Pet Habitat South Africa

<< Back To Blog List

08 Jun 2014

Keeping House Rabbits Happy

Posted By : Guest

Filed Under : Rabbits | Pet Care

House rabbits make wonderful pets and can live happily indoors throughout the year, provided you meet all their welfare needs. There are a number of considerations you need to make before committing to owning house rabbits so you can be sure that this is the right pet for you, and vice versa.

Companionship

Rabbits are social creatures and thrive in the company of others. We would always advise owning more than one rabbit; neutered males and females usually make a great pairing, especially if they have been brought up together. If you own a rabbit and are adding a second rabbit take time to introduce them slowly. You may find that they are initially hostile towards each other so seek advice from your vet or local rescue so that you understand how to bond your rabbits successfully.

Exercise

You need to provide your house rabbits with the opportunity to dig, graze and exercise, just like they would do in the wild so why not grow trays of grass, and provide containers of soil (we find a child’s hard plastic sandpit works well for digging). Make stinulating toys, such as a willow ball stuffed with hay that your rabbits will have fun pushing around the room, picking out the tasty bits of hay as they go along.

Little Training

House rabbits can be litter trained just like cats. Invest in a litter tray and add some non clumping litter or hay. Then add some soiled litter into the tray so the rabbits become familiar with the tray. Over time they will understand that this is a safe place to go to the toilet. Make sure the tray is not too close to your rabbits’ sleeping area and remove any soiled litter daily.

Bedding

Rabbits love to snuggle in bedding, so make sure you provide some indoors. Dust free hay or straw is a good bedding material, as is specialist bedding that you can buy from your local pet store.

Feeding

Hay should always be the bulk of any rabbit’s diet, whether they live indoors or outside and Burgess Excel hay is a great option. Hay is fibre rich and contains lots of fibre, which is what a rabbit’s digestive system needs to stay healthy. As we have already mentioned, if your rabbit does not have access to fresh grass why not try growing some in containers. Never feed grass cuttings. Offer a small amount of fresh greens and avoid feeding muesli type foods, which encourage selective eating. Always make sure your rabbits have a fresh supply of clean drinking water.

Rabbit-proofing

Rabbits can be destructive; they love to dig, burrow and chew. Make sure electric cables are out of their reach and don’t let them loose near any valuable furniture, unless you don’t mind them having the occasional gnaw on it. As many house plants are also toxic to rabbits you should place them well out of reach, or avoid bringing them into the home altogether.

Some people like to house their rabbits in a hutch overnight to prevent them having total free reign of the house whilst they are in bed. Buy the biggest hutch you can find and use it only as a bedroom, giving your rabbits the freedom to enter and exit their hutch during the day. It is also a good idea to add a run to the hutch so the bunnies have extra opportunity to stretch their legs whilst you are sleeping! Minimum RSPCA guidelines for a pair of rabbits is a single 6ft x 2ft x 2ft hutch or a double 5ft x 2ft x 2ft hutch.