Looking after your pet rabbit

Keeping your rabbit indoors

Rabbits make great house pets. They can be easily trained to leave their droppings in one place even if given the freedom of the house. They are also a great alternative to a cat or a dog as they are less demanding in many ways

If you keep your rabbit indoors it makes sense to have a safe place for them to call home. There are a few options to go for, you could build them a rabbit hutch, buy a ready made rabbit hutch that will fit in the house, invest in a rabbit pet playpen or get them a little pet house, both of which can be easily folded down for storage and moved around the home or outside. The pet playpen is perfect for keeping your rabbit out of your washing basket! It will also give your rabbit the chance to enjoy a bit of fresh grass if you pop it in the garden
  Rabbits are essentially wild at heart so training them not to react to their instincts can be very difficult. Instincts can make them want to chew and dig or nest which is perfectly natural. It is also much more fun for your rabbit if they can get on with doing what amuses them most

Make sure you provide toys for your rabbit to chew on and change them around frequently to keep them interesting, this is essential to help keep their teeth trim. If you find your rabbit has had a nibble at the carpet or floor pop a spare tile over the top to discourage them

To let your indoor rabbit have a go at nesting pop and old phone book (if you still get these!) or an old towel in a pet house or box and let them nest to their hearts content

Top tip – If you give it the chance a rabbit will try and nibble any visible wires so keep them all wrapped up or hidden

Rabbits love fresh vegetables but make sure they are safe first

Keeping your rabbit outdoors

If you decide to keep your rabbit outdoors you need to make sure that your rabbit is properly sheltered and has the correct amount of space to play. You should also make sure that they have a secure area at night to protect them from predators like a rabbit hutch

It’s very simple to make a rabbit run out of wire mesh, this can be a permanent structure or a moveable run. However if you don’t have space for a solid structure like a run in your garden you may want to consider purchasing a pet playpen, which can be folded flat and easily stored when not in use. They are also a great temporary home if you decide to keep your rabbit in the house during the colder winter nights

Of course if you keep your rabbit outside in the garden your wonderful flower beds or beautiful veggie plot will be the first target for your nibbly little rabbit. If you are happy for your rabbit to roam the garden you could just use the wire mesh to protect the plants themselves and let your rabbit have even more space to play, and you can protect you veggies from other unwanted night time visitors like wild rabbits at the same time. A small hole size in your mesh is best and remember to bury it at least 1 foot into the ground, rabbits are very good diggers!