When thinking of rabbit accommodation, you need to think about how rabbits behave in the wild.
They need 24/7 access to a safe environment that allows them to do all of the following:-
Running
Digging Jumping
Hiding Foraging/Grazing
Stretching up on their hind legs
Lying fully stretched out
Binkying
3. Indoor housing
Are you able to 'rabbit-proof' your home? - Please see below for tips on how to rabbit-proof your home.
House bunnies are starting to get more and more popular and they can make wonderful indoor pets, but before rushing into it please consider the following;
Where in your home are you going to keep your bunnies? - Will they get disturbed by loud appliances like TVs or will they be housed next to a draught?
Do you have enough room? - Indoor rabbits need the same amount of space as outdoor rabbits.
Will they still have access to an area outdoors? - It is important to give your rabbits access outside to fulfil natural behaviours.
Is your home 'rabbit safe'? - Other pets, house plants and electric wires can all pose a risk to your rabbit's safety.
Options for keeping house rabbits:
Free roaming: As the name suggests, this is where the rabbits are given the run of most, if not all, of the house. If you choose this option, we recommended starting off in one room or part of a room to begin with while your rabbits settle in and get used to both you and their new environment. Once they have settled into their new home and they are fully litter trained you can start letting them out to explore the rest of your (and their!) home.See the ‘litter training’ and 'tips for rabbit proofing your home' below for more information and advice.
A particular room: This tends to be a room that has a hard surface where it is easier for you to clean up any toilet accidents or old food. Rabbits have fur on their feet and can't grip hard surfaces very well without slipping and sliding so it is essential to put something in place for them to hop onto. This can be anything from blankets, towels, rugs, carpet squares or cut-offs. Soft playmats are often used but please monitor your rabbits very closely in the first few weeks of using mats to make sure they do not chew and ingest any pieces. To prevent this make sure to give them plenty of room and chewable enrichment for them to nibble instead.
Part of a room: If you want your rabbits inside but can't give them an entire room, you can use large runs, flexi pens or CMC caging to cordon off part of a room. As long as you follow our minimum standard on size, you can have this as a permanent option for your rabbits or if you want to keep them a bit more secure when you are not at home and monitoring them.
Tips for rabbit proofing your home:
Rabbits love to chew so it's important to make sure you protect your furniture and make your home safe for our bunnies. You can protect furniture with guards, covers, and boxing. If you are not able to use these then getting flexi pens or some type of caging to protect your possessions could be a good option. Every rabbit is different, some will chew more than others, so it is important to make sure you have plenty of enrichment in your home to keep your rabbit entertained so they don't get too tempted to start chewing something you don't want chewed!
Cables and wires are very tempting to your rabbit; make sure they are all out of reach by covering them with cable boxes or putting caging around areas like computers or the back of your TV to keep them out of nibbling reach!
One of a rabbit's natural behaviours is to dig. You can protect your flooring by putting down carpet squares or carpet cut-offs and by giving your rabbits enrichment boxes and digging trays. Please see 'Enrichment' below for further information on these.
Rabbits have furry feet so any hard surfaces in your home can be very slippery for them. By placing towels, blankets, rugs, carpet squares or matting down for your rabbits to run on, or to hop from one to another like islands, can help prevent your home from being a dangerous slip and slide.
Use caging like flexi pens or CMC caging to block off areas you don’t want them to hide in. Rabbits are very inquisitive animals and will squeeze their way into every gap to explore if you give them a chance. To fill this need, change enrichment items over every now again and bring in new toys and items for them to play with. Cardboard boxes are always a big hit with rabbits. You can attach multiple boxes together for them to climb on, and cut lots of holes for them to go through and hide in.
Keep anything that could potentially harm them well out of reach. Normal household items like house plants can pose a risk to your rabbits so make sure you do your research by Googling 'is this plant safe for rabbits?' and keep them well out of reach.
If you don't want your bunnies to access a certain room or upstairs then you can use stair gates with wire mesh attached.
Rabbits are great escape artists so be very careful every time you go to go outside or when you enter your home. Even an open window is very tempting. Rabbits love to jump so be careful about tucking your chairs in, in order to prevent your rabbits getting onto tables where they can potentially get out of a window.
