Caring for Your Pet Rabbit
HOUSING
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Does my rabbit need a cage?
Your rabbit does not need to be housed in a cage. Rabbits are active and need plenty of space to roam if they are to live healthy, happy lives. Rabbits that are kept in small cages tend to develop behavioral and health problems associated with confinement, such as aggression and obesity, among others. However, until rabbits are trained, they should probably be kept in a home-base, like an exercise pen (ex-pen or puppy pen), an extra large cage, or some other kind of housing while you're asleep or not home to supervise. Untrained rabbits are a lot like toddlers and can get into mischief when left to their own devices! Once your rabbit is familiar with your home, once you know what your rabbit does, and once your house has been fully bunny-proofed, it's possible for your bun to have free roam of your home (or part of your home) even when you’re not there.
It is important to note that many small breeds of rabbit – like dwarfs and lionheads - actually require more space than larger breeds due to their high-energy and activity levels.
Rabbits are crepuscular which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. In the wild, these are the safest times of the day to emerge from the burrow. To a certain extent, domestic rabbits follow this pattern too. Their natural body clock means that they are most active mornings and evenings and this is part of the reason why they make such great house pets - they sleep all day when you are at work and are ready for fun when you are around.
Is it OK to keep my rabbit in a cage with a wire floor?
Rabbits were not designed to live on wire floors. Rabbit feet have no pads like those of cats or dogs and wire flooring can cause sore hocks. Wire floors in rabbit cages were designed as a convenience for humans when raising rabbits for agriculture or breeding purposes and are not desirable for our loved house buns. A litter box and fleece blankets are generally ideal for the flooring of your rabbit's enclosure.
You can find cages with slatted plastic floors, which are more comfortable, or you can use a solid floor. As long as your rabbit has a litterbox in the corner that he chooses as his bathroom, there shouldn’t be much of a mess to clean up. But ex-pens or other types of situations are much easier to find, are roomier, and are friendlier for both your rabbit and yourself.
Enrichment for your rabbit's enclosure
Your rabbit's enclosure or room should be a dedicated space where he can feel safe and secure. Make bunny's enclosure enjoyable and she will enjoy being there, even when the door is open! Keep your rabbit's home-base stocked with a litter box with hay, a hidey place, a fleece blanket or two, some wood chew toys, and other items your bun finds enjoyable like tunnels, boxes, a cardboard house, or toss toys. When you tuck bunny into bed at night, a nice veggie or treat will help bunny associate good things with being "home".
Your rabbit does not need to be housed in a cage. Rabbits are active and need plenty of space to roam if they are to live healthy, happy lives. Rabbits that are kept in small cages tend to develop behavioral and health problems associated with confinement, such as aggression and obesity, among others. However, until rabbits are trained, they should probably be kept in a home-base, like an exercise pen (ex-pen or puppy pen), an extra large cage, or some other kind of housing while you're asleep or not home to supervise. Untrained rabbits are a lot like toddlers and can get into mischief when left to their own devices! Once your rabbit is familiar with your home, once you know what your rabbit does, and once your house has been fully bunny-proofed, it's possible for your bun to have free roam of your home (or part of your home) even when you’re not there.
It is important to note that many small breeds of rabbit – like dwarfs and lionheads - actually require more space than larger breeds due to their high-energy and activity levels.
Rabbits are crepuscular which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. In the wild, these are the safest times of the day to emerge from the burrow. To a certain extent, domestic rabbits follow this pattern too. Their natural body clock means that they are most active mornings and evenings and this is part of the reason why they make such great house pets - they sleep all day when you are at work and are ready for fun when you are around.
Is it OK to keep my rabbit in a cage with a wire floor?
Rabbits were not designed to live on wire floors. Rabbit feet have no pads like those of cats or dogs and wire flooring can cause sore hocks. Wire floors in rabbit cages were designed as a convenience for humans when raising rabbits for agriculture or breeding purposes and are not desirable for our loved house buns. A litter box and fleece blankets are generally ideal for the flooring of your rabbit's enclosure.
You can find cages with slatted plastic floors, which are more comfortable, or you can use a solid floor. As long as your rabbit has a litterbox in the corner that he chooses as his bathroom, there shouldn’t be much of a mess to clean up. But ex-pens or other types of situations are much easier to find, are roomier, and are friendlier for both your rabbit and yourself.
Enrichment for your rabbit's enclosure
Your rabbit's enclosure or room should be a dedicated space where he can feel safe and secure. Make bunny's enclosure enjoyable and she will enjoy being there, even when the door is open! Keep your rabbit's home-base stocked with a litter box with hay, a hidey place, a fleece blanket or two, some wood chew toys, and other items your bun finds enjoyable like tunnels, boxes, a cardboard house, or toss toys. When you tuck bunny into bed at night, a nice veggie or treat will help bunny associate good things with being "home".
