Rabbits are very cute animals, and some people really like watching them from afar. You might catch rabbits hanging out in your yard from time to time, but you probably don’t see them all the time.
Many people don’t like having rabbits around because they can be pesky in certain ways. For example, they might destroy your crops or they could mess with certain other things in your yard.
However, there are also people who find rabbits to be cute enough that they want more to come to their yards. In this situation, you might be wondering what you can do to attract more rabbits to the area.
There are actually a number of different actions that you can take that will make it more likely that you will attract rabbits to the yard. Keep reading to learn the best things that you can do to make this happen.
1 – Give the Rabbits Good Places to Take Shelter
If your yard is full of places where rabbits can hide and take shelter, then you’re going to start seeing many more rabbits. Rabbits won’t want to hang out in areas where they will be left exposed and vulnerable, and this means that you’ll need to make some modifications to your landscape.
There are quite a few things that you could add to your yard that would help rabbits to have more shelter. Bushes will be very good to have in your yard since rabbits often like to hide in thick bushes.
Many people decide to plant thick bushes and evergreens in their yards for the purpose of attracting rabbits. This shouldn’t be too hard to do, but it might take some time to grow bushes and plants that will provide ample cover for the local rabbit population.
You can also consider keeping things such as piles of sticks and brush piles in the yard. Rabbits will use things like this as hiding spots when they need to, and you’ll see more rabbits if you don’t pick brush piles up.
It’s also notable that rabbits are going to be more attracted to tall grass than they will be short grass. You could leave certain parts of your yard untouched so that the grass will grow taller.
If you have a larger yard, then it probably won’t be too hard to avoid mowing the sections of your yard that are further out. If you do decide to trim the grass, then you could at least keep it fairly high instead of cutting it low like you normally would near your home.
2 – Plant Things That Rabbits Like to Eat
Planting things in your yard that rabbits like to eat will be a good idea when you’re trying to get them to come to your yard. If there isn’t anything for them to eat in your yard, then why would they want to be there?
Rabbits will eat all sorts of plants and vegetables, but some options will be better than others when you’re trying to attract rabbits. Some of the best things that you can plant in your yard to attract rabbits will be lettuce, carrots, and clover.
If you plant things like this in plentiful amounts, then you’re going to see many more rabbits in your yard. There are vegetables that you’ll want to shy away from if your main goal is to attract rabbits, though.
Rabbits don’t seem to like vegetables such as potatoes, cucumbers, corn, and tomatoes. You can still plant them if you just wish to grow those vegetables for yourself, but you’ll want to plant things that rabbits like to eat if you want them to come to your yard.
Berry bushes will be good to plant as well since those will appeal to rabbits quite a bit. Rabbits enjoy eating both raspberries and blackberries, and they’ll even feed on the bark of certain bushes and trees.
Rabbits eat bark a lot during the winter when they don’t have as many food options. Ensuring that you have trees, bushes, and shrubs with bark that the rabbits can eat will help them during this time.
When rabbits have lots of food to choose from, they’re going to be more likely to stick around in your yard. You can create an ideal environment where rabbits will have everything that they need to thrive.
If there isn’t a reason for rabbits to leave your yard, then you’ll be seeing them a lot more often. This is perfect for anyone who is trying to attract rabbits for the purpose of viewing or observing them.
3 – Ensure That Rabbits Have Enough to Drink
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that rabbits will also need to have enough to drink in your yard. You can provide spots in the yard where rabbits will be able to stop and get a drink of water.
Some people leave shallow dishes of water out in the yard that are meant to attract rabbits. You could also make things more natural by digging a shallow hole in the ground and filling it with water.
Do your best to keep water in your yard so that the rabbits will be able to stay hydrated. If the rabbits don’t need to leave your yard to seek water, then you’ll have a substantially easier time keeping them around.
You’ll likely need to replace the water fairly often, but sometimes you won’t need to because it will have rained. Just keep an eye on the water situation if you’re trying your best to get the rabbits to stick around.
You could also make a larger hole in the ground and place a plastic container in the hole. This could be something that will hold a lot of water, and it’ll make it so that the rabbits will have access to more water at once.
Overall, it isn’t that hard to keep enough water in your yard for rabbits to drink. Just be observant so that you can make good decisions for the rabbits.