Be careful when leaving any items in the path of your rabbits; everything is a tempting chew toy so closely monitor your rabbits with anything new to prevent them from ingesting something they shouldn't.
Something as simple as watching TV or vacuuming can be very scary for any new bunny so be sure to help your rabbits adjust to any new smells or noises in your home.
4. Enrichment
Naturally you will find that rabbits in the wild spend their time running, hopping, rearing up, digging, foraging, eating, hiding and socialising with other rabbits. Pet rabbits should be given access to carry out all of these natural behaviours as well; we call this enrichment. Below are some ideas on how you can be the best owners possible by giving your bunnies the chance to live their best lives as naturally as possible.
Running, hopping and rearing up :
Rabbits love to run and hop around and when they are happy they will do something called binkies (when they jump up whilst running and twist their bodies and kick their legs in mid-air). It is important to give your rabbits enough room so they can express this behaviour. By keeping your bunnies in an accommodation that is big enough to allow them to not only run around, but to also rear up (sit up on their hind legs) and to jump and binky is very important to their health and wellbeing. We recommend a minimum of 1 metre high. Please see the top of this page to see our recommended minimum size requirements, but please remember, this is the very minimum; BIGGER is always better!
Digging :
Rabbits in the wild love to dig, creating burrows to live in. If your rabbits are not on soil or grass, they will need a place where they can dig.
Outside rabbits - If you house your rabbits outside you can use slabs to create a digging pit by digging a hole, placing slabs down to create a 'swimming pool' looking pit and then filling it with safe soil. This is to prevent your rabbits from digging out of their accommodation and escaping. Indoor rabbits - If your rabbits don't have access outside then you will need to provide an indoor solution. Using large, covered cat litter trays filled with safe soil is a great way to keep the soil contained within the tray and avoid any unnecessary cleaning. Make sure to change the soil regularly to prevent toileting build up.Foraging and Eating :
Rabbits love to snuffle around and forage for food. Rather than using a bowl for their nuggets or fresh food, try hiding the food around the enclosure, in tunnels and in/on hides to get their noses working. This will encourage them to forage for their food and prevent boredom and obesity. You can also try;
Treat balls for them to push around to get the pellets or treats out. Toilet roll tubes, willow tunnels, egg boxes, paper bags or cardboard boxes stuffed with hay and fresh food for them to break their way into.
Stringing up willow, hazel, apple and blackthorn branches for them to reach up for. These are a healthy and natural treat that you may be able to find in your garden for free and are always a big hit with rabbits. Hiding treats or nuggets in snuffle-mats that you can either buy or make out of old, clean rags.
Dog puzzle feeders are a great boredom buster and prevent your rabbit from eating all of their nuggets too fast - making them work for their meal. You can start at the beginner's level and work your way up. If your rabbits don't have access outside, you can make a turf box by filling a cat litter tray or a plastic dog bed with some turf either from your garden or from your local garden centre. This will allow them to nibble on some fresh grass. It may be a good idea to have two so that once they have eaten all the grass in one tray, you can give them the second to allow the first to regrow. Hiding :
Rabbits are prey animals so to ensure they feel safe in their home, make sure you provide enough hiding places for them to nip in and out of. You can provide hiding places by using tunnels, stools and cardboard boxes. Tunnels are very important as this provides a substitute burrow and encourages your rabbit to be more active! You don't necessarily need to buy tunnels; using cardboard boxes from your last online shopping spree is all you need! Simply get one cardboard box and cut an entrance and exit or gather multiple boxes of different sizes and DIY them together to make an interesting tunnel network or maze for your rabbits to explore and have fun.
Socialising:
Rabbits are highly social animals and need to have the companionship in the form of another rabbit (rabbits can live in pairs or groups).
No matter how much time we spend with our bunnies, nothing matches the company of another rabbit. We lead busy lives and even if we make sure to spend four hours a day with our rabbits, the other twenty hours they are alone.. but if they live with another rabbit, they will never be lonely!
Not only does living with another bunny prevent them from feeling isolated, it always makes them feel safer. In the wild rabbits will live in groups called warrens, where they can snuggle up and keep each other warm and most importantly, this helps keep them safe from predators.
