Housing info for your bunny

  When considering what type of environment to provide for your rabbit, you will need to keep in mind that your pet will need to be able to jump and run around as well as sleep and rest. A rabbit cannot be strictly confined to a cage or they can develop both physical and behavioral disorders. Exercise is vital to the health of the animal. This can be accomplished with a cage that is open to an exercise area or an enclosed cage to house the rabbit for part of the day and then letting it out into an open area for several hours. A general rule is one rabbit per cage, unless they are kept in an outdoor hutch where they have plenty of room.
  The cage or hutch needs to be large enough for your pet to stand up on it's hind legs without bumping it's head as well as having room for a resting area and a litter box. It should be easy to clean and not easily destroyed by chewing. A mesh wire metal cage is preferable. The bottom can be either solid or a wire mesh with a removable tray.
   Cages can be kept either inside or outside, but make sure they always have a place to go to get away from drafts and direct sunlight. Keep the cage in a cool, well ventilated, low humidity area, with temperatures between 60° - 70° F. A plastic bottle filled with frozen water can help keep a rabbit cool in higher temperatures, but if temperatures reach the high 80's, they can quickly become over heated and this can lead to a fatal heat stroke. Rabbits housed outdoors need a shelter that protects them from heat, cold, and rain, and needs to be secure from predators. In the winter you can provide straw in the shelter for insulation, and if the water is freezing be sure to change it daily.
   An exercise area can be a moveable enclosure such as those sold at a pet store for dogs. Be sure it is at least 3' high for small and medium rabbits, and 4' high for the giant breeds. If you let your pet run free in the house be sure to 'bunny proof' it. Block escape routes and block access to furniture, cords, and toxic materials or toxic plants. Closely supervise you pet at all times if you are letting it exercising outdoors.
    The best bedding is a pelleted litter which is is non-toxic, digestible, and draws the moisture inside leaving the area dry. Other litters include wood shavings, corncob, and kitty litter. Do not use clay or clumping kitty litters because if they are ingested, they can be fatal.
   Provide a litter box. Rabbits are pretty easy to train to use the litter box by placing it in the area where they have been going to the bathroom. To encourage them to use it put some droppings in it, even a small amount of hay can help them learn as they will go to the bathroom while they are eating it. In a large area provide one more litter box then the number of rabbits you have.
    Rabbits need a resting and hiding place for some privacy. Such things as untreated straw baskets, cardboard boxes turned upside down with a hole cut in the side, a large cardboard tube, or just use your imagination to come up with a safe cuddly hide.