While cleaning off your rabbit’s poop, you thought:
“Am I wasting this great natural fertilizer?”
And you remember your garden that could use some help from some rabbit honey.
Well, let me tell you whether that’s a good idea or not.
Keep reading to learn:
- 5 easy steps to add rabbit poop to your compost pile.
- How to store rabbit poop to use as fertilizer (a must-know).
- 3 essential nutrients for plant growth that rabbit poop contains.
- Whether rabbit poop is a good fertilizer (especially for grass or vegetables).
- And many more…
Is rabbit poop good fertilizer?
Rabbit poop is a good fertilizer. It contains the primary nutrients that plants need to thrive.
So adding a fertilizer, like rabbit poop, would be an essential touch. Because according to Michigan State University (MSU), that contains:
| Element | Percentage | Importance |
| Nitrogen (N) | Approx. 2% | Gives plants the green color in the chlorophyll. Also helps in plant growth. |
| Phosphorus (P) | 1% | Its most vital function is in photosynthesis. Which is the transformation of light energy to chemical energy that makes sugar. Or the plant’s food. |
| Potassium (K) | 1% | Has many roles in plant development. Including transporting other nutrients, carbohydrates, and water. So plants won’t grow without it. |
And you can’t find these much-needed nutrients in most soils. So you’ll need something like rabbit poop.
Then, apart from that amazing quality…
Here are more reasons rabbit poop is a good fertilizer:
- It’s versatile.
- You can use it as it is.
- It’s easy to work with (See ‘How do you use rabbit droppings as fertilizer?’ section).
Now, that’s why bunny poop is also called rabbit gold by people who swear by it.
Continue reading: Rabbit Poop Chart: 13 Different Types Of Bunny Poop
Is rabbit poop good fertilizer for grass?
Rabbit poop is a good fertilizer for grass.
That’s contrary to many’s belief that it can instantly cause their lawn’s balding.
However, let me clear that up a little…
Rabbit poop can kill a bit of grass
But only if your bunny always goes number 2 in one spot. Then, they get piled up in that area.
With that, it smothers the grass. Which leads to the damage of that part of your lawn.
Moreover, if you notice dead areas in your yard…
It might not be caused by your bunny’s poop.
Instead, I have a question for you:
Does your rabbit also pee in your yard?
If yes, then their urine is the one killing your grass.
And when that happens, take it as a sign that your rabbit’s facing an infection.
Because bacteria in their urine create ammonia. According to PetMD, one disease that can cause that is urinary tract infection (UTI).
And ammonia can burn your garden’s grass.
Is rabbit poop good fertilizer for vegetables?
Rabbit poop is a good fertilizer for vegetables.
And remember that it has a fair amount of nitrogen. Which is helpful in the growth of leafy produce.
Moreover, rabbit poop quickly breaks down its nutrients. So it immediately stimulates plant growth when added to the soil.
Lastly, it won’t burn your vegetable’s roots. Which many people worry about when using it as fertilizer.
How do you use rabbit droppings as fertilizer?
You can use rabbit droppings as fertilizer directly. Or you can put it in a compost. Either way, it’ll work great in your garden.
So, it’s up to you which method you’ll use.
And to help you further…
Here’s more information about each one:
Directly using rabbit droppings as fertilizer
Rabbit poop falls under the cold manure category. That’s why it doesn’t burn the plant’s roots.
And when manure has that quality…
You can straightly spread it in your garden’s soil by following these simple steps:
- Take your rabbit’s poop.
- Put it on top of the soil around your plants (even if they’re growing already).
However, I’d suggest you bury the poop near the plants instead. Doing so will avoid attracting flies.
You can even create a furrow around your veggies.
Watch this short and helpful video to know how to make one:
Then, put the rabbit poop in there.
And when you’re transferring a plant to another area…
You can sprinkle rabbit poop on the hole you’re going to put the plant in.
Over time, it’ll appeal to worms. And they’ll help increase water and air that gets into the soil. Therefore creating a healthy garden.
