Cinnamon, Citrus (d-limonene), Clove, Eucalyptus, Pennyroyal. The noise a dog makes will be the other significant indicator to a rabbit that another animal now lives in your yard. Rabbits from yards away can quickly scent the sharp odor emanating from chives, similar to the pungent smell of garlic. What essential oil do rabbits hate? My name is Anna and I work full time in my local pet shop where we sell many animals that I write about on this site. Rabbits grazing in your flower beds will simply eat around the less enticing plants. Even if you combine. Because of their especially sensitive respiratory tracts, birds are at particular risk when using essential oil diffusers. Even though rabbits have a strong sense of smell, lemon may not actually repel them. For Your Pet: Bunnies enjoy chomping on lemongrass stalks, as they are tough and crunchy. I get into the nitty-gritty on the most common types of pests youll see on your property including BOTH insects and wildlife, along with the specific signs to look for regarding any pest you have questions about. You could get creative and resourceful with this. In Vegetables. You can use a simple pre-made garlic spray or easily make your own by mixing some with a few raw eggs and pouring the mixture around your plants and garden. You can find dried sulfur at most garden supply stores, and it is easy to sprinkle around the base of your plants. Better yet, once the gardening season is over, you can harvest the chives and use them in your cooking, so once again, its a win-win for you. Using these scents to your advantage can help to deter wild rabbits or to keep your pet out of particular parts of your house or garden. Read on to learn more about what smells rabbits hate and how you can use them, as well as other tips and tricks to get those pesky furballs to stop eating your plants! When Im not out roaming around 50+ acres of pastures, woods, and a freshwater bass pond, Im at my computer writing on Pest Pointers. Here is a link to an article that goes into greater detail about why a rabbit's ears might hot or cold to the touch. Infinitely more convenient are sulfur powders, an example of which can be found here (link to Amazon.com). The plants that rabbits prefer to eat are grasses, roses, clovers, daisies, dandelions, kale, spinach, broccoli, beans, and lettuce. Many of these products contain natural ingredients and are perfectly safe to use, which is especially important if children also use the area. If you want to try peppermint to rid rabbits from your garden, douse a few cotton balls with peppermint essential oil. Knowing the specifictypethey are, their eating habits, what their natural predatorsare,and other similar details will be the first step in deterring them from your plants. OK, just let me clarify. and other similar details will be the first step in deterring them from your plants. If you live in a rural location, you may have also experienced problems with other mammals such as deer and coffee will work just as well for these larger creatures. In. It comes with scent tags, so you can spray the tag itself and place it nearby your plants, where the smell itself will last a bit longer being infused with the tag. Its truly a subjective opinion, but I would say that rabbits hate predator urine the most because of the alarming, alerting and intense fear a perceived threat brings upon these cute creatures who are very vulnerable. If your yard is filled with low-to-the-ground shrubs, sprawling moss or clover, or other low-hanging, creeping plants, this makes it prime rabbit territory. I grew up in an area of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a common occurrence. Take a look at my guide on Pest Proofing Your Home In Under a Day! {Why Rabbits Pee On You}, Do Wolves Eat Rabbits? Rosemary contains essential nutrients that help the growth of rabbits. I'm sure you're as curious as I am about the adorable and fluffy Lionhead rabbits. There are plenty of natural foods and ingredients that are strong-smelling and super effective rabbit repellants which will do nothing more than upset the rabbits senses. No, rabbits shouldn't eat citronella. Then, youhavetodecide how humane you want to be in your approach to deter them. How Long Does It Take For Rabbits To Learn Their Name? Since dogs are not natural predators of rabbits, the urine alone will not have the same effect as the lynx or coyote urine we discussed earlier. However, since some of these plants do not carry strong odors themselves, we dont recommend using these alone to keep rabbits away from your lawn. in addition to smell, rabbits run at the onset of loud sounds. Eggs are very high in two proteins, globulin and keratin. Take care in using moist grounds to avoid creating an additional bug problem for your plants. The only question people usually ask is: Do rabbits smell? Of everything mentioned previously, this is one of the more promising rabbit repellents. This site is run by Anna, Niklas and Jesper - three curious, caring and animal-loving people. