A house rabbit is a pet rabbit that lives in the house instead of outdoors in a rabbit hutch. Often house rabbits are allowed free access to a room or sections of the house. Many house rabbits also have a rabbit cage in the house to keep them safe when the are not being supervised.
Should a rabbit live in a house? The answer to this is definitely yes. Pet rabbits are very clean, great company and easy to house train, which makes them ideal to keep as house rabbits.
Pet rabbits need lots of company, otherwise the rabbit will become lonely and unhappy. Keeping a pet rabbit in the house as a house rabbit makes it easier for you to spend time with the rabbit instead of having to go and spend time with an outdoor pet rabbit every day.
The environment in the house is better for a rabbit’s health, as it is warm and dry. This helps house rabbits to stay healthy, because damp and drafty conditions can cause rabbit health problems.
House rabbits are also safer indoors, as they are further away from predators than they would be in a rabbit hutch outdoors, but you must also consider the safety of a house rabbit in relation to other things in the house, such as electrical cables.
Rabbits love to chew things, including furniture and electrical cables, which can cause damage to the house as well as a health risk for the rabbit. The areas of the house to which a house rabbit has access should be protected as much as possible, for example, using cable protectors. Providing plenty of rabbit toys to chew will also reduce a house rabbit’s urge to chew furniture and cables.
House Rabbit Cage or Pen
Some house rabbits are allowed free access to an area or a room of the house all the time. Most house rabbits have a pen or house rabbit cage to keep them secure but are allowed to come out of their pen or cage when they are being supervised.
If your house rabbit is to be allowed free access to your house, or an area of the house, make sure that everywhere the house rabbit can access is safe. This includes removing or protecting all electrical cables, ornaments, plants etc from the rabbit’s reach and protecting any furniture or woodwork that may get chewed.
If your house rabbit is to have a pen or house rabbit cage to sleep in and be kept in when you are not there, there are several considerations involved in choosing the type of pen or cage.
Rabbit pens are available from some pet shops, and usually consist of mesh panels that can be locked together to create a pen of different shapes and sizes. Make sure the pen has plenty of room for your rabbit to hop around. The sides should be tall enough so that your house rabbit can not jump out. If your house rabbit is trained to use a litter tray, you can place a litter tray in the pen.
A house rabbit cage should be big enough for your rabbit to make several hops, turn around and lie down stretched out on the floor. It should also be high enough to allow your rabbit to hop in the cage without hitting the top. It is best to have a house rabbit cage with a solid bottom and lower sides, usually plastic, to keep the bedding in and make it easier for your rabbit to walk on the floor. The top and upper sides should be wire mesh to let plenty of light in. As this is a house rabbit cage, it does not need to have weather-proof sides and roof as an outdoor rabbit’s hutch would, although the cage should be positioned in a dry, draft-free area of the house. Make sure that there are no sharp edges or ends on the wire mesh that your rabbit could hurt itself on.
Cover the whole floor of the house rabbit’s cage with suitable bedding – wood shavings, hay or newspaper are good. Your rabbit will choose a section of the cage to use as its toilet area, you should clean this area each day, and clean the whole cage around once a week. If your rabbit is house trained, you could also use a litter tray in the cage to make cleaning easier. Use an rabbit safe or animal safe disinfectant, such as Keep It Clean Lemon Disinfectant Spray For Pets, when cleaning the house rabbit cage.
You should also provide a supply of hay and water, as rabbits need access to hay and fresh water all the time. See our page about feeding your rabbit for more information.
Safety In The House
The two main safety concerns are for the safety of the rabbit and for the safety of your house and furniture! Rabbits are natural nibblers, and will nibble and chew at things they can reach, like wires and furniture. If there is anything within their reach that is fragile or that could hurt or injure your rabbit, move it higher up so that the rabbit can’t reach it. Protect wires with cable protectors
Choose which rooms you want the rabbit to be allowed in, and whenever the rabbit is out of its cage, keep the doors to the other rooms closed. This way you can ensure that the rooms that the rabbit goes in are totally safe, and you will be able to give the rabbit lots of freedom in the house without worrying what it is doing. Never leave your rabbit unattended when it is not in its cage.
