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. We havent tried it ourselves but we have heard of numerous reports of rabbit owners using it to stop rabbits chewing where its not wanted such as table or chair legs. We will always advocate the use of natural products to deter rabbits and any other type of wildlife. If you are interested in how to deter rabbits, there are ways to control them from overrunning your garden. Rabbits have a strong sense of smell, which they use to find accessible food sources. The powerful concentration of scents that essential oils deliver makes them a great deterrent to rabbits. 1, 2020. doi:10.1136/vetreco-2020-000402. Pocketpetcentral.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. You can also use chili powder or cayenne pepper for similar effects. 12 Plants That Keep Rabbits Out Of Your Garden - This Old House Smells Rabbits Hate (That You Probably Own!) - Bunny Advice These two proteins give that familiar rotten egg odor that some animals including rabbits find so repellant. They will devour tender shoots in spring and gnaw through bark in the winter. This is not only an easy do-it-yourself solution, but its repeatable over and over again. For Your Pet: Bunnies enjoy chomping on lemongrass stalks, as they are tough and crunchy. 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. Deer and rabbits often ignore strongly scented herbs such as basil, rosemary, and oregano. Positioning lavender near your affected plants is a win-win. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. It may take a little while to convince the rabbits to look elsewhere for their dinner. Therefore, unlike dogs, rabbits do not have a very distinct "Rabbit Smell". Simply put, were going to smell them away! 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. Since chives are such a strong-smelling plant, using this herb to repel rabbits is always a brilliant idea. 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. 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. Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits fit the bill, albeit a little acidic. Skunks are known for being stinky and stripped. This is why we cannot be certain that a rabbit is either stressed, uncomfortable or completely repulsed by some of the odors that we have in our home. Fireplace fumes - ensure your house is well ventilated so carbon dioxide fumes are properly dispersed. 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! USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Decoding Rabbit Foot Thumping. Im currently drinking coffee and I dont think my rabbit wants to be anywhere near me. Naturally, one of the solutions to getting rid of rabbits is to get rid of the places they like to hide and making them not want to venture into your yard in the first place. This can then be used along the borders. Take a look at my guide on Pest Proofing Your Home In Under a Day! Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Rabbits can and do recognize their owners. link to Discover the Surprising Size of Lionhead Rabbits: How Big Do They Get? It is hard to tell when a rabbit is making subtle responses to pungent aromas that you may not have thought were actually repellents. While rabbits are cute when you spot one hopping through the woods or in someones backyard, theyre much less adorable when in your garden, eating the plants, flowers, and shrubs youve painstakingly grown from scratch. Is green grass good for rabbits? Sage is safe for a rabbit to eat, but many rabbits do not like the strong taste or smell given off by sage. So, what can be done to keep these cute little flower eaters at bay? Place these around the garden, and the vinegar scent will help to keep the rabbits at bay. OK maybe not. 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. This is definitely not aromatherapy for a rabbit who will be repelled by the following essential oils: Some rabbits have their unique preferences and may refute these generalizations of odors that most of them hate. Using a fence or fake snakes might be better options. Luckily for me, Vito isnt the biggest pest in my life. You can benefit from this by using orange or lemon peels in your garden to keep cats out or spritzing citrus scents on indoor fabrics. Find your favorite variety of bee balm and plant it in container gardens as well as a background color in your beds that edge the yard. However, they will be able to smell that another animal is living in the yard, and that alone may help scare them away. What smells do rabbits hate? - Thank Chickens Read on to learn more about what smells rabbits hate and how you can . }, Do Rabbits Play Dead? In Proceedings of the 2nd Vertebrate Pest Control Conference (1964) (p. 15). It has an NPK ratio of 12-0-0, meaning there are large amounts of nitrogen without phosphorus or potassium. Do rabbits like Irish Spring soap? How does one identify rabbit damage and what do they eat? . Some of them are dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, B9 calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese . So firstly, what are these common smells that rabbits hate? The smell is atrocious to them, and they will avoid it. You should definitely use scents to deter rabbits, but there are other things that you can do to your property that will help deter rabbits and other pesky critters in the long run. She's also an author of three gardening books, a plant photographer, public speaker, and a former Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator. The most common solution that gardeners use to fend off rabbits is to use unpleasant smells to make them want to stay away. However, if you find that using scents to repel rabbits isnt for you, for whatever reason, be sure to utilize one of our other options! Evaluation of eight repellents in deterring eastern cottontail herbivory in Connecticut. Rabbits dont like the smell of peppermint, but they will eat the plant, especially if the peppermint isnt very strong. When globulin starts to decay, it releases hydrogen sulfide which has a strong sulfur smell. Your email address will not be published. - Health Risks and Issues; Dr Elly. Check for any areas that are particularly damp or any areas with waste in them that haven't been cleaned recently. Good ol fashioned chili powder. Common irritants to rabbits include: Carpet cleaning products. 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.