Do Bunnies Eat Grass – Your Complete Guide To Protecting Your Lawn

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Have you ever looked out at your carefully tended lawn and noticed a few telltale signs? A patch of grass that looks suspiciously like it’s been given a haircut with tiny scissors, or a flash of a cotton-white tail disappearing under a bush? If so, you’ve probably asked yourself the very question we’re here to answer.

It can be a little frustrating to see your hard work become a snack for a furry visitor. But don’t worry! I promise that by the end of this guide, you’ll have a complete understanding of this common garden scenario.

We’re going to dive deep into why bunnies munch on your lawn, how to spot their handiwork, and most importantly, provide a complete do bunnies eat grass guide. We’ll cover everything from gentle, humane deterrents to protect your prized petunias to creating a garden where you and your wild neighbors can peacefully coexist. Let’s get started!

The Short Answer is Yes! But It’s More Complicated Than You Think

So, do bunnies eat grass? Absolutely. In fact, for wild rabbits, grass and other leafy weeds are the cornerstones of their diet. Their entire digestive system is designed to process large amounts of high-fiber, low-calorie food, and fresh grass fits that bill perfectly.

They are herbivores, and specifically, they are folivores, which means their diet consists mainly of leafy material. The tender, new shoots of grass in your lawn are especially appealing because they are soft, easy to digest, and full of water.

It’s interesting to note the difference between fresh grass and the hay we feed pet rabbits. Hay is simply dried grass, which concentrates the fiber content. This fiber is absolutely essential for a rabbit’s gut health, keeping everything moving smoothly. For wild rabbits, fresh grass serves the same fundamental purpose, providing the roughage they need to thrive.

Understanding the benefits of do bunnies eat grass from the rabbit’s perspective is the first step. For them, it’s not just a snack; it’s a primary source of nutrition and hydration that keeps their complex digestive tracts in working order.

How to Tell if a Bunny is Your Lawn’s Uninvited Guest

Before you can decide on a course of action, you need to be sure who the culprit is. Different animals leave behind different clues, and rabbit damage is quite distinct if you know what you’re looking for. It’s a key part of our do bunnies eat grass care guide to first identify the problem correctly.

The Telltale Signs of Rabbit Grazing

When a rabbit nibbles on a blade of grass or the stem of a plant, it leaves a very clean, sharp cut. This is because they have both upper and lower incisors. They snip the plant off at a neat 45-degree angle, almost as if it were cut with a tiny pair of scissors.

This is very different from deer damage, which looks torn and ragged because deer lack upper incisors and have to rip plants. You’ll typically find these neatly clipped patches near areas of cover, like under a deck, along a fence line, or near dense shrubbery where they can make a quick escape.

More Than Just Grass: Other Plants at Risk

While bunnies certainly eat grass, it’s often not their first choice if other delicacies are available. They have a sweet tooth for tender, new growth. Keep an eye on:

  • Clover and Dandelions: These “weeds” are like five-star cuisine for rabbits.
  • Young Vegetable Seedlings: Lettuces, beans, peas, and broccoli are all highly susceptible.
  • Tender Perennials: Hostas, pansies, and petunias are common targets, especially in the spring.
  • Woody Plants in Winter: When food is scarce, they will even gnaw on the bark of young trees and shrubs, which can cause significant damage.
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Spotting Rabbit Droppings

Perhaps the most definitive sign of a rabbit’s presence is what they leave behind. Rabbit droppings are very distinct. You’ll find small, round, hard pellets, roughly the size of a pea, often scattered in small piles.

Unlike dog or cat waste, these pellets are dry and composed almost entirely of digested plant matter, so they are not messy and will break down into the soil over time. Finding these is a sure-fire confirmation that you have a rabbit visitor.

Do Bunnies Eat Grass? Understanding the Impact on Your Garden

Now that we’ve confirmed the answer to “do bunnies eat grass” is a resounding yes, let’s talk about what that means for your garden. The impact can range from a minor nuisance to a significant problem, depending on your gardening goals and the local rabbit population.

The “Good”: Natural Lawn Mowing

In a yard with a very healthy, robust lawn and just one or two rabbit visitors, their grazing might be barely noticeable. You could even think of them as tiny, eco-friendly lawn mowers, trimming small patches for you free of charge!

This approach to eco-friendly do bunnies eat grass management recognizes their role in the local ecosystem. They provide a food source for predators and their droppings act as a natural, slow-release fertilizer for your soil.

The “Bad”: Common Problems with Do Bunnies Eat Grass

For most gardeners, however, the cons outweigh the pros. The most common problems with do bunnies eat grass revolve around aesthetics and plant health.

Rabbit grazing creates an uneven, patchy look in a manicured lawn. If you’ve just put down new grass seed, a hungry rabbit can devour the tender new shoots overnight, completely ruining your efforts. They can also damage a wide variety of ornamental flowers and vegetable plants, often targeting the most vulnerable new growth.

