How to Build a Brush Pile for Rabbits

Rabbits are prey for many animals such as coyotes, snakes and eagles.

Building brush piles is a positive step you can take toward preserving wildlife on your land. A brush pile is made using woody materials that are found in an animal's natural environment. Rabbits like brush piles because they provide shelter and protection from predators. As rabbits are attracted to wooded areas, you can expand their habitat by building several brush piles in open field areas.

Things You'll Need

• Rocks
• Brush

Instructions

1. Place three piles of rocks in a triangular pattern, 5 feet apart with one pile at each point. Use rocks that are 8 to 12 inches in diameter each and with flat bottoms. Place them so that they are stable and not loose until each pile is 1 foot high.

2. Pile branches over and around the base of rocks; use branches that are approximately 12 inches in diameter each. As you build, interlock the pieces in a crisscross pattern to strengthen the structure. Insert some of the branches through the pile by pushing the larger end through first to stabilize the walls. Build this layer until it is 4 to 5 feet tall and igloo-shaped.

3. Add a second layer of branches that are 6 to 8 inches in diameter each. Use the same method as the first layer by interlocking the pieces in a crisscross pattern. Push some of the branches through the pile as you did before. Keep building until the pile is 6 to 8 feet high and 6 to 8 feet wide.

4. Place two or three larger logs on top of your construction to hold it in place more efficiently. Your pile is now ready for some rabbits to move in.

Tips & Warnings

• You can make a larger brush pile by placing the rock piles farther apart from each other and creating a larger base on which to build on.

• Add extra layers on top of the brush pile as the wood breaks down and decays.

• Use PVC pipes on the inside of the brush pile to create easy access and escape tunnels for the rabbits.

• Choose a spot to build that is in an open area away from trees; predatory birds that eat rabbits could use the trees as a perch for hunting them.

References

• Wildlife and Your Land: Rabbitat - Brush Piles for Wildlife
• Maryland Cooperative Extension: Wildlife Management: Brush Piles
• Private Land Partnerships: Eastern Cottontail Rabbits