Rabbits have a long-standing reputation for being able to reproduce in massive numbers over a very short period of time. This means that even a relatively small rabbit population in the spring can turn into a very large rabbit problem in your garden by the middle of the summer.
In suburban areas where natural habitat is sparse, rabbits will quickly turn to lawns and gardens to feed their voracious appetites. Being able to repel them and possibly remove rabbits from your property and perhaps your neighborhood can be a challenge. All it takes is one pregnant female, to quickly recreate a problematic population.
Of course, rabbits aren’t the only backyard pests that can threaten the health of your lawn and the productivity of your garden. Raccoons, possums, and even errant deer can all be a major threat to your precious vegetation. However, Rabbits are by far the biggest suburban lawn and garden pet. They reproduce quickly, which makes it very hard to truly reduce the population in your area. Especially if you have kind neighbors who are all too happy to let cute little bunnies much on their flowers and garden plants.
Trying to trap them out is a non-stop effort that will consume far too much of your precious time while yielding minimal results. Poison might sound like a sound alternative on paper, but the minute your neighbor starts asking about his dead cat, or your curious schnauzer lands a $500 vet bill, you’ll realize it’s not a good idea.
Homemade / Natural Ways To Repel Rabbits From Your Lawn & Garden
There is a tremendous amount of folklore woven into all kinds of homespun rabbit repellents. There are people who will swear by fake plastic owls and scarecrows. Though I think you’ll find that most of these deterrents have another viable food source for the rabbits nearby. Once the population explodes even intellectually dim rabbits will realize the fake owl isn’t moving, and they will move in for the kill on your flower beds and gardens.
Soap Shavings
There are a few popular brands of pine-scented soap out there that when shaved just right are said to give off an odor that rabbits despise. While this might work in the short term, it’s hardly a long-term solution.
The aromatic quality of the soaps is fleeting, and even a light rain will wash it away. Not to mention the fact that you probably have better things to do with your time than constantly shaving down bars of soap. There’s also the very real chance that as time goes on, the slowly dissolving soap can start to affect your soil chemistry.
Cayenne Pepper
There’s hardly a little old grandma alive that won’t swear by cayenne pepper as a deterrent for rabbits and many other common garden pests. Here again, the potency of the granulated pepper is short-lived. So, you’ll need to buy cayenne pepper in bulk. You should also note the very real chance of it getting on your hands, blowing around the yard, and getting in your eyes.
It’s also worth noting that frequently cutting your grass and keeping the natural vegetation in your yard trimmed up neatly will also help keep rabbits out of your yard. You also want to avoid things like woodpiles and dead brush that rabbits might use for shelter.
Dirty Cat Litter
As strange as it might sound the smell of dirty, urine-soaked cat litter has been found to deter several members of the rodent family including mice, rats, and even rabbits. The problem is, you need a lot of it to make a perimeter, and then you have a lawn with a faint smell of cat urine. As time goes on, dew and even light rain will wash out the scent, leaving you with a lot of cat gravel in your turf.
Motion Activated Sprinklers & Ultrasonic Alarms
There are some electronic deterrents that have proven to be reasonably effective at repelling rabbits from a limited area. This includes motion activated sprinklers. While rabbits will come out during the day, they are most active at night.
This electronic deterrent triggers one or more sprinklers to release a burst of water for several seconds. When it lands on or near the rabbit, the skittish creature runs off. It’s the sort of thing that will help keep rabbits out of your front flower bed or away from a small garden. A motion-activated sprinkler network isn’t going to be as effective at protecting the perimeter of a large yard.
Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler with Day & Night Detection Modes,Black
4 used from $63.47
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Amazon.com - HUMANELY DETERS ANIMALS AND PESTS: Keeps animals out of plants, yards and gardens using a harmless spray of water
- UNIQUE DAY AND NIGHT DETECTION: The only deterrent sprinkler on the market with options for day only, night only, or 24 hour protection, giving you the flexibility to ensure the Yard Enforcer only activates when you need it
- STABLE DESIGN: Simply press spike into soil or turf to firmly hold the Yard Enforcer in place.
Hoont Cobra Solar Yard and Garden Motion Activated Water Blaster - Animal Rodent Repellent
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Amazon.com - Protect Your Yard from Unwanted Animals- The Hoont Cobra Animal Repeller will not disappoint, with it's solar-powered motion detection and powerful water- blasting, your yard is sure to stay safe.
- Large Protection Range- Adjustable 24/7 animal detection unit with a 0 to 30 feet range for maximum property protection.
