees from damage using hardware cloth.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Reduce the areas where rabbits like to hide.
Because rabbits will hide in accumulations of vegetation, a great way to deter rabbits is to keep your grass mowed short, remove any unnecessary vegetation such as tall grasses, and clean up plant debris regularly.
Also, be sure to trim off and discard low-hanging bottom branches on bushes and shrubs, which rabbits may use for cover.
Finally, fill in any existing burrows you may find on your property.Tour your property regularly to find potential sites of infestation as well as burrows that need covering.
Check sites where you have taken measures to deter rabbits on a regular basis to maintain control over these areas. -
Step 2: Secure structures.
Make sure no rabbits are hiding in any holes you may find under sheds, decks, stairs, and other places where rabbits may find shelter.
Seal these holes with chicken wire or wood.Use chicken wire mesh or wood board spacing of one inch (2.5 cm) or less to reduce the chances rabbits will gain entry.Check places where you have secured the structure on a regular basis to make sure the repairs are intact.
Pest control services that specialize in small animal removal and control may be able to recommend contractors who may be able to help you secure structures. , Rabbits may be especially prone to making their habitat on property that is close to a water source.
If you have a water source on your property—a stream, creek, pond, etc.—you can build fences around them to encourage rabbits to build their habitat elsewhere.As with sealing holes, be sure that the fence you build is made of a mesh that has one-inch holes or smaller.
You should also bury the bottom of the fence at least four to eight inches underground and ensure it is at least two feet high.Be sure to maintain your fence over time.
Rabbits may find weak spots or dig up sections along the ground to re-gain entry. , Few plants will be off-limits to rabbits as food, but some are certainly on the lower end of desirability, and planting these might encourage rabbits to go elsewhere in search of food.
These undesirables include annuals such as goatweed, impatiens, and verbena, perennials like echinacea and honeysuckle, and groundcover such as big periwinkle and bougainvillea.
Combined with perennials and annuals, shrubs like rhododendrons and camellias can offer an extra deterrent.Consult with a landscape designer on ways to incorporate these plants into your garden in an effective and aesthetically pleasing way. , Like plants, not all trees that rabbits dislike are always off-limits to them, but there are some that seem to be less preferred.
These trees may, in turn, be worth planting as a means to making your landscape less desirable to rabbits.
These include alder and birch trees.Visit a tree farm to see if you can purchase young trees that can be planted on your property. , Rabbits can damage and even kill shrubs and trees by gnawing on the bark around the base.
Wrap hardware cloth around the bases of shrubs and trees that are susceptible to damage.
Rabbits cannot gnaw through hardware cloth and it will effectively protect shrubs and trees.
Some people use this technique with great success.
Hardware cloth despite the name is not a cloth, but rather a galvanized wire screen that comes in rolls and is available from your hardware store. -
Step 3: Remove access to any water sources.
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Step 4: Plant as many rabbit-deterring plants as possible.
-
Step 5: Plant trees that deter rabbits.
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Step 6: Protect shrubs and trees from damage using hardware cloth.
Detailed Guide
Because rabbits will hide in accumulations of vegetation, a great way to deter rabbits is to keep your grass mowed short, remove any unnecessary vegetation such as tall grasses, and clean up plant debris regularly.
Also, be sure to trim off and discard low-hanging bottom branches on bushes and shrubs, which rabbits may use for cover.
Finally, fill in any existing burrows you may find on your property.Tour your property regularly to find potential sites of infestation as well as burrows that need covering.
Check sites where you have taken measures to deter rabbits on a regular basis to maintain control over these areas.
Make sure no rabbits are hiding in any holes you may find under sheds, decks, stairs, and other places where rabbits may find shelter.
Seal these holes with chicken wire or wood.Use chicken wire mesh or wood board spacing of one inch (2.5 cm) or less to reduce the chances rabbits will gain entry.Check places where you have secured the structure on a regular basis to make sure the repairs are intact.
Pest control services that specialize in small animal removal and control may be able to recommend contractors who may be able to help you secure structures. , Rabbits may be especially prone to making their habitat on property that is close to a water source.
If you have a water source on your property—a stream, creek, pond, etc.—you can build fences around them to encourage rabbits to build their habitat elsewhere.As with sealing holes, be sure that the fence you build is made of a mesh that has one-inch holes or smaller.
You should also bury the bottom of the fence at least four to eight inches underground and ensure it is at least two feet high.Be sure to maintain your fence over time.
Rabbits may find weak spots or dig up sections along the ground to re-gain entry. , Few plants will be off-limits to rabbits as food, but some are certainly on the lower end of desirability, and planting these might encourage rabbits to go elsewhere in search of food.
These undesirables include annuals such as goatweed, impatiens, and verbena, perennials like echinacea and honeysuckle, and groundcover such as big periwinkle and bougainvillea.
Combined with perennials and annuals, shrubs like rhododendrons and camellias can offer an extra deterrent.Consult with a landscape designer on ways to incorporate these plants into your garden in an effective and aesthetically pleasing way. , Like plants, not all trees that rabbits dislike are always off-limits to them, but there are some that seem to be less preferred.
These trees may, in turn, be worth planting as a means to making your landscape less desirable to rabbits.
These include alder and birch trees.Visit a tree farm to see if you can purchase young trees that can be planted on your property. , Rabbits can damage and even kill shrubs and trees by gnawing on the bark around the base.
Wrap hardware cloth around the bases of shrubs and trees that are susceptible to damage.
Rabbits cannot gnaw through hardware cloth and it will effectively protect shrubs and trees.
Some people use this technique with great success.
Hardware cloth despite the name is not a cloth, but rather a galvanized wire screen that comes in rolls and is available from your hardware store.
About the Author
Lisa West
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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