If a single rabbit is alone it can make them anxious, stressed and overwhelmed however, if they have company, that's another set of eyes to watch out for any potential danger, so that a single bunny doesn't have to be alert 24/7.
Extra things you can do to keep your rabbits happy (and healthy) :
As stated above, rabbits are prey animals. As prey animals, they like to be able to check out their surroundings. Making sure your accommodation is secure from any predators is essential. In a nice, secure environment you can provide your rabbits with little extras to make them feel safer. Platforms are great enrichment items for rabbits; not only does it allow them to perch on top and scan their environment, it is also an extra toy for them to jump up onto and explore. You can DIY your own platform (see pictures below) or simply use cat trees which you can buy in most pet shops or online websites.
Try not to give them every toy all at once. Switch toys and furniture around every now and again, so your bunnies don’t get bored.
Treats from pet shops can be very unhealthy for your rabbits; instead try making your own treats by using their hay, nuggets and fresh food. See the bottom of the page for links to recipes to make your own rabbit treats. 
6. Litter training
Rabbits are naturally very clean animals and only tend to go to the toilet in
one or two places. This is good for us as it means they can be easily litter trained! Good tips for litter training your rabbit are;
You should provide at least one litter tray per rabbit plus one, which means if you have a pair of rabbits it is recommended
to have three litter trays. Litter trays are easily obtained either online or at any pet shop. At RSPCA Worcester we use both cat litter trays and also potting trays for the larger rabbits or rabbits that are less mobile. Potting trays have a high back and sides but a low, accessible
front. These can be bought from most garden centres. When you first get your rabbit you should take notice of where they like to go to the toilet and place the tray in that area. They will toilet somewhere they feel most comfortable. When you start training your rabbit to use a litter tray plan for
accidents. Every rabbit is different, some may take longer to train the others. Be patient, never punish your rabbit for not using the tray, instead reward them when they do. The bottom of your tray needs to have a layer of rabbit friendly litter. Non-clumping, paper-based litter is the best to use for rabbits as its
biodegradable, safe if
accidentally
ingested and should not contain any dust. Rabbits like to eat as they toilet so make sure they have access to hay in the litter tray by placing hay on top of the litter or, alternatively, the litter tray can be placed underneath a hay rack. Rabbits will spend a lot of time in their litter trays so make sure they are big enough for your rabbit; a good rule of thumb is to get a litter tray that can fit two of your bunnies sitting next to each other or one of your bunnies lying down. Clean the litter tray
regularly, at least once a day, but be sure to leave or place a few poo pellets in their litter tray at the
beginning
of the training to encourage them to associate the smell of their droppings with their toileting
area.8. Transporting your rabbits
Transportation is potentially stressful for rabbits and it may take them some
time to recover after travelling. In addition, a novel environment such as a
veterinary practice is a potentially frightening place for rabbits.
Please follow these guidelines when transporting your rabbits to make their journey as
stress-free as possible:
Before travelling, always consider
whether the planned journey is
necessary and in the rabbits’ best
interests. If it is not, reconsider
undertaking the journey, as
transportation is potentially stressful
for rabbits. Try to ensure that anywhere you need to transport your rabbits to (such as a
veterinary practice) is located close to your home, to ensure your rabbits do not
have to travel long distances. Make sure your rabbits are fit to travel and if in any doubt, contact your vet. If you
own a rabbit that is pregnant, seek advice from a vet before transporting her. Rabbits do not tolerate heat well, so ensure your vehicle is kept cool and well
ventilated, and avoid travelling during the hottest parts of the day. Remember that rabbits are prey animals and are easily frightened, so ensure they
have access to safe hiding places at all times.