- Save On Water Supply- The water jet works on a 5 second intermittent spray cycle, ensuring repellent effectiveness and low water consumption
Havahart 5277 Motion-Activated Animal Repellent & Sprinkler, 1 Pack,green
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Amazon.com - Repels nuisance animals such as dogs, raccoons, opossums, and more
- Releases a startling surge of water to scare animals away
- Infrared sensor detects animal heat and movement within a range of up to 60 feet
- Metal spike allows for easy placement anywhere on your lawn or garden
- Continuous spray setting allows for use as a sprinkler unit
- Eco-friendly design – Uses only 2-3 cups of water per spray
COSTWAY Scarecrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent
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Amazon.com - High quality and brand new Protect your property in a human way
- Protects gardens, landscaped areas and yards from deer, rabbits, birds and other animal intruders
- Hooks up in minutes with a standard garden hose
- Employ the high technology motion-activated Detects and sprays both day and night up to 32 feet away
- Spray water when detect animal, safe and effective Solar energy battery included, save money and safe
Fierre Shann Ultrasonic Animal Repeller,Waterproof Outdoor Motion PIR Sensor and Flashing
Amazon.com 
Ultrasonic Animal Repellent Outdoor,Solar Powered Waterproof Animal Repeller with Motion Sensor
Amazon.com - Solar ultrasonic pest repeller: Different frequency can frighten away different animals and that living animals emit infrared ray. repel rodents, mice, voles, moles, snakes, frogs.
- Sensor angle: 110 degrees(from left to right, not top to bottom). Detection range: up to 30 feet.
- Animal Repeller : 2 Ultrasonic speakers, 2 flashing LED and 1 PIR motion sensor combined to ensure the effect. The sensitivity and detectable distance of the PIR sensor can be set up, distance up to 30ft; 2 speakers provide powerful ultrasound and its frequency can be adjusted to keep accuracy against different animals; Plus 2 flashing LED, this device can effectively repell almost all animals.
Lulu Home Ultrasonic Animal Repeller, Outdoor Weatherproof Solar Powered Rodent Repeller with Motion Activated Flashing LED Lightrr
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Amazon.com - Effective Animal Repeller: Lulu Home Ultrasonic Animal Repeller can effectively scare and drive away birds, wild boars, bats, mice, squirrels, raccoon and other animals away from your house, garden, farm, orchard, etc. The ultrasonic waves under mode 3 cannot be heard by human which is normal.
- Drive Animal Away Humanly: Lulu Home Animal Repeller will send out infrasonic and ultrasonic waves with alarm sounds and strobe light flashes to scare animals away when the PIR detects their motion and triggers. This repeller can effectively drive the animals away but will not hurt them, which is humane and harmless.
Can I Catch Rabbits With A Trap?
There are live traps that do a good job of trapping rabbits. You can then safely relocate them to a spot in the country or a park on the other side of town. The problem with this strategy is in the overall volume required to effect a long-term solution.
Rabbits reproduce at an astounding rate. So, even if you manage to get 10 or 12 over the course of a week of live trapping, all it takes is one pregnant female to recreate another nuisance level population in just a few weeks. Of course, you’re going to also spend a lot of time and gas money driving trapped rabbits to their new home every morning.
Rabbits can also start to get wise to your yard, and will start to forage other parts of your neighborhood. When you stop trapping, they will start to slowly gravitate back to your property. Ultimately, if you want to effectively trap out your rabbit population, it will help to recruit your neighbors to join in. Then you will need to be diligent about keeping it up for more than a week or two.
Havahart Small Professional Style One-Door Animal Trap for Squirrel, Rabbit, Skunk, and Mink
Amazon.com - Best used for rabbits, squirrels, and weasels
- Simple-to-use design makes trapping easy for trappers of all levels of experience
- Spring-loaded door delivers quick and secure captures
- Handle guard provides another layer of protection from contact with the animal
- Smooth, rolled internal trap edges prevent injuries to animals during transport
- Strong, durable, rust-resistant traps are built to last
Kensizer Large Animal Humane Live Cage Trap
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Amazon.com - Humane Live Animal Trap - After catching them, you can release them at any time. Product Size: 12 x 6.5 x 5 inches.
- Light Weight Galvanized Steel - Sturdy and Durable, the finest wire mesh won't be bitten open by those small animals' teeth. It's not fit for opossum or big squirrel, since they can bite the trap broken and escape.
- High sensitive trigger mechanism - Once the trigger is touched, the door will be auto-locked immediately and keep the critters in it.
Havahart 1030 Live Animal Two-Door Rabbit, Squirrel, Skunk, and Mink Cage Trap
Amazon.com - Constructed of sturdy rust-resistant wire mesh with steel reinforcements for long life and galvanized for maximum resistance to rust and corrosion
- Mesh openings are smaller than competing traps of comparable size to prevent escapes and stolen bait. Two spring-loaded doors allow animals to enter from either direction
- Sensitive triggers ensure quick, secure captures that target the specific animal's size, eliminating undesired catches. Solid doors and handle guards protect users during transportation, while smoothed internal edges protect and prevent injuries
Saturnpower Live Animal Trap Cage Steel Cage Catch Release Humane Rodent Cage
Amazon.com - Saturnpower Live Animal Trap Cage，ideal for trapping squirrels, rabbits, skunks, mink, and similar-sized animals.So easy to Use, Bait, Set and Release!
