Introducing bunnies into your household is an exciting time, and there are lots of ways to ensure your bunny is healthy and happy as they grow up. Rabbits are sociable animals and are always happiest when they are able to interact with their own species. We would always recommend that rabbits are kept in pairs and never housed alone.

Indoors or outdoors?

Deciding whether to keep your rabbit indoors or outdoors is a big part of their lifestyle. There are lots of considerations for both options, but whichever option you choose your rabbit will need lots of space to be able to exercise and express their normal behaviours. The Rabbit Welfare Fund has some lovely pages on how to ensure your bunny is happy and healthy whichever you decide is best for you.

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-housing/indoor-rabbit-housing/

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-housing/outdoor-rabbit-housing/

Diet

Rabbits have teeth which continuously grow, so it is important that their diet wears these teeth down and provides a balance of all the nutrients and vitamins they need. We recommend their diet should consist of 

  • 85% long stemmed fibre (grass and hay)
  • 10% leafy greens, vegetables and herbs
  • 5% pelleted complete diet (around one egg cupful each day)

How you feed your rabbit also has a huge impact on their mental wellbeing. Wild rabbits spend most of their time foraging for food, and we can mimic this in our pet rabbits by using puzzle toys and encouraging them to search for their food.

Vaccinations

Even indoor rabbits need protection against diseases like myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease. We start vaccinations at 5 weeks of age, and then usually advise annual revaccination unless there is an outbreak, in which case we may vaccinate more frequently. More information can be found here.

Neutering

Female rabbits especially are at risk of serious health concerns if they are not spayed. We strongly recommend neutering for all pet bunnies, from 10 weeks for boys and from 20 weeks for girls. Check out our neutering page for more information and advice.