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Keep the area as peaceful as possible. Since rabbits have such a sensitive sense of smell, there are many offensive odors that may help to deter and keep them away. Plant a crop of these near your rabbit-friendly plants, and it will help keep them at bay. Some methods listed above, like vinegar and garlic, are toxic to rabbits. For example, in Australia, wild rabbit populations have a significant negative and costly impact on agriculture through overgrazing, endangering many threatened plant species and ecological communities.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'bunnyadvice_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',627,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bunnyadvice_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Even rabbit lovers themselves may have good reasons for wanting to prevent wild rabbits from getting onto their property (e.g. Whilst typically not being as affectionate as cats or dogs, rabbits do form bonds with their owners, and there are several tell-tale signs to look out for. The problem with predator urine is that it may attract more of that animal. Use essential oils of any aromatic herbs mentioned, such as rosemary, mint, peppermint, lemon balm, etc. Use vinegar instead. is an excellent option because it also acts as a natural fertilizer for your plants, adding healthy nitrogen to the soil. Use common sense on if a certain smell needs to be reapplied often (usually 1-2 times a week depending on how strong the scent naturally is or what product you have.). Continue with Recommended Cookies. If your rabbit chews the carpet, some rabbits will dislike the taste of bitter sprays for pets, hot pepper sauce or flakes, vinegar, or rubbed-in Ivory soap, but they can be a hit and miss. BunnyAdvice.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Injured during improper handling by children. Basically, chili powder has an active ingredient called capsaicin that does all the irritating we mentioned. Back to repelling rabbits from your garden! Citrus is effective against other pests like transient cats, bugs, and slugs but not rabbits, deer, or squirrels. You get to enjoy the look and aroma of the fresh lavender, and it will keep those pesky fur balls out! It should be no surprise that plants with a strong fragrance or fuzzy leaves like lavender and black-eyed Susan are less popular with rabbits. Try interplanting planting highly fragrant herbs and flowers, plants with prickly, hairy leaves, and toxic plants with your vegetables and ornamentals to help confuse and repel rabbits. Its pretty obvious to anyone passing by our site that we really love rabbits, however, there are plenty of places where wild rabbit populations are so great that they are considered pests. Citrus fruits such as oranges or lemons and grapefruits do not necessarily repel all rabbits. Rabbits have large incisors, similar to squirrels and mice. Sometimes bats will occupy places where they arent welcome though, and, Read More Why Bats Will Leave On Their Own (And What To Do If They Dont)Continue. many people report how a few real-looking fake snakes deter rabbits from gardens and landscapes. It might be in the middle of your morning coffee, or it might be in the middle of the night, but you have had this, Read More 12 Ways To Get Crows To Shut Up And Stop CawingContinue, Raccoons are amazing and fascinating creatures, but that does not mean that most people want them in their yard, garden, or home. The powerful concentration of scents that essential oils deliver makes them a great deterrent to rabbits. Here are some common plants and flowers that repel rabbits, almost guaranteeing youll have one less pest to deal with this year. Screw on the lid, shake well, and spray onto your plants. Sprinkle several drops around the vicinity of your garden or around the plants from which you wish to deter the rabbits. When reading our posts please remember that every rabbit is different and as such we cannot comment on personal experiences. But the following are rabbit favorites: Tender, young leaves are the most susceptible, although they will sample many plants in the vegetable garden: These plants often sustain the most damage, because they are tender and generally out in the open with no protection: Rabbits prefer tender woody plants with thin bark, so new plants and shoots are at the most risk. . Vanilla is enjoyed by rabbits, lavender is a toss up. However, they will be able to smell that another animal is living in the yard, and that alone may help scare them away. This guy right next to me? Using a fence or fake snakes might be better options. Inspect the rabbit's hutch to determine if it's the source of the smell. They may