Rabbits, Guinea Pigs, and pocket pets are also at risk. Aside from the scent left behind by their natural predators, there are also other smells that rabbits dislike, many of which are common ingredients that many of us have around the home.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'bunnyadvice_com-banner-1','ezslot_3',631,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bunnyadvice_com-banner-1-0'); As we have mentioned, using natural ingredients as rabbit repellent is one of the best ways to avoid causing any harm to these delicate animals. Rabbits despise the smell of coffee grounds. Mainly, its due to the texture and again, the strong scent of the plant itself. powdered or fresh, with the chili oil recipe mentioned above. They may take a bite, but they will experience the heat and wont like it. Any way you want to do it will be suff. 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. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. {Why Rabbits Pee On You}, Do Wolves Eat Rabbits? Essential oils can be pleasing for some as it is said to have relaxing properties, but others may hate them and be repulsed by these strong odors. Rabbits have a strong sense of smell, which they use to find accessible food sources. Deer can damage plants 6 feet high, and they tear plants when eating so that the stems and leaves are ragged, not cleanly cut like rabbit damage. Aside from aiding in indigestion, it can also reduce stress. We have found it to be very effective at keeping our own house rabbits out of my baby daughters bedroom (soaking a little into cotton wool balls and leaving a few around).if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'bunnyadvice_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_6',634,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-bunnyadvice_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Vinegar works well in the home as it is such a bitter scent that, owing to a rabbits heightened sense of smell, can be very overwhelming for these small creatures but not so for us. 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. Well, the same applies to rabbits. Reapply this every evening, right before rabbits eat, usually at dusk. n the natural order of things. They have 100 million scent cells with a nasal membrane sensitive to chemicals, dust, and perfumes. So if your dog pees anywhere in your yard, rabbits will smell it! Have you ever caught your beloved rabbit suddenly thumping its feet, leaving you curious and bewildered? Also, take the strained pepper flakes and sprinkle them around your plants. What Smells Are Toxic To Rabbits? - Stellina Marfa Visit our Terms and Conditions for more information. Simply soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and place it in a small jar or canister with holes poked in the lid. Sprinkle several drops around the vicinity of your garden or around the plants from which you wish to deter the rabbits. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. }, Do Rabbits Play Dead? Yes, red pepper flakes will keep rabbits away from your flowers and produce. Check for any areas that are particularly damp or any areas with waste in them that haven't been cleaned recently. and other similar details will be the first step in deterring them from your plants. All rights reserved. Image By: Obodai26 from Pixabay. Infinitely more convenient are sulfur powders, an example of which can be found here (link to Amazon.com). Vinegar is an effectivemethod for ridding rabbits from your yard and garden. Marie's garden writing has been featured in newspapers and magazines nationwide and she has been interviewed for Martha Stewart Radio, National Public Radio, and numerous articles. Rabbits grazing in your flower beds will simply eat around the less enticing plants. Do Rabbits Smell? (Simple Tips to Keep Them Odorless) 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. OK maybe not. The intricate design of their olfactory system allows them to smell food and danger many miles away. Rabbits also hate the smell of blood, crushed red peppers, ammonia, vinegar, and garlic. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Rabbits are cute little critters, but not when they eat and nip at the garden youve. You can find dried sulfur at most garden supply stores, and it is easy to sprinkle around the base of your plants. When using any of the recommended methods above, there are a few things to keep in mind: If youve tried everymethodyou can, and the rabbits are still invading your plants, consuming them without mercy, you are going to have to be more proactive. The most common solution that gardeners use to fend off rabbits is to use unpleasant smells to make them want to stay away. However, they will be able to smell that another animal is living in the yard, and that alone may help scare them away. Do Rabbits Eat Lavender? - Sweetish Hill uhave tomonitor each method with a close eye to see if itsactually workingagainst rabbit invasions. Darren is the founder and editor at Bunny Advice and has been caring for rabbits for over a decade. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Actually, Rabbits do not like the smell of peppermint.To help keep rabbits out of garden areas, put 2-3 drops of Young Living . So if you live in the Southeast or Southwest, coyote urine may be an excellent go-to for scaring rabbits away. When reading our posts please remember that every rabbit is different and as such we cannot comment on personal experiences. You can create a lemon-scented spray by using lemon juice diluted in water, equal parts of each, and then spray it on the areas you want to keep cats out. The urine of predators such as Coyotes and Foxes is particularly effective at getting rid of unwanted rabbits, an example of which can be found here (link to Amazon.com). Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our expertsstraight to your inbox. I'm sure you're as curious as I am about the adorable and fluffy Lionhead rabbits. Get daily tips & tricks to help make your best home, How to Keep Rabbits Out of Garden With or Without Fences, Controlling and Deterring Rabbits in the Garden, Designing a Dreamy Wildflower Garden You Can Maintain, Onion Companion Planting: 18 Onion Companion Plants to Grow, 31 Best-Deer Resistant Flowers and Plants to Grow, How to Get Rid of Chipmunks Using Traps or Repellants, control them from overrunning your garden, How does one identify rabbit damage and what do they eat, F. Plants and mushrooms associated with animal poisoning incidents in South Africa. 