Dense cover around woody plantings may provide some protection from jackrabbit damage, but will increase the risk of damage from cottontails and field mice. Alternate foods can be provided to rabbits, to distract rabbits from valuable plants, but they are of little long-term value, as they may attract more rabbits and lead to greater damage problems. Many people have tried scarecrows, owl and snake effigies, pinwheels, pie pans spinning in the wind and several other creative devices to frighten rabbits out of gardens and other areas. Frightening devices are simple to use, but they cannot be relied on to protect plants from damage because rabbits acclimate very quickly to noise and movement. Repellents Repellents may temporarily protect plants from rabbit damage, but their overall effectiveness is variable.
Rabbits acclimate quickly to odors too.
Repellents work best in spring and summer when rabbits have alternative foods to eat instead of the treated plants. Taste repellents, such as thiram and hot sauce, make plants distasteful. They work only on the treated parts, and so, do not protect new growth after treatment. Also, rain or watering may wash the repellents off the plants. Therefore, taste repellents should be reapplied after being washed off or as significant new growth occurs.