17 Basic Care Tips for Indoor Rabbits

Rabbits are wonderful indoor pets with adorable mannerisms and playful personalities, but there are some challenges that come with bringing a rabbit home for the first time. From making sure your rabbit has everything they need for space and socialization, to making sure the little troublemakers can’t get into any mischief, I have a lot of little tips to make living with a pet rabbit easier while also keeping them safe and happy.

1. Make sure to rabbit-proof carpets and baseboards

The first thing you need to be aware of is rabbits’ tendency to chew and dig. They can damage areas of your home if you don’t take the time to properly rabbit-proof it. Digging and chewing are natural behaviors for rabbits that are not going to just disappear. Instead, you will need to do your best to cover up problem areas and deflect your rabbit’s more destructive tendencies toward toys that they can dig and chew without damaging the home.

The two most common areas that need to be rabbit-proofed are carpets and baseboards. Rabbits will dig into corners of the room or areas underneath couches and beds, and they will chew on the ridges of baseboards (which tend to be face-height for rabbits). 

Not all rabbits will have the same habits, so watch your bunny to see what habits they specifically have, and rabbit proof your home accordingly.

For carpets, cover areas where your rabbit frequently digs with plastic mats, cheap area rugs, or flattened cardboard boxes. These materials can be replaced more easily than carpet if your rabbit decides to dig into them. You can also block off areas underneath beds and sofas with fencing if these are problem areas for your rabbits.

For baseboards, arrange your furniture strategically. Place items like bookshelves, couches, or tables in front of baseboards, creating a physical barrier and making it difficult for rabbits to access and chew on these areas. 

For exposed areas of the baseboards, lay flattened cardboard boxes against the wall, or attach some fencing to the perimeter of the room. I use these DIY cube fencing, and just zip tie them together and use command hooks to attach them to the walls. 

• For more advice on rabbit proofing, check out my full rabbit-proofing article (it’s long, but goes over everything in much better detail)

2. Give your rabbit enough space

Rabbits are animals that are born to run. For pet rabbits to be healthy, they need enough space to hop around everyday. This means giving them a cage or enclosure that is big enough and giving your rabbit plenty of time every day to exercise and explore the rest of the home.

You can choose to free roam your rabbit (keeping them cage-free similar to a cat or dog), which I will get into later. However, many rabbits are little troublemakers, and you’ll need to keep your rabbit out of trouble while you’re not there to supervise them. I recommend using a pet exercise pen for their enclosure rather than a cage.

This is because most cages marketed for rabbits are much too small. Rabbits need space to hop, lay down, and stand on their toes at all points during the day. An ex-pen allows them to have enough freedom of movement without being too confined.

• Learn more about how big a rabbit habitat should be

3. Remember that rabbits require socialization

Rabbits are also very social animals. This makes them great companion pets who can be an integral part of your life, but it also means you need to make sure your rabbit gets enough socialization every single day for their mental well-being.

This doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it can look very similar to the way we interact with dogs and cats in our homes. Whenever you’re home, give your rabbit time out of their enclosure to hop around and explore, and make sure you’re available to your rabbit if they want to come and ask for attention.

For example, when you’re sitting on the couch watching TV or scrolling through your phone, make sure your rabbit can come up to you and nudge your leg so you can pet them or play with your rabbit.

4. Make sure it doesn’t get too hot in the summer

Rabbits are sensitive to the heat and can get heat stroke when the temperature gets too hot. For most people, a comfortable indoor temperature for you will be adequate for rabbits, but it is important to keep an eye on your rabbits when it’s particularly hot outside.

Make sure your rabbit has access to plenty of fresh water (a bowl is generally better for hydration than a bottle), has good ventilation in their room, and your rabbit is never forced to sit directly in the sun (they should always have shaded areas, even if their enclosure is near a window)

• For more information on how to keep your rabbit cool and the symptoms of heat stroke, check out my other article on rabbit care in the summer.

5. Don’t give your rabbit too many treats

Treats can be a fun way to bond with your rabbit, but overindulging your rabbit with treats can lead to obesity and other health issues. Digestive issues and tooth problems are some of the most common in rabbits, and excessive treats can be the cause of both of these problems.

