Released May 14, 2009
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Cottontail rabbits have become pesky, perennial residents of urban and suburban yards, as well as rural pastures. To them, home landscapes look like prime, year-round habitat.
“We tend to see urban cottontails more often now only because rabbits love the tender vegetation of a wide variety of emerging vegetables and flowers. At times, you can feel as if they’re nibbling faster than you can plant,” said Ward Upham, horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.
Adding to the pressure, rabbits begin to breed in late winter and continue into early fall. On average, each female produces three to four litters of three to five young every year, he said.
“Urban residents often prefer to live-trap damage-causing rabbits and relocate them miles away in the country. That can be an exercise in futility,” Upham said. “At this time of year, the bait to lure rabbits into a trap has to compete against lots of tempting vegetation. Live-trapping can be much easier in fall and winter. But, then you can almost bet nearby rabbits will soon move in to take the relocated ones’ place.
“Besides, wild rabbits are reservoirs of diseases, some of which can affect humans. Their fleas and lice can carry diseases, too. You need to avoid direct contact. Trapping increases the odds for it.”
But, motion-activated sprinklers can help, as can correctly labeled repellents, reapplied as often as necessary. A dog in the yard can keep rabbits at bay, too, the horticulturist said.
“Even so, fencing probably remains the quickest, most effective control,” he said. “A roll or some reusable panels of galvanized, 1-inch-mesh wire fencing can do the job. Your fence only needs to be 18 to 24 inches high. So, electric fence posts will be strong enough to serve as the supports. You must stake the fencing’s bottom edge, though, or bury it several inches deep, to discourage burrowing.”
Upham recommends the following Web sites as good sources for more detailed information: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/wldlf2/l858.pdf and http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/ (search for “rabbits”).
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http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ksrenews/story/briefs051409.aspx
Contact: Elaine Edwards, elainee@ksu.edu
