How to build a rabbit proof fence
If you live anywhere outside of a major urban area, even in the suburbs, you probably have rabbits around. And even in downtown areas, if there are small fields near you, rabbits could be a problem. Invading the lawns and gardens of unsuspecting homeowners is how they tend to survive in these places.
As cute as they may seem in pictures and around Easter time, rabbits can cause significant damage to your lawn, garden, and landscaping. They will eat many different plants and flowers, leaving little behind but the roots. But with a simple and inexpensive fence, you can avoid these problems.
You need to keep two things in mind when planning your fence:
1. Rabbits can dig.
2. They can fit through some narrow places
Rabbits are normally found on the surface, they are not burrowing animals. But they build houses by digging into the ground and making small tunnels or caves to protect themselves from the elements. If the fence only goes to the ground, or just above it, rabbits can easily dig under it.
When you erect your fence, the best way to prevent rabbits from digging under it is to bury the mesh or chicken wire fence 6 to 8 inches below the fence.
The other consideration is the spacing between the fence slats. A small rabbit can squeeze through an opening only a few inches wide, so make sure the slats are close enough together to prevent them from getting through.
The cost of the materials will influence how you build the fence, especially since stacking the slats together means you’ll need more. If you’re on a budget, chain link might be a better option. Holes in standard chain link fences are small enough to keep rabbits out.
Another option if you prefer a post and rail design but want to keep costs down is to use a larger space and supplement it with chicken wire or netting in the bottom 2-3 feet. Rabbits can jump pretty high, but they can’t jump that high and go through the slats at the same time.
If you choose this route, make sure the mesh is not a material that can be easily chewed. Rabbits can chew through vinyl and plastic mesh, so choose a sturdy material.
Another option to minimize the cost of your fence is to build smaller fences for the most important areas of your yard. If you enclose your garden with a fence, for example, you can protect it from rabbits without costing so much.
You could even plant an area with clovers or some other fast-growing vegetation that could be a tempting snack for rabbits and help keep them out of areas where you don’t want them.