Keeping your Rabbit Indoors

Increasingly, people are choosing to keep their rabbit indoors, much like you would a dog. This isn't as strange as it may sound; rabbits make great house pets, can be toilet trained and will even great you at the door when you get home, much like a cat would do. Naturally there are considerations to make in order to bring your bunny indoors but once done you'll never want your bunny to live outside again!

So what do I need to bring my rabbit indoors?

Bunny proofing:

The first consideration you should make is to bunny proof your home. Rabbits love to chew and will happily gnaw through electric cables or dig up pot plants, but there are a number of adjustments you can make for your rabbit's safety and your belongings. Moving plants out of your rabbit's reach is a wise idea and covering any exposed cables with protective tubing is essential.

Indoor rabbit cage:

 It is still important that your rabbit has its own space and an indoor rabbit cage is an ideal solution. It provides your bunny with their own territory in which they can eat, sleep and go to the toilet and it allows you to keep them secure when you want to do the vacuuming or let the kids run around. You should put your rabbit's cage in a quiet area of the house, away from draughts and should avoid disturbing them when they are inside.

Bedding:

Recycled or shredded paper make ideal bedding material for indoor rabbits, as they will make less mess in your home. However, if you wish to use the traditional hay and straw bedding, these are fine too.

Litter tray:

Rabbits are creatures of habit and will quickly adapt to a litter tray, their territorial nature means they mark in the same places. Neutered rabbits will respond better to litter training so consider having your rabbit neutered before bringing them indoors. You should be choosy about what type of litter to use, rabbits love to nibble everything and therefore can sometimes become ill from toxic litters. A non- toxic, dust free, absorbent and non clumping litter is the ideal choice, protecting their tummies, their eyes and their skin which can all become irritated by the wrong litter. If in doubt hay or straw on top of wood shavings should do the trick.

Water bottle:

Fresh drinking water should be supplied in a bottle with a valve at the bottom, this will help keep water clean and fresh. Make sure you change the water daily and allow access to a water bottle whilst out of their hutch.

Bowl:

A ceramic bowl is recommended for dry food. This should be deep enough to keep the food dry and clean and should be placed inside their cage so they can eat in private.

Toys:

 Rabbits can get very bored when you are not around to play with, so it is vital that you provide toys to keep your bunny entertained. There is a large variety of different toys available, from chew toys that are not only fun but help to keep your bunny's teeth in good condition; to toys with hidden treats that give your rabbit a rewarding challenge.

Top tip: An empty toilet roll stuffed with hay or an empty cardboard box with holes in can provide a fun toy for your rabbit so there is no reason why you're bunny should ever be bored!

With a few adjustments in the home and some time spent training your rabbit, you will find they will make a fantastic house pet and you'll wonder why anyone would keep them outdoors!