Before welcoming a rabbit into your home, make sure it is safe for, and from, the rabbit. Bunny proofing protects both your bunny and your belongings. Here’s how to effectively bunny proof your living space:

1. Electrical Cables & Wires: Rabbits are notorious for chewing on ‘spicy hay’ a.k.a. dangerous electrical cables. Protect your rabbit from electrocution and yourself from having to explain what happened to the Ethernet cable by hiding electrical cables and wires behind furniture or covering them with heavy duty cord protectors. Other common victims are phone chargers, headphone cables, laptop cables, shoe laces, drawstrings of hoodies and sweatpants.
2. Furniture and Baseboards: Wooden items such as furniture legs and baseboards are another common targets for a rabbit’s chewing. Protect these by blocking access with grids, pens or other protective barriers. As a natural deterrent, you can also wipe down these surfaces with diluted white vinegar before letting your rabbit out to free roam.
3. Rubber and Plastic Items: Unlike wood, which is usually harmless, rubber and plastic can cause deadly intestinal obstructions if ingested. Ensure all such materials are removed from areas your rabbit will have access to or securely blocked off. Consider TV remotes, wheels of strollers, office chairs or carts, exercise weights, children’s toys and plastic baby toys. Plastic stacking cups and other baby toys can be used for supervised play time but should NOT be left in the rabbits enclosure all of the time.
4. House Plants: Many common houseplants are toxic to rabbits and no, unfortunately, rabbits do not have the innate sense to not eat something that can make them sick. Here are a few to watch out for: poinsettias, lilies (including Easter lilies), onion, rhubarb, hydrageas, chrysanthemums, iris, ivy, daffodil, poppy, rhododendrons, both tomato and potato plants, yew, and cannabis. But even non-toxic plants can upset a rabbits digestive systems, leading to serious health issues like GI stasis. Be sure to remove or block access to any houseplants. Fake houseplants can also be dangerous if rabbits ingest the synthetic material.
5.  Temperature Control: Rabbits are extremely sensitive to temperature changes. Maintain ambient temperatures between 64-74°F to keep your rabbit comfortable. Be especially cautious with long-haired and lop-eared breeds, which can start to overheat at 76°F.
6. Protect Your Soft Furnishings: Use waterproof blankets on your beds and couches to guard against any accidents that might occur as your rabbit settles in. Avoid pee pads as these end up getting chewed and ingested.
7. Block Small Spaces: Rabbits love to squeeze into small spaces and can burrow into the undersides of couches and beds. Use C&C grids to block off these areas.
8. Avoid Respiratory Irritants: Because rabbits have a very sensitive respiratory system, avoid smoking, vaping, burning incense, scented plug-ins, or air fresheners in your rabbits room as these can be toxic and cause respiratory and neurological problems.

By following these steps, you’ll create a rabbit-friendly home that minimizes risks and maximizes safety!

ENCLOSURE:

• A pet playpen like the “MidWest Homes For Pets Foldable Metal Dog Exercise Pen / Pet Playpen” creates a safe home base for when you cannot supervise your rabbit. When enclosed rabbits need a minimum 4ft x 4ft, 16sq ft, living space. Cages and hutches DO NOT provide enough space for rabbits to express their natural instincts and can lead to depression, boredom and end even aggression. Rabbits kept in cages or hutches typically pace back and forth, chew on the bars which can damage their teeth, and may box, lunge or bite when a hand reaches in.
  • According to research conducted in 2023 by the University of Bristol Vet School “pet rabbits have higher levels of the stress hormone – corticosterone – when kept in small hutches with restricted exercise.” READ MORE
• A 5×7 low pile carpet for their area. Slippery floors, like hardwood or tile, can lead to splay leg injuries and arthritis. Lay down rugs and carpets that provide traction for your rabbits feet. Additionally, avoid carpets with long threads or loops that could catch on their nails.
• Cardboard or wooden hidey house. Rabbits are naturally prey animals and need a place to hide when they are scared and to nap during the day. Cardboard houses and wooden castles are preferred as rabbits tend to pee inside soft hidey houses and dog beds. Here are some of our bunnies favorites: “HIIMALEX Sturdy Bunny House“,
• A L or XL cat size litterbox (min. 14in x 18in). Litterboxes marketed towards rabbits, especially corner litterboxes, are too small and rabbits might not litterbox train as well with them.
• Make sure you get litter that is safe for rabbits such as paper bedding or recycled paper pellets. We recommend “Oxbow Eco Straw Pelleted Wheat Straw Litter for Small Animals“, “Small Pet Select Unbleached White Paper Bedding“, and “Small Pet Select- Small Animal Pelleted Paper Bedding“. Avoid clumping and clay cat litters and all soft wood shavings including pine, aspen and walnut. “Tractor Supply Pelletized Bedding” is a safe low-cost option that is used by many rescues, however those with allergies and sensitive noses may not enjoy the smell.
• Food and water bowls. Rabbits will tip a light plastic or metal bowl so be sure you get a heavy, ceramic bowl that can hold 3–5 cups of water. Food bowls are optional, pellets can be scattered to encourage foraging and greens can be hand fed to build trust.

