What Smells Do Rabbits Hate? Top Ways To Get Rid Of Rabbits Without Using Harsh Chemicals

Are you wondering what smells do rabbits hate? If so, chances are rabbits are causing you some problems.

Rabbits are cute, fuzzy creatures that many people enjoy keeping as pets. But wild rabbits can also be pests and can cause a lot of damage to your garden and yard. If you are having trouble with rabbits in your yard or garden, you might be wondering how to get rid of them without causing them harm or without using harsh chemicals that could be dangerous for people, pets, and the environment.

Luckily, we’re here to help with a list of products and home remedies you can use to deter rabbits. So, what smells do rabbits hate?

Before we dive into that section of our article, let’s first talk a bit about wild rabbits.

A Bit About Rabbits – The Good, The Bad, and The Destructive

1 a rabbit eating clover
Rabbits can be incredibly destructive to gardens if not controlled.

Rabbits are members of the Lagomorph family, which also includes hares and pikas. The lagomorphs are part of the order Lagomorpha. This means they have two incisors on top (which they use to bite) and two on the bottom (used for cutting). They also have four toes on each foot, but only three toes on each hind foot.

Rabbits can be found across the world in different habitats. In North America, rabbits live in burrows underground. These burrows have several entrances that lead to tunnels that allow rabbits to move around freely inside of them. Rabbits are also herbivores, meaning they eat only plants. They eat all kinds of plants including grasses, vegetables, fruits, and seeds!

Wild rabbits have a very high reproductive rate. A female rabbit (or a doe) can produce five or six litters per year, each with two to four kits. The gestation period is 28 days, and most of the young are born in early spring. The wild rabbit population can double every eight months if there is plenty of food and no natural predators around.

This can be incredibly problematic for those who are passionate about gardening or for anyone who wants to keep rabbits under control around their property. In smaller numbers, rabbits can be fun to watch. However, in large numbers, rabbits can be incredibly destructive.

Rabbits have a voracious appetite for green plants and can easily destroy your garden in a few days. They will eat almost any type of plant including vegetables, flowers, shrubs, trees and lawns. Their large front teeth make short work of most plants that they encounter. Rabbits also like to dig holes in lawns and flower beds which makes them unsightly as well as damaging to your plants.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to go about getting rid of rabbits, especially when you know the answer to what smells do rabbits hate.

Why Are Rabbits Attracted To My Yard and Garden?

2 two rabbits eating grass
Rabbits are prolific reproducers.

If you have wild rabbits in your yard or garden, you may be curious about why they’re attracted to your property and what you can do about it. Rabbits are most active at dawn and ducks, and they like to eat plants that grow above ground. They’ll also eat underground plant roots, so keep in mind that they can cause considerable damage to your landscape.

It is most likely that rabbits are attracted to your yard and garden because it provides a good source of food and shelter. Remember, rabbits are herbivorous and eat plants, herbs and vegetables. They have a very high reproductive rate, as we mentioned above, and they breed early in life.

Wild rabbits will eat many different plants if they’re available, however rabbits often prefer tender young shoots, leaves, flowers and buds of most common garden plants including:

  • Flowering shrubs and herbs (honeysuckle, firethorn, laurel)
  • Shrubs (holly)
  • Seedlings (apple trees)
  • Vegetables (cabbage, lettuce)

Some of the most common signs of rabbit activity in your yard and garden may be rabbits themselves. However, rabbits are often most active around sunset or just as the sun is rising in the morning. This means you may not see them during the day when you’re out and about. So, how do you know what smells do rabbits hate and how to diagnose a rabbit problem in your yard?

Here are a few signs to look for to help you decide if you should find out what smells do rabbits hate:

  • A large number of rabbit droppings
  • Burrows in the grass or flower beds
  • Chewed-up plants or bushes
  • Damage to tree bark

A Large Number Of Rabbit Droppings

 

Rabbit droppings are fairly easy to spot. They are about the size of peas, though maybe a bit smaller. They can vary in color from light yellow to dark brown depending on what the rabbits have been eating.

Rabbits tend to deposit them in one area, which makes it easy for you to see how many there are. If there is a lot of rabbit poop in one place, it could mean that there is a family of rabbits living near your home or that one or two rabbits have been visiting frequently.

Burrows in the Grass or Flower Beds

If rabbits dig burrows into the ground around your home, they will leave holes behind when they move on. These holes can easily be seen if they’re inside your yard because they will often have dirt piled up around them.

Chewed-Up Plants or Bushes

Rabbits love to eat plants, so if you find chewed-up leaves or stems on your plants and bushes, it’s likely that rabbits are causing the damage. This can be especially problematic if you have vegetable gardens in your yard, as these plants can be ruined by rabbit chewing before they even reach maturity.