4 – Do Your Best to Keep Rabbits Safe From Predators
Predators are a big problem for rabbits, and rabbits could easily get scared away from your yard by other animals. There are many different animals that are predators to rabbits, but some of the most common animals that they need to worry about near homes will be dogs and cats.
Dogs will often chase rabbits and might very well kill them if they manage to catch the rabbits. Cats can also kill rabbits, and it can be problematic to deal with stray cats when you’re trying to attract rabbits to the area.
If you have dogs or cats, then you’re going to want to keep them away from the rabbits. Cats should be kept indoors so that they don’t go hunting for small animals in the area.
Dogs are going to be going outside fairly often, but you can keep them away from the rabbits using fences. Many people who have decent-sized yards will keep fences closer to their homes where the dogs can handle their business.
If your dogs are kept in a fenced-in area, then they won’t be able to get to the rabbits. Rabbits will be smart enough to know that they’re safe due to the fence, and they’ll still be willing to come around certain parts of your yard.
Of course, there are also natural predators to worry about that aren’t standard pets. There probably isn’t going to be as much that you can do to keep owls, hawks, and other aerial predators from coming by, but you can ensure that the rabbits have many places to hide.
Predator Control Efforts Don’t Really Help
Rabbits can be picked off by animals such as coyotes, bobcats, and foxes. You might want to help the rabbits to avoid these predators, but there really isn’t a lot that you can do.
The most practical thing is to give the rabbits plenty of hiding spots that they might be able to use to escape from predators. Yes, some rabbits will be killed by predators, but this is the natural order of things.
It’s actually true that rabbit numbers won’t significantly decline due to predators. Predator numbers will decline if the local rabbit population decreases significantly, though.
Many predators such as bobcats need to eat rabbits to survive, and it’s just how things are in nature. If you’re already doing your best to make your property convenient for rabbits, then the rabbits will always have a chance to get away from predators.
Don’t worry too much about the rabbits that do get eaten by predators. It might make you a bit sad if you’re someone who loves rabbits, but you have to try to think of it as a natural process and understand that you’re dealing with wild animals and not pets.
Not Everyone Will Be Happy to Have More Rabbits Around
Having more rabbits around might be a welcome thing to you, but you have to realize that not everyone is going to share your sentiment. You see, there are many people who find rabbits to be a pest because of what they can do to crops.
If you make the decision to try to attract rabbits to your yard, then that will mean that more rabbits will be hanging out in the area. Depending on the size of your property, you may or may not be somewhat close to your neighbors.
The action of attracting rabbits might also mean that more rabbits will start coming by your neighbors’ properties. They could be growing crops that they don’t want rabbits to mess with, and this might mean that your neighbors will start taking action.
Now, your neighbors can’t make you stop trying to attract rabbits to your yard. Many probably wouldn’t even talk to you about it or get mad at you directly.
However, you have to understand that they could start using measures to repel rabbits from the area. Depending on how close your neighbor’s yard is to yours, this could also make rabbits stay away from your yard.
For example, there are ultrasonic rabbit repellent devices that emit sounds that scare rabbits away from the area. There are also various repellent sprays that make rabbits want to stay far away.
You might want to have rabbits around, but you are not the only one in the area. If your neighbors have a reason to want to try to keep rabbits away, then the things that they do might offset the things that you’re doing to attract rabbits.
If your property is very large, then this is all a moot point that you don’t need to consider. If you have many acres to work with, then you won’t have to worry so much.
Final Thoughts
You can see that there are quite a few things that you can do to attract rabbits to your property. If you create an environment in your yard that is friendly to rabbits, then you’re going to be seeing a lot more rabbits than usual.
It really is all about making practical choices that will benefit the rabbits and allow them to thrive. Rabbits will feel a lot safer in your yard when they have access to shelter, and you can make this happen in multiple ways.
Keeping your grass taller in certain spots, planting bushes, and leaving brush piles in the yard will all make a difference. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re planting food that rabbits will like to eat.
If you plant good foods that rabbits enjoy such as carrots and lettuce, then you will definitely have a good experience with rabbits in your yard. Combine this with ensuring that the rabbits have enough water in the yard, and you’ll see many more wild rabbits moving forward.
Hopefully, you feel like you know everything that you need to know about attracting rabbits now that you have read the tips. It is time for you to get out there and make the necessary changes to get the rabbits to come to your yard.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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