take a bite, but they will experience the heat and wont like it. You can make spray oil by heating up 1/3 cup oil with cup chili flakes to around 300F. Keeping your rabbit inside Rabbits can live quite happily indoors and they should be provided with secure accommodation where they can feel safe, sleep, use a particular area as a toilet, and be confined to when unsupervised. Most often than not, the answer is NO. 1. The bunny was an indoor pet that could not handle outdoor temperatures. She grew up with cats and rabbits, and knew from a young age that she wanted to help animals in whatever way she could. That is not to say that it wont attract other rodents such as a rabbit and if a rabbit was to eat enough of the bait they would die. Trapping them may create more problems than it solves. Of course, a hungry rabbit will eat just about anything, but making your garden less tempting will hopefully have them scurrying to look for a tastier meal elsewhere. Manage Settings As we previously mentioned, rabbits have a powerful sense of smell and are wary of other animals urine. Also, youll have to reapply this every three to four weeks to keep the smell ripe and fresh. Its so accurate; they can smell food deep underground. Generally, sweet herbs and flowers are inviting to rabbits. n the natural order of things. They find the odor horrid. Ive even seen that raw eggs, garlic liquid and water mixed together and sprayed on the soil to absolutely repels rabbits. Youhave toapply it on a regular basis because the effects will wear off over time. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. While it may not smell appealing to you either, these scents will undoubtedly make rabbits do a triple take before even thinking about venturing into your yard. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Using these scents to your advantage can help to deter wild rabbits or to keep your . This is not only an easy do-it-yourself solution, but its repeatable over and over again. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. While they may not eat these particular plants, they may simply eat around them. If you are looking at using this home remedy, simply dilute some white rice vinegar in a spray bottle of water, and spray it liberally in the area surrounding your plants. Have you ever caught your beloved rabbit suddenly thumping its feet, leaving you curious and bewildered? Besides repulsive smells, rabbits are also scared and deterred by sounds they find displeasing to their long ears. Marie Iannotti is a life-long gardener and a veteran Master Gardener with nearly three decades of experience. Garlics sharp, pungent aroma may smell great to you when its being cooked in your favorite pasta sauce, but for rabbits, its a major turn-off. Rabbits, on the other hand, are not coffee fans and they certainly wont be setting up home in your garden at its scent. Bee balm can also be used to repel deer. Never feed your rabbits essential oils Contrary to what other people say, I suggest that you never attempt to feed your rabbits any essential oil. The smell is atrocious to them, and they will avoid it. link to Thump, Thump! No, citrus does not keep rabbits away. Echinacea is one plant the rabbits do not like. Williams, S. C., & Short, M. R. (2014). Naturally, scents need to be reapplied periodically in order to repel our furry friends, especially after heavy rainfall. Replace soiled hay each morning. Rabbits like the flavor and the smell will be imperceptible. Like we mentioned before, rabbits have such sensitive noses so they can sniff out potential predators. I have not tried it myself, but it has been recommended by members of the rabbit lover community in its essential oil form. Aside from barking, dogs will sniff, grumble, and make noise as they tromp through your yard. You can make spray oil by heating up 1/3 cup oil with cup chili flakes to around 300F. While the urine of any predator will increase your chances of repelling rabbits, if they arent familiar with the scent in your area, it may not do you any good. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Zack DeAngelis, the creator of Pest Pointers. 7. Yes. Garlic has a sharp and pungent smell that many animals do not like. As I learned more and more I decided to create this website to share my passion and experience of these amazing animals. Oranges, lemons, limes, Dust the soil around the plants you wish to deter rabbits from and, over that, layer some black pepper for added effect. 89 of 132 people found this answer helpful. Add water to cover, and place into a covered container overnight. The powerful concentration of scents that essential oils deliver makes them a great deterrent to rabbits. Rabbits like the smell of many flowers, sweet foods, and other rabbits. Considering one of the most popular candles and perfume scents is geranium, its clear humans do not feel the same way.