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Rabbits have a penchant for plants, relishing herbs, veggies, fruits, and grasses. Common herbs like mint, basil, and cilantro are fair game for rabbits. In fact, leafy greens such as mint and thyme are rabbit favorites. Not only do bunnies find it yummy, but it packs health benefits when consumed in small amounts.

Skunks spray as a defense mechanism to ward off predators. The active ingredient in their sulfurous, oily musk is n-butyl mercaptan, which evaporates into a powerful and smelly gas. Once the spray hits the skunk’s target, the stench can linger for days, and water and common cleaning kits aren’t enough to wash it away.

If you happen upon a skunk in your yard, try to back away slowly to reduce the chance of them aiming at you. Encouragingly, they don’t use their weapon casually, as it can take up to 10 days for their life-saving weaponry to refill. Paw stamping, hissing, lifting their tail, and arching their back are early signs they feel trapped or under threat and that it’s time to make a careful retreat.

Some snake repellents are risky to use around people and pets because they use the active ingredient in mothballs, naphthalene. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified naphthalene as a carcinogen that can cause damage to the liver, neurological issues, and cataracts. 

The Colorado State University Extension suggests there’s not enough conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of snake repellents to recommend their use.

If a coyote approaches you, never run away, even if it goes against your natural instinct. Make yourself look big, shout loudly, and throw something in the coyote's direction. Be persistent and continue these scare tactics until they move away. Then, you should move away slowly, always facing the coyote.