Knowledgebase
Getting rid of rabbits #442569
Asked March 06, 2018, 10:30 AM EST
Hello, I'm hoping you can help me with my rabbit problem: last year, they decimated my lawn, eating it down to the dirt. I've tried a number of fixes: plastic, non-moving owls, which fool them for about 10 minutes then they ignore; Deer Fence spray, which of course dissipates with each watering; trimming back trees and shrubs where they hide; even vacuum bag collections. Nothing seems to faze them.
We don't have a dog and our yard is unfenced (we do live in an enclosed neighborhood), so they really have nothing to fear. Do you know of any tricks I've not tried? What can I do legally to eradicate them? I take no pleasure in the prospect of hurting or killing rabbits, but I won't have a lawn if I don't take some action.
Thank you.
Steve Cope, Loveland
Larimer County Colorado
Expert Response
(I have to smile at your last name and your inquiry of trying to "cope"/deal with the rabbits....)
With rabbits, there's no easy solution and you've done more than most. Unfortunately the most effective option, which may not be feasible, is exclusion. You have to keep them from entering your yard. Since you don't have a fence, you can create small "fences" within your lawn as you try to get the grass to grow.
It's not going to be pretty, however. And legally, you can't relocate them, but you can check with the Larimer Humane Society to see if you can trap and release.
What you could consider doing is this...
This spring/summer, you will need to reseed or resod the area. Seeding is cheaper and can be done fairly easily. I can give you the steps to successful seeding, if you'd like them. But after seeding, lay down chicken wire on top of the seeded area and allow the grass seedlings to grow through. The rabbits will likely not find it easy (or enjoyable) to feed on top of wire. (Or, as I mentioned, seed the areas and then fence them with hardware cloth.)
Once the grass is growing, you can try to "trick" it into growing better and outgrow the feeding injury by watering and fertilizing. Rabbits kill the lawn in a couple ways...the first is through the incessant feeding. The other is by their urine, which they can concentrate and cause large salt deposits (like repeated dog urine injury).
Have you tried Rabbit Stopper? You can get it on Amazon. It's like the liquid fence, but I've heard it works better (I've tried it). You can also try Plantskyyd. But, as you've found, they have to be reapplied following irrigation or precipitation.
Also, if you reseed, I would consider a different species of turf. Kentucky bluegrass is a favorite of rabbits. They don't seem to feed on tall fescue as much. This means a different look/color to your current lawn, but at this point, it's worth considering. There are some beautiful tall fescue cultivars available that have a nice thin blade and like quite a bit like bluegrass. I can give you options for purchasing seed too.
So let me know how you'd like to proceed. If you want to send me photos of your lawn (even as it is now), I'd welcome them. You can email me directly: <personal data hidden>
To your best estimate. what percentage of lawn has been damaged from the rabbits? Is it both the front and back yard?
