What smells do rabbits hate?

Rabbits generally dislike strong odors such as blood meal, vinegar, and human hair. The smell of blood meal stirs up potential predators (like coyotes) while vinegar smells irritating to them. Blood meal can simply be used as fertilizer. You can also soak rags in vinegar to form a strip that causes the rabbit discomfort. The whole rabbit family has an excellent sense of smell, and human hair stuffed in mesh bags creates ambiguity for them because of our human scent.

Humidity in a particular region may have an impact on the length of time the scent lasts. In arid climates like Arizona, a vinegar spray may last for a period of up to 10 days. In wetter areas such as Washington, the blood meal will wash away more quickly, and it is recommended to reapply every 14 days. A gardener in Oregon mixed blood meal with their lavender hedges for year-round protection.

To achieve the best outcome, pair smell along with physical barriers. A 24-inch fence with blood meal applied along the base halted rabbits in a garden in Colorado. Be sure to replace the hair clippings once a month since natural oils will wear down with time. Rotate the smells seasonally to avoid the rabbit learning about the smells.

Safety is always important. Use gloves when handling blood meal, as this can stain. Do not spray vinegar near seedlings. When storing commercial repellents, keep them labeled contained, out of reach of pets. If you witnessed or learned about the effects of scents working on rabbits, please share. There's nothing worse than going to all the trouble of protecting your seedlings only for the rabbits to figure it out.

Read the full article: 10 Effective Ways to Deter Rabbits in Your Garden