Rabbits have a vegetarian diet that consists of grass blades and roots, carrots, broccoli, tree bark, shrubs and a vast variety of flowers and fruit. Keeping rabbits off the grass can be challenging without the proper steps. Installing a fence or scare device and trapping rabbits are the most common methods used to keep rabbits away.
Rabbits in the Wild
There are two main types of native rabbits in the western United States. The Nuttall Cottontail is about 14 inches long, grayish-brown and has a tail that resembles a cotton ball. The Pygmy rabbit is the smallest rabbit in North America. About 11 inches long with a gray coat and buff-colored tail, it is commonly found in sagebrush and moderately thick shrubbery. The Eastern Cottontail was brought to the West Coast in the 1930s for hunting and gaming. This rabbit is about 17 inches long with a light brown coat. Commonly seen along roadsides, thickets and areas where it was introduced, the Eastern Cottontail can cause problems in lawns and gardens. Because the rabbits have a large appetite, they eat flowers, vegetables and grasses in the summer and bark and shrubs in the winter.
Trapping
Trapping rabbits also works well if you can relocate it to a safe environment where it will have food, shelter and water. Never handle wild rabbits outside of a cage because they can carry diseases such as rabies, which is transferable to humans.
