The short answer
- Rabbit damage is low to the ground: clean, angled cuts on stems and gnawed bark near the base of young trees.
- A 2-foot fence of 1-inch mesh, buried or pinned at the bottom, is the most reliable fix for cottontails.
- Hardware cloth cylinders protect young trees and shrubs from winter gnawing.
- Repellents help on ornamentals but must be reapplied, and most are not labeled for food crops.
- Trapping and moving rabbits is regulated by state. Never use poison.
On this page
Your lettuce is mowed down to stubs, the young beans are gone and there is a neat pile of round droppings by the garden gate. Rabbits are cute until they find your vegetables. The fix that works best is also the most humane one: a simple fence. This guide helps you confirm a rabbit is to blame, then choose the right barrier, repellent and yard changes for your situation.
How to tell rabbit damage from other animals
Rabbits have sharp upper and lower front teeth, so they snip stems off cleanly. That one clue rules out a lot of suspects.
| Animal | Height of damage | What the cut or gnawing looks like | Other signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | Low to the ground, below about 2 ft | Clean cut at about a 45° angle; larger, less distinct gnawing on bark | Round, pea-sized droppings; paired tracks |
| Deer | Mostly above about 2 ft | Ragged, torn ends (deer have no upper front teeth) | Hoof prints; damage higher on shrubs |
| Vole | At the base of trunks and stems | Small, irregular gnaw marks at many angles, about 1/8 in wide | Surface runways 1 to 2 in wide leading to burrow openings |
| Woodchuck (groundhog) | Low; also gnaws fruit trees and shrubs | Heavy feeding on beans, peas, tomatoes, squash and other crops | Burrow entrance 10 to 12 in across with a large mound of dirt |
If you see burrows and big mounds, a woodchuck is more likely than a rabbit. Our nuisance wildlife hub covers other yard visitors.
Signs of rabbits in the yard
- Young plants clipped off at an angle, especially peas, beans, lettuce, beets and tender flowers.
- Gnawed bark and clipped twigs on young trees and shrubs, mostly in winter when other food is scarce. Gnawing all the way around a trunk (girdling) can kill a young tree.
- Small round droppings scattered near the damage.
Why rabbits stay in your yard
If your yard offers food and cover, rabbits have little reason to leave. Brush piles, rock piles, tall weeds, overgrown fence lines and the space under decks and sheds give them places to hide and raise young. Tender garden plants and lush lawn edges do the rest.
How to keep rabbits out, step by step
1. Fence the garden
Fencing is the most reliable way to protect a garden. Repellents often fail in vegetable gardens, and most cannot go on food crops anyway.
- Height: about 2 feet stops cottontails, which will not jump a fence that tall. Go to 3 feet for jackrabbits, and taller where snow piles up.
- Mesh: 1-inch poultry netting or smaller, so young rabbits cannot squeeze through.
- Bottom edge: bury it several inches deep and bend the bottom few inches outward, or pin it flat to the ground with U-shaped garden pins so rabbits cannot push under.
- Support: stake it every few feet. Reusable panels framed with wood or PVC work well for small beds.
2. Guard young trees and shrubs
- Wrap trunks with cylinders of 1/4-inch hardware cloth, about 18 to 24 inches tall.
- Set the bottom into the soil a couple of inches and keep the wire a little away from the trunk so rabbits cannot gnaw through it.
- Plastic guards or tubes also protect against voles and deer.
3. Change the habitat
- Remove brush piles, rock piles and debris near the garden.
- Mow tall weeds along fence lines, ditches and the edges of the yard.
- Close off the space under decks, sheds and porches with wire mesh so rabbits cannot nest there.
4. Use repellents where fencing is not practical
Repellents work by taste, odor or fear.
- Taste repellents (such as hot pepper extract, capsaicin) go directly on the plants. They usually need a sticker to stay on and must be reapplied after rain, heavy dew, sprinklers and new growth.
- Odor repellents (such as putrescent egg solids, dried blood or garlic) are applied on or around plants and work by smell.
- Apply before damage starts, and keep reapplying. Rabbits can get used to a product over time.
- Check the label for food crops. Most repellents are not labeled for edible plant parts, so they fit ornamentals and young trees better than vegetable gardens.
Use generic actives and follow the label every time.
Homemade garlic and hot pepper sprays: what to expect
Garlic and chili sprays mixed at home are a popular idea, and the ingredients overlap with some commercial repellents. Be realistic about them:
- They are untested. The National Pesticide Information Center notes that home remedies may never have been tested to show they actually repel the pest.
- They have no label. That means no guidance on strength, how often to apply, protective gear or first aid. Extracts and concentrates raise the risk of exposure for you and your pets.
- They wash off. Like store-bought taste repellents, they need frequent reapplication after rain and as plants grow.
- Food crops need care. If you sell what you grow, using a homemade pesticide on it can run into rules on residues.
A homemade spray on a few ornamental plants is a low-stakes experiment. For a vegetable garden you care about, a fence works better.
Scare devices and pets
Noisemakers, flashing lights and ultrasonic units are generally ineffective against rabbits. A dog that spends time in the yard may help some, but results vary from dog to dog.
Trapping, relocation and the law
Rules on rabbits differ by state. In many states cottontails are a game species with hunting seasons, and trapping outside those seasons may need permission from the state wildlife agency. Some states, like California, do not allow releasing trapped rabbits elsewhere without a written permit, so a live-trapped rabbit there cannot simply be driven to a park. Before you set any trap, check with your state wildlife agency.
Never use poison on rabbits. Toxic rabbit baits are restricted-use products registered mainly for agriculture, and their labels require recovering every rabbit that dies. They are not a homeowner tool.
When to call a professional
Most rabbit problems are handled with a fence and some yard cleanup. Consider help when:
- You need to protect a large orchard, nursery or farm planting.
- Rabbits are living under a deck or shed and you want them excluded without trapping young.
- You are considering trapping and want someone who knows your state’s rules.
A licensed wildlife control operator can advise on exclusion. Our guide to choosing a pest control company covers what to ask.
Rabbit questions
Do repellents work on vegetables? Usually not well. Most repellents are not labeled for edible plant parts, and UC IPM notes they often fail in vegetable gardens. Fence the vegetables and save repellents for ornamentals and young trees.
Will rabbits get under my fence? They can push under a loose bottom edge. Burying it a few inches or pinning it flat closes that gap.
When is rabbit damage worst? The growing season for tender garden plants, and winter for bark gnawing on trees and shrubs. See our seasonal pest calendar for timing.
Sources
- Pest Notes: Rabbits. University of California Statewide IPM Program.
- Preventing and Controlling Damage Caused by Cottontail Rabbits (G9441). University of Missouri Extension.
- Woodchucks. Penn State Extension.
- Vole Damage. Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management.
- Pesticide Home Remedies. National Pesticide Information Center.
This page lives at its original address so long-standing links still work. We rewrote and re-sourced it in 2026.