How do you correctly house a pet rabbit indoors? I guess we can all agree that rabbits are arguably the most adorable fluffy creatures on planet earth. They are quiet, fun-loving, and most importantly, very gentle (unless agitated). It is, therefore, a good idea for you to learn how to take good care of them. One way of ensuring your bunny lives a long, comfortable life is by providing that the housing is not only safe but fitting. How do we actually house a pet rabbit indoors? Check out our video on housing your rabbit indoors.
Thankfully, there are so many tutorials online that you can use to build your fluffy friend a right home. Suppose building and construction aren’t in your wheelhouse. You can always seek the services of a proficient builder. Just make sure he or she has the experience to go about the building. With that in mind, here are a few facts you need to know about housing your bunny indoors:
Is It Cruel to House a Rabbit Indoors?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping your fluffy friend indoors as long as the housing has enough space. Rabbits are naturally fun-loving creatures that require adequate space to skip around. So, you might want to consider a few things before you embark on constructing your bunny a home inside your home.
First, you have to create enough space. Even if it means moving some unwanted furniture from your living room or that extra room that no one uses. Once you’ve made enough space for your fluffy friends, your next order of business would be ensuring their comfort. Again, feel free to seek professional builder’s services, especially one with experience with building rabbit homes.
Once everything is set and your rabbit is ready to move into its new indoor home, you need to focus on your schedule so you can include daily care. The daily care involves cleaning the litter box, refilling the water trough, and putting in fresh food. Note that rabbits require regular attention. If you are planning on leaving town for a few days, you might want to get someone to watch them for you.
It is always a good thing for your rabbit to be around family members since they are naturally social animals. That said, it would be amazing to release your rabbit to play around the house time and again. That way, they can interact with their loving owners and not feel alone as it can affect them in the long run.
Is It Ok To Have a Rabbit in the House?
There are several advantages associated with keeping your fluffy friend in the house. For starters, you’ll be protecting your fluffy friend from predators. Most of the rabbits that have their homes outdoors normally get visited by animals that want to turn them into dinner. But, the moment you house them inside your home, then the predators would think twice before breaking in.
Just make sure you are doing everything to keep your bunny safe indoor. One way of achieving the latter is by bunny proofing your house before allowing them to move in. You might want to locate and cover all wires around the house, for starters, because rabbits love to chew. Their teeth tend to grow like our nails thus need regular trimming. The best way for you to cover the wires is by using flex tubing or plastic sleeves.
If you can’t get your hands on these two items, then you might want to lift your wires off the ground. Since bunnies aren’t that tall, they still can stand on their powerful hind legs to get to where they want. So, make sure your wires are raised about four feet off the ground. That way, your fluffy friend wouldn’t get to the cables even if they wanted.
There are a handful of chewing toys that you can get your rabbits. If you aren’t sure about the brands, you might want to go to amazon.com and have a look. Thankfully, the best brands of chewing toys, i.e., Bunny Blast Yucca Chew Toys, and Rabbit Scratching Climbing Fun Tree With Carrot Shaped Toys are quite affordable. And once you’ve bought them, you can have them shipped to your doorstep. Once your bunnies are used to these toys, they won’t have the time to look for wires or furniture.
Will Your Pet Rabbit Chew Your Furniture?
Since your bunnies will always be looking for an alternative, they’re likely to turn on your furniture. To solve that problem, you’ll need furring strips. You can also get plastic guards for your table. If you can’t do the fitting on your own, you might want to get a professional to do the work for you. Thankfully, there are a few experts you can contact online, and they’ll come to your rescue. All you have to do is make contact, and they’ll make bunny proof your house affordably.
Besides bunny proofing your house, you might want to create enough space for them to exercise. As mentioned above, rabbits need their daily dose of exercise. So, once your house is bunny-proofed, you can always let them out of their hutch and allow them to roam freely for a few hours before locking them back up.
In summary, there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping your rabbits in the house. The benefits of doing so outweigh the ones for keeping them outside. But first, you have to make sure your home is fit for the practice. You have to make sure it’s safe for both your items and your furry friends by following all the tips stated above.
How Do You Stop Indoor Rabbits Smelling?
First and foremost, rabbits are very hygienic pets that know how to clean themselves. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take time to groom them. Rabbits hate it, meaning you have to look for a way that’s not invasive, or else your rabbit will always fight back. You might want to get a soft brush that you can use to brush them regularly, for starters. And when you are brushing, make sure you are as gentle as you can.
