Repelling Rabbits

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MorpheusPA
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Repelling Rabbits

Post by MorpheusPA » May 21st, 2017, 12:11 pm

I have families of rabbits living under my Thuja, with the consequence that it's open season on the gardens until they mature a bit (I plant flowers, not vegetables, but the damage is still very bad).

Over time, I've looked up and cooked up a homemade repellant that works fairly well. Here it is:

In a one quart sprayer (or multiply by four for a 1 gallon sprayer, and so on):

1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp dish soap
1/4 tsp white Elmer's glue (optional but very helpful) (distasteful to rabbits, and helps the solution stick)
1 tsp Neem oil (optional but extremely helpful) (helps the solution stick and mildly distasteful to rabbits)

Spray plants lightly; no need to soak the leaves. 1.5 quarts covers 2,000 square feet of flower garden around here. Reapply after moderate or heavier rainfall, this should stick through light showers.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by andy10917 » May 21st, 2017, 1:14 pm

Off-topic, but I have been exploring the use of Elmers Glue to lengthen the period of substances staying on leaves - the results are pretty impressive.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by MorpheusPA » May 21st, 2017, 1:51 pm

The stuff really does help this stick as well, and it's revoltingly harmless to plants, insects, and animals. I might worry about blocking stomata, but I've been using this for at least two years with absolutely no issues.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by PSU4ME » May 23rd, 2017, 8:19 am

I may have to try this at my mom's house, i just planted some knock out roses and they nipped off all the leaves the first weekend!

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by RockinMyLawn » May 25th, 2017, 11:53 am

MorpheusPA wrote:
May 21st, 2017, 12:11 pm
I have families of rabbits living under my Thuja, with the consequence that it's open season on the gardens until they mature a bit (I plant flowers, not vegetables, but the damage is still very bad).

Over time, I've looked up and cooked up a homemade repellant that works fairly well. Here it is:

In a one quart sprayer (or multiply by four for a 1 gallon sprayer, and so on):

1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp dish soap
1/4 tsp white Elmer's glue (optional but very helpful) (distasteful to rabbits, and helps the solution stick)
1 tsp Neem oil (optional but extremely helpful) (helps the solution stick and mildly distasteful to rabbits)

Spray plants lightly; no need to soak the leaves. 1.5 quarts covers 2,000 square feet of flower garden around here. Reapply after moderate or heavier rainfall, this should stick through light showers.
Any chance this could repel chipmunks also?

I have rabbits & chipmunks & can't tell if they're both causing the mess around my wife's garden.


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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by MorpheusPA » May 25th, 2017, 4:45 pm

It would prolly keep them off the plants, but I doubt it'll make them de-camp and abandon their tunnels.

Neem oil, on the other hand, will get rid of chipmunks and most other digging rodents when applied at 2 ounces per thousand square feet and combined with 0.5-1 oz per thousand of any liquid soap (or the BL soil conditioner). Add 2 to 4 oz of liquid Crisco or any other liquid oil for an additional kick.

The soap helps the oil penetrate. The oil mats the animal's fur and allows water to penetrate down in the burrows (along with a lot of sticking dirt). They hate that and will go somewhere else.

I've used that to get rid of pretty severe mole infestations. They move somewhere else (so my neighbor now has a pretty severe mole infestation and I shield my property twice per year).

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by RockinMyLawn » May 26th, 2017, 12:43 pm

MorpheusPA wrote:
May 25th, 2017, 4:45 pm
It would prolly keep them off the plants, but I doubt it'll make them de-camp and abandon their tunnels.

Neem oil, on the other hand, will get rid of chipmunks and most other digging rodents when applied at 2 ounces per thousand square feet and combined with 0.5-1 oz per thousand of any liquid soap (or the BL soil conditioner). Add 2 to 4 oz of liquid Crisco or any other liquid oil for an additional kick.

The soap helps the oil penetrate. The oil mats the animal's fur and allows water to penetrate down in the burrows (along with a lot of sticking dirt). They hate that and will go somewhere else.

I've used that to get rid of pretty severe mole infestations. They move somewhere else (so my neighbor now has a pretty severe mole infestation and I shield my property twice per year).

Oooh thank Morp for the formula!

So no damage to plant life ornamental or other wise right? -Wife's garden is her life!
Will this formula attract any other pests?

Don't know much about BL Conditioner - but I think you've written stuff on it in the organic threads.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by MorpheusPA » May 27th, 2017, 10:17 am

I've never seen that damage a plant (ultimately, the oil decays and becomes a weak feeding).

