Considered by some as one of the cutest mammals that exist, there are many Minnesota homeowners and farmers who would beg to differ on that opinion! The Eastern Cottontail is the most common type of wild rabbit found in Minnesota. Weighing between just 2 and 3 pounds, the Eastern Cottontail is grayish-brown with a white tail, belly, inner legs, and chin. And while yes, the rabbit is quite a cute animal, there are many homeowners who will tell you that the wild rabbits in Minnesota are capable of destroying suburban yard vegetation quickly and quite thoroughly. And this is the basis of the endless conflict between the Minnesotan homeowner and farmer, and the cottontail rabbit. Minnesota Wild Animal Management has Rabbit-Proofing and Removal Services for Maple Grove, MN and surrounding Minnesota cities.
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit in Minnesota
The Eastern Cottontail prefers partly open areas with plenty of thick low-lying greenery such as hedges. The cottontails eat green plants, grasses, and flowers when available in the warmer months, and tree bark, young trees, twigs, and buds during the winter months. They are capable of destroying most greenery and even known to kill small trees. They sometimes even eat their own droppings that provide them with vital digestive properties. Rabbits are herbivores, so they do not prey on other animals. The rabbits do have natural predators such as foxes, owls, hawks, and domestic cats and dogs. The cottontails are mostly active at dawn and dusk.
The Problem With Rabbits In Minnesota
Because they forage on greenery and young trees, the cottontail can do an extensive amount of damage that can cost homeowners a large bundle of money as they lose costly plants. Rabbits are known to reproduce rapidly, with an average gestation period of 30 days and a breeding season stretching about 9 months, they are winning the war against the homeowner!
Multiply the multiplying rabbit population by their potential to cause extensive damage and you can easily understand why the typical Minnesotan homeowner and vegetable farmer would rather not have rabbits take up residence near their property.
How To Outsmart Rabbits
The most effective way to outsmart a hungry rabbit is to protect your valuable vegetation. Young trees and low shrubs can be surrounded by cylindrical guards of wire and netting. Chicken wire is also an effective guard against rabbits. A galvanized mesh wire fence that is at least approximately 2 feet tall should be sufficient to keep rabbits from entering garden areas. Another wise move is to do your research prior to purchasing new plantings so that you can choose flowers and other decorative vegetation that does not attract rabbits.
Minnesota Wild Animal Management
Let us help you save your valuable trees and garden areas. At Minnesota Wild Animal Management, we can work with you to create techniques that can actually make rabbits an accepted addition to your landscape. Call us today at (612) 386-1289 for a consultation about the best way to approach your rabbit problem.
