If you’re a rabbit owner, or you’re thinking about getting rabbits, we’re here to help – every step and hop along the way.
In this guide you’ll find everything you need to know to keep rabbits happy and healthy. And if you don’t already have rabbits, we hope you’ll feel better equipped to answer the question: “Are rabbits the right pet for me?”
Whilst rabbits are incredibly cute and a popular choice for a pet, they have a variety of specific needs which many people aren’t aware of. They love (and need) a spacious environment to explore, a rabbit friend for company, and tasty, healthy food to graze on.
Rabbits are also adventurous and inquisitive, but they like their independence and don’t enjoy being picked up and handled. Although, with time and patience, they’re known to form bonds with their owners. If you’re lucky, they might even hop onto your lap occasionally for a tasty treat!
They’re also quite fearful of loud noises and sudden movements, so you’ll need to take this into consideration if you have young children – especially if they’ve not experienced owning a pet before. If you feel confident that you could give rabbits the sort of home and life they need, they could still make a wonderful addition to your family.
Rabbits are active animals – they love to run, dig, hop and jump. As they’re most active at dawn, dusk and overnight, it’s important to provide them with spacious housing to use 24 hours a day. This will help to keep them active, happy and healthy.
A shed attached to a walk in run with hiding spaces, platforms and hay.
A run with a hutch inside, litter trays, a tunnel, dig tray and puzzle feeders.
A rabbit safe room set up with lots of hiding spaces, platforms, a dig tray and rugs covering the floor.
A walk in rabbit run with a hutch, dig tray, tunnel, platforms, hiding spaces and lots of hay.
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Indoor pros |
Outdoor pros |
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Indoor cons |
Outdoor cons |
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You’ll find many rabbit hutches available in pet stores and online. But many are very poorly made and often fall apart within the first two years. So, if you can, you should consider investing a little more with a product produced by a welfare-approved company. A good hutch is one made of strong wood, with secure bolts fitted on the doors and sturdy wire mesh.
Avoid double level-hutches as these have ramps which are usually very steep and not long enough to allow your rabbits to gain enough momentum to hop up them safely. They can also be at risk of falling down the ramp or floor hole when they are elderly and less mobile. If you already have a double-level hutch, remove the ramp and replace it with a sturdy log or box, securely covered in an old towel or blanket to provide some grip. They will find it much easier and more natural to hop up onto this and then up to the top level.
These can make an ideal home for your rabbits. A shed or wendy house provides more floor space, and makes it easier to socialise with them, whatever the weather. You can easily convert a shed or Wendy House.
These are also unsuitable. It’s very unlikely that you’ll find one meeting the minimum size requirements for the sheltered sleeping area and the run. They can also be very tricky to clean, and make socialising with your rabbits difficult.
Rabbits are very active animals, particularly at dusk, dawn and overnight, so it is important that they have 24hr access to their run if they are living outdoors. The run will need to be well-built (we recommend having a wooden framed run with a wooden framed lid), to prevent predators from getting in, as well as preventing the rabbits from escaping.
A converted shed with attached run for a pair of rabbits to have continuous access to.
Whilst rabbits can live indoors, you’ll need to consider this decision carefully as it can have quite an impact on your home. Your rabbits will still need as much space indoors as they would outdoors – an area at least 3m x 2m in size. The easiest way to achieve this for a pair of standard sized rabbits is to convert a room into their own rabbit haven – and you’ll have a lot of fun getting creative with it! Giant breed rabbits may need multiple rooms, depending on their size.
When creating your rabbits’ environment, choose items that will encourage and support natural behaviours such as digging, foraging, exploring and hiding. This will keep them active and mentally stimulate them – all the ingredients for healthy and happy rabbits.
There are lots of things you can use to create a stimulating environment for your rabbits – here are some ideas to get you started.
For more ideas, check out our ‘How to create the perfect environment for your pet rabbits’ article.
'An outdoor enclosure filled with multiple hiding spaces, platforms, hay and litter trays.
Like us humans, rabbits like a comfy bed – and it’s what they deserve! The wrong bedding for rabbits can have a negative effect on their health. Wood shavings, sawdust and straw often contain fur mites, cause respiratory conditions and can give humans an allergic reaction too!
The only way is hay
The most suitable bedding for your rabbits is green sweet-smelling hay. As you may know, it also makes up a large chunk of their diet, so it has multiple uses!
Top tips:
It’s often more cost-effective to purchase hay from a local farm or equine shop by the bale. You can then pick a nice, green bale and reduce the risk of it being old stock and possibly contaminated or filled with sharp thistles. For examples of different hay to use, see the diet section below.
