Rabbits are pretty adorable, but those cuties turn into evils when they get a chance to enter your garden. So how do you stop the rabbits from munching on your plants? Can human hair repel them? How does that work? Here is a detailed guide about human hair as rabbit repellent.
Does human hair repel rabbits?
Human hair does repel rabbits quite effectively. It may seem surprising, but if rabbits find hair clippings, they try to avoid the place. Hair indicates to them there is a predator nearby, and it’s not safe to be here. It’s a working way to repel rabbits and does not have any side effects.
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Human hair may not seem much effective in deterring rabbits and deers, but actually, they do pretty well in keeping away those plant-eaters. Why is it so effective? Here is the explanation.
Rabbits are in the lowest part of the food chain. That means they have many predators such as coyotes, wolves, snakes, owls, hawks etc. So, to survive in the wild, they need some techniques to avoid those predators.
Rabbits don’t have an active defense mechanism without their speed. So, they need to be extra careful about their surrounding environments. Any moving object or any signs of predators can make them run away.
Human hair works in the same way. Hair or fur is a clear indication to the rabbits of a predator nearby. Once they notice such signs, they will run away and avoid the place.
Bones, dried blood and urine work the same way as hair clippings. Its hustle is a free and almost cost-free way to deter the rabbits from your garden. Moreover, there are no side effects of using human hair as a rabbit repellent.
The hair will decompose and provide nutrition to your garden soil. Dog hair works similarly to human hair. If you have a dog with long fur, you can use dog hair to keep away the rabbits.
Human and dog urine can also repel rabbits from your garden? Just spread urine around your garden to repel rabbits. You can also find fox urine in some stores or online.
If collecting hair clippings seems complicated, there are many other ways to repel the rabbits. There are commercial rabbit repellents that keep the rabbits away from your garden.
You can also make homemade rabbit repellents using hot paper, vinegar or essential oils. Just make a solution with one of those items and water. Spray it directly over the leaves of your garden plants. Rabbits have strong smelling power. Most of the offensive smells are enough to deter them.
Do hair clippings keep rabbits away?
Hair clippings keep rabbits away from your garden and property. You can find hair clipping from your nearby barbershop or beauty parlor.
Sometimes they save hair clippings for different purposes. They may give hair wastes for free.
Is it okay to use your hair? It will work, but who wants to sacrifice his hairstyle to deter the garden! At least I would not. However, If you are getting a haircut, you can collect your hair for further use.
If you are a shy guy, it feels a bit weird to ask for hair clippings from the barbershop. However, explain that you are collecting the hairs to keep the rabbits away from your garden.
Will your dog mind giving some fur for rabbit repelling purposes? I don’t think so. Collect dog fur while trimming your dog. It will be helpful to keep the rabbits away.
If you have a dog, he can also help you deter rabbits. Train your dog to take care of his business near the garden. The smell of dogs will scare the rabbits off your property. And no rabbits are brave enough to come back after getting chased by a dog.
Is human hair bad for rabbits?
Human hair can be harmful to pet rabbits but not to wild rabbits. Human hair is bad for pet rabbits if they consume it. But wild rabbits will not eat human hair.
Pet rabbits can develop harmful behaviors if you keep them alone or he does not have proper ways of enjoyment. If they consume a lot of hair, the hair will make a not digestible hairball. The hairball can block the digestive system of a pet rabbit which can be fatal.
But wild rabbits run off if they see hair clippings on the ground, let alone eat them. If you spread human hair near your garden, that will work as a rabbit repellent, but the hairs will not harm the rabbits. The rabbits will just run away seeing hair clippings.
If a wild rabbit eats hair parts with its food, that may cause similar health issues.
3 reasons why human hair repels rabbits
Human hair does not have a powerful smell. It’s also not harmful or irritating to the rabbits, but why does human hair repel rabbits? Let’s find out the reasons in more detail.
Hair scares rabbits:
As we explained earlier, rabbits need to pay closer attention to their environment. They need to be careful of predators all the time as there are a lot of them. Let’s think like a rabbit. Will you chill alone in a jungle if you see tiger footsteps? The same thing happens with rabbits. They forget entering in your garden and eat a salad once they see hair clippings everywhere around the garden. They run away as quickly as possible and probably the rabbit will not visit your garden for months.
Rabbits have strong smelling power:
The strong-smelling ability of rabbits helps them to sense if there is any predator nearby. If they can smell hairs, they become alert to possible dangers. Once they can see the hair clippings, they have no option but to leave the place.
Rabbits cant take risks:
Rabbits dictionary lacks the word ‘risk.’ At least they don’t take risks intentionally. One wrong step can be a de*ath sentence for them, as many predators can eat them anytime if they get a chance. There is no point in being brave for the rabbits. If a rabbit can not avoid predators, it can not live in the wild.
How to keep rabbits out of your garden with human hair?
Deterring rabbits with hair clippings is easy and cost-free. Here is how to keep the rabbits out of your garden using human hair.
Collect hair clippings:
You may need a lot of hair clippings if you have a decent-sized garden. A salon can supply you with that much hair clipping. Talk to a salon guy to save the hair clippings and collect the hairs after a few days.
You can also collect hair clippings when you are getting a haircut. But that much hair can only cover a small garden in general.
Spread the hair:
Spread the hairs around your garden, especially the part where rabbits enter. Cover all the areas of your garden to make an effective hair wall.
Repeat:
Hair takes a long time to decompose. Usually, it takes 1-2 years. But hair can easily wash away by rain or get covered with dust. So when should you reapply thair clippings around your garden? Reapply the hair clippings if you notice the majority of hair clippings are not visible. But generally, hair clippings will work for at least 2-3 months, depending on the environment.
Is human hair good for the garden?
Yes, human hair has several good benefits for the garden. Firstly it repels the rabbits and deers. So, those plant-eaters can not eat your garden like a salad buffet. Hair clippings also protect your garden from slugs and snails. Hair works as a natural barrier against garden pests.
Now let’s talk about what does hair clippings do to your garden? The hair clippings work like mulch. It can insulate your garden soil in the winter and keeps the moisture inside. It can be a great plus in the dry seasons.
Hair is made of carotene. When it decomposes, it adds nitrogen to the soil. Plants can use nitrogen for growth. There is almost no harmful effect of spreading hair clippings around or inside your garden.
Final Thoughts
Human hair does scars off rabbits from your garden. They fear any signs of predators and try to avoid places with those signs. Human hair also deters small animals like slugs, snails, deers and squirrels. Don’t apply hair after washing them as washing will remove smells from the hairs.