Damage to Tree Bark

Rabbits also like to chew on tree bark, so if you notice a lot of gnaw marks on your trees, it could mean there are rabbits living nearby. Tree bark is a great source of nutrition for rabbits, but it can also cause serious damage to trees as well as other plants in your yard.

What Smells Do Rabbits Hate – Best Methods For Rabbit Control

3 a rabbit smelling a tree
Some of the best methods for rabbit control is using smells that rabbits hate to deter them.

Before we look into what smells do rabbits hate, it’s a good idea to talk about the different forms of rabbit control you have available to you.

Rabbit damage to your yard or garden can be devastating. Rabbits can cause a lot of destruction to your plants and vegetables, leaving the plants in need of repair. They also leave behind droppings that can cause diseases and viruses, which can be harmful to you, your family and pets.

Luckily, there are several ways you can prevent rabbits from destroying your garden or yard, including:

Rabbit Repellents:

Repellents could include a list of what smells do rabbits hate, but they could also include other products as well.

In fact, rabbit repellents are one of the best ways to get rid of rabbits in your garden without harming them. The most common rabbit repellent is garlic, which you’ll see further down in our section on what smells do rabbits hate. Another repellent that works on rabbits include hot peppers, chives, and more.

Live Traps

You can also use catch and release traps to catch rabbits in your yard; however, this method takes skill because you need to know how to trap a rabbit correctly so that the rabbit doesn’t hurt itself or harm you while you’re trying to catch it.

Home Remedies

There are many home remedies that can be used against rabbits such as garlic, peppermint oil, and more. These methods can use a variety of things we will discuss in our section about what smells do rabbits hate, but we should note here that these methods have no long-term effects on the rabbit population and they only work temporarily.

Hiring Professional Pest Control Experts

At the end of the day, if you’ve tried methods and even gone through our list of what smells do rabbits hate and still find your rabbit repellent methods are not working, then it may be time to call the professionals.

So, What Smells Do Rabbits Hate?

4 a rabbit up close
Rabbits hate a number of different smells like lavender, vinegar, and more.

Rabbits are prey to a wide variety of other wild animals, and to protect themselves they have evolved to be cautious and avoid predators. For this reason, rabbits have a very good sense of smell and can detect danger from far away using scent. You can use their incredible sense of smell to your advantage when it comes to researching what smells do rabbits hate.

So, what smells do rabbits hate that you can use for rabbit repellent? Take a look!

Garlic:

When it comes to what smells do rabbits hate, garlic is top on the list. This herb is extremely effective at keeping rabbits away from your garden. It’s also an excellent repellent for other pests. Garlic is a member of the onion family and has a strong aroma that can be offensive to wild rabbits if they come in contact with it.

Vinegar:

Vinegar is another effective scent that will keep rabbits away from your garden. If you’re going to use this method when looking into what smells do rabbits hate, make sure you dilute the vinegar with water before applying it to the plants as it can burn them otherwise. Scroll down to our home remedies section of this article to learn more.

Predator Scents:

Predator scents are not just limited to dogs and cats when it comes to what smells do rabbits hate. There are many different types of predator scents that can keep rabbits at bay. Some of these include fox urine, coyote urine and bobcat urine. These scents are available in the form of sprays that can be sprayed around your yard or garden area.

Chili Powder:

The smell of chili powder is another scent on our list of what smells do rabbits hate. Chili powder is irritating to rabbits because it contains capsaicin, which can cause burning or irritation in their eyes and nose.

Blood Meal:

When it comes to what smells do rabbits hate, blood meal is another scent on our list. Blood meal is used in organic gardening as well as in composting. Rabbits will not go near the area where the blood meal is buried or spread around.

This smell is pungent and can be smelled from a distance away. You may have seen this product used in the garden center of your local store. It is sold in large bags and can be added to the soil around plants that need nitrogen like roses, tomatoes and peppers.

Chives:

Like garlic, chives have a strong odor that can be very irritating to rabbits. When it comes to what smells do rabbits hate, growing chives can help to keep them away because it does not allow them to graze on the grasses or plants nearby.

Wax Begonias

Rabbits hate the smell of wax begonias and will avoid your garden if this plant is planted there. It’s not only the smell that is unpleasant to them, but also the color of the flower itself — it’s very bright and colorful. So, if you want to protect your garden from rabbits, plant some begonias in your backyard.

Sulfur

Rabbits hate sulfur smell and will avoid areas where this substance has been applied. If you want to protect your garden from rabbits, sprinkle sulfur powder around plants and other areas where you have noticed rabbit activity.