Fun (but serious) fact: some people can be allergic to hay, mistakenly thinking they are allergic to the rabbits themselves.
'Shed lined with newspaper, and hay placed within hiding spaces and litter trays
Keeping your rabbits’ accommodation clean is key to preventing serious health conditions. Here’s how to keep it as immaculate-looking and safe as possible:
This is vital in the summer months to help prevent flystrike (a painful and life-threatening condition).
As well as keeping your rabbits’ home in tip-top condition, this also helps with the prevention of flystrike.
Rabbits are very social animals who depend on the companionship of other rabbits to live their best life. Human companionship is not enough, so they should always be kept in pairs or groups. If you find yourself with a lone rabbit of any age, contact Woodgreen or your local rescue centre to help find your rabbit a companion.
Suitable combinations:
Unsuitable combinations:
A rabbit and a guinea pig should not live together.
Although some owners have found success with this type of paring, there’s a big risk that the guinea pig will be accidentally kicked when the rabbit is running or hopping about. Guinea pigs are also vocal communicators, while rabbits are mostly silent. This can be upsetting for both the rabbit and guinea pig.
Before we get started on this topic, don’t forget, if you find yourself with a lone rabbit, please contact us! We have an onsite mixing service and we could match them with a companion either by mixing onsite or by providing you with advice on how to mix them at home.
A playpen for mixing (?)
Like us humans, there’s no guarantee that sparks will fly when two (or more) rabbits meet for the first time. But there are things you can do to increase the chances of success!
First, you’ll need to make sure that the rabbits are neutered, as it will not only prevent any unwanted litters, but will also help with their bonding.
When introducing, this needs to be done in a neutral space which doesn’t contain the scent of either rabbit. There are a few different mixing methods you can try which are split mixing, larger space method and smaller space method.
Find out more about the different mixing methods.
We also recommend watching our video on choosing the right companion for your rabbit, how to mix them, and behaviours to look out for here:
To help your rabbits live a long and healthy life, their diet should be as natural and varied as possible.
Rabbits in the wild spend their days grazing, and they need a full tummy of fibre at all times. A healthy daily diet should include the following:
Place this in large piles around their enclosure, in large trays, inside/on top of hiding spaces and in hay racks. Rabbits need constant access to hay/grass, as they will continuously eat. It’s also great for helping to keep their teeth healthy.
Offer a mixture of varieties such as:
Avoid short, brown or yellow, dusty “or mouldy” smelling hay as it’s not very nutritional and may harm your rabbits.
Give approximately 15g of nuggets per kilo of bodyweight to each rabbit daily.
Although this will depend on their age, weight and current health. Rabbits should not be fed muesli mixes as they are high in sugar and can lead to selective feeding which can lead to dental problems. Here at Woodgreen, we feed our rabbits on Burgess Excel Nuggets, which you can buy online or from most pet shops.
A large handful per rabbit, per day. Give them a variety of different fresh foods each day. You can even pick and grow your own foods to feed them – see our list of safe foods below, and visit our rabbit feeding article for more ideas.
Daily fresh water is extremely important. Many rabbits prefer to drink from a bowl. Bottles are suitable but can often leak and be tricky to clean. Provide one water source per rabbit
As well as the food and snacks, there are all sorts of other natural foods – or forage – you can give your rabbits. And, if you fancy getting out into nature, you can go foraging to pick and collect lots of them yourself, for free!
A variety of freshly picked wild green plants and herbs; ideal forage for guinea pigs or rabbits.
Forage is food you can gather from where it grows naturally, and it doesn’t cost you anything.
It’s more natural and closer to the diet these animals would have in the wild.
It’s also:
Pick carefully! Never collect protected plants or plants you don’t recognise
You’ll find it in hedgerows, footpaths, fields and woods.
Here are a few tips for success:
You can find all sorts of edible plants and branches in fields, hedgerows and even in your own garden– and you can feed your pets most of them fresh. But there are some, like nettles, that are better dried.
Read our article on what to feed your rabbits to find lots of safe plants, twigs and branches you can forage and feed your rabbits.
Although you may not be able to ‘forage’ for fruit and vegetables as easily, here’s a list of what’s safe for your pets:
Vegetables
Fruit
As an extra, occasional treat, you can give your pets a small piece of apple, pear or tomato.
Rabbits also love to eat strawberry leaves, blackberry leaves and raspberry leaves (not the fruits).
Whilst rabbits are known to be a popular children’s pet, they’re only really suited for families who are happy to give them plenty of space. That means socialising with them by sitting on the floor nearby and not cuddling them. But they can still make a wonderful addition to a family!
