Housing Options for Your Pet Rabbit

There are many options for housing your bunny indoors, including cages, custom enclosures, puppy-pens, or simply a bunny proofed room.

Free Reign

We prefer to let our pet rabbits have free reign in a bunny proofed room. We chose to keep them in the room we use as an office. It is large with an open floor plan and generally speaking, one of us is always there to supervise. A section of the room contains their litter boxes and food dishes on top of a plastic chair mat to catch any spills or accidents. They enjoy the freedom of exploring at a leisurely pace or taking a top speed run whenever they choose to. We provide cardboard castles for them if they feel the need to get away for a while. This option may not be for everyone, especially new rabbit owners.

Cages

Many owners prefer to keep their bunny in a large cage. This is fine provided the rabbit gets plenty of time of time outside the cage- at least a few hours daily. The options for cages are varied but require a few basics for the well being of your rabbit.

Cages must be large enough to accommodate your bunny. The more room the better. There needs to be room for your rabbit to move about and lie down, as well as space for food, water, litter box and toys. Never use glass aquariums as they are seldom large enough and do not have enough air circulation. It is also best to have a cage with a front door so your rabbit can come and go on his/her own.

Some people prefer cages with wire bottoms because a litter pan can be placed underneath. This is generally fine, but you need to include a piece of wood or cardboard for the bunny to stand/lay on. Standing on the wire floor alone can cause damage and discomfort to your rabbit's paws.

Puppy-Pens

One other option to consider is setting up a pen in an area of your house for your rabbit. A puppy-pen can be purchased at many pet supply stores.

They are large enough hold all of the essentials for a rabbit and give them room to roam. Pens are easy to move when needed.

If you are concerned about your flooring or carpet, you can place a plastic chair mat or an old rug at the bottom of the pen. The type of puppy-pens general for sale do not have a top to them, so make sure you purchase one that is high enough that your rabbit cannot jump out.

Puppy-pens are useful if you intend to eventually give your rabbit free reign in a bunny proofed room. Limiting your rabbit's space in the beginning will allow him/her to grow accustomed to the location of the food and litter box(es). By gradually increasing the space, your rabbit will not feel overwhelmed by a large area. This helps prevent accidents and lower stress.

Custom Enclosures

Building a custom enclosure is also an option. Many stores sell wire storage cubes that can be customized into many arrangements.

This can be an easy option to create a large enclosure for less than you would spend on a large cage. Never build a rabbit enclosure with chicken wire because rabbits can chew the wire which may result in injury.

If you decide to build with metal, the slats should be fairly close together so your rabbit cannot get his/her head through. Otherwise, your rabbit may get injured or strangled.

There are many different housing possibilities to consider for your rabbit. The best option will depend on your living arrangements. But remember, rabbits are very social creatures, so choose a location in your home that won't leave your bunny feeling lonely and abandoned.