Lavender

Lavender is another one of our scents on the list of what smells do rabbits hate. The great thing about lavender is that it smells lovely to people but can repel not only rabbits, but also other pests like spiders, roaches, ants, and ticks. There are several ways you can use lavender. You can hang lavender sachets around your garden, sprinkle lavender seeds on the ground, or even grow lavender in your garden.

Geraniums

Like lavender, geraniums also repel rabbits. Geraniums have a strong, sweet scent that rabbits find repulsive. Geraniums are also known for their ability to protect plants from disease and pests, so your garden will be healthier if you plant some geraniums around it.

What Smells Do Rabbits Hate – Does It Really Work?

The truth is, even when asking yourself what smells do rabbits hate, and even with using them, it’s important to remember that smells do not deter rabbits on their own. It’s important to use other products to help get rid of and control rabbits.

Best Products For How To Control Rabbits Using What Smells Do Rabbits Hate

5 a rabbit in a field
There are plenty of products on the market that use smells rabbits don’t like to help deter them.

Now that we know the answer to what smells to what smells do rabbits hate, it’s also a good idea to know which products you can use that include these smells to help get rid of rabbits.

Natural Armor Liquid Fence Rabbit Granules

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If your property has become infested with rabbits, try using Natural Armor Liquid Fence Rabbit Granules. These granules are made from a mixture of natural ingredients that repel rabbits and other small animals. Once applied, they create a barrier around your property that will keep rabbits away for up to six months.

The granules contain a powerful combination of ingredients including garlic oil and rosemary oil. These oils have been shown in studies to be effective at repelling several types of pests including rats and mice as well as rabbits.

Nature’s Mace Rabbit Repellent

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Another great way to take advantage of what smells do rabbits hate is to use a product called Nature’s Mace Rabbit Repellent. This product is made from all natural ingredients that are highly irritating to rabbits but safe for people, pets, and the environment.

This product is easy to use. Simply spray it on your plants or vegetables and rabbits will steer clear. For best results, you’ll need to reapply this spray once every few days. It works best when used in conjunction with other rabbit repellent products, which we will talk about further down.

Bonide Repels-All Animal Repellent

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Bonide Repels-All Animal Repellent is one of the most popular products available for deterring rabbits and keeping them from destroying your garden.

This product contains all natural ingredients that include ingredients on our list of what smells do rabbits hate. These ingredients that will not harm people, pets, or the environment. And, while they are irritating to rabbits, they will also not harm them.

The spray comes in a concentrated form and should be combined with water before you spray down your plants and flowers. The organic ingredients in Bonide Repels-All Animal Repellent include garlic oil, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil, citronella oil and more!

Enviro Rabbit Scram Granular Repellent

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Enviro Rabbit Scram Granular Repellent is a blend of three ingredients that rabbits are repelled by, including the active ingredient in Enviro Rabbit Scram Granular Repellent is sodium nitrite (NaNO2).

This is an organic salt that has been used for centuries to control pests like moles and gophers by triggering their natural instinct to leave an area when they smell it. The product works by repelling rabbits and other pests. It doesn’t kill or poison the rabbit, but it makes them want to leave the area. This can be useful if you are trying to protect your vegetable garden or lawn from being eaten by rabbits.

To use this product, simply spread it around your yard in areas where you see rabbits digging and eating your plants. There is no need for watering or fertilizing after application. The effects last for up to one month after application, so it’s important that you apply a second treatment if necessary.

Safer Ready To Use Critter Ridder Rabbit Repellent

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The Safer Ready To Use Critter Ridder Rabbit Repellent is a safe, effective and humane way to deter rabbits from your yard using products from our list of what smells do rabbits hate.

The product comes in a ready-to-use spray bottle that can be applied directly onto plants or other areas where rabbits have been spotted. It contains natural ingredients including wormwood oil, clove oil and thyme oil which make it especially effective in keeping rabbits away from flower beds and vegetable gardens. The ingredients in this product are safe for both people and pets.

American Heritage Industries Coyote Urine

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Coyote urine is an organic solution that is safe for use around children and pets. It mimics the scent of a natural predator for the rabbit’s sense of smell. When used properly, coyote urine will keep rabbits from coming back into your yard again.

To use this product, shake up the bottle so that it mixes well before spraying it around your yard. If you are using a spray bottle, then shake up the bottle for about 30 seconds until it becomes cloudy with bubbles. This will ensure that you get an even distribution around your yard whenever you spray it on surfaces like trees or bushes where rabbits tend to spend their time.

