Signs You Have a Rabbit Problem in the Garden

Rabbits exemplify many people's idea of warm and fuzzy wildlife until a group of furry marauders gets loose in their gardens. Not exactly rodents, they do a very good imitation when it comes to chewing up vegetables, herbs, flowers and even some trees. Distinguishing the work of rabbits from true rodents -- such as rats -- and other nocturnal scavengers -- such as deer -- isn't always straightforward, but there is always a chance you can make a positive identification by catching a glimpse of the furry eating machines or spotting their droppings or footprints.

Unlike rats, squirrels and raccoons, rabbits can't climb. So the havoc they wreak is always low to the ground. Your vegetables and herbs -- as well as many ornamental plants, shrubs and turf -- are all part of the diet for rabbits, and they'll get into your berry patches with gusto. They'll even gnaw the smooth, thin bark from young trees, effectively girdling them and causing them to die. If deer got into your yard, you'd see damage to tall plants and low-hanging tree branches that a rabbit could never reach.

Cottontails and brush rabbits are always planning their escape. So any damage they cause is often concentrated in a small area near an escape pathway. Jackrabbits are faster and hardier, and they are bolder. They may venture well to the center of your property. You're likely to find jackrabbits on your property only if you live in pastureland or some other semi-open area. They tend to avoid the woodlands and closed-in spaces that other rabbits prefer.

Rabbits bite with their incisors, making characteristically clean, 45-degree cuts when clipping buds, leaves, twigs or vegetables. Deer eat many of the same plants that rabbits do; if, however, a deer got into your yard, you'd notice that the plants it damaged appear ragged and torn. This is because deer have no front teeth so must rip and pull to get the food off the branches. When rabbits chew tree trunks, they leave incisor marks that are 1/4 to 3/8 inches wide. Tree squirrels leave similar marks, but squirrels can climb. So you'll probably see their marks much higher on trees.

If the damage done to your garden doesn't help you conclusively identify the raiders as rabbits, you should be able to find proof by looking for rabbit tracks or droppings.

Rabbits are active throughout the year, and in winter -- or after a rain -- you may see their footprints in the snow or mud. The tracks made by their hind feet are typically long and placed in pairs because rabbits hop off their hind legs. Their front paw tracks are smaller and often indistinct partly because the paws are furry and partly because the animals don't place as much weight on them. If the rabbits are jackrabbits, you may also see a tail mark, especially in deep snow.

Unlike the sometimes acornlike droppings of deer, rabbit droppings are usually spherical or slightly oblong. They're usually scattered on the ground in groups of five or 10, and they are usually not far from where the animals damaged a garden. Each dropping is roughly 3/8 inch in diameter, and it's light brown.

Rabbits are hard to spot; their survival depends on it. During the day, they remain hidden in woodpiles, under old branches or in abandoned dens of other animals. If you come across one, it will likely be by accident. They are most active from dusk to dawn, and if one is in your garden during that time period, you may be able to spot it by shining a flashlight. When the animal looks in your direction, its eyes will shine with a yellow light.