Safety Out Of The House
If you let your rabbit run around the garden, supervise it at all times. Before doing this, go all around the edges of the garden and make sure there are no little gaps that it could escape through. Be aware that a rabbit can very quickly dig under a fence that is resting on soil. You could also use a rabbit harness and lead to keep your rabbit safe. Use a proper rabbit harness, not just a collar, as rabbits do not have strong enough necks for collars and leads. A proper harness fits around the middle as well as the neck to make sure that the neck is not at risk of injuring the neck.
Rabbits don’t always know to avoid plants that are poisonous to them, so make sure that you have nothing that your rabbit could eat that is not safe for them to do so. See our feeding section for foods that are safe and plants that are poisonous.
at what age can a rabbit be neutered, and I am going to make a cage of my own, prob a double floor, any advice.
Is it ok for the rabbit to be on kitchen flooring (cushion floor, which is similar to lino)
Hi Paul
Rabbits can be neutered as soon as they are mature, around 4-6 months old.
Good luck building your own cage – it’s a good way to get a unique cage that suits your needs as well as your rabbit’s!
Make sure there is plenty of room for your rabbit to hop around in there. Also, check very carefully that there are no sharp edges or wire mesh ends protruding into the cage. Remember that many rabbits love to chew things, including the sides of their cages, so don’t use any materials that are harmful.
I have never used lino type flooring myself, but I have heard of other people using it. The possible problems are that the rabbit might dig it up around the edges and nibble it, and that it is slippery. The first can be solved by fixing wooden batons around the edge to prevent digging (no nails though as rabbits like to try to chew wood). The second can be solved by covering the lino with a suitable bedding material, maybe a layer of newspaper covered with wood shavings or hay.
do you think it’s ok to have a house rabbit around kids? Around the ages of 7-12? let me know.
Hi Adele
Yes it is as long as the children are taught to understand the house rabbit. Rabbits need to be treated gently and with respect, so as long as the kids understand that and do not expect to play rough with the bunny it is ok.
I would suggest supervision from an adult, and use that time to teach the kids about respect for animals.
Richard.
Safety is the top priority when taking care of bunnies. They really are a good nibblers. So they might do a lot of mess if they left unattended. They needed supervision when they are out of their rabbit hutches or cages. So keep an eye on them when you let them out.
I agree totally, the safety of the rabbit is very important when out in (or out of) the house.
First of all I just want to say thank you! This is such a useful blog!
I am about to become mum to a baby bunny. His original owners had a violent allergic reaction to him so he has had to find a new home after only a week. I don’t know much about him, only gender(hopefully that’s right!), but thought a wee trip to the vets would clear everything up.
I’ve had rabbits before but they lived outside in a massive custom built enclosure. This time I’m in a flat of my own and hope to keep him in the kitchen. I’ve read all your info on rabbit care and it’s been really useful – thanks again! I only have one question…
Over Christmas I plan on going home to my parents for a week. I’ll have to take bun with me otherwise he’ll have no-one to talk to, or feed him!
I was wondering if you had any recommendations on how to transport him without him getting too stressed. I’ll be driving home, it’s about an hour on the motorway and I don’t know whether to put him in his cage in the back of the car or if I should put him in a smaller container – like a cat carrier, and keep it dark and cosy.
My parents also have two dogs and two cats who wont be used to a rabbit so I’ll probably keep him in my room in his cage for a lot of the time. Would it be best to mainly keep him caged until after I’m home in the new year? Ideally, I’d like to stop using his cage altogether one day. Our kitchen is all sealed and wire free so it should be fine.
I feel pretty bad for the wee guy. First he’s getting kicked out his new home and then a month later I’m going to drag him across the country! This isn’t going to traumatise him, is it?
Sorry for the massively long post! And thank you!
Hi Dani
Thanks, I’m glad you find it useful, and congratulations on your new bunny!
For travelling, I use a cat carrier, with a couple of old towels folded up on the floor to make it less slippery and more comfortable for the rabbit to lie on. Also, these soak up any little accidents that may happen! If you transport him in his cage, he may end up sliding all over the place during the journey, and even hurting himself. Try to drive very gently and smoothly, to make the journey as un-stressful as possible. I also gently talk to my rabbits quite a lot when they are in the car to try to keep them calm – I’m not sure if it helps, and it can make you look a bit stupid if anyone sees you!