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. Sage is safe for a rabbit to eat, but many rabbits do not like the strong taste or smell given off by sage. Why does this work? . link to Thump, Thump! Yes, garlic is very effective at keeping rabbits away. Common ingredients that rabbits hate the smell of include garlic, white vinegar, chili peppers, rotten eggs (sulfur), and certain strong perfumes. Do rabbits like the smell of onions? Rabbits are picky eaters who avoid foods that taste bad, so any flavor that is unpleasant repels them. Strain, and then add enough water to make a gallon of the mixture. The plants that rabbits prefer to eat are grasses, roses, clovers, daisies, dandelions, kale, spinach, broccoli, beans, and lettuce. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Rabbit control. Even though rabbits have a strong sense of smell, lemon may not actually repel them. Fabric and air fresheners. 18 Herbs That Are Deer Resistant (with Photos & Details) your garden or each plant is very reliable. So, use your best judgment and come up with a plan before attempting it. Remove from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Decoding Rabbit Foot Thumping. So when you plant rosemary, lavender, thyme, bee balm, and mint to discourage deer, you are also planting rabbit-resistant herbs. If your rabbit likes lemon balm for example, then keep using it. Up until then, I had no idea that they were such great pets! You will have to create an application schedule for any olfactory offensivemeasureand this may become tedious. Keep the area as peaceful as possible. Yet other gardeners report that rabbits get used to the taste or smell and eat your plants anyway. Most cats are bothered by citrus smells, such as lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit. If your yard doesnt have a proper spot for a rabbit to snack in peace, its less likely that they will choose your garden to be their new favorite lunch spot. How Good is a Rabbit's Sense of Smell? Rabbit Care Tips Open up your rabbit's hutch or enclosure to look around and smell it. Rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, and other creatures will eventually avoid it. 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 general healthy rabbits don't smell bad at all. Do Coffee Grounds Keep Rabbits Away? (How to Effectively Use them) Yuck! Do rabbits like the smell of mint? We want to provide you with all the information for your furry little pals! Theyll keep rabbits away without hurting them or your plants. Add water to cover, and place into a covered container overnight. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. They like to eat almost any fruit. Just having the coffee grounds in your garden will repel rabbits. Essential Oil concentrates that are known to be Pet Poisons include: Generally, the following oils are considered safe for rabbits: lavender, lemon, orange, fennel, peppermint, eucalyptus. Ahh yes. Copyright 2023 This Old House Ventures, LLC. todecide how humane you want to be in your approach to deter them. Many owners mistakenly believe that this essential oil is good for getting rid of fleas or fungus on rabbits. What Essential Oils Are Toxic To Rabbits? - Stellina Marfa And these oils are generally NOT safe for rabbits: anise, clove, oregano, tea tree, wintergreen. These two proteins give that familiar rotten egg odor that some animals including rabbits find so repellant. This thermoregulation capacity of rabbits does not produce any scent. From birth, rabbits have a heightened sense of smell due in part to the way they smell nose blinking. Spread dried or moist, yet used, coffee grounds around the plants you want the rabbits to avoid. So, what smells do rabbits hate so much? For most rabbits, as long as you regularly clean the litter box and cage, you won't have to worry about having a smelly house. Consider adding plants with a strong scenta rabbits sense of smell is much stronger than a humans. While predator scents will scare them away (well go over that in a moment), most other odors will annoy them away more than scare them. Again, the strong scent of sulfer here is the key. This means it has some nitrogen and a whole lot of phosphorus, which is great depending on what youre growing. A rabbit may not wish to come back to the same area where they hear these noises ever again. A Guide To Keep Your Rabbit (and House) From Smelling Bad - The Bunny Lady y so as not to harm plants or other animals; or to deter predators from your property. Discover the Surprising Size of Lionhead Rabbits: How Big Do They Get? Some of them are dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, B9 calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese . You can purchase predator urine, like bears, coyotes, and foxes, from sporting goods, home improvement, or gardening stores. Since rabbits are known not only for their noses but also their wild hopping skills, installing a fence may seem like a futile effort. in addition to smell, rabbits run at the onset of loud sounds. Rabbit owners often find themselves wondering about the reasons behind this My interest in rabbits started over a decade ago when I bought one as a gift and ended up being the primary carer. However, do note that the scent of begonias is more likely to be pungent on sunny days, so you may not get as strong of rabbit repelling scent on those cloudy, overcast days. Bone meal makes a great fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 3.5-17-0. If using corn cobs, periodically re-soak them in vinegar because the smell will fade over time. You may not know it, but some of the smells that are coming from your kitchen are making your rabbit quite stressed in the living room. If youre interested in taking a look at a quality blood meal product for your plants, take a look at Burpee Organic Blood Meal Fertilizer, which Is ideal for leafy garden vegetables! I grew up in an area of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a common occurrence. Well, mainly because rabbits have an extremely sharp sense of smell, like many wild animals, and are easily deterred by seemingly unpleasant smells and tastes. Sage is also high in fiber and helps with a rabbit's .