Once you have positively identified rabbits to be damaging your crops, yards, and lawns, not other agricultural pests, you need to find a way to control them. One such method is using rabbit repellents and deterrents.
Of course, other methods exist, like exclusion and changing or modifying the environment. Also, you can switch or intercrop your plants with those that repel bunnies or have a dog. Baiting, shooting, and trapping may also help.
In this post, we will be talking about the best rabbit repellents and deterrents.
However, before we give you the best brands, let us look at how these products work. It will help you quickly decide what will suit your needs.
How do repellents and deterrents work?
Rabbit repellents and deterrents are devices or products that scare away, give an objectionable taste, or produce a frightening and/or displeasing odor.
Products that scare away rabbits feature motion detectors. Once these devices detect moving animals, they trigger ultrasonic sound bursts, flickering lights, or sprinklers to scare or chase them away.
Most brands combine two or all these mechanisms to scare rabbits and other animals away including the deer.
On the other hand, odor repellents utilize rabbits’ heightened sense of smell to detect danger or predators. These products have odors that mimic those of their predators, including feces and urine.
Others create an illusion of dead animals nearby, scaring rabbits away, while some give your plants smells that rabbits don’t like.
Examples of odor repellents are bone oil or ammonium soaps of higher fatty acids. Others include blood meal, fermented eggs, seal oil, garlic, and some essential oils.
Finally, some rabbit deterrents have a taste that rabbits don’t like. Such tastes include fungicides, tetramethyl thiuram disulfide, putrescent eggs, chili, hot pepper sauce, etc. This type represents the least effective of the three methods to keep bunnies away.
Best rabbit repellent and deterrents on the market
In coming up with the best ten rabbit repellents and deterrents, we considered their efficiency and safety for pets, animals, and humans.
The other considerations were brand trustworthiness, pricing, claims, and user satisfaction or reviews.
Here are the best rabbit repellents or deterrents in the market:
1. Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent Concentrate
Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent Concentrate is the best rabbit repellent spray. It works by adding a scent to your plants to deter rabbits and deer from eating your plants.
Ideal for: Liquid Fence is perfect for repelling away rabbits and deer from your flowers, shrubs, trees, vines, ornamental, or any other landscaping or garden plants.
Key benefits
- It will not harm your animals or plants if you follow the provided directions.
- It is rain-resistant and has a long-lasting effect.
- Suitable for use year-round.
- The aversion scent will not diminish with long-term use.
- Easy to use. Mix 12.8 fl. oz. to a gallon of water and spray on your plants. All you need is a good garden sprayer.
Additional information
- Average price: It goes for $0.91 per fl. oz. for the 40 oz. and $0.88 per oz for the 1 Gallon.
- Active ingredients: Putrescent whole egg solids, garlic, sodium lauryl sulfate, potassium sorbate, and thyme oil.
- Coverage: 6,000 sq. ft. per 40 oz.
Warning: Don’t contaminate Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent with food, water, or feed, and keep it out of kids' reach.
2. Orbit Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler with Day & Night Detection Modes
Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer Motion-Activated Sprinkler scares away wildlife by detecting any motion, activating a harmless burst of sound, and sprinkling water.
Ideal for: It is best for deterring or scaring away rabbits, dogs, deer, birds, cats, squirrels, opossums, and herons. Also, it will scare skunks, raccoons, and other pests that may destroy your lawn or garden.
Key benefits
- Safe for animals and people. Also, it is the most humane way of scaring away animals from your lawn or garden as it will not harm them.
- Multipurpose use, i.e., you can set it to work daytime only, throughout the day and night, or work as a manual sprinkler for up to 30 minutes.
- It has a sturdy and durable construction with a steel spike to firmly fix it to the ground. This prevents any damage by animals or people. Also, it has an anti-corrosion, hard-to-break brass horse swivel for a leak-proof connection to your garden hose.
- Powerful. The adjustable sprinklers cover a 10-70-foot distance. Also, it will cover a few degrees to the 360-degree area. Its adjustable motion sensor can sense 3840 square feet of space, with a 120-degree viewing angle and a 40-foot distance.
- Energy-efficient. It will serve you 7500 on-off cycles with only two pairs of AA alkaline batteries.