Check your rabbits regularly, and give them frequent breaks, during journeys. Provide constant access to fresh clean water. Portable, non-spill watering aides can
be purchased. Always provide your rabbits with water in the way they are familiar
with (e.g. bottle or bowl) and check their water supply regularly. Please make sure there is hay available for your rabbits to eat in the carrier. It is important to ensure that your
rabbit is continuing to eat normally after he/she has been on a journey. If your
rabbit's eating or drinking habits changes or the number of droppings gets less or
stops, talk to your vet straight away as he/she could be seriously ill. Never starve your rabbits before taking them to the vets. Unlike cats and dogs
going to the vets for an operation, rabbits do not need to be starved before going to
the vets, as their digestive system needs to be kept moving at all times. Transport your rabbits in a sturdy, non-collapsible, well ventilated and secure carrier
that your rabbits cannot chew easily or escape from (cardboard boxes are not
appropriate as they are easily chewed and can become damp and unsafe if rabbits
urinate or if it rains). Ensure your carrier is of a suitable size and shape to allow all the rabbits being
transported to enter easily, lie comfortably in any direction and turn around
unhindered. However, the carrier should be small enough to provide feelings of
security. Choose a carrier of a design that opens from the top and the front to allow the
rabbits to be removed easily. Line the carrier with newspaper to absorb urine and a towel or vet bed to provide a
non-slip surface. Only provide a towel or vet bed if you are sure your rabbits will not
chew them. Partially cover the carrier to help your rabbits feel more secure, especially when
travelling at night to prevent your rabbits being frightened by the glare of car headlights. If the carrier is partially covered, ensure there is adequate ventilation. Familiarise your rabbit with the carrier
beforehand by leaving it open in their home
enclosure, with the front door open to encourage
them to investigate.
Rabbits should never be pushed into the carrier,
but enticed in with a healthy snack or some
greens. Strap the carrier into your vehicle with a seat belt or secure it in a footwell (behind a
seat), so your rabbits are safe and are not jolted. The carrier side should face the
direction of travel so the rabbits are not thrown face on should the vehicle have to brake suddenly. Never place the carrier in direct sunlight or in the boot of a saloon car. Remember that rabbits that live together and are friends should travel together. This provides the reassurance of safety in
numbers and also ensures that the same
scents are transferred to both rabbits while
out and about, which avoids the potential
problems associated with reintroducing
rabbits after a period apart. If you do
experience problems when reintroducing
your rabbits at any time, speak to your vet
for advice. Your vet can then refer you to a
qualified behaviour expert if necessary. Place familiar items in the carrier with your rabbits, such as their favourite toys and
some used bedding material (like hay), to provide familiar smells and reassurance. If
a rabbit really must travel on his/her own, it is even more important to provide familiar-smelling items in their carrier.9. Advice on successfully bonding rabbits
Rabbits are sociable animals and we always advise that they need to be homed with other rabbits.
As a first-time rabbit owner, we would always recommend that you should adopt two already bonded bunnies. Contrary to this advice however, many pet shops and breeders do still sell rabbits as lone pets and then of course there are frequent instances where one of a bonded pair sadly passes away and the remaining bunny suddenly finds themselves as an only rabbit.
These situations will result in a sad and lonely bunny and this is when you may start thinking about getting a companion for them. Whilst this is absolutely the right thing to do, choosing a new rabbit to befriend your existing pet can be a rather tricky process. Therefore we are here
to give you lots of helpful tips on successfully bonding bunnies...
Preparation is key:
First you should find the right friend for your bunny. Personality trumps gender, and neutering is a must for all rabbits!
You must ensure that both rabbits are vaccinated, neutered and in good health. Not only can unneutered male and female rabbits mate, but neutered bunnies are less likely to fight. You should also get your existing rabbit and the rabbit you are planning to introduce checked by a vet as any illnesses or pain will make introductions more difficult if either rabbit is feeling uncomfortable.
Give your rabbits lots of space! Remember you are suddenly asking your rabbit to share their space with a stranger so they need plenty of personal space and places to hide. Make sure you provide extra toys and tunnels as you don’t want your rabbits feeling that they have to fight for resources.
Recommended bonding techniques:
Remember you must always keep a close eye on both rabbits during the bonding process in case any fights break out or ill health occurs.
Put the rabbits in enclosures next to one another so they can see, smell and hear each other. If your existing rabbit is free-roaming then place the new rabbit in a sectioned off part of their free-run area.
Place hay trays, food, and their favourite snacks next to each other on both sides of the divider so they become used to eating in each other’s company. As they get more used to one another you can feed them closer and closer to one another.
Try swapping toys and bedding so they can get used to each other’s smell.