Other Products You Can Use As Rabbit Control

6 a rabbit under a tree
Along with using smells rabbits hate, you should also use other products to control them.

Since we already know that using what smells do rabbits hate will not get rid of rabbits alone, it’s also important to know about other options you have for rabbit removal.

Defendy Ultrasonic Animal Repeller

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Defendy Ultrasonic Animal Repeller is a device that emits ultrasonic sounds that are inaudible to humans but can be heard by rabbits. The idea behind this product is that it will scare away the rabbits so they will leave your property alone.

The device comes with three different modes: high frequency mode, medium frequency mode and low frequency mode. Each one is meant for different types of animals such as coyotes, rabbits, deer, and even birds. The high frequency mode works best against larger pests like deer and coyotes while the low frequency mode is ideal for rodents, rabbits, and squirrels.

Safetrap Humane Animal Trap

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The Safetrap Humane Animal Trap is an effective and humane way to help get rid of rabbits along with using products on our list of what smells do rabbits hate. This trap is safe for you, your family, and the rabbit.

The Safetrap Humane Animal Trap is made of durable steel and works best for outdoor use. The trap works on different types of smaller animals including squirrels, rats, chipmunks, groundhogs, rabbits and more!

We like that this trap is easy to set up with no special tools needed. All you need to do is place the bait inside the trap and set it up in the desired area. When an animal takes the bait they will trigger the door to spring shut on them so they cannot escape!

How To Make Your Own Products What Smells Do Rabbits Hate

7 rabbits with yellow flowers
It may be easier than you think to make your own rabbit repellent at home.

If you want to use do-it-yourself pest control remedies that utilize what smells do rabbits hate, then this is the section for you. We already know rabbits hate a variety of scents including household items like garlic, chili pepper, vinegar, chives, lavender, and even predator urine.

Here are a few ways you can make your own rabbit repellent at home using what smells do rabbits hate.

How To Make Your Own Rabbit Repellent Spray Using Lavender

If you have a garden or vegetable patch that is being destroyed by rabbits then this is a great way to keep them at bay. You will need:

– 1 cup of water

– 10 drops of lavender essential oil

– A spray bottle (a glass one works best)

Place all the ingredients into the spray bottle and shake well. Spray around the area where you want to keep rabbits away from and they should stay away. This is because lavender is one of the scents on our list of what smells do rabbits hate! You can also add a few drops of peppermint essential oil for some extra scented power.

How To Make A Garlic Repellent To Keep Rabbits At Bay

Garlic is an amazing plant that can be used for so many things and repelling rabbits is no exception! It’s been used for years as an effective way to keep pests away from gardens, so why not try it out for yourself?

In order to make your own garlic rabbit repellent, you will need:

-Garlic cloves (the more the better!)

-Vegetable oil (such as olive oil)

-Jar or container with a lid

Directions:

  1. Cut up your garlic cloves into small pieces (you don’t want them too big or they won’t fit in your jar). If you don’t want to touch them with your hands or get any juice on them, you can use gloves.
  1. Add vegetable oil to the jar until it reaches about 1/4 inch from the top of the jar. The amount of oil doesn’t matter for this recipe because it will just be sitting there anyway!
  1. Add the garlic cloves until they are partially covered by oil. You don’t have to worry about them floating because they will sink eventually. Just make sure that all of them are submerged in some kind of liquid.
  1. Let sit for at least a week before using so that all of the beneficial oils are extracted from your garlic clove halves. You can also add other repellents like citronella oil or eucalyptus essential oil if desired! Then pour the liquid mixture into a spray bottle and spray this mixture in areas you have noticed rabbit activity.

Best Practices For Getting Rid Of Rabbits

8 rabbit looking at the camera
If you stay consistent, getting rid of rabbits can be possible.

Rabbits are cute, but they can also be destructive pests. They love to chew on plants and dig up lawns, and they procreate rapidly. The good news is that there are plenty of scents on our above list of what smells do rabbits hate you can use to deter them.

You can also use the below steps to help keep rabbits at bay:

  • Keep up with landscaping to make your yard less desirable
  • Use companion planting with plants rabbits don’t like
  • Install rabbit-proof fencing around your garden
  • Invest in a dog or cat (but only if you’re in the market for a pet, of course!)
  • Invite the rabbit predators to your yard to make your property less attractive to rabbits
  • Last but not least, contact a professional if your rabbit problem persists

We hope this has been a helpful guide on what smells do rabbits hate! Remember, while rabbits do play an important part in our ecosystem, they can also be quite destructive. Luckly, with patience, consistency, and the use of a combination of products and strategy, you should be able to control them and protect your garden.

Best of luck!

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