Rabbits prefer to have all four paws on the floor and find being picked up and cuddled extremely stressful. This can lead to you being scratched, kicked or bitten as they try to struggle to break free. This is not an aggressive behaviour; it’s a natural way for them to escape from a potential ‘predator’, like they would in the wild.
You may expect that the more you handle a rabbit, the calmer they will become. Sadly, this can actually have the opposite effect. In fact, it can lead to them being even more fearful and warier of humans. The best way to spend time with your rabbit is to sit on the ground in their run area and offer tasty treats. If you’re able to do this with your rabbits daily, you’ll soon find they happily choose to hop and sit on your lap or follow you around.
It’s important that you always have a suitable pet carrier available in case you need to rush your rabbits to the vet. These are also handy for when you need to clean out their enclosure. Cardboard boxes can quickly and easily be chewed through, leading to escapees – so avoid these!
Hard plastic cat carriers like this one are perfect for your rabbits. To keep them relaxed and happy, make sure the carrier is large enough for both rabbits, so they don’t need to be separated. Place some newspaper on the bottom with lots of hay on top for them to munch on.
A hard plastic cat carrier, which can be used to transport rabbits.
Make sure you health check your rabbits every week, and look out for any changes in their behaviour every day. Unfortunately, they can be very good at hiding any health issues until they’re really suffering.
Sometimes, even the smallest thing can be a sign your furry friend is poorly. Like not rushing out to receive fresh food straight away, or their poo looking a little smaller, darker, harder or softer than normal. If you have any concerns, act quickly and contact your rabbit savvy vet.
Watch our video on how to health check rabbits and what to look out for.
Did you know that poor dental health is one of the most common killers in rabbits? This is often because of an incorrect diet or due to genetics. Rabbit teeth continually grow, so a diet of at least 85% hay/grass is essential in helping to reduce the risk of dental disease.
Signs to look for include:
Sadly, dental disease is rarely treatable, only manageable. It can lead to a very slow and painful deterioration of your rabbit. So it may be kinder to put them to sleep sooner rather than later, with the support of your rabbit-friendly vet.
Dental disease cannot always be prevented but ensuring your rabbits have a good diet, full of fibre can help to keep their teeth in check
As the name suggests, this is when the rabbit’s gut slows down or stops moving, and it’s a symptom of something else going on. Rabbits always need to have food passing through their gut to help keep the bacteria in them healthy and working. Being a prey species, they tend to hide that they’re feeling unwell for as long as possible.
It’s important to look out for the following symptoms:
If you notice any of these, please take them to a vet immediately. If not treated quickly enough, these symptoms can be fatal.
Sometimes, owners decide to wait until the next day to see if they improve. Sadly, it’s often too late at this point. Once treated, your vet can then investigate the cause of the gut stasis and discuss with you the ways to prevent it from reoccurring.
There are some things you can do to help prevent gut stasis. Make sure your rabbits have a diet consisting of 85% hay/grass, 10% safe plants and vegetables, and 5% nuggets. You should also groom your rabbits when they moult as this can help to prevent them from ingesting too much fur, which could cause a blockage. Long-haired rabbits will need to be groomed more regularly.
Stress, loud noises, living alone or living with an incompatible rabbit, can all cause gut stasis too.
Your rabbits will need vaccinating twice a year – one to help protect them against Myxomatosis and RVHD1 and 2 (Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic disease), and the other for the newer highly virulent RVHD2 strain. All are fatal and easily contracted.
RVHD is very much a ‘silent killer’, with little or no symptoms. The virus can reach your rabbits via your clothes and footwear if you’ve unknowingly been in contact with it, or through another rabbit in the early stages of the condition.
Myxomatosis is spread by mosquitos, fleas, and can also reach rabbits via your clothes and footwear.
For these reasons, both outdoor and indoor rabbits are at risk.
Signs of myxomatosis:
Signs of RVHD1 and 2:
Read our article to find out more about the importance of vaccinating your rabbits.
It’s really important to find a vet in your area who has lots of experience with rabbits. Most vets will see cats and dogs on a daily basis and will have extensive knowledge of their needs. Other species such as rabbits may not be seen very frequently by most vets. So finding someone who has lots of experience of seeing, diagnosing and treating rabbits is vital.
We cover a range of different topics on our website – and not just for your small furry friends, but cats and dogs, too!
Not only that, but we also offer phone appointments, workshops, training classes, webinars and courses.
Visit our pet advice hub or call 0300 303 9333
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