- It is adaptable to allow you to add more sprinkles triggered by the same motion detectors, thanks to pass-through ports. This makes it able to cover a 3840 square feet complete circle area.
- The sensors use very advanced and intelligent technology. It will differentiate between motion created by trees as the wind blows and uninvited visitors or animals. This helps avoid overwatering your plants, thinking they are animals.
Additional information
- More specifications: It’s UV resistant, operates at a 10-100 PSI pressure range, and has a three-year warranty.
- Coverage: 1600 sq. ft. per sprinkler.
3. Enviro Pro 11025 Rabbit Scram Repellent Granular
Enviro Pro 11025 Rabbit Scram Repellent Granular is the most affordable, all-natural, yet very effective rabbit repellent. Its obnoxious smell makes rabbits sense lurking danger or death and go away.
Ideal for: Preventing bunny damage to vegetable gardens, ornamentals, shrubs, and flowers. Also, you can use it on fruits like vineyards and orchards, nursery stalks, field crops, and so on.
Just apply it on the ground, including on flowerbeds and garden beds or where the plants you protect grow or along protective strips. Do this after every 35-45 days.
Key benefits
- It is made with a blend of selected all-natural (organic) environmentally friendly and biodegradable components.
- Enviro Pro 11025 Rabbit Scram will not harm your family, including kids or other animals.
- Easy to use and very effective during all seasons. Rain won’t wash it as it is water-resistant.
- It doesn’t have an objectionable or very bad smell.
- It has excellent coverage of 27,500 square feet per 25 lb. bucket.
Cons
- Some users are unhappy with its efficiency in keeping bunnies away. Also, the actual coverage is less than advertised and it brings flies.
Additional information
- Average price: $4.60 per pound
- Coverage: 27,500 square feet per 25 lb. bucket.
4. Nature’s Mace Deer & Rabbit Mace 1 Gallon Concentrate
Nature’s Mace Deer & Rabbit Mace Concentrate has proven efficiency. Years of research and studies from Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Connecticut, Auburn, and other universities show its effectiveness in repelling deer and rabbits. It works by combining a sense of taste, smell, and fear.
Ideal for: Keeping deer and rabbits from crops, landscapes, and gardens. Just add 8 ounces to a gallon of water and spray plants when they are dry (avoid if they have dew or are wet). Also, spray their surrounding area and soil.
Key benefits
- Safe for use around your pets or children, not harming aquatic life or nature.
- All-natural rabbit and deer repellent made using high-quality organic ingredients.
- It has a long-lasting, weather-resistant, and non-washing formula lasting up to 3 months or more.
- It doesn’t stink badly, i.e., it has a fresh, minty scent, which these animals hate.
- Nature’s Mace Deer & Rabbit Mace Has a 100% Money Back Guarantee.
- Cost-effective, i.e., 1 gallon of the concentrate makes 16 gallons of ready-to-use solution.
Additional information
- Average price: $0.69 per oz.
- Active ingredients: Putrescent egg solid 20.0%, garlic 5.00%, white pepper 5.00%, mint oil 1.00%
- Coverage: 2 Acres
5. I Must Garden Rabbit Repellent 45oz Ready to Use Pump Spray
This mint-scented repellent spray will prevent rabbit damage on your plants. It combines taste and smell that these animals don’t like, i.e., a blend of botanical oils from rabbit-repelling plants.
Ideal for: Keeping rabbits away from perennials like roses, tulips, daylilies, hostas, or oriental lilies and annuals like impatiens and pansies. Also, use it on your vegetables and shrubs like azaleas, rhododendron, or hawthorn.
Just apply it to dry plants and ensure they have at least an hour before watering them or it rains.
Key benefits
- Safe for use around pets and children. It has no poisonous, harmful, or toxic ingredients or glues.
- Environment-friendly and biodegradable. EPA regards it as safe.
- It is rain-resistant and offers long-lasting protection.
- It has a pleasant minty scent and more active ingredients than most competitors.
Additional information
- Average price: $0.47 per oz.
- Ingredients: Garlic, eggs, paprika, potassium sorbate, xanthan gum, fish, castor, thyme, and lemongrass. Others are rosemary, wintergreen, and peppermint oils.