Brushing is essential for getting rid of the extra fur that might accumulate and, if it mixes with bunny droppings, can result from smelling. Speaking of rabbit poop, you need to clean the litter box regularly. Rabbit stool, just like human waste, stinks and should therefore be taken care of as soon as possible. Your bunny needs fresh water and food every day. And whenever you replace the new food, always make sure that the leftovers are removed from the rabbit home.
Neglecting the old food will lead to decay and a lot of pungent smell. The safest bet is making sure the leftovers are removed together with the droppings, then house cleaned. Once everything has been cleaned, then you can bring in fresh food and water. You should do the cleaning once the bunnies are out exercising and playing around the house.
What Should I Put in My Indoor Rabbit Cage?
Once you’ve decided to keep your bunny inside, your next cause of action ought to be finding the right design. The design should be spacious, for reasons already stated above. Once you’ve found the right cage, you should consider keeping it somewhere where you can see it. Rabbits are pets and not the equipment that is stored away in the store or garage. I guess the latter statement should guide you as to where you need to put your cage.
Another thing you ought to concern yourself with is the contents of the rabbit home. Thankfully, I’ve tried to cover all of it here. For starters, you need to get as many rabbit toys as you can. For the umpteenth time, your rabbit is a pleasant pet that needs to get occupied at all times. Chew toys would be a fine addition to the cages for many reasons. They can be found on amazon.com at affordable prices.
You can make most of the toys from home, which should be good news for you. One such toy includes a toilet paper roll that’s filled with hay for reasons best known to rabbits; they just love that. Use carton boxes are also unique toys for rabbits. Just make sure you’ve punched holes in them, and your bunny will take it from there.
If you have apple trees in your backyard, try chopping off a few tiny branches and putting them in the cage. Rabbits love apple tree branches, and they’ll be occupied for hours chipping away on them. Just make sure the stems are pesticide-free for the sake of your fluffy friend.
Do All Rabbits Like The Same Things In Their Cage?
In short, different rabbits have different preferences as far as accessories are concerned. So, it would be in your best interest to try different ones at a time and see what your rabbit likes. Once you’ve established it, you can go ahead and stick to it and see your rabbit stay happy at all times.
All rabbit accessories aside, you might also want to know the mandatory items that have to be put in your rabbit’s home. One such thing is a food trough. Rabbits are, for lack of a better term, munching machines. So, make sure you are putting in there a lot of fresh, nutritious food. One of the best rabbit snacks is hay.
You can also get some rabbit pellets and greens. Again, different rabbits have different preferences when it comes to food. Therefore, you might want to try other things and see what your rabbits like the most. Once you’ve established that, make sure you are giving it to your rabbit regularly. The point is to not only nourish your rabbit correctly but make sure he or she enjoys snack time.
Do Rabbits Use Litter Boxes?
Besides getting your bunny friend the kind of food they want, you’ll also need to get an appropriate litter box. If your bunny is easy to train, then a simple litter pan should do the trick. But if your rabbit is the stubborn kind, then you might want to track where the rabbit prefers to use a corner for all of its toiletry needs. Once you’ve done so, go ahead and find a low puppy pan for a litter box. Make sure that the litter box and the food area are on opposite sides for hygienic purposes.
You can get an affordable chew-proof water bottle and make a point of refilling it with fresh water every single day. Sleeping areas are also very crucial for the bunny. So, you might want to give them a chance to pick out a place for themselves. And once they do so, then you can step in and make them as comfortable as you can.
You can get your bunny’s favorite carton box and fill it with hay, and that’ll do the trick. If your rabbit doesn’t like carton boxes, then an old towel can do the trick. Just make sure you are in the habit of cleaning the towel regularly. Just make sure your rabbit isn’t chewing on the towel or sheets because doing so can end up affecting their health.
There are so many things you can put in your rabbit’s home. Just make sure you are researching during your free time and getting everything your rabbit needs. Yes, it may look like a lot of work because it is. But in the end, you’ll have the chance to enjoy the benefits of having a healthy, happy, and joyous rabbit as your companion.
A Final Word
Contrary to popular belief, housing your rabbit indoors is anything but cruel. It is much more humane compared to leaving rabbits outside. Just make sure you follow all the regulations, including bunny-proofing and providing enough space, and your fluffy friend would do just fine.
It all starts with choosing the right cage for your bunny friend. Again, always make sure it’s big/spacious. The second thing you have to ask yourself is if the pen is safe for your bunny. Thankfully, you won’t have to worry about predators posing a threat to your fluffy friends since they’ll live with you inside the house.
In case you are second-guessing your decision on which cage to buy, it would be in your best interest to seek advice from the experts. There are so many rabbit experts online that you can contact and get information for free. And once you’ve found everything you need to know, then you can proceed to house your fluffy friend indoors – and get to do it the right way.