A popular and unfortunate misconception about rabbits is that they belong in cages for their entire lives. By nature, rabbits do a lot of running, far more than their predatory counterparts, and keeping them in a cage is as inhumane as keeping a dog or a cat in a cage their whole lives. Part of our mission is to educate owners and prospective owners on the proper habitat for a pet rabbit. The examples below show different degrees of quality of life, but the best way to treat a pet bunny is the same way you'd treat any other species of pets: let them roam the house free!

For those concerned about damage that may be caused by free-roaming rabbits: rabbits are naturally clean and easy to litter train, and our page on rabbit-proofing a home will provide guidance on how to secure your home up front to make it easy for both you and your rabbit(s) to live in peacefully.
The Bare Minimum
  • Be at least 4ft long, 2ft wide, and 4ft tall
  • NO wire bottom cages, no outdoor hutches and no "rabbit cages" sold in pet stores. 
  • Have water and food bowls made from heavy ceramics OR dishes that can attach to the cage
  • Have a deep litterbox filled with hay
  • Have a place to hide​
  • Have non-skid flooring
A Step Up
​​Many pictures and videos of 'do-it-yourself' rabbit condos are available online and on Pinterest. They are easy and inexpensive to build and rabbits love multi-level condos! The above is a Neat Cube Condo.

All habitats must have a soft cotton mat over the flooring so that your rabbit has a comfortable and cushioned area to sit and lay down on. 

And for those that can give the ideal home, let them free-roam.

We are always more than happy to explain how to set up a free-roam environment for your rabbit, and it is as easy as for any other animal. Rabbits are litterbox-trainable just like any dog or cat and keep their homes clean. The main things to keep in mind are that rabbits need a nonslippery floor to run on (carpets are best), and humans need to bunnyproof their homes so that no cords or chewable objects are exposed.

Enrichment and Toys:

Bunnies are intelligent, curious, and social animals who need a stimulating environment for their physical and emotional well being. 

In addition to a habitat that allows them to run around, they need items to keep them entertained. Cardboard boxes and/or tunnels made of willow or cardboard are great additions. 

Provide toys for inside their cage; many cat toys such as metal or bell balls, hard plastic slinkys, hanging wood bird mobiles, or something as simple as a hay stuffed toilet paper rolls are good options.
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Below are some great examples of enrichment that are easy to make. ​​​
CAUTION: Rubber or stuffed toys are NOT good choices as ingesting this material can cause blockages.