An overabundance of squirrels is a sign of an unbalanced ecosystem. Although having predators such as foxes might seem intimidating at first, they do wonders for keeping the squirrel population under control. Unsurprisingly, squirrels hate spicy and/or hot scents. The capsaicin found in hot peppers is an irritant, which is why people scrunch up their noses, sweat, and get watery eyes when they consume spicy food. However, if you find that using scents to repel rabbits isn’t for you, for whatever reason, be sure to utilize one of our other options! No matter what, you deserve a rabbit-free, thriving garden. Basically, this is how they scent out potential predators. While this skill helps keep them aware of their surroundings, it also makes the membranes inside their nostrils incredibly sensitive and easily irritated. While we mentioned before how rabbits are connoisseurs of almost every plant and flower, there are a few flowers that rabbits turn their noses up at, for whatever reason.

Coyote urine - University of Hertfordshire

Sullivan, T. P., Nordstrom, L. O., & Sullivan, D. S. (1985). Use of predator odors as repellents to reduce feeding damage by herbivores. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 11(7), 903-919. Citrus has an incredibly powerful smell that can be overwhelming to deer. Grab an orange and peel it but do not throw it in the trash. You can ever hang the bags outside near your woodline, covered by trees for more curbside appeal. Deer Hate Citrus Daffodils – easy to find! These bright yellow flowering bulbs can be dug up or bought and transferred. They don’t take up much space and are native to many areas. To add one more to the list, ammonia is one of the more well mentioned scents that deer dislike and shy away from. While it occurs naturally in nature, most ammonia products consist of chemicals. Deer Strongly Dislike AmmoniaIn an article published on Michigan State University Extension, its stated that while dried blood can infact be used to repel rabbits (along with deer), the blood will lose its effectiveness after a rainfall and will need to be reapplied. Henke, S. E. (1995, April). Effects of coyote control on their prey: a review. In Symposium Proceedings–Coyotes in the Southwest: A Compendium of Our Knowledge (1995) (p. 27). However, it would take a lot of time and a whole lot of oil to cover your entire space this way and the scent will eventually fade. Instead, you can try mixing 10-15 drops of the oil with water to create a spray. The best protection against leptospirosis is through the highly effective vaccine, so make sure you have your puppy vaccinated as early as possible and annual boosters are essential because immunity after vaccination isn’t long-lived.” The noise a dog makes will be the other significant indicator to a rabbit that another animal now lives in your yard. Aside from barking, dogs will sniff, grumble, and make noise as they tromp through your yard. Often those noises will help scare any potential rabbit invaders away. Get Rid of Low Hanging Brush

12 Best Natural Deer Repellents (and How to Use Them) 12 Best Natural Deer Repellents (and How to Use Them)

While we want to keep it natural in the home and garden, some scents just aren’t worth getting naturally. There are a lot of urine repellent options out there, but some don’t have as strong of concentrated urine in their product as others. One study from the Journal of Chemical Ecology found that fresh coyote urine was very effective in preventing hares from browsing on twigs when it was placed in a dish nearby. You’ll want to finely crush the garlic cloves up and spread them in a concentrated area near the plants you’d like to repel. Keep in mind, the smell will fade after a day or two and you’ll need to reapply the garlic. Are you sensing a trend yet? If not, let us help. Peppermint, peppermint, mint. Yes, that’s right! One of the most common scents that we use in daily household items is also the one that mice truly cannot stand.

To use dryer sheets to keep squirrels away, tie a good handful of them near the area you’re trying to keep squirrels from! Your attic, on a fence, or nearby your garden are all acceptable areas.

Characterizing the effects of 2-phenylethylamine and coyote

In addition to the options listed above, there’s another common kitchen item that will help you repel squirrels: garlic. Walker, S. (n.d.). Effects of predator urine on deterring ungulate browsing of aspen on the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. EWU Digital Commons. If you’d like to read more on that, you can apply the same tactics in an article we wrote about using Irish Spring Soap to repel raccoons by reading here. Rosemary Repels Squirrels While there is no scientific evidence that coffee grounds repel squirrels, the fact is that used coffee grounds are an unfamiliar scent to squirrels and may signal that humans are nearby.All it takes is a few shakes or sprays around the area you want to protect, and squirrels will take the hint right away. I saw a doe with 2 yearing fawns thrash the living daylights out of a coyote on my place, the year before last, during rifle season. The scent, like many of the other scents in this list, will eventually wear off but all you have to do is simply top off some more ammonia in the spray bottle and reapply the product outside. Conclusion Now that we know what to do, your next question may be: why is this method so effective? Why Do Rabbits Hate Certain Smells? Are there any open holes or areas a rodent could slip through? Are there signs that they might be poking around certain places, looking for a spot to nest?