Rabbit activity can quickly turn a garden or lawn into a series of nibbled plants and shallow burrows. These agile foragers inflict significant damage to young vegetation overnight. An effective solution is installing a physical barrier that accounts for the full range of rabbit behaviors. Protection requires a defense that addresses both the vertical height rabbits can clear and their instinct to burrow underneath obstacles.
Determining the Necessary Fence Dimensions
The upward barrier of a rabbit fence must be higher than many people assume due to the animals’ agility. For common cottontail rabbits, the fence material should stand at least 24 inches (two feet) above the ground. While this height deters most casual entry attempts, a more secure height of 30 to 36 inches is advisable. Rabbits can easily clear a two-foot obstacle when running from a threat or attempting to reach a desirable food source.
Height alone is insufficient, as a determined rabbit will simply dig beneath a fence that stops at ground level. To counter this burrowing behavior, the barrier must extend below the soil surface. The fence material should be buried at least 6 inches deep, though a depth of 12 inches is recommended for maximum security. This underground extension prevents the rabbit from creating a pathway beneath the fence line.
The most effective strategy to prevent digging is to incorporate an “L-foot” or skirt at the base of the fence. This involves bending the bottom 6 to 12 inches of the mesh outward at a 90-degree angle, extending away from the protected area. When rabbits attempt to dig down directly against the fence, their effort is immediately blocked by this horizontal wire apron. The L-foot can be laid flat on the ground and secured, which disrupts the animal’s digging trajectory.
Selecting the Right Fencing Material
Choosing the correct mesh size is a primary factor in preventing rabbits from squeezing through the barrier. Standard chicken wire often has hexagonal openings that are too large, allowing young or small rabbits to pass directly through. The most secure options feature a mesh opening no larger than one inch, such as a 1-inch by 1-inch or 1/2-inch by 1-inch configuration.
Welded wire or hardware cloth is far superior to traditional twisted chicken wire for this application. Hardware cloth, typically featuring small, square openings, is especially effective because its joints are welded, providing rigidity and preventing the mesh from deforming under pressure. This material ensures that even the smallest juvenile rabbits cannot breach the perimeter.
The thickness of the wire, known as the gauge, influences the fence’s durability and longevity. A lower gauge number indicates a thicker, stronger wire, which is more resistant to chewing and wear. While 19-gauge wire is a minimum, selecting a 16-gauge or 14-gauge galvanized wire offers enhanced strength and corrosion resistance. Using a heavier gauge material extends the fence’s lifespan.
Installation Strategies to Prevent Entry
The physical installation process must focus on creating a uniformly taut and secure barrier around the entire protected area. Fence posts should be spaced no more than 6 to 8 feet apart along the perimeter to prevent the mesh from sagging between them. Maintaining this consistent tension is important because loose sections of fencing can be easily pushed aside or manipulated by rabbits seeking an entry point.
Once the main fence is secured to the posts, the outward-facing L-foot skirt must be firmly anchored to the ground. This horizontal section of mesh can be secured using sod staples or ground pegs placed every 1 to 2 feet along its length. Ensuring the L-foot is flush with the soil prevents rabbits from gaining a foothold underneath the skirt and frustrates any digging attempt.
Any gate or entry point must be designed to maintain the same low-level security as the rest of the fence line. The bottom edge of the gate should fit tightly against the ground, leaving no gap that a rabbit could squeeze through or attempt to dig beneath. Using a solid threshold or an embedded section of hardware cloth directly beneath the gate’s swing path will preserve the integrity of the ground-level barrier.