Take things slowly and look for signs that your rabbits are relaxed. It is a good sign if both rabbits are choosing to sit beside one another through the barrier, and a great sign if they are lying down in a relaxed position.
Once you feel confident that your bunnies are ready to meet face-to-face you should ensure their first meeting occurs in neutral territory – ie: a space that neither rabbit has been before to ensure neither bunny becomes protective of what they deem as “their” space. Provide lots of hiding places/tunnels (open at both ends so neither rabbit can end up trapped by the other) and scatter hay and treats around.
When you let them loose together put them at opposite ends of the area, so they have the choice whether they want to meet their new companion straight away or take time and space to weigh up the situation. You must always stay with them, keeping a close eye on them and their behaviour.
If you sense any tension between the rabbits, you must separate them at once. They may chase, circle, or mount one another, this is normal behaviour but keep a close watch to ensure there are no signs of aggression or stress.
To begin with, keep the ‘meetings’ short, one minute is a good starting time. You may have to build up the meetings over several days or even weeks, following the above processes and moving back a step and repeating if there are any negative signs.
Good signs to look out for when bonding rabbits are:
Sitting or lying side-by-side
Grooming one another (when they are in their neutral territory)
Seeking each other out for positive interactions
Behaving normally around one another
Once they are showing signs of being friends you can move on to putting them together in the home they will share. Again, you must keep a close watch over them and although you may see more chasing and mounting behaviour, this should not escalate into fighting-if it does, separate them immediately and go back a step in the process. Like with the mutual space, take it slowly, and only have them in their home together for a brief time to begin with, slowly increasing it as you go.
If you want your rabbits to have free run of a house or garden it is best to introduce them to a smaller part of that area to begin with, though always with enough space for them to run and hide if they wish.
Once they are happily lying together and grooming one another you can consider your bunnies successfully bonded. Once they are bonded, they MUST stay together at all times; even if one has to go the vet then their pal should go with them.
What NOT to do when bonding rabbits :
The above process can take a long time but don’t be tempted by suggested techniques to bond rabbits quickly or using fear or stress to bond rabbits. You may have read online about “bunny speed dating” which is made to sound cute and fun but introducing rabbits without a period of prior familiarisation can be extremely problematic.
Rabbits are sensitive animals, prone to stress which can quickly make them ill. Being transported to a strange place, being placed into an alien environment and being given no time to adjust is extremely stressful for rabbits. This can lead to aggression, risking injury and, even if rabbits do appear to be getting along, you aren’t getting a true picture of whether they are compatible -what you are seeing is tolerance as a means of trying to handle their stress.
There are also techniques which use fear to force rabbits into bonding as self-preservation. This is known as “stress bonding” and it involves putting rabbits into a small confined space where they cannot escape one another and exposing them to a frightening experience such a taking them on a rough car journey, running a vacuum cleaner next to them or placing the carrier on top of a spinning washing machine.
These techniques are incredibly harmful and do not encourage true friendship between bunnies, rather it creates a learned helplessness where they become shut-down through fear. Also rabbits that have been put through stressful bonding techniques in the past are far more likely to struggle to bond with other animals in the future.
Avoid anyone who claims they can wave a magic wand and guarantee your rabbits can be bonded within a specific and short timescale (often people will say ‘within two weeks’). Rabbit bonding done properly can take a great deal of time and patience, but the rewards at the end are happy, healthy pets who enjoy the company of their friends.
10. Rabbit checklist
Daily:
Check and change litter trays
Refresh water bottle/bowl
Refresh hay
Check bottoms, and in the summer/ warmer months this should be twice daily
Feed 10% fresh and 5% nuggets
Weekly:
Completely clean accommodation Do a health check especially looking for:Eyes - Make sure they are clear and bright - Ears - Clean with no foreign bodies - Teeth - Make sure they are eating and drinking ok, being given lots of opportunities to chew and not dribbling - Fur - Not balding, making sure there are no parasites and that their fur is mat-free and shiny - Skin - No lumps, bumps or injuries - Bottom - Clean bum with no soiling/ faeces stuck to their fur - Nails - Look at the length, checking to see if they need trimming
Annually:
Visit your rabbit-savvy vet for a health check, teeth check and their annual vaccination.