If you are only away for a fairly short time, you could keep him in his cage most of the time to keep him safe, but make sure you spend plenty of time with him so he doesn’t feel lonely. As long as he feels like he is getting plenty of attention from you, he should stay happy. Then when you get him home into a safe environment, you can start to let him out more and more.
Hope this helps, good luck!
Thanks for replying so quickly! Hopefully we’ll have a safe journey home to my parents!
I thought I’d just let you know. Turns out our boy is a girl but thankfully she has been spayed and vaccinated. She was pretty shy to start off with but she’s starting to come out of her shell. Now when I sit on the floor with her she shoves her nose under my hand and if I don’t immediately start stroking I get a nip.
I’m definitely becoming a member of the bunny fan club! And I’ve added your site to my favourites, maybe I’ll be sending you some pictures of my beautiful darling girl… Yes, that’s right, I’m in love!
Thank you Richard!
Bunnies have this effect on people!!!
I’m really pleased to hear you and your bunny are getting on so well together. It sounds like you have worked out how to make your bunny happy!
I’d love to see pictures of your rabbit, and if you want I could post them on here as a Friday Bunny Photo.
If you need to know or talk about anything else rabbit related, feel free to post questions here any time.
Thanks
Richard
My girlfriend and I are looking to get a house rabbit. Is there any particular breeds of rabbit that I should be looking for or are all breeds OK to live in the house? I think we will be visiting Pets At Home, is this a good enough place to buy a rabbit for the house? We live in Middlesbrough and are not aware of any breeders in our area.
Any hints or tips would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi John & Emma
There isn’t one particular breed of rabbit that makes a better house rabbit than any other. Any breed of rabbit can make a good house rabbit.
Larger breeds can sometimes be more docile than smaller breeds, but larger breeds can also have slightly shorter life expectancies.
I would recommend if at all possible that you visit a rabbit shelter and have a look at some rabbits that need re-homing before deciding to buy a rabbit. Also, there is a campaign to stop Pets at Home from selling animals, and concentrate on selling pet supplies instead. There is a forum page on the Greenwich Rabbit Rescue website with various opinions on this – I’ll let you make up your own mind, however I will add that my first rabbit came from Pets at Home, my second was rescued and I will get any future rabbits from rescue centres.
The rabbit rehome website contains lots of useful information about rescue rabbits, including a search facility for some rabbits that need new homes.
Hope this helps
Richard
I’d avoid buying from Pets at Home. I’ve had a couple of rabbits from there over the course of about 10 years, one of them died after a week because she had an infection in her spine. The second had bad diahorrea 2 days after I got her, and when I took her to the vet he told me it would cost £100 to treat her and it was likely she wouldn’t make it. It was his fourth or fifth instance of a rabbit with diahorrea within 2 weeks, and before that he hadn’t seen many cases for years – since the vet was local to Pets at Home, his theory was that they had an infected litter. I was advised to take her back so they would pay for the treatment and if she survived they would rehome her – I’d only had her about four days but that was long enough for me to bond so it goes without saying that this was very upsetting!
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for sharing your experiences, it’s useful to know when things like that have happened.
Anybody else had particularly good or bad experiences getting a pet rabbit?
I got a buck from pets at home and he is the most violent rabbit ive ever had. We had him neutered but he’s still the devil in a rabbit form. Im sure. ive heard from friends that they have had trouble with rabbits from pets at home too!! They also mis sexed the gerbils which i adopted from them but thats a whollllle different story!!
Is it possible for a litter of 5 to be all female?
Hi Clair
It is possible for a rabbit litter to be entirely male or female, but usually a rabbit litter consists of a mix of male and female babies.
hi
my rabbit likes to eat chocolate… so i was wondering if it would affect his health?
Hi Juliana
Rabbits should not eat chocolate. It can be very bad for their health, and even fatal. Rabbits love sweet things, but you need to be careful which sweet things you let a rabbit eat.
You can get rabbit chocolate drops that are not made of real chocolate, and are not harmful to rabbits, but should still be fed in very small quantities.
