Choosing the Best Enclosure for House Rabbits

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there about what kind of enclosure a rabbit needs. You’ll see pet stores marketing cages and hutches that are much too small, simply because they can sell these for a high price. Instead, the best kind of cage for rabbits is actually a pet playpen. This type of enclosure gives your rabbit more space, is cheaper, and securely keeps your rabbit out of trouble.

A pet playpen is the best enclosure for rabbits

A rabbit playpen is a freestanding and collapsible fence that you can use as an enclosure. It gives you a lot of flexibility for how you shape the enclosure, so it will fit into unusual spaces if necessary. A pen also more convenient, makes cleanup a lot easier, and it’s pretty easy to get a second playpen and connect it to the first if you want to expand your rabbit’s living area.

Why are pet playpens the best option for rabbit cages?

• They are larger that cages marketed for rabbits. Most cages that are sold and marketed toward rabbits are much too small to be a comfortable living space. It would be like living in a space the size of your bathroom. Rabbits are active animals that are healthiest when they have space to hop around and play. A standard size pet playpen will give your rabbit about 16 square feet of space
• They are cheaper. Most of the cheaper cages that are marketed toward rabbits will cost somewhere in the area of $100. Pet playpens, on the other hand, will cost you somewhere around $50.
• Pens are easier to clean. Instead of trying to take the cage apart and scrub it down to make sure it stays clean, all you have to do is sweep and vacuum.
• Playpens are more versatile. Since a pet playpen is made up of eight individual panels, it can easily be shifted around into different shapes that can fit into just about any space in your home.
• It’s easier to expand and move. If you plan on getting more rabbits later on or just want to expand your rabbits space, it’s a lot easier and cheaper to simply connect two playpens together than to purchase a whole new larger cage. It’s also more portable since it can be easily collapsed into a 2’ by 4’ rectangle.

Flooring in rabbit pens

The one downside to getting a pen instead of a cage is that it doesn’t come with built-in flooring. Depending on the type of floors you have, you will need to get an area rug or mat to go with it. Rabbit paws don’t do so well with slick floors, so you’ll have to cover up any hardwood or tile floors. Or if your rabbit likes to dig into the carpet, you may want to cover it up with a cheaper area rug. Try getting an area rug made of natural fibers (such as seagrass) so that you don’t have to worry if your rabbit chews on it.

Taking size of the rabbit enclosure into consideration

The most important consideration when choosing the right rabbit cage is the size of the enclosure. It shouldn’t be so cramped that your rabbit just can’t wait to get out. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all hutch. Full-size rabbits can vary from dwarfs that weigh in at around 2lbs to some flemish giant rabbits that can weigh more than 25lbs! 

A correctly sized enclosure will give your rabbit room for three to four hops along the length of their enclosure. The width should be at least one hop length, and the rabbit should be able to stand all the way up on their hind legs without bumping their head against the top.

Remember this is a minimum size. You can always go bigger! In fact, I’m sure you’ll find that the more space you give your rabbit, the happier they are and the less likely they are to keep you up all night rattling the sides of their enclosure.

What if you already have an enclosure that is too small?

Your rabbit might already be attached to the cage they have, so moving to a completely new enclosure could be a little stressful for both of you. The best solution is to get a rabbit playpen and attach it to the outside of the cage. This will increase the space your rabbit has by giving them something like a front yard that they can hop around in.

How to provide enough exercise space

In addition to the space in their enclosure, rabbits need time in a larger area to get exercise. For most rabbit caretakers, you won’t need any additional fencing to create an exercise enclosure for your rabbit. A room in your house will do just fine.

You’ll want to make sure you bunny-proof the exercise area thoroughly, so your rabbit can’t get at any wires or chew on anything dangerous. If you haven’t fully bunny-proofed the room, make sure to supervise your rabbit closely. They can be little troublemakers if they want to be.

It’s best to give a rabbit at least four hours of exercise a day, but more is definitely better. This doesn’t have to be all in one go. For example, let your rabbit out for a couple hours in the morning, and then again for a couple hours in the evening. Rabbits are most active in the morning around dawn and in the evening around dusk, so it’s best if you can let them out to exercise around one (or both) of these times.

Free roaming a rabbit

Instead of keeping your rabbit in an enclosure, you can choose to allow them free access to your home, similar to the way we keep cats and dogs.

If you are bringing your rabbit home for the first time, you want to make sure to keep a close eye on them for the first few weeks while you let them roam. Keep them in an enclosure whenever you can’t watch them.

This will give you the chance to learn their habits and quirks, and figure out just what kind of trouble they like to get into while you fully bunny-proof your house. You can find their favorite hiding places, figure out what furniture needs to be moved, which wires need to be covered, or where barriers need to be put up to make sure important and dangerous objects are outside your rabbit’s reach.

• Learn more about how to free roam your rabbit