Indoor rabbit housing
Sharing your home with rabbits can be a wonderful experience but it’s not something to be taken lightly. Please ensure you know what is entailed before making this commitment. The house needs to be ‘bunny proofed’ and the rabbits will need their own safe area.
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Even though house rabbits will get more interaction with you they still need a companion of their own species to live with. Rabbits need lots of safe space to exercise in and are most active at dawn and dusk - they’re 'crepuscular' - so letting them out for only a few hours a day just doesn’t suit their body clocks and instincts.
Size
The RWAF (The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund) recommend:
- 24/7 access to a shelter and run:
- Shelter size should be no smaller than 6ft x 2ft x 2ft
- Attached run should be at least 8ft long, 6ft wide and 3ft tall
Location
Your rabbits must be safe from other pets, house plants that may be poisonous, electric wires and escaping. Rabbit proofing your home is essential and you need to be prepared for occasional toilet accidents, nibbling of furniture or skirting boards and lots of fur in moulting season. Rabbits can often slip on hard floors so carpet tiles or textured floors can help them feel more comfortable to run around. Options can include:
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Free range: The rabbit is given free run of all or a specific part of the house. It is important that the rabbits still have a place where they feel secure e.g. an open pen containing hay, water and sleeping area / shelter
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Particular room: This could be a kitchen or living room for example. Be aware that conservatories can get extremely hot in the summer so unless the temperature can be managed effectively it is not ideal.
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Part of a room: This is where the rabbits are given a pen or enclosure to live in, e.g. dog crates or puppy pens. It is essential that these meet or exceed the recommended minimum size.
If you are interested in adopting a bunny from us we always ask for photos of the accommodation you will be offering so please ensure your accommodation is suitable. It is always worth contacting us before choosing your housing for the bunnies.