Even better is something more natural like these rabbit nature stick treats, which are made with dried grass and herbs, or use a small amount of fresh fruit as a treat.
Hi first i want to say this is a fantastic blog! I’ve had my rabbit for a month now, and after spending just a week in his outdoor pen, he’s now spending the winter indoors! However, it’s only practical for him to be in our large dining room, and in one part of this room he has his huge 6ft dog crate which keeps him enclosed when we are not around – but problem is we have a log burner in this room, and obvioulsy now that it’s so cold my husband wants to light it but i’ve been worried that bunny will become too hot – i might just be being silly, but just wondered if you have any advice? Obviously he would be kept in his crate away from the log burner while it’s lit or even still warm, and his pen is the other side of the room from the log-burner – so would he be ok in this room, in his crate, while the burner is on?
Hi Marina
Thanks, I’m glad you like our house rabbit website!
Rabbits have difficulty tolerating high temperatures (remember that the rabbit is wearing a fur coat!), anything above 25-26 degrees C (around 80 F) is too hot, and could affect your rabbit’s health.
Each rabbit is different, and if your rabbit appears to be more tired or less active than usual, he may be getting too warm.
Richard
Hey Guys,
Firstly, great blog u got going here found lots of useful information.
Im new to keeping rabbits and have a little black and white dutch called Ruby, who lives in an old Chinchilla cage my girlfriend used to keep in my bedroom. It has 3 platforms which she can jump up onto and often rests on the 2nd tier.
This is going to sound really odd but im a little confused to what dioreah actually looks like, she does hard normal number 2′s but im not sure weather the number 1s are urine?
Also she has a litter tray in her cage and uses it frequently, i have filled the rest of the cage with wood shavings and hay but i think it may be a little too much hay for her, would you suggest a blanket and a fleece for a bed instead because the hay lets off quite a smell? And if so should i layer under the blanket with wood shavings….?
Any other tips would be greatful.
She is very happy and often jumps and twists which i have read means she is happy and often when i let her out she sort of nudges me to stroke her and if i dont i get a lil nip, i have also read that this means she may need to be spayed? I do not wish to bred yet so would this stop the nipping?
Thanks guys hope to hear from you soon
Hi Michael
Rabbit urine can be a variety of colours, from pale yellow to a fairly dark brown-orange colour. It can be quite thick, and occasionally with a white sludge. A variety of rabbit urine colours is shown in a picture on the Greendale Vetinary Diagnostics website.
Rabbit diarrhea is usually brown, smelly and can be quite watery, often causing a mess on the rabbits hindquarters. This is not to be mistaken for caecotrophs (which usually look like a mini bunch of brown, shiny grapes!), which the rabbit will usually re-ingest.
Diarrhea can be very dangerous for rabbits, so if you suspect that your rabbit has diarrhea I would suggest taking your rabbit to the vets.
Adult rabbits should have an unlimited supply of timothy hay, grass hay or oat hay as well as fresh water, along with small amounts of dried pellets, and fresh greens. Younger rabbits should have unlimited alfafa and pellets, gradually changing to the adult diet between the ages of 7 months to 1 year. Hay should smell fresh and sweet. If it smells bad, you should change it.
. I prefer not to use blankets because many rabbits will shred blankets, and then try to eat the shredded blanket, which could cause health problems.
I use wood shavings as a bed for my rabbits, however you could also use hay, straw or paper bedding such as Yesterday’s News
The behaviour you have described in your last paragraph indicates a happy rabbit – jumping and twisting like this is called a binky. Nipping is a sign of impatience when you are not stroking her at the right time! Aggressive behaviour can be reduced by having your rabbit neutered, and I would recommend that pet rabbits are neutered for this reason. The nipping you have described is not particularly aggressive, but it may be reduced and certainly should help to prevent more aggressive behaviour developing by having your rabbit neutered.
Richard
Hi,
Thanks for all the helpful advice on here…I’m getting my first house rabbit in a couple of days and while I’ve pretty much stocked up on food, toys etc, I’m really unsure what to do about housing my rabbit…do I go for a cage or a pen? I live in a flat and work in the day so obviously he will have to stay in it while I’m not there, I’m more tempted with the pen but don’t really know where to get one? It’s a rescue rabbit though is friendly in nature.
