Rabbit Problems and Solutions

Electric Fence:
Mr. McGregor’s Fence® Kits (100 feet)
Mr. McGregor's Extender Kit (50 feet)
Accessories,Components

Nets:
Bird-X® Netting

Repellents:
Rid-a-Critter
Ropel®

Smoke Bomb:
The Giant Destroyer®

Traps:
Havahart Live Traps

Water Sprayers:
Scarecrow Havahart Water Sprayers
Critter Sentry™

Rabbit Problems and Solutions

Vegetable Gardens
Flower Gardens and Other Plantings

Defending Vegetable Gardens against Rabbits

Rabbits have a remarkable ability to circumvent fences and raid vegetable gardens. One can of course shoot, trap, or gas them; but by then a good deal of damage has been done, and more may occur before the offending rabbit or rabbits are dispatched.

One can also use repellents such as Rid-a-Critter, or Ro-pel®; but if your vegetables provide a good potential food source, the rabbits may eventually get accustomed to the repellant and ignore it.

For the vegetable gardener, the best answer to the rabbit problem is Mr. McGregor’s Fence®. This powerful yet economical device puts a low barrier fence just behind two pet-safe, child-safe charged wires–so that a rabbit or other small animal seeking to go over or under the barrier will come into good contact with the charged wires, get zapped, and go home. Since animals are terrified by electricity much more than by repellants, this answer is 100% effective all of the time–and it works not only against rabbits but also against raccoons, woodchucks, ground squirrels, skunks, opossums, and virtually all small animals. Basic McGregor vegetable garden fence kits and components are sold at this site (see the catalog’s electric fence section).

Protecting Flower Gardens and Other Decorative Plantings

People don’t normally want to put fences, even low ones, around flower gardens or ground cover plantings vulnerable to rabbits, so in such cases Mr. McGregor’s Fence® is usually not an option. As noted above, in addition to the traditional trapping and bombing options, one can also scatter Rid-a-Critter granules around vulnerable areas (the granules will last up to 2 months outdoors). One can also spray growing plants with Ro-pel®, a repellant that gives them an extremely bitter taste and strongly discourages rabbits. This spraying must be repeated every few weeks in the growing season, because the plants grow fast, and rabbits will find that new shoots taste just fine. However, aside from the need for repeated treatments, this is a very good answer to the rabbit problem in non-vegetable areas.

For summary information about the products mentioned above, and also to order those products, click on any of the following headings:

Electric Fence:
Mr. McGregor’s Fence®

Live Traps:
Havahart Traps

Repellents:
Rid-a-Critter
Ro-pel®

Smoke Bomb:
The Giant Destroyer