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Rabbit Bait Guide: How To Use It & Which Is Best?

Rabbits are often regarded as one of the cutest animals to live on earth. While this is mostly true, they can also sometimes cause trouble, especially if they invade gardens by kin. However, many rabbit disposal services are cruel and less humane.

In addition, their kin may also seek revenge and continue to invade yards if they find out that one of their kind is cruelly disposed of. Hence, setting up the best rabbit bait is beneficial to both the human and the rabbit since there are more humane ways of disposing of them.

What is the best rabbit bait?

The best and most humane way to make rabbit baits is by giving them food that is rich in greens such as carrots, lettuce, Brussel sprouts, and apples. There are various humane ways to catch our friendly furry creatures. This can be done by planting different plants that grow green vegetables in your gardens.

However, the ones that should be avoided are planting potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and cucumbers. During the winter, planting blackberries and raspberries can also be given since rabbits feed on the bark of their berry bushes. In warmer regions, fresh green vegetables such as apples and cabbages are good baits since these become softer and mushier than during the winter solstice.

Giving them food is the best for rabbit baits
Giving them food is the best for rabbit baits

Placing a water bowl as bait near the vegetables may also help in baiting rabbits. Make sure that the water is always fresh and is available all throughout the year so that they keep returning to it regularly. On the other hand, keep it free from ice during the winter so that they could still have water to drink.

Lastly, setting the bait up as a make-shift shelter helps the rabbits hide from predators. This allows them to feel a sense of safety from danger, thereby earning your trust and your rabbit bait. Along with the green vegetables, planting bushes and garden beds with evergreens may help rabbits to find a safe place to hide in.

It is important that the rabbit bait is a garden area that can grow into tall and weedy grasses. Hence, avoid mowing that part of the garden to sustain the growth of the grasses and their lusciousness.

What scents attract rabbits?

Since rabbits utilize their sense of smell to detect food, attracting them with sweet and sugary scents will capture their attention and lure them into the bait. They can also smell up to 20 times better than an average human being. Hence, ensuring that there are no predators near the bait can also gain their trust since they can also smell potential threats in their surroundings.

There are other scents that most rabbits like. Listed below are some of the scents that may be incorporated into rabbit baits and homes:

  • Food – Luring rabbits into their baits through food is the most effective way to trap them humanely. In addition, most rabbits prefer fruits that smell sweet. However, it should be noted that other human foods, such as chocolate and avocado, are toxic to rabbits.
  • Pet Remedy – With its components made up of valerian, basil, and sage, this can make a very appealing scent for rabbits. In addition, this product is particularly made to soothe and calm animals through its scent.
  • Roses – Since roses have a sweet smell, this could also attract a rabbit into thinking that there is sugary food nearby. However, it is important that the roses will always be trimmed to avoid unnecessary dangers to the rabbit.
  • Other rabbits’ scent – This factor may differ depending on the rabbit that will be lured. For instance, a rabbit seeking a companion among others of their kind may find this scent, or mark, appealing. On the other hand, other rabbits may also want to avoid other rabbits as well. Hence, using this method may have various results depending on the rabbit that will be lured.

Tips to trap a rabbit

There are many factors to be considered when making the best rabbit bait as there are also other ways to lure them other than food. Found below are some tips involved in rabbit baits:

  • Environment – Rabbit baits should be well-ventilated, meaning that there should still be oxygen flowing to and from the trap. If the bait is too hot or damp, this may cause complications and illnesses to the rabbit in the long run.
  • Time of the Day – Dusk and dawn are the usual times wherein rabbits are the most active. Since they need to look for food, the light that these times provide gives them enough protection to hide from predators. To search for rabbits during different times of the day, walking with a dog would be the most effective since their noses can also pick up a rabbit’s scent.

It is also important to be aware of the scents that rabbits hate since some of them may have opposite effects and can repel them in the process:

  • Lavender – Contrary to its popular belief of being calming, this plant has opposite effects when inhaled by animals, especially cats, and rabbits. Therefore, avoid spraying scents of lavender near rabbit baits or even at home.
  • Onions and garlic – Just like their effects on humans, onions, and garlic make a good natural rabbit repellent. Hence, avoid putting garlic cloves near the bait when luring rabbits.
  • Perfumes – The strong chemicals found in perfumes can irritate a rabbit’s nose. When setting up the bait, avoid spraying perfume where rabbits may pick up its scent easily.

Learn about making humane rabbit baits
Learn about making humane rabbit baits

Conclusion

Just like humans, no one can beat food when it comes to being used as a popular bait worldwide. Rabbits are particularly fond of green vegetables and sweet smells. Hence, placing carrots, lettuce, and apples near the bait increases its chance of luring rabbits successfully.

However, there are also scents that rabbits repulse such as strong scents like lavender, chili powder, onions, and garlic. The time of the day also plays a big role in luring rabbits since they are the most active at dusk and down due to hiding from potential predators. Learning about rabbit baits can mean a lot of experimentation.

Don’t forget to comment down below if you have any questions!

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About Grace Hocker

Hi, my name is Grace and I am a pet lover. Ever since 5 years old, I've owned some sort of pet from Bearded Dragons to Rabbits. I have dedicated my life to helping pets, and am here to help you get the best for your pet!