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In the past week, there is a rabbit's family (2 of them) taking resident in my garden. They jump right up to one of the big pots and take nap there. Here is one of them

enter image description here

I am considering to put some water and carrots out for them, because winter is coming, and the temperature drops to minus. But I am not sure, they are wild rabbits, I am afraid to interfere in their nature.

Is it a good thing to feed wild rabbits in winter?

Ragnarsson
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    No, if you want to grow any vegetables in summer! Once they think your garden is "home", you will never get rid of them. – alephzero Nov 18 '18 at 15:11
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    They will eat more than vegetables, it depends on how hard the season is. I have a few spireas they ate to the ground one year, next year it was the clethra. They like blueberries some years too. "If you feed them, they will come.." They might not stop at what you offer. – kevinskio Nov 18 '18 at 17:12
  • And with snowcover on the ground , they can/will destroy small trees by eating the bark. – blacksmith37 Nov 18 '18 at 17:33
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    I suggest you consider the [Fibonacci rabbits](http://www.maths.surrey.ac.uk/hosted-sites/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fibnat.html). Just saying. – Stephie Nov 18 '18 at 17:51
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    Easiest way to feed wild rabbits is to install a birdfeeder - they will hang out under it and eat the dropped seed (usually, they chase any squirrels away). This is also a good way to feed hawks... – Jurp Nov 18 '18 at 22:52
  • Some years ago one of my neighbours bought a pair of rabbits as pets for his kids. They escaped and moved into my garden. They were pretty easy to catch, being used to humans - but unfortunately, the neighbour saw me picking them up and wringing their necks to make a nice rabbit pie from them (and no need to take care not to bite into a shotgun pellet!). – alephzero Nov 19 '18 at 14:05
  • Whereabout are you? In New Zealand rabbits are a major pest and problem as they have few preditors and bread like rabbits., Here, if you can't stomach killing them (which is the most appropriate course of action), at least don't feed them. I realise this is not universally true though - location matters. – davidgo Nov 21 '18 at 17:59
  • It would seem to me you are already helping them :) – Rob Nov 21 '18 at 18:15
  • Are you concerned about what they'll do to your garden, or do you just want them to live and be happy? – Brōtsyorfuzthrāx Nov 22 '18 at 00:37

2 Answers2

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Ragnarsson, that is a very sweet picture. Aren't rabbits cute? I wouldn't blame you if you opted to feed them in the winter and turn over your garden produce to them in the summer. As alephzero points out, that is the choice you are faced with. As you yourself note, they are wild, so they have been taking care of themselves up until now. Cute as they are, I say let them continue to survive without your help. (...your neighbors are probably feeding them anyway[?])

Lorel C.
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I'd be cautious. Very cute! However, depending on where you live increased prey may attract predators. I've got coyotes in my area (in the suburbs) and I've seen varying numbers of rabbits hopping around during the year.

Rabbits I'm sure will do just fine during the winter as they can forage the existing plants under the snow.

One great thing with winter are prints captured in the snow. I saw a crazy cluster of paw prints within a square metre and deduced it was either a neighborhood cat or coyote chasing a rabbit in circles.

johnnychi
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