- Coverage: 1,400 square feet.
Warning: Apply in the mornings or evenings. Applying it when the sun is hot may increase the chances of your plants burning.
6. Broox Solar Animal Repeller, Ultrasonic Sound, Outdoor, Waterproof, Motion LED
The Broox Solar Animal Repeller has a Passive Infrared sensor (PIR) detection system that detects movements. If it senses an intruder, it will simultaneously trigger flashing LED lights and short bursts of powerful ultrasonic sound waves. These two actions will scare any uninvited guests.
Ideal for: Keeping away squirrels, skunks, moles, cats, dogs, birds, deer, raccoons, or other pests in your garden, lawn, farm, and orchard plants.
Key benefits
- Uses a humane approach to keep away pests without causing any harm. The high ultrasonic sound frequency doesn’t affect humans and only makes these animals uncomfortable.
- It utilizes solar power, a renewable energy source, to recharge built-in batteries. You can also charge them via a USB cable.
- It is waterproof, weatherproof, and UV resistant, thanks to the high-grade ABS plastic used in making it. Rainfall, snow, or sun won’t damage it.
- Easy to install. Mount it on the ground, against a wall, or any other flat surface.
- It has a sizeable infrared sensor range and five frequency settings to keep most animals away.
Additional information
- Price: $39.98
- Ultrasound frequency: It uses a frequency of 3.5 to 45.5 kHz.
- Range: The infrared sensor has a 110-degree range and a 25-30-foot distance range.
7. Plantskydd Animal Repellent Ready to Use Liquid (Premixed) with Sprayer
Plantskydd Animal Repellent will keep rabbits, deer, elk, mice, hares, squirrels, voles, and other herbivores away. Its odor stimulates a fear-based response, making these animals run before biting your plants.
Ideal for: Flowers, shrubs, trees, bulbs, fruits, and flowers. However, don’t spray any edible parts of fruits and vegetables). For bulbs, dip or spritz them before planting them.
Key benefits
- It works well, is long-lasting, and offers year-round protection.
- All-natural and non-toxic formulation without any chemicals. It is listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) as safe for food production.
- Safe for people, plants, pets, and the environment.
- It is non-toxic and chemical-free.
- Ready to spray, i.e., it comes in a spray bottle.
Additional information
- Average price: $ 0.78 per oz.
- Coverage: Protects 100 plants that are about a foot high.
- Active ingredients: Dried blood (min 12%)
8. Ortho Deer B Gon Deer and Rabbit Repellent Concentrate
Ortho Deer B Gon Deer and Rabbit Repellent Concentrate works well in repelling elks, deer, and rabbits. It does so by making the plants have an unpleasant odor and a taste that will repel these animals away.
Ideal for: Protecting stems, branches, leaves, and flowers in your garden and yard. Mix one part of the concentrate with nine parts of water and spray.
Key benefits
- Pet, plant, and people safe
- Non-stink formulation, i.e., made with essential oils that don’t produce a bad odor.
- If you follow the given instructions, it will be rain-resistant and long-lasting.
Additional information
- Average price: $0.40 per oz.
- Active ingredients: 7.6% Putrescent Whole Egg Solids, 2.2% Cinnamon Oil, 1.4% Clove Oil
- Coverage: Treats about 10,000 sq. ft. Spray once every month or when you notice the damage.
Warning: Not for use on or shouldn’t come in contact with on plants for human or animal consumption
9. Shake-Away 5006258 Fox Urine Granules
Rabbits are genetically programmed to know predators are around by detecting their scents. The fox urine-impregnated granules (formerly Shake-Away Small Critter Granules) scare off rabbits, possums, or groundhogs by creating an illusion of a nearby predator.
Ideal for: Gardens, yards, or lawns. Just apply them on the perimeters around the plants you want to protect.
Key benefits
- It is made with non-toxic organic fox urine granules from foxes fed with the best diets for optimum repelling scents.
- Safe EPA-registered predator urine-based product
- These porous granules that well have inorganic minerals are impervious to rainfall or weather.
Cons
- It has a strong smell that many people will not like.
