A popular and unfortunate misconception about rabbits is that they belong in cages for their entire lives. By nature, rabbits do a lot of running, far more than their predatory counterparts, and keeping them in a cage is as inhumane as keeping a dog or a cat in a cage their whole lives. Part of our mission is to educate owners and prospective owners on the proper habitat for a pet rabbit. The examples below show different degrees of quality of life, but the best way to treat a pet bunny is the same way you’d treat any other species of pets: let them roam the house free!
For those concerned about damage that may be caused by free-roaming rabbits: rabbits are naturally clean and easy to litter train, and our page on rabbit-proofing a home will provide guidance on how to secure your home up front to make it easy for both you and your rabbit(s) to live in peacefully.
The Bare Minimum
- Be at least 4ft long, 2ft wide, and 4ft tall
- NO wire bottom cages, no outdoor hutches and no “rabbit cages” sold in pet stores
- Have water and food bowls made from heavy ceramics OR dishes that can attach to the cage
- Have a deep litter box filled with hay
- Have a place to hide
- Have non-skid flooring
A Step Up
Many pictures and videos of ‘do-it-yourself’ rabbit condos are available online and on Pinterest. They are easy and inexpensive to build and rabbits love multi-level condos! The above is a Neat Cube Condo.
All habitats must have a soft mat over the flooring so that your rabbit has a comfortable and cushioned area to sit and lay down on.
And for those that can give the ideal home, let them free-roam.
We are always more than happy to explain how to set up a free-roam environment for your rabbit, and it is as easy as for any other animal. Rabbits are litter box trainable just like any dog or cat and keep their homes clean. The main things to keep in mind are that rabbits need a non-slippery floor to run on (carpets are best), and humans need to bunny-proof their homes so that no cords or chewable objects are exposed.
Enrichment and Toys:
Bunnies are intelligent, curious and social animals who need a stimulating environment for their physical and emotional well being.
In addition to a habitat that allows them to run around, they need items to keep them entertained. Cardboard boxes and/or tunnels made of willow or cardboard are great additions.
Provide toys for inside their enclosure; many cat toys such as metal or bell balls, hard plastic slinkys, hanging wood birdmobiles, and even something as simple as a hay stuffed toilet paper roll are all good options.
Below are some great examples of enrichment that are easy to make.
CAUTION: Rubber or stuffed toys are NOT good choices for rabbits as ingesting this material can cause blockages.
