Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

• Stems cleanly clipped at an angle close to the soil — a 45-degree cut is characteristic of rabbit feeding
• Small, pea-sized round droppings near the damage
• Seedlings and transplants eaten to the ground overnight
• Damage focused on the lowest foot or so of the plant — rabbits can't reach high
• Young bean and pea plants may be stripped entirely in one night

Eastern cottontails are most active at dawn and dusk. They breed from February through September and can produce four to five litters per year. Young rabbits can fit through gaps as small as 1 inch. They tend to nest in dense grass and brush near gardens. Populations can build quickly, especially in areas with limited predator pressure.

1. 01Hardware cloth fencing (1-inch mesh or smaller) around the bed perimeter, buried 6 inches into the soil to prevent digging under
2. 02Fence height of 2 feet is usually enough — rabbits rarely jump higher than that for food
3. 03Chicken wire can work but the larger mesh may allow juvenile rabbits through
4. 04Repellent sprays (putrescent egg, blood meal) applied around bed edges — reapply after rain
5. 05Remove brush piles and tall grass near the garden to eliminate nesting habitat
6. 06A family dog with outdoor access is a practical deterrent in suburban settings

If rabbit pressure is severe enough to warrant removal, your local cooperative extension or county wildlife office can advise on legal trapping and relocation methods in your area.

• Rabbits in the Garden— University of Minnesota Extension
• Managing Rabbit Damage— University of Maryland Extension