Sizes & Types of Accommodations for Rabbits

Rabbits make gentle, quiet pets that are perfect for young children when raised correctly. However, they require special housing to remain healthy and out of trouble. Whether you keep your rabbit indoors or outside, the way you house your pet could be the difference between a loving friend that lives for up to 10 years and a pet that dies of stress after only one or two.

  1. Indoor Hutch

    • Indoor hutches allow rabbits to become comfortable with your family and stay safe from outdoor predators. Rabbits are prey animals and can literally be scared to death, so being sure your rabbit feels safe is crucial.

      Rabbit hutches are small cages in which the animal sleeps, eats and uses the bathroom. Every hutch should have a soft floor and not bare metal wire flooring, as the wires can hurt a rabbit̵7;s feet. Consider lining the cage with a towel or cardboard or buying a hutch with a plastic base. The hutch should contain a litter box, bed and food dishes for your rabbit.

      The size of an indoor hutch varies depending on the size of your rabbit, but it should be large enough to allow your rabbit to move. It is recommended that you allow hutched rabbits to run around your home for exercise. The minimum requirements for the size of a rabbit hutch are 24 inches by 24 inches by 18 inches tall for a small rabbit, 36 inches by 24 inches by 20 inches tall for a medium rabbit and 42 inches by 24 inches by 20 inches tall for a large rabbit.

    Outdoor Hutch

    • Outdoor hutches follow most of the same guidelines as indoor hutches, though they should be larger so the rabbit can run and covered to protect your pet from the elements and predators. They should also be raised off the ground or fenced off to allow for additional protection. Outdoor hutches are not recommended unless they are absolutely necessary, as they can lead to depression, anxiety and poor health in rabbits. It is recommended that you have at least two rabbits if your rabbit is not going to actively interact with your family on a regular basis, as rabbits are very social creatures and can succumb to depression when lonely.

    Man-Made Warren

    • If accommodating many rabbits outdoors, consider building a warren. Warrens should be very large. Use minimum hutch requirements and multiply them for every rabbit to be housed for an idea of the minimum requirements for building a warren, but consider making it much bigger. Also add at least 2 feet to the height of the hutch requirement to allow for burrowing.

      Warrens should have a poured cement base to keep the rabbits from digging out of the warren, grated metal siding lined with chicken wire to keep out predators and a roof to protect the rabbits from bad weather. Pour at least 2 feet of dirt over the cement base and decorate the warren with branches, plants that are safe for rabbits and logs to create a natural setting. The rabbits will create underground burrows as they would in the wild, but under monitored and safe conditions.

    Free Range

    • Your rabbit should only be allowed free range to explore indoors. If you let the rabbit wander outdoors, not only is your rabbit likely to run away or be killed by a predator, they can cause serious damage to your gardens. Consider keeping a hutch indoors but remove the door to allow your rabbit to come and go as he pleases. This will provide your rabbit with plenty of room to run and interact with your family. Do not do this if you have larger pets, however, as they may harass your rabbit.