Have you been thinking about getting a rabbit? Rabbits make great pets. They are affectionate and have loads of personality. Seriously! Our little Boo rabbit tromps all over the house like a boss bunny. He is smart and interactive and he knows how to communicate with us to let us know if he needs something. The more time you spend with rabbits, the more bonded and affectionate they will be. As with any new pet, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when preparing your home for a rabbit.
Preparing your Home for a Rabbit
Boo is a free range rabbit. By this I mean, he has his run of our house. We do not need to lock him up in a hutch, even at night. We have never had an instance of one of our rabbits going to the bathroom somewhere he wasn’t supposed to. Generally rabbits are smart and courteous companions, if you show them that they are valued members of the household. They return respect with respect.
Rabbits all have different personalities, and each will have different preferences and habits. Rabbits are definitely not one size fits all. They each have their preferences. While many rabbits like to chew, your new bunny may never want to chew furniture, but may prefer jumping up on the couch. Know that this variability exists, so that you can bring your bunny home and enjoy your new friendship without heartbreaking surprises.
Electrical cords
One of the first things to think about when preparing your home for a rabbit is to rabbit proof your electrical cords. We don’t think very much about cords, except when our lamp or phone charger is no longer working. However, they are usually right at a rabbit’s eye level, so of course your new rabbit is going to want to chew it!
This is the number one temptation for a rabbit. Even if you are a pro at rewiring lamps or reconnecting broken extension cords, think about your bunny. There’s a possibility of shock, so its always better to be proactive and address the cords.
We have different methods of protecting cords, depending upon the type of cord.
First of all, even without a rabbit, I think cords are unsightly, so whenever I can hide them completely inside a wall, I will. The method we use is really very easy – drill a small hole in the wall behind the appliance (such as the TV or stereo) and run the cord behind the wall. You can then plug the cord into a utility outlet, or if you are very lucky, run it straight through to the other side of the wall, into a garage outlet on the other side.
Another option to protect your rabbit and your cords is to cover them completely with either flexible split tubing or for straight runs, PVC piping. This is preferred for things like extension cords, computer cables, adjustable beds and lamps.
And for temporary cords such as for fans or charging cables, just keep them off the floor. A twisty tie or zip tie are both easy temporary solutions.
Litter Box
Next up, you’re going to need to think about where to let your bunny go to the bathroom. If you adopt a rabbit who is already litter box trained, then you are a step ahead! Around here, most shelters litter box train any rabbit that comes through their facility. (They also perform spay/neuter services, which reduces the desire of a male rabbit to use poop to show dominance) This is not only better for the shelter and adherence to cleanliness standards, but it is much better for the humans, too!
Rabbits are very clean, fastidious animals. They have to be – if they smell, a predator could possibly detect their scent. Like most smaller animals, bunnies prefer to go to the bathroom in the same place. They may have more than one location, but they always remember their locations and return to them over and over. This makes litter box training your rabbit a cinch. You just need to put out a box in a corner, preferably in one of your smaller rooms, like a bathroom, introduce the rabbit to it, and voila! Litterbox trained.
However, once you have created that litterbox location, you are stuck with it forever. Rabbits do not forget. So if you take away the litterbox, your bun will continue to go in that spot even without the box. so choose your locations carefully!
Boo never poops where he eats. Many websites will tell you that rabbits poop and eat in the same place. We have not found this to be true for our indoor rabbits. A rabbit will go to his bathroom, a secure place he feels safe from predators. If food is available, he may nibble, but this is not his primary feeding spot. He will eat out in the open, even alongside other animals in the household.
In our house, Boo uses the cat door to go into a small bonus room off of the garage. We use this room specifically for the cat litter boxes. Boo has his own litter box and the cats and rabbits do not share. Boo leaves his fleece bed in the living room, crosses through the dining room, through the pantry, and then through the cat door to get to the litter room. He never forgets and he has never had an accident.
While Boo uses this litter room 90 percent of the time, I do keep a litter box in my office as a backup. Rabbits never forget their surroundings, and when he was young I used to keep him in my office with me. The corner was where I kept his litter box, and Boo has never forgotten that. Although he rarely uses it now, it is his backup if the litter room is not to his liking for whatever reason.
This brings me to my next point about litter boxes – it is always a good idea to have more than one box. This is also true for cats. In fact, they say you should have one more box than the number of cats you have. (if you have 2 cats you should have 3 boxes). This philosophy works for rabbits, too.
Plants
Houseplants can be dangerous to rabbits. Many houseplants are tropical and/or are toxic. Unlike wild rabbits in your backyard and garden, domesticated rabbits don’t always instinctually know which plants to avoid.
A few general rules are that you should relocate any houseplants off the floor and out of the reach of your bunny. Always make sure to pick up any fallen leaves. This is also true for any plant-like material – cardboard, paper, bamboo, seagrass rugs and any woven baskets, etc. Some young rabbits even nibble at cotton materials.
And you’ll definitely want to refrain from decorating with poinsettia at Christmastime. If you get a Christmas tree, don’t put any decorations on the lowest branches, as those will be gone after a week. You may wish to limb the tree up about a foot off the ground. And be mindful of the Christmas boxes and wrappings!
Furniture Legs
Rabbits need to wear down their teeth, which are always growing. Some rabbit owners report that furniture legs can become a target for rabbit gnawing. We have never had this issue, but we have fairly chunky chair legs which would be quite hard for a bunny to get his mouth around.
But if you have thin, spindly legs on your furniture, you may need to protect them. And always make sure you provide something else for your rabbit to chew on. Small wooden chew sticks are very inexpensive and easy to keep around for your bunny friend.
Sometimes rabbits chew fabric materials, too. There is a possibility your rabbit could chew couch cushions. Because this behavior is not to maintain their teeth, usually rabbits chew fabric due to boredom. If your couch has drapey fabric, you may be at risk.
Shared Food Bowls
Lastly, always make sure that your rabbit has his or her own food bowls, and keep any other pet foods away from an exploring rabbit. Rabbits cannot eat any proteins, and the corn in kibble is absolutely no good for a sensitive herbivore GI system. Dog or cat kibble is a strict no-no. Our boo will eat both dry cat food and cat treats if we allow him. And he will find it even if it is in a different room of the house.
Keep your cat food bowls up high where your bunny can’t get to them. And dog food should be completely eaten and taken away after each meal.
Having a rabbit is a truly rewarding and fun experience. But just like bringing home a dog, or chickens – you have to prepare for your new friend. A rabbit is no different – however you just need to think a little bit more like a rabbit to rabbit proof your home!
