What Do Rabbits Eat in the Winter?
Posted by Jennifer Smith on 27th Nov 2019
Deerbusters has explored what foods deer eat in winter; and we touched on what elk eat during cold months; but how about rabbits?
Rabbits are the second most complained about animal eating gardens after deer. In the springtime, when gardens are budding with fresh flowers and plants, rabbits will eat a surplus of greens; clover; wildflowers; and vegetable plants - not just carrots! But, in the wintertime, when natural resources become scarce, rabbits will eat similar foods to deer: twigs; buds; bushes; conifers; and remaining plants they find from home gardens.
To protect organic gardens in winter from rabbit damage, home gardeners will need to install 2-3 foot high metal fencing (typically hexagonal fencing) and trench the fence into the ground to prevent burrowing. Rabbits are pesky animals that will become major headaches in springtime; so, it's best to reduce the number of rabbits seen in gardens during the winter season.