Is rabbit poop good for fertilizer? Rabbit manure is an excellent organic fertilizer because it is nutrient-rich and doesn’t need to be composted.
You can get about 200 to 300 droppings per day from a rabbit. Fresh rabbit droppings are rich in nitrogen and phosphorous.
Also Read: Pick the right Fertilizer for Strawberries
Why You Should Use Rabbit Poop Fertilizer
1. Rabbit Manure is Nutrient-Rich
Rabbit pellets are full of important nutrients for plant health and growth. Phosphorus helps in plant development and strong growth. Nitrogen generates proteins, enzymes, and amino acids that help grow healthy leaves in plants. Potassium enhances the production of plant food while reducing susceptibility to disease.
2. Rabit Manure doesn’t need to be composted
Rabbits’ compact and dry pellets contain more nutrients than chicken, cow, and horse manures. Unlike its counterparts, it also doesn’t need to be composted before use. Rabbit poop is cold manure, while chicken, cow, and horse manures are hot manure, which requires composting.
3. Rabit Manure is a Slow Release Fertilizer
Rabbit poop is a great slow-release fertilizer because it feeds plants nutrients over an extended period of time. This is convenient because it means that your garden doesn’t need to be fertilized as often.
4. Rabit Manure Improves Soil Structure
Rabbit poop fertilizer improves soil structure by enhancing soil porosity and stability. It also improves the moisture retention and drainage system of soil. As a result, soil holds plant nutrients and other organisms better so that plants get everything they need.
5. Rabit Manure Contains Little Uric Acid and Ammonia
Rabbit poop contains less ammonia and uric acid than horse and cow manure. If ammonia and uric acid are not composted out, then they become harmful to your plants.
6. Rabit Manure is Low Odor
Another benefit of using rabbit poop over other animal manures is that rabbit poop is virtually odorless. It also creates less mess as it is already shaped into small hard, round pellets.
5 Ways to Use Rabbit Poop as Fertilizer
1. Straight to the Garden
Rabbit poop can be used as fertilizer without composting. Sprinkle the droppings around your plants and flowers. The pellets will slowly release nutrients into the soil for your plants.
You can also bury the droppings to avoid attracting flies. The best way to cover or bury the droppings is to make furrows next to each row of plants and flowers. Then fill the furrows with rabbit poop and cover them with a 1-inch layer of soil.
2. Add to Compost
Mixing rabbit manure into a compost pile enhances the nutrient content of your compost. Rabbit poop breaks down quite quickly in the compost.
Since rabbit poop is high in nitrogen, you should mix it with materials that contain high carbon content. Use shredded newspapers, grass clippings, straws, or any other high-carbon organic matter. Mixing rabbit poop with high-carbon matter balances out the nutrient composition of your compost.
3. Make Compost Tea
Compost tea is essentially a liquid version of compost for easy application to your garden. To make compost tea, you will need a bucket that can take up to 5 gallons of water. Soak about two cups of rabbit pellets in the bucket of water. Keep the bucket covered with a lid in a warm place. Uncover and stir the soaked droppings at least once per day.
Keep the bucket covered for about three to five days straight, during which the droppings will settle at the bottom after breaking down. Now, you can use the rabbit poop compost tea for watering your garden and plants.
Keep in mind that this compost tea attracts flies, so keep the bucket away from your house.
4. Make Vermicompost
Earthworms or red wigglers and rabbit poop work well together. Follow these steps to make vermicompost with rabbit poop.
- Use pre-composted rabbit manure for this purpose.
- Take a vermicompost bin and add very little amount of rabbit manure with plenty of worms.
- Wait for about fifteen minutes and then observe the vermicompost bin.
- If the worms are crawling toward the bin ceiling or huddling together, then the compost is not ready yet.
- To make proper manure, leave the compost for a few days.
- When the worms bury themselves inside the manure, the compost is ready and safe to use.
Tip: Do not use fresh rabbit poop for this purpose because it contains more nitrogen. This higher nitrogen and uric acid content might kill the worms you are working with.
5. Use Rabbit Poop as Green Mulching
You can also use rabbit poop as green mulching. The droppings are considered ideal for this purpose. Spread the waste around the fruit plants and trees and in your yards. Breaking down slowly, the poop will work as a booster dose to the plants.
Conclusion
Rabbit or bunny poop fertilizer provides many benefits for your garden. It is easier to use and more nutrient-rich than chicken, cow, and horse manures. Use our suggestions above to get the most benefits out of rabbit poop fertilizer for your garden.