A Gardener’s Guide to Humane Rabbit Deterrents

If you’ve decided the rabbit damage is too much, the good news is there are many effective and humane ways to protect your garden. This do bunnies eat grass guide is all about finding a solution that works for you without harming the wildlife.

Fencing: Your First Line of Defense

The most effective, long-term solution is a physical barrier. A well-installed fence is one of the do bunnies eat grass best practices for serious gardeners.

  1. Choose the Right Material: A galvanized chicken wire or hardware cloth with openings of one inch or smaller is ideal.
  2. Get the Height Right: The fence should be at least 2 feet tall to prevent rabbits from jumping over it. For particularly athletic jackrabbits, 3 feet is safer.
  3. Go Underground: Rabbits are excellent diggers! You must bury the bottom of the fence at least 6 inches deep, or bend it outwards into an “L” shape along the ground to discourage tunneling.

You don’t have to fence your entire yard. Often, just protecting a specific vegetable garden or a bed of prized flowers is enough.

Natural and Scent-Based Repellents

Rabbits have a very sensitive sense of smell, which you can use to your advantage. You can either buy commercial repellents (often made from predator urine or putrescent egg solids) or try a DIY approach.

Pro Tip: For a simple homemade spray, crush a few garlic cloves and a hot pepper, boil them in a quart of water, let it cool, strain it, and add a drop of dish soap to help it stick to leaves. Reapply after every rain.

Scare Tactics that Actually Work

Sometimes, a simple surprise is enough to send a rabbit hopping away. Motion-activated sprinklers are highly effective because they use a startling sound and a spray of water.

You can also try shiny, moving objects that reflect light, like metallic pinwheels, old CDs hanging from string, or aluminum pie plates. The key is to move them around every few days so the rabbits don’t get used to them.

Modifying the Landscape

Rabbits are prey animals, and they hate feeling exposed. You can make your yard less inviting by removing their favorite hiding spots. Trim the lower branches of shrubs, clear away brush piles, and block off access to the spaces under your deck or shed.

Creating a Sustainable, Rabbit-Friendly Garden Zone

Perhaps you enjoy seeing wildlife and want to find a way to live in harmony. A fantastic approach for sustainable do bunnies eat grass management is to create a truce by offering them a space of their own.

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Plant a “Sacrificial” Patch

This is my favorite trick! Set aside a small, out-of-the-way corner of your yard and plant things rabbits love. A patch of clover, alfalfa, or even just letting some dandelions grow will often be enough to keep them happy and draw their attention away from your lawn and vegetable garden.

This creates a win-win situation where the rabbits get a reliable food source, and you get to enjoy watching them from a distance while your prized plants remain untouched.

Choosing Rabbit-Resistant Plants

Another smart strategy is to fill your garden with plants that rabbits naturally dislike. They tend to avoid plants that are highly aromatic, have fuzzy or spiny textures, or are toxic to them. Some excellent rabbit-resistant choices include:

  • Perennials: Lavender, Salvia, Yarrow, Catmint, Peonies, Bleeding Hearts.
  • Annuals: Marigolds, Geraniums, Zinnias, Snapdragons.
  • Bulbs: Daffodils, Alliums (ornamental onions), Hyacinths.

Don’t worry—these flowers are perfect for beginners and veterans alike, and they’ll add beautiful color and texture to your garden without becoming a bunny buffet!

Frequently Asked Questions About Bunnies and Grass

Do bunnies eat grass seeds?

Yes, they do. Rabbits will happily nibble on grass seed and the tender shoots that sprout from it. This is why it’s crucial to protect a newly seeded lawn with temporary fencing or a repellent until the grass is well-established (at least a few inches tall).

Will my lawn recover from rabbit damage?

In most cases, yes. Healthy, established turfgrass is very resilient and will typically regrow quickly after being grazed by rabbits. You can help it along by watering properly and ensuring your soil is healthy. The damage is usually cosmetic and temporary.

Are lawn treatments and pesticides harmful to bunnies?

Absolutely. Many chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides can be toxic to rabbits and other wildlife. If you have rabbits visiting, it’s a great reason to switch to organic and eco-friendly do bunnies eat grass lawn care practices. This is safer for them, for your pets, and for your family.

What kind of grass do bunnies prefer?

Rabbits, like many of us, prefer their food to be young and tender. They are most attracted to new, soft growth. Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass are often their favorites, especially the fresh shoots that emerge in spring.

Your Garden, Your Choice

So, we’ve journeyed through the world of rabbits in the garden. We’ve confirmed that the answer to “do bunnies eat grass” is a definite yes, but now you know it’s so much more than that. It’s about understanding their behavior, identifying their impact, and making a conscious choice about how to manage their presence.

Whether you choose to build a fortress around your vegetable patch with a sturdy fence or plant a clover buffet to make peace, you now have the knowledge and tools to handle the situation. You can be a gardener who protects your harvest or one who fosters a tiny, wild ecosystem right in your backyard.

There is no single right answer, only the one that feels right for you and your garden. Go forth and grow!

Rimon Chowdhury
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