Rabbit Care for Beginners
Rabbit care for beginners: how much space rabbits need, the hay-first diet, companionship, handling, neutering and the daily checks that keep them healthy.
Quick answer
Rabbits need far more space, company and fibre than most people expect. Give them a large, secure living area with room to exercise every day, a compatible rabbit friend, unlimited hay plus leafy greens, and a vet who knows rabbits. Get those four things right and a rabbit can be a curious, affectionate companion for a decade or more.
Is a rabbit the right pet for you?
Rabbits are often sold as easy starter pets for children. They are not. A rabbit is a prey animal that usually dislikes being picked up. It can live 8 to 12 years and needs cleaning, feeding and attention every day. Rabbits suit patient owners who are happy to let an animal's personality come out on its own terms.
Before you buy, check:
- You have room for a large enclosure plus a rabbit-safe exercise area.
- You can afford a rabbit-savvy vet, neutering and possible vaccinations.
- Someone reliable can care for them when you travel.
- You are willing to keep two rabbits, or to spend several hours a day with one.
Housing: think space, not cage
Most pet-shop hutches and cages are far too small. As a rule of thumb, a rabbit should be able to take at least three full hops in a row, stand fully upright on its hind legs without its ears touching the roof, and stretch out flat. For a pair of medium rabbits, many welfare groups suggest a combined living and exercise area of roughly 3 m × 2 m (10 ft × 6.5 ft) and about 1 m (3 ft) high, open to them for most of the day.
Two setups work well. One is an indoor pen or a rabbit-proofed room with a hidey house, litter tray and hay rack. The other is an outdoor hutch with an attached run, built to keep predators out, with a solid roof, shade and protection from the weather.
Whichever you choose:
- Give each rabbit at least one hiding place. Hiding is how they feel safe.
- Use a solid floor or soft mats. Wire floors can damage feet.
- Keep them out of direct sun and draughts. Rabbits handle cold better than heat and are at real risk of heatstroke above about 25 °C (77 °F).
- Rabbit-proof indoors: cover cables, block gaps behind furniture, and remove toxic houseplants.
Diet: hay first, always
A rabbit's teeth never stop growing, and its gut depends on a steady flow of fibre. Feed it properly and you avoid most of the dental and digestive problems vets see.
| Food | How much | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grass hay (timothy, meadow, orchard) or fresh grass | Unlimited; roughly a pile the size of the rabbit each day | Should be about 80–85% of the diet |
| Leafy greens and herbs | A handful or two per kg of body weight daily | Vary them: romaine, coriander, parsley, basil, kale, dandelion |
| Plain pellets (uniform, not muesli-style) | A small measured amount, often an egg-cup to a tablespoon per kg | Muesli mixes encourage selective feeding |
| Fruit and root vegetables | Occasional treats only | High sugar; small pieces |
| Fresh water | Always available | A heavy bowl is often drunk from more than a bottle |
Alfalfa hay is rich in calcium and protein, so it is usually kept for growing young rabbits rather than adults. Avoid iceberg lettuce, bread, cereals, chocolate, onions, garlic and anything sugary. Change the diet gradually over one to two weeks. Sudden changes upset the gut.
Companionship and behaviour
Rabbits evolved to live in groups. A bonded pair will groom each other and lie together, and they tend to be calmer and more active than a rabbit kept alone. The pairing that works most reliably is a neutered male with a neutered female. Introduce new rabbits slowly, on neutral ground, ideally with guidance from a rescue or vet.
A happy rabbit does "binkies" (jumping and twisting in the air), flops onto one side to rest, and purrs softly with its teeth when relaxed. Thumping a hind foot is an alarm signal. Chewing and digging are normal. Give them cardboard boxes, untreated willow, hay-stuffed tubes and a digging tray, or they will use your skirting boards instead.
Handling
Most rabbits would rather stay on the ground. Sit on the floor and let them come to you. When you do have to lift one, support the chest with one hand and the hindquarters firmly with the other, and hold the rabbit close to your body. Never pick a rabbit up by the ears or scruff. Never let it kick free either, as a strong kick can injure its spine. Young children should stay at floor level, with an adult watching.
Litter training
Rabbits naturally pick one or two toilet corners, so litter training is usually straightforward, especially after neutering. Use a large tray with paper-based or wood-pellet litter and a thick layer of hay on top. Rabbits like to eat while they toilet. Avoid clumping cat litter and pine or cedar shavings.
Health basics
Neutering
Rabbit vets widely recommend neutering (spaying females, castrating males). It cuts down spraying, aggression and unwanted litters, and makes bonding easier. In females it also greatly reduces the risk of uterine cancer, which is common in older unspayed does.
Vaccination and parasites
Depending on where you live, vets may vaccinate against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease. Ask your vet about fleas, mites and worming. Use only products your vet confirms are safe for rabbits, because some products made for other animals can be dangerous to them.
Flystrike
In warm weather, flies can lay eggs on a dirty rear end, and within hours the maggots are eating into the skin. Check your rabbit's bottom daily in summer and keep bedding clean. A soiled or wet rear is a reason to call the vet.
Daily and weekly checklist
Daily
- Refill hay and fresh water; feed greens.
- Watch that your rabbit eats and passes plenty of round droppings.
- Spot-clean the litter tray.
- Check the rear end (especially in warm weather).
- Allow several hours of exercise time.
Weekly
- Full clean of the enclosure and trays.
- Check nails, teeth (front incisors), eyes, ears and coat.
- Weigh your rabbit if you can; slow weight loss is an early warning.
Warning signs to act on
A rabbit that stops eating or stops producing droppings needs a vet the same day. It may be gastrointestinal stasis, which is life-threatening; read Rabbit Not Eating? GI Stasis Is an Emergency. Contact a vet too for drooling or a wet chin, a head tilt, laboured breathing, diarrhoea, a dirty rear end, or long spells of hiding and hunching.
Other small pets are covered in our Small Pets Guide. When you are ready to bring a rabbit home, you can browse small pets from verified sellers on Paalo.
Frequently asked questions
How long do pet rabbits live?
Well-cared-for pet rabbits commonly live 8 to 12 years, and some live longer. Diet, neutering, housing and regular vet checks all make a difference.
Can a rabbit live alone?
Rabbits are social animals and are usually happiest with a compatible, neutered rabbit companion. A single rabbit needs a great deal of daily human time to avoid loneliness and boredom.
Are carrots good for rabbits?
Carrots are high in sugar, so treat them as an occasional treat rather than a staple. Hay and leafy greens should make up most of a rabbit's diet.
Do rabbits need vaccinations?
In many countries rabbits are vaccinated against serious viral diseases such as myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease. Which vaccines are available and recommended varies by region, so ask a local vet.