Treats for rabbits includes things that we think of as healthy for people. For example, carrots are great for people, but rabbits should only have a small amount every day. This is also true for most fruits and sweet vegetables.

Instead,  a rabbit’s main diet should consist of lots of timothy hay, a small amount of pellets, and a handful of leafy greens.

6. Most rabbits are timid and take a while to come out of their shell

Rabbits are naturally cautious and most will not warm up to a new home right away. This timidity stems from their instincts as prey animals, where caution will keep them alive. However, it means that you need to give your rabbit time to get used to their new home and learn to trust you.

Some rabbits may take weeks or even months to feel comfortable. Be patient and consistent with your care and your rabbit will slowly open up to you. Avoid sudden movements, loud noises and try to pick up your rabbit as little as possible. 

• Learn more about how to bond with your rabbit and become friends.

7. Rabbit fur will get everywhere, be prepared with lint rollers

Rabbits shed so much fur! It’s honestly shocking the first time a rabbit goes through a big shedding season, because it looks like a fur tornado went through your home. Personally, I’ve accepted that I’ve lost the battle against rabbit fur. I would need to clean the nooks and crannies of the house everyday, and I simply don’t have time for that.

However, I do try to keep from going out all covered in fur. I recommend keeping lot of lint rollers around (especially right next to the door) so that you can easily remove excess fur from your clothes before leaving the house. They are also really useful for quickly cleaning couched and other cloth home decor items when you have guests over.

8. Rabbits are fragile and should be supervised around young children

Even though people think of rabbits as a pet for children, this is a myth that I very much want to dispel. Rabbits are more delicate than other household pets (like cats and dogs). They are prone to injury if handled roughly. Because of this, it’s important to carefully supervise interactions between rabbits and children.

Children often have unpredictable movements and may unintentionally harm a rabbit. Additionally, rabbits are not completely defenseless and may scratch or bite kids if they feel threatened. Always be present when children are around your rabbit to ensure safety and take the time to teach children how to respect the boundaries of shy animals and interact with them gently.

9. You need a vacuum that can handle hay

Indoor rabbits often scatter hay around their living area. This can create a mess, especially on carpets and rugs. Unfortunately, hay is notorious for clogging up vacuum cleaners. A regular vacuum will struggle to pick up hay effectively.

Now, I have not found the perfect vacuum that works to clean up fur and hay, but I have developed a routine that works, even if you have to live with your rabbits on carpeted floors.

1. Start by sweeping up excess hay with a basic dustbin and brush. Don’t worry about being perfect, this is just to get the big pile of hay out of the way.
2. Next I use a sweeper “vacuum.” This is a more recent addition to my machine that has made a ton of difference. Sweeper vacuums are non-electric and have no suction power, but they do a pretty good job at picking up debris, like hay. Since there’s no tube to be clogged with these, you can easily sweep away the hay and empty it without breaking the vacuum. This gets the majority of the hay swept away and taken care of.
3. Now you can do a final pass with a normal vacuum cleaner. I recommend using a vacuum with a tube that you can remove and unclog. Since I started using the sweeper vacuum for a first pass, my normal vacuum has not clogged (it used to every time I cleaned), but it’s still good to have something that can come apart if it needs to. (this is the vacuum that I use)

10. Rabbit’s can be litter trained (but not as easily as cats)

Although it often requires some patience, rabbits can be trained to use a litter box. Taking the time to litter train a rabbit makes keeping them in your home so much easier.

I do have to note, some rabbits are quite stubborn about this. But most rabbits will take to litter training fairly easily. Most rabbits will choose a spot (usually a corner somewhere out of the way) that they want to use as their bathroom. Placing a litter box in that spot is often enough to teach a rabbit how to use their litter box.

