By Dr Duncan Houston
A rabbit's home, food and health are closely connected. Too little space limits movement, an unsuitable diet affects the teeth and gut, and a rabbit that feels unwell may simply become quieter.
Whether you are setting up a new home or improving an existing one, focus on what your rabbit can do throughout the day: graze, explore, rest safely and spend time with a compatible companion.
Quick Answer
Rabbits need a spacious, secure home with permanent exercise access, a compatible rabbit companion, unlimited grass hay and fresh water. Add appropriate greens, measured rabbit pellets, grooming and preventive veterinary care. Check each rabbit's appetite, droppings and movement daily, and contact a vet immediately if eating or droppings decrease.
How much space does a rabbit need?
A hutch should be a shelter within a larger living area. The RSPCA recommends at least 3 m by 2 m, with 1 m of height, for two medium-sized rabbits, including their shelter and exercise space. Larger rabbits need more room.
Keep the exercise area connected and accessible whenever the rabbits choose, including overnight. They should be able to run, stretch out and stand upright without their ears touching the roof.
- Flooring: use dry, non-slip surfaces and comfortable resting areas. Avoid exposed wire floors.
- Security: prevent digging escapes and predator access. Indoors, protect cables and remove toxic plants and chewable hazards.
- Comfort: provide ventilation, shade and protection from rain and temperature extremes.
- Retreats: include hiding places with two exits, allowing rabbits to rest together or separately.
Place a litter tray in the chosen toilet corner, using rabbit-safe paper litter rather than clumping litter. Keep the tray accessible and remove soiling daily.
What should rabbits eat every day?
Make fresh grass hay the main food and keep it available continuously. Suitable adult options include timothy, orchard and meadow hay. Add appropriate leafy greens and a measured amount of plain, high-fibre rabbit pellets, rather than a colourful mixed feed that encourages selective eating.
Fresh water must always be available. Wash the bowl or bottle daily, check bottle flow, and replace dirty water. Fruit and carrot should be small occasional treats.
The Merck Veterinary Manual's rabbit diet guidance explains why fibre and life stage matter. Growing, pregnant, nursing or unwell rabbits need a tailored feeding plan. Introduce changes gradually; do not suddenly restrict food to make an overweight rabbit lose weight.
Rabbits normally eat soft, nutrient-rich droppings called caecotrophs directly from their bottom. Repeated uneaten clusters or a persistently dirty bottom need assessment, particularly if normal dry droppings also change.
How do companionship and handling affect welfare?
Plan for a compatible, bonded rabbit companion. Ask an experienced rescue or rabbit vet to help with introductions; unfamiliar rabbits can injure one another if simply placed together.
Interact at floor level and let your rabbits approach. When lifting is necessary, support the chest and hindquarters securely. Never lift by the ears or scruff, or hold a rabbit on its back to make it freeze. Supervise children closely.
Which preventive health checks matter?
Arrange a veterinary examination after adoption and at least annually. Discuss teeth, body condition, desexing and any changes in eating or mobility. Desexing prevents unwanted litters; spaying also prevents uterine cancer.
Brush short-haired rabbits regularly and long-haired rabbits daily, with extra attention during moulting. Check nails, skin and the underside of the feet, and arrange nail trimming when needed. The Merck Veterinary Manual's routine care advice provides a useful framework. Senior rabbits and those with chronic illness may need more frequent reviews.
Ask your local vet about rabbit haemorrhagic disease vaccination and the appropriate schedule. Vaccine availability and disease risks vary by country. Myxomatosis vaccination is not permitted in Australia, where limiting exposure to biting insects and wild rabbits is especially important. RSPCA Australia's rabbit care guidance explains these regional differences. Indoor housing does not remove all infection risk.
Which changes need action?
| What you notice | Concern | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Usual appetite, droppings and comfortable movement | No obvious change | Continue daily checks and scheduled preventive care. |
| Weight loss, drooling, sore feet or recurring soiling | Possible underlying illness or care problem | Contact your vet promptly; reduced eating makes this urgent. |
| Less eating, fewer droppings, hunching or painful tooth grinding | Possible digestive slowdown or another painful condition | Call a vet immediately. Do not wait overnight. |
| Breathing difficulty, collapse, marked abdominal swelling or maggots | Potential emergency | Arrange emergency veterinary care now. |
Why might a rabbit eat less?
Dental disease, pain, stress, dehydration and other illnesses can reduce appetite. Gastrointestinal stasis means gut movement has slowed; it is a consequence of an underlying problem. An obstruction is an important alternative that cannot reliably be ruled out at home.
A vet may check the mouth, hydration and abdomen and recommend imaging or blood tests. The University of Illinois guidance on rabbit GI stasis explains why identifying the cause matters. Recovery depends on that cause and how unwell the rabbit has become.
What should you do in an emergency?
Contact a veterinary service that treats rabbits and arrange immediate assessment. Use a secure, ventilated carrier with non-slip bedding. Keep handling gentle and avoid overheating.
Do not start syringe-feeding, gut-movement medication or laxatives without veterinary instructions. Assisted feeding can be unsafe when obstruction is suspected or a rabbit is unstable. Maggots on a rabbit require emergency treatment; do not delay transport while attempting to clean them all away.
A practical care plan to start today
- Watch both rabbits eat. An empty bowl does not show whether each rabbit ate normally. Note changes in food preference or chewing.
- Check the toilet area and body. Look at droppings, urine and the bottom. Check for soiling or flystrike at least twice daily in warm weather.
- Review access. Can each rabbit reach hay, water, shelter and the exercise space without being blocked by its companion?
- Offer manageable enrichment. Try a tunnel, a safe digging box or foraging with part of the usual food. Introduce new activities gradually and retain familiar retreats.
- Prepare for changes. Keep your vet's contact details and emergency arrangements accessible. Tell any pet sitter what normal eating and droppings look like.
Common rabbit care mistakes
- Using a small hutch with only a brief daily exercise session.
- Allowing pellets and treats to displace hay.
- Assuming reduced appetite is just fussiness.
- Ignoring a dirty bottom after cleaning it repeatedly.
- Using dog or cat medicines without rabbit-specific veterinary advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can rabbits live indoors?
Yes, with enough space, safe flooring, rabbit-proofing and opportunities to exercise and forage. They still need preventive veterinary care.
Can a rabbit live alone if I give it attention?
Human company does not replace a compatible rabbit companion. Get help with bonding rather than putting unfamiliar rabbits together immediately.
Is hay needed if my rabbit eats pellets?
Yes. Hay should remain the main food for a healthy adult rabbit; pellets supplement it.
Can I wait until morning if my rabbit stops eating?
No. Call a vet immediately, especially if droppings decrease or your rabbit looks painful. A home feeding remedy is not a substitute for assessment.
Does a rabbit need regular tooth trimming?
Healthy teeth do not need routine trimming. Arrange veterinary assessment for drooling, food dropping or altered chewing, and never clip teeth at home.
Build a routine you can maintain
Start with enough space, suitable food and companionship, then use daily observation to check that the arrangement works for each rabbit. When appetite or droppings change, act promptly instead of waiting for an obvious crisis.
For more practical rabbit care information, explore ASK A VET™. If your rabbit is unwell, contact a veterinary service directly so treatment is not delayed.
The ASK A VET™ Tracker logs live location and activity trends, so a change in routine never goes unnoticed.
Every ASK A VET article is written and reviewed by qualified veterinarians.