Any advice would be great,
Thanks!
Jenny
Hi Jenny
A cage or pen would be equally suitable for a rabbit, although pens often do not have a roof, so you would need to make sure that it was tall enough so your rabbit could not jump out. Pens are often sold in pet shops as puppy pens, although many of these would be equally suitable for rabbits. Make sure that the mesh is small enough so the rabbit can’t squeeze through and the sides are high enough to prevent the rabbit jumping out (rabbits can jump high!).
Often pens do not have a floor, so you would need to make sure the floor on which you are going to place the pen is safe for the rabbit, and can’t be dug up or damaged. It may also make it more difficult to clean than a rabbit cage, which would usually have a plastic tray as the base.
Here are some links to a couple of pet pens so you can have a look and make your decision:
Hope this helps
Richard
Hi Richard,
I just got a new male rabbit, and really enjoying reading your blog because it has answered a lot of my questions!
He is 13-14 weeks old. He is a little skittish around me so I have tried lying near his open cage in the living room with cm pieces of carrot, and in the last 2days he seems far more relaxed and will give me a small nip when he wants more carrot! Still is very nervous and dislikes being picked up when I need to put him back in his cage at night.
However, I was just wandering if you clip your rabbits nails yourself? Also, how do you check their teeth? He feels like he has sharp claws, like a cat, when he jumps on my legs, is this normal?. And although he is giving me small nudges and lets me touch him a wee bit, I doubt he will let me check his teeth without me scaring him badly! Would you advise a trip to the vet for all round check-up? He seems fine, stool appears normal from what I have read and he is eating and drinking well. His coat his dark and fluffy, and his eyes clear. I have had cats and dogs and a hamster, but this is my first time with a rabbit!
Thanks,
Anna
Hi Anna
, but I often get the vet to do it when I take them for their vaccinations.
I think that what you are doing with your rabbit will help him to become more comfortable with you, and become less nervous. Many rabbits dislike being picked up, including mine. Pick him up as little as possible, but when you do, be firm but gentle, so he can’t struggle too much and injure himself.
If his nails are well past the fur on his feet, they are probably too long. I have a set of these rabbit nail clippers
If you do it yourself, you will need someone to help you as it is almost impossible to hold a rabbit still and trim its nails by yourself! Wrapping the rabbit in a towel can help to restrain it, but make sure it is not restrained so tightly that it gets hurt. The nails should be trimmed so that they are just a little longer than the quick (the pinky vein inside the nail), which can sometimes be quite hard to see. Putting a light behind the nail can sometimes help to see the quick. Normally, cutting the nail a little longer than where it starts to bend away from the rabbit’s foot it about the right place. If you cut through the quick, the nail will bleed, which can be stopped by putting some flour on the bleeding area. I would suggest visiting your vet the first time to get an idea of where and how to trim his nails.
You will be able to see your rabbit’s front teeth by gently pulling his lips back – put a finger on each cheek and gently draw them back. If you are stroking the rabbit’s head with your other hand, he will probably stay still and let you do this. It is more difficult to check the back teeth, because it can be quite hard to get the rabbit to open its mouth for you to have a look. Forcing the rabbit’s mouth open could cause an injury. Vets have an instrument that they can put into the rabbit’s mouth to look through to inspect the back teeth. I usually get the vet to do this at the same time as the vaccinations too (every 6 months or so).
Good luck with your new bunny, if you have any more questions please feel free to ask!
Richard
I was just wondering, can a rabbit who has lived outdoors become a house rabbit or will this upset him ?
Thanks,
Holly
Hi Holly
There is no reason that a rabbit can’t change from being an outdoor rabbit to a house rabbit. He will love the extra attention that he will probably get being indoors, and will prefer the dry and draft free environment!
Richard
Can my new house rabbit live outdoors in the summer?????xxx
Hi Morelle
Yes, house rabbits can live outdoors, but remember that your rabbit will be used to seeing you lots while inside the house. You will need to make sure that you can maintain the same level of contact with your rabbit outdoors or indoors.
Make sure that you get an outdoor rabbit hutch that has plenty of protection from rain and wind to keep your rabbit warm and dry.
Richard