Add rabbit poop to your compost pile
As I mentioned, rabbit poop is already good as it is. It can work immediately due to its rapid process of breaking down nutrients.
And that’s also why it’ll do great in your compost pile.
Along with many other organic materials…
Rabbit poop releases its nutrients quickly. Then, it helps other components break down as well.
That’s through encouraging microbial activity in the pile.
So here’s how you can do this method:
Step 1: Add the rabbit poop to your compost pile
Take your compost bin and put 1 to 2 handfuls of rabbit poop first.
Step 2: Put the greens and browns
Mix in some more organic materials. Ensure that you add the same amount as the rabbit poop.
For the green ones needed, you can put kitchen scraps.
Note: They don’t necessarily need to be green. It’s only called that because it consists of plants and vegetables.
As for the browns, you can use some wood shavings.
Now, I won’t give you many examples of those you can use. Because there are many organic materials best for composting.
But there are a few you shouldn’t bother adding:
- Meat.
- Dairy.
- Charcoal.
- Dead plants.
- Human waste.
- Fat or oil products.
- Feces of carnivorous animals (ex. dogs).
Step 3: Turn the pile
Add enough water. Which is about 40% to 60% of the organic material.
Then, turning the compost pile means mixing it. Doing this increases the oxygen supply in the mixture.
And for this step, you can use a pitchfork to stir thoroughly.
Do that until the consistency is thick and crumbly.
Step 4: Cover the pile
Some compost bins have a lid on them, while others don’t. If you’re using the latter, you can cover the bin with a tarp.
Step 5: Maintain the compost pile
Repeat step #3 every 2 weeks until it’s fully composted. Which can take at least 3 to 6 months.
Once you achieve that, the pile should look dark and more crumbly.
Moreover, you’ll know it’s ready once it smells like fresh earth. Then, the volume has reduced by half. And you can’t see the materials you used in the pile anymore.
How to store rabbit poop for fertilizer?
You can store rabbit poop for fertilizer in a clean, dry bin with a lid. Or even a thick plastic bag would do.
The important thing to ensure is the droppings don’t get wet.
Because if moisture gets into the poop…
It’ll attract flies and maggots.
And it’ll start to decompose before you even get to use it.
Can you put too much rabbit poop in your garden?
You can put too much rabbit poop in your garden. With that, balance the use of rabbit poop in your garden.
Again, the nitrogen in rabbit droppings encourages green leafy growth.
So, if you’re growing vegetables and put too much bunny poo…
Then, the leaves are going to grow more. Instead of the actual veggie.
Moreover, experts warn us that too much nitrogen can kill plants.
First, it’ll look like your garden is thriving. With all the strong leaves caused by the excess nitrogen.
However, that makes the plants vulnerable to more insects and harmful diseases.
In the end, it can contribute to the sudden death of the vegetation.
So if you’re using it directly to your plants…
Ensure that you only make a maximum of 1-inch layer in the soil.
And for composting it…
You must use an equal amount of rabbit poop with the greens and browns.
What animal poop makes the best fertilizer?
The animal poop that makes the best fertilizer depends on the crop’s needs. Different vegetables and plants have various reactions toward a fertilizer. Moreover, plant needs aren’t the same as one another.
However, we can estimate the efficacy of animal poop as fertilizer by:
Measuring its NPK values.
“What’s that?”
That simply stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The 3 essential nutrients a good fertilizer should possess.
Now, rabbit poop isn’t the only one with a high NPK value.
So, with the help of agriculturists…
Let’s compare its value to other manures:
| Manure | Nitrogen (N) | Phosphorus (K) | Potassium (K) |
| Rabbit | Approx. 2% | 1% | 1% |
| Chicken | 3.03% | 2.63% | 1.4% |
| Horse | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Goat and Sheep | 3% | 1% | 2% |
According to that table, chicken manure has the highest NPK value. However, it ferments really quickly compared to the others.
Moreover, horse manure has the least value. But many farmers still stand by using horse poop as fertilizer.