ENRICHMENT:

• Chew toys and lots of them. Chewing is a natural, and necessary, behavior. Rabbits have an instinctual need to gnaw to keep their teeth, which grow 3-5 inches per year, filed down. Providing chew toys satisfies their natural instinct, promotes psychological well-being and keeps their teeth healthy. Without chew toys, your new rabbit might turn their attention to less suitable items like baseboards, furniture, and other household items. Stock up on apple wood sticks, willow balls and cardboard.
• Rabbits love running and zooming through tunnels. Setting up an obstacle course with multiple tunnels around your room will provide hours of entertainment for you and exercise your rabbit.
• Snuffle mats stimulate a rabbits natural foraging instincts. They provide mental enrichment and encourage physical activity as rabbits search for hidden treats.
• Treat balls and wobble feeders encourage active feeding and mental engagement. This helps to prevent boredom and encourages exercise. Check out the “Niteangel Treat Ball” and “SunGrow Interactive Puzzle Feeder“.
• Puzzle toys and stacking cups are excellent for rabbits as they challenge their problem-solving skills and provide mental stimulation, helping to keep them engaged and mentally sharp. Try puzzles like the “TRIXIE Hide N Slide Brain Teaser” and “8 Pcs Stacking Cups for Rabbits“. As with all plastic items, secure these out of your rabbits reach when you are not there to supervise their play.

DIET:

• 80–90% of a rabbits diet should be high quality grass hay. Alfalfa hay is high in calcium and good for young rabbits, up to 6 months old. Adults should avoid alfalfa hay because it can lead to weight gain,bladder sludge and stones. Adult rabbits should primarily be getting 1st or 2nd cut western timothy hay to keep their teeth filed down and digestive system working effectively. Orchard grass hay may be used as a substitute for those who are allergic to timothy hay, however orchard grass hay has less fiber. Oat hay is a grain, and not a grass, hay and is okay as an occasional treat but should not be fed regularly as it can cause weight gain.
  • A healthy adult rabbit should be eating DOUBLE their weight in hay each month. That means a 4–6lb rabbit which would consume be around 8–12lb of hay per month.
• 10% of a rabbit’s diet should be dark leafy greens and vegetables. Stock up on spring mix (a mix of green leaf, red leaf and butter leaf lettuces) and other greens like romaine, arugula, bok choy, spinach and kale for variety. Feed limited servings of greens that are high in calcium (like turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale and spinach) and oxalates (like beet greens, spinach, chard and parsley). Don’t feed rabbits iceberg lettuce as it contains lactucarium, which can be harmful in large quantities.
• 5% of a rabbits diet should be fortified food pellets. We recommend “Oxbow Essentials Adult Rabbit Food“, “Science Selective House Rabbit Food“, “Small Pet Select Rabbit Food” and “Sherwood Pet Health Adult Rabbit Food“. Avoid “gourmet” food mixes that include nuts, seeds, treats, additional sugars and artificial colors. In general avoid low quality brands like KAYTEE, Vitakraft, Wild Harvest, Small World, Menu, Mana Pro, PURE WhiteMill, Higgins, Sunseed, Browns that put unsafe ingredients in rabbit food.
• <5% of a rabbits diet should be fruits and treats. Rabbits should have no more than 1-2 teaspoon size servings of fruits per week, that about 1 strawberry or 1 baby carrot per week.

GROOMING & TRANSPORTING:

• Grooming tools. Rabbits should have their nails trimmed every 2-4 months. Cat or small animal nail clippers are the safest for rabbits delicate nails. Depending on whether your rabbit is short haired or long haired a rubber grooming glove, furminator or grooming comb may be the most effective.
• A hard sided pet carrier (minimum 11in x 17in). Rabbits often hyperventilate when they are stressed. Soft carriers do not offer as much air flow and can trap heat, this can cause rabbits to overheat. Rabbits can also chew their way out of a soft carrier. Be sure to always line the bottom of a plastic carrier with a towel or washable pad and provide hay to munch on during the trip. We recommend the “MidWest Homes for Pets Spree Travel Pet Carrier“.

Daily Routine:

Feeding:

• Morning (around 7-8 AM): Provide a fresh serving of high quality hay and a portion of rabbit pellets.
• Evening (around 6-7 PM): Repeat the morning feeding routine and include a small amount of fresh leafy greens and vegetables.

Litterbox and Area Maintenance:

• Morning and Evening (around feeding times): Remove soiled hay from the litterbox. Add fresh hay directly into the litterbox to encourage natural foraging and bathroom behaviors. Dump out the entire litterbox every second or third day so that you can monitor how many poops the rabbit had in 24hrs and what they look like. This can help you catch and address illnesses early.
• Dedicate 15 minutes to tidying up the rabbit’s area each morning and evening. This includes picking up loose hay, litter, and stray poops, ensuring the space remains clean and comfortable.

Socializing:

• Spend quality time interacting with your rabbit during or after feeding times when they are most active. Aim for at least 15 minutes of dedicated socialization per session to build trust and familiarity.

Weekly Routine:

Deep Cleaning:

• Perform a thorough cleaning of the entire rabbit’s area once a week. This includes moving their pen and items to vacuuming their area rug. Washing any blankets or snuffle mats. Soaking their litterbox with distilled white vinegar to remove residue. Checking their items and toys for wear to see if they need to be replaced. Wash food and water bowls with warm water and soap or pass through the dishwater.
• Once a month you move their area rug to sweep, vacuum and mop underneath.

Health Check:

• Conduct a basic health check to monitor your rabbit’s condition, including checking their eyes, ears, teeth, fur, nails, and weight. This regular monitoring helps catch any potential health issues early.