Instead of BL Soil Conditioner, you can use any liquid soap that isn't anti-bacterial, or baby shampoo, or even adult shampoo. It all works about the same!

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by RockinMyLawn » May 27th, 2017, 8:36 pm

MorpheusPA wrote:
May 25th, 2017, 4:45 pm
It would prolly keep them off the plants, but I doubt it'll make them de-camp and abandon their tunnels.

Neem oil, on the other hand, will get rid of chipmunks and most other digging rodents when applied at 2 ounces per thousand square feet and combined with 0.5-1 oz per thousand of any liquid soap (or the BL soil conditioner). Add 2 to 4 oz of liquid Crisco or any other liquid oil for an additional kick.

The soap helps the oil penetrate. The oil mats the animal's fur and allows water to penetrate down in the burrows (along with a lot of sticking dirt). They hate that and will go somewhere else.

I've used that to get rid of pretty severe mole infestations. They move somewhere else (so my neighbor now has a pretty severe mole infestation and I shield my property twice per year).
Last question on this Morp: How much H20 do I add the above ingredients to?

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by MorpheusPA » May 28th, 2017, 9:39 am

RockinMyLawn wrote:
May 27th, 2017, 8:36 pm
Last question on this Morp: How much H20 do I add the above ingredients to?
Whatever's handy, really. I use it in my hose end sprayer at a setting of 15 (I use a Gilmour), which is around 2 oz per gallon. I wouldn't put it in a backpack sprayer, it won't dilute enough and your grass will be greasy until it rains or you irrigate.

The above mix is meant to cover about a thousand square feet, and isn't effective until it washes down deep enough to reach the tunnels. At that point, it lasts about a month.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by PSU4ME » May 30th, 2017, 10:06 am

Hey Morph, any advice on keeping deer away? They jumped (and bent) about an 8-9' fence and got into the garden last year......would really like to keep them away.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by TimmyG » May 30th, 2017, 11:08 am

For ornamentals (non-edibles), you can't beat Liquid Fence. You'll find by searching here that Andy and I are big proponents.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by PSU4ME » May 30th, 2017, 11:20 am

TimmyG wrote:
May 30th, 2017, 11:08 am
For ornamentals (non-edibles), you can't beat Liquid Fence. You'll find by searching here that Andy and I are big proponents.
I saw different kinds of Liquid fence......different numbers and stuff. Is there a specific kind/one you've had good luck with?

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by MorpheusPA » May 30th, 2017, 11:26 am

What he said. Although the rabbit spray will help. Mammals--except humans--really don't like hot stuff.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by TimmyG » May 30th, 2017, 1:08 pm

PSU4ME wrote:
May 30th, 2017, 11:20 am
I saw different kinds of Liquid fence......different numbers and stuff. Is there a specific kind/one you've had good luck with?
For repelling deer, I think it's pretty obvious that you want Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent...not Dog & Cat, or Goose, or Mole & Armadillo, or Snake Control. Beyond that, the concentrate is the only sensible product from a cost perspective.

Did you search here? Read the label. Determine what size bottle best suits your needs. I buy online by the gallon. It has a long (indefinite) shelf life as long as you keep it from freezing.

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by PSU4ME » May 30th, 2017, 1:13 pm

TimmyG wrote:
May 30th, 2017, 1:08 pm
PSU4ME wrote:
May 30th, 2017, 11:20 am
I saw different kinds of Liquid fence......different numbers and stuff. Is there a specific kind/one you've had good luck with?
For repelling deer, I think it's pretty obvious that you want Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent...not Dog & Cat, or Goose, or Mole & Armadillo, or Snake Control. Beyond that, the concentrate is the only sensible product from a cost perspective.

Did you search here? Read the label. Determine what size bottle best suits your needs. I buy online by the gallon. It has a long (indefinite) shelf life as long as you keep it from freezing.
Thanks! i looked last time and saw ones with numbers on them which i thought was weird but yes i see the deer one!
Definitely have to get the concentrate........quite expensive but I hear it works really good. Hopefully i can keep the deer out of the garden vs them getting in there and not liking anything :)

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Re: Repelling Rabbits

Post by Riverpilot » May 30th, 2017, 2:16 pm

Liquid fence works great. It smells though... so don't get any on ya.. lol :)
I used it for a few years in the back where the rabbits liked my flowers. Haven't used it since... the rabbits and I came to an agreement. They can live under my deck, but they leave all my flowers alone and go to the neighbors to eat instead. lol Trained wild rabbits I guess? Who then teach their young to go eat at the neighbors... :good:

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