Additional information
- Average price: 6.4 per pound
10. Homarden Garden Scare Cats – Humane Pest Control Outdoor Statues with Reflective Eyes
What else will work perfectly well in scaring rabbits and other animals, like the real-life metal cat silhouette with reflective eyes? It will make these pests feel stalked, causing them to run away.
Ideal for: Scaring rabbits, squirrels, rodents, birds, and other agricultural pests in gardens or lawns. Just hang it on a tree or mount it on the ground.
Key benefits
- Humane and harmless. It only scares away.
- Durable, i.e., it is made with galvanized sheets and marble eyes to ensure it lasts and is weather resistant.
- It comes with hooks for mounting to a tree or the ground.
Cons
- These scary cats may not cause fear to most pests, including rabbits, chipmunks, opossums, mice, skunks, coyotes, squirrels, raccoons, or deer. It is more of a garden and lawn décor.
Additional information
- Average price: $6.66 for each single cat statue
- What you get: You will receive three packs with frightened, sitting, and stalking cat statues.
Warning: Since it contains marble, it is unsafe for children aged three years or below.
Liquid spray repellent vs. granular vs. electronic
You know the best devices to buy. Let us see more details about liquid, granular, and electronic deterrents. As we look at each, we will tell you when to choose what.
1. Liquid spray rabbit repellents
They are sprayed directly on the affected plant surface, such as leaves, stems, branches, or flowers.
Liquid spray rabbit repellents are ideal for grasses, seedlings, bulbs, and trees. Also, you can use them on ground cover plants, including clovers, alfalfa, ivy, flowers, and flower buds.
However, they are not ideal for cold seasons below 40 ºF (4 ºC). To prolong their effect, such conditions will need some dry fasting before watering your plants or rainfall.
You can buy ready-to-spray in spray bottles or prepared-to-use that you don’t have to dilute. Alternatively, you can go for concentrated ones which need dilution.
Usually, concentrated ones are the most economical choice, as they will have a larger coverage area. You only need to invest in a good brand of garden pump spray.
Lastly, when using them, you will stray leaves, stems, bulbs, and flowers until they are soaked, and some begin to run off or as instructed by manufacturers.
2. Granular rabbit repellents and scrams
Granular repellents should be applied on the ground around plants in gardens, lawns, or landscapes.
Apply them to the surface or create a perimeter around your plant. A perimeter may be around flower beds, garden vegetables, nursery stocks, structures, pathways, dens, burrows, etc.
Granular repellents are an excellent addition to liquid sprays. They are cheaper and a better choice during cold seasons when temperatures or weather don’t allow liquid sprays.
For large areas, consider investing in a suitable spreader, such as the Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader.
Finally, ensure that you follow your manufacturer’s advice on distribution. You may have to do it more often during the rainy season than during the dry ones.
Electronic rabbit deterrents
These are eco-friendly, humane, and very safe smart devices that have motion sensors. These sensors will detect the movements of any uninvited intruder and scare them off by either:
- Use ultrasonic sound bursts at specific frequencies that rabbits cannot tolerate, forcing them to disappear.
- Sprinkling water bursts powerful enough to scare and chase the intruder away. Some can spray as far as 40 feet, and some can combine several sprinklers for more substantial coverage.
- Produce flickering lights.
- Use a combination of these techniques to stop damage.
Electronic bunny deterrents are useful in various areas. These places include gardens, shrubs, parks, nurseries, flowerbeds, yards, structures, trees, bush covers, around pools, vegetable gardens, etc. Just anywhere where water may not cause any damage.
While they may initially seem a little expensive, they are cheaper in the long run. If you buy one that sprinkles water, you must ensure you have a water source.
Furthermore, once installed, you need little intervention with having built-in solar panels and rechargeable batteries.
Finally, follow the manufacturer’s directions when installing and strategically placing your sensors and sprinklers, and regularly check sensitivities.
What to look for in rabbit repellents and deterrents
When buying anything to deter or repel rabbits, here are essential things to consider:
- Humane: Choose brands that will not hurt or kill the targeted animal but send it away without harming it.
- Safe: They should be safe for use, including around children, pets, plants, and aquatic life.
- Environmental friendly: Choose an all-natural product or organic and environmentally friendly brands. Good ones are EPA-approved. Such brands are biodegradable. Some, like blood meals, may provide ingredients as they are broken down.