- 【Safe & Humanitarian】 Come with smooth internal edges and a wire mesh exterior, which will ensure the safety of animals，and you can release animal unwanted easily.
- 【High Sensitive Structure】 Loaded door and sensitive triggers make it ideal for humanely capturing raccoons, stray cats, groundhogs (woodchucks), opossums, armadillos and similar-size nuisance animals. Once the pedal touched slightly, the trap will be triggered and the door will shut up immediately. It ensures the trapped animal no way to escape.
Chemical Rabbit Repellents
These days chemical rabbit repellents tend to be the most effective in the long and short-term. Many of the best chemical rabbit repellants have some level of water resilience to them. They can handle things like morning dew and even the occasional light rain without washing away. Though you will need to reapply them even if conditions have been perfect.
In the past, granules were the preferred option, as they tended to last longer. However, liquid chemical rabbit repellents have advanced in recent years to be just as effective and last just as long as the best granular rabbit repellents.
As an added bonus, many chemical rabbit repellents will also deter other garden nuisance animals like deer and chipmunks.
Natures MACE DEERGRN3003 Deer & Rabbit Repellent Concentrate 25 Pound Tub Treats 25000 Sq.Ft
Amazon.com - POWERFUL DEER REPELLANT: Our university backed spray has 400% more active ingredients than leading brands. Our repellent works best for deer, however it does contain ingredients used in our rabbit repellent.
- ALL-NATURAL INGREDIENTS: Our deer repellent is strong and powerful because it uses a combination of scents & odors found in nature.
- SAFE FOR USE: Nature’s MACE products are bio-degradable and non-toxic. Our spray is safe for use arounds plants, pets, vegetation and children. Feel confident in protecting your garden without using harmful chemical on vegetables and fruits.
Liquid Fence Deer and Rabbit Repellent Granular, 5-Pound
Amazon.com - REPELS DEER AND RABBITS: Deer and rabbits don’t have to eat vegetation for the repellent to be effective—they have a natural aversion to the scent.
- GRANULAR FORMULA: Use to treat low-growing flower beds, landscaped ornamental gardens, ground cover and lawns.
- RAIN-RESISTANT: Granules starts to work immediately.
- HARMLESS TO PLANTS AND ANIMALS: Won’t harm plants and animals when used and stored as directed.
Plantskydd Animal Repellent - Repels Deer, Rabbits, Elk, Moose, Hares, Voles, Squirrels, Chipmunks and Other Herbivores; Organic Powder Concentrate -...
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Amazon.com - For year round control of deer, rabbits, elk, moose, hares, voles, squirrels, chipmunks and other herbivores
- Treats over 900 plants/seedlings 1 foot high. Rainfast in 24 hours.
- Application frequency: Active growing season (2-4 weeks), Dormant Season (3-6 months). Bulbs (spray or dip before planting).
- OMRI listed (Organic Materials Review Institute) for Organic Use.
- Made in the USA.
Deer Out 32oz Concentrate Deer Repellent
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Amazon.com - Over 100,000 Repeat Customers - For over 20 years Deer Out is the trusted brand for professional gardeners, landscapers and farmers alike. Works Great!
- Minty Fresh Scent - Smells Great to Humans but Deer, Elk and Moose are naturally repelled by our Deer Out patented formula.
- Wont Wash Off - Two Natural Stickers keeps Deer Out on your plants! Deer Out is Rain resistant.
- All Natural ingredients - Deer Out is environmentally friendly using only natural ingredients. Safe for use around children and pets.
Ortho Animal B Gon All Purpose Animal Repellent Ready-to-Use Spray, 1-Gallon (Squirrel, Groundhog, Rabbit and Other Small Herbivore Repellent)
Amazon.com - Protects yard and garden from rabbits, groundhogs, squirrels and other small herbivores
- Safe for people, pets and plants. When used as directed.
- Long-lasting, "no-stink" formula
- Covers approximately 4,000 sq. ft.
- Dispense directly from bottle and apply liberally
Enviro Pro 11006 Rabbit Scram Repellent Granular White Pail, 6 Pounds
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Amazon.com - Rabbit scram repellent granular white pail
- No mixing is required and the granular formula is easily sprinkled in any conditions
- Rabbit Scram is not harmful to humans or animals
- Periods of extended sunlight with little or no rain will result in the need to apply Rabbit Scram more frequently
- This product contents 6 Pounds
- Packaging may vary
