Housing
Flooring: Provide solid, non-slip flooring, not wire bottoms which can cause painful foot injuries (sore hocks).
Indoor Living: Rabbits should live indoors as part of your family. They are sensitive to temperature extremes and need protection from predators.
Space Requirements: Provide a minimum 4’x2’x2′ enclosure (larger for bigger breeds), plus at least 4 hours of supervised exercise time daily in a rabbit-proofed area.
Cage Alternatives: X-pens, playpens, or custom enclosures work well. Avoid store-bought cages which are typically too small.
Bedding & Litter
Bedding Options: Use paper-based bedding, aspen shavings, or compressed recycled paper pellets.
Avoid: Cedar and pine shavings contain harmful phenols that can damage your rabbit’s respiratory system.
Litter Box: Most rabbits naturally use one spot for elimination. Provide a litter box with rabbit-safe litter and hay on top to encourage use.
Food
Hay: 80% of a rabbit’s diet should be unlimited fresh timothy hay (orchard grass or meadow hay are good alternatives). Young rabbits under 7 months can have alfalfa hay.
Vegetables: 1 cup of fresh, dark leafy greens per 2 lbs of body weight daily. Introduce new vegetables slowly.
Pellets: High-quality, timothy-based pellets with no added treats or colorful pieces (1/8-1/4 cup per 5 lbs of body weight daily).
Water: Fresh, clean water available 24/7, changed daily.
Treats: Limit fruit treats to 1-2 tablespoons per 5 lbs of body weight, no more than twice weekly.
Rabbit-Proofing
• Cover electrical cords with split tubing or cord protectors
• Block access to houseplants (many are toxic)
• Remove access to furniture you don’t want chewed
• Provide appropriate chew toys as alternatives
Grooming
• Regular brushing (daily during shedding seasons)
• Nail trimming every 4-6 weeks
• Check ears weekly for signs of infection
• Never fully bathe rabbits (spot cleaning only when necessary)
Exercise Activities & Enrichment
• Provide toys and objects to manipulate, investigate, encourage play
• Rotate toys regularly to maintain interest and prevent boredom
• Provide daily supervised exercise time outside of their pen
• Provide safe toys to help wear down teeth, which are continuously growing, including cardboard tubes and untreated wood blocks.