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PostPosted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 5:40 am 
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Location: Plano, Texas (north of Dallas)
We have wild rabbits that have been poo poo'ing on my lawn. Needless to say, the poo poo is leaving big burned out circles in my lawn. I've tried sprinkling sugar on it and watering it in very well, but it's not helping. Anyone know what else I could do to fix the damage? Thanks!


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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:49 pm 
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Needless to say???

I can't imagine how that could happen. I would expect small, dark green spots. Rabbit pellets start out relatively dry, so I would not expect an over dose of nitrogen to burn anything.

What is your soil like (sandy or clayey)?
What kind of grass do you have?
How often do you fertilize?
How often do you water? How long?

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 7:21 am 
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Location: Plano, Texas (north of Dallas)
Where there are green rabbit poo poo pellets, the grass is burnt at least 2-3 inches outward from the pellets. This happens only where we see the pellets. Otherwise, the grass is nice and dense everywhere else. Could there be SO MUCH nitrogen in their pellets that it's burning the grass? I've been watering the spots daily and it seems to be helping.

Living north of Dallas, our soil is clayey; we have common bermuda; we fertilize every month organically (CM, Soybean, etc.); and we water for an hour every 7 - 10 days.


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:30 am 
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Assuming you mow at your mower's lowest setting, you're doing every thing right! Keep up the good work.

I don't know much about rabbit habits, but I do know a (very) little about rabbit physiology (don't ask). Decomposed protein is carried out of the body in the urine. Dogs do not have a water conserving physiology so they produce a lot of volume with their urine. Rabbits have a physiology like many animals which must conserve water. In addition to dry feces, rabbits have a very concentrated urine with very low volume. Some water conserving animals, like the Kangaroo rats of the California desert, produce only a drop of a very thick fluid once or twice a day. Goats, sheep, deer, llamas, and camels are similar water conserving creatures.

So my point is that rabbits would not be expected to produce a flow of urine that would create a large spot on the lawn. What you have sounds like dog spots. I wonder if the neighborhood dogs are peeing on the rabbit pellets to show dominance? If so, then you are still doing the right thing. More water and sugar should clear them up. The one thing that puzzles me about this is that your monthly regimen of fertilizer should be preventing dog spots. Hmmmm???

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PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:50 am 
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Location: Plano, Texas (north of Dallas)
Oh, yes, we are mowing on the lowest level and are seeing very dense bermuda now.

The area we are having problems with is in our fenced-in backyard, and absolutely no other dog can get in. We do have a 14 year old female chow mix, who does her business all over that area. She eats homemade people food with vet-monitored supplements. We see where she does her business and there are never any burn spots anywhere ... ever. Actually, after 14 years of letting her use this area (1,000 sq.ft.) as her bathroom, it is the NICEST grass of all, around our house of 5,000 sq.ft. . . . except for the spots where we find the rabbit poo poo. STRANGE!

I guess I'll just keep sprinkling sugar and watering it until the bermuda grows in. I was just wondering if anyone else had this problem. Thanks!


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2010 8:32 pm 
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I live in North Texas as well. I have Bermuda grass in our back yard and both Bermuda and St. Augustine in the front yard.

I started applying organic fertilizer this year and noticed rabbit poop in the both the back and the front yard on the Bermuda grass. This led to burning of the grass around the poop.

After I blocked off any openings in the backyard, I did not notice any poop there again there and the grass grew back again when I removed the poop and fertilized over it.

However there is nothing I could do for the front yard and unfortunately now there are large burnt areas on the Bermuda grass. (I noticed no poop or burnt marks on the St. Augustine, maybe it is just more resistant).

I went to a local organic garden shop near my house and asked the expert there. He felt that the rabbits were getting attracted to the Alfalfa in the fertilizer and that was the reason for the poop. He suggested that I add some cayenne pepper to the fertilizer when I am spreading it over the grass to deter the rabbits. I am not sure of this will work but I can not try it until I fertilize again next year with Alfalfa based fertilizer. If this does not work then the only other alternative for me would be to replace the burnt area with St. Augustine and hope the rabbit does not poop over it.

Hope this helps. Please keep us posted if you find another solution.


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PostPosted: Fri Nov 19, 2010 3:30 pm 
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What color is your lawn mower? (just kidding...I don't know what to add).

I'm putting rabbit poop on my list of things to learn more about. I thought I already knew too much but the context was completely different. The question is, Why would rabbit poop kill grass several inches away from the deposit? :?: :?: :?: Hmmm....

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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 6:00 am 
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Ive been in your shoes, not with the rabbits though but with my rottweiler who used to pee all over the lawn and it started burning everywhere, what I did do get out of the situation was to put up a fence ... this is not an option in your case as you are dealing with rabbits :) The best ways I know of to get rid of rabbits are 1) rent an aerator and aerate your lawn, the new holes will leave the rabbits clueless and should leave you alone 2) hunt them there meat is good :)


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2011 2:29 pm 
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Location: Surfside TX (temp)
Offense is the best defense. Think Hasenpfeffer! Free range rabbit.


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