Other tips that can help are:

• Use a large litter box (a cat litter box), not a small corner box
• Place hay in the litter box (many rabbits like to munch an poop at the same time)
• Give your rabbit extra litter boxes when they explore larger areas
• Get your rabbit spayed or neutered

Check here for more litter box training tips

11. Get wires away from your rabbit’s reach

Another area that needs to be rabbit-proofed is the wires. Rabbits love to chew on wires (especially the thin ones that are used for chargers and headphones). This can, obviously, be dangerous for rabbits if they chew into a live wire, so it’s important to make sure you either get wires up and out of your rabbit’s reach or cover them.

To cover your wires, use something called split loom wire tubing. Most rabbits won’t chew on the tubing since it’s so much wider than the wires, but it’s always a good idea to check the tubing occasionally to make sure your rabbit hasn’t tried to chew through it.

12. Keep a close eye on your rabbit’s health

Rabbits are really good at hiding when they feel sick. This is because in the wild hiding their illness can keep them from being targeted and picked off by a predator. As pets, it means that we need to be especially vigilant for any change in our rabbits behavior if we want to know when they are feeling well.

The two most important signs to look for are their appetite and their pooping habits, since these are going to be indicators of just about any rabbit illness. So any change in the normal size or shape of your rabbit’s poop, or a noticeable change in their appetite or the types of food they are willing to eat warrants a trip to the vet.

If your rabbit does not eat or poop for more than 10 hours, this is an emergency. Get your rabbit to the vet as soon as possible.

13. Indoor rabbits also need fresh leafy greens

Indoor rabbits may not be munching on grass 24/7, but they still need some fresh leafy greens in their daily life. They provide vital nutrients that support your rabbit’s overall health and well-being.

Some great leafy greens to give rabbits are romaine lettuce, herbs (like parsley and cilantro), kale, arugula and other spring greens. Check what leafy greens are readily available in your local area.

As a note: Greens should be introduced to a rabbit’s diet gradually, not all at once. This prevents digestive upset. Start with small quantities and monitor for any changes in your rabbit’s poop before giving them more.

14. Make sure your rabbit gets enough exercise

Find ways to encourage your rabbit to get exercise so that they can maintain a healthy lifestyle. This can include things like, giving your rabbit a digging box, hiding treats around the room for your rabbit to find, creating an obstacle course with furniture, or giving your rabbit platforms to jump up onto (like a short cat tower).

• Check out more ideas for how to help your rabbit get more exercise even if they are an indoor rabbit.

15. Rabbits can be free roam pets too

Rabbits can live as free roam pets in your home, just like cats and dogs. However, rabbits can get into more trouble than other common household pets, but a free roam rabbit will be better able to exercise and socialize as much as they need to. 

To start, you need to make sure your home is fully bunny-proofed. This includes the things I mentioned earlier (wires, baseboards, and carpets) as well as other areas, like houseplants, books and paper items, and appliances that can be knocked over.

You’ll also definitely want to make sure your rabbit is litter trained before giving them free roam of the home. You don’t want to end up with urine spots all over your carpets or hardwood floors.

• More information on how to free roam your rabbit

16. Make sure your stairs are safe for rabbits

If you have stairs in your home, you also want to make sure they are safe for rabbits to use. Unlike cats, rabbits don’t always land on their feet, so slipping on stairs or jumping straight through banister rails can lead to injury.

Be sure the stairs have some sort of carpeting to give your rabbit’s feet traction (they don’t have pads on their feet so rabbits slip easily). You also want to measure the space between the rails. If they are more than 3 to 4 inches wide, your rabbit might be able to slip through them.

If needed, you can install baby gates at the top and bottom of staircases. This helps prevent accidental falls when you’re not around to supervise.

• Learn more about stair safety for rabbits

17. Use a pet-safe all-purpose cleaner 

Whenever you clean in areas where your rabbit roams, you want to make sure you use some kind of pet-safe cleaner. Traditional cleaners can contain chemicals harmful to your rabbit’s sensitive respiratory and digestive systems.

Luckily there are a lot of pet-safe brands out there. My preferred choice is Fizzion, but there are other brands that are also effective. I also like to make a quick all-purpose cleaner using vinegar. Simply add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of vinegar to a spray bottle and shake it.