Best Rabbit Cages
A rabbit spends a good portion of its time in a cage. Since this is your furry friends' home, you surely want to make this as enjoyable for them as possible. When buying a cage, you may have questions on what the best options are.
Most rodent cages are compatible with other critters as well. Some may be suitable for your bunny, some may not. It is important to know if the enclosure is big enough. You'll want to be sure they are comfortable. There is plenty to consider.
Let's look at the top 5 picks for your pet!
Top 5: Rabbit Cages Review
This (Scurrty Wooden Rabbit Hutch for Outdoor Indoor) stylish wooden hutch has many attractive features for the small animal owner. It is designed to be used outdoors and indoors, coming fully quip to handle either environment. The main housing compartment is all wooden coated in eco-friendly based paint.
The roof is matted with asphalt making it waterproof. It comes with a removable bottom tray for easy cleanability. The open portion of the cage is iron wired to keep your animal secured inside and safe from predatory animals. It comes with a hinged top door to provide easy access to your pets while preventing them from escaping.
The measurements of the cage are 36"x 19.7"x 30.7" making it ideal for rabbits and other small animals. The weight capacity is 38.6 pounds.
Due to the weight limit, it can house multiple animals if you need it. This spacious cage allows room for the rabbit to hide or find shelter as well as enjoy the open air.
You can also rest easy knowing this product comes with a full 90-day moneyback guarantee. This way if you are not fully satisfied or the cage does not end up meeting your needs, you can receive a refund hassle-free.
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This (MidWest Homes for Pets Wabbitat Deluxe Rabbit Home Kit) wire cage comes with all the necessary components for an easy assembly. No additional tools are required to put this product together. It is a one-level cage. However, it comes with an elevated platform for eating. It comes with a secured food dish to prevent spills.
It also comes with a water bottle and a hay feeder. There is a space underneath the elevated eating area for the rabbit to hide and feel secure. It has a top and side door latch entry.
The bottom tray is 5.5" deep to hold bedding and keep messes from extending outside of the cage. The cage comes apart for an easy cleaning and bedding change.
The measurements of the cage are 39.5" x 23.75" x 19.75" making it ideal for small cage pets. It also comes with optional add-ons that you can purchase separately to extend the cage space.
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This (Living World Deluxe Habitat) cage comes with an attractive arch-style roof and is colored white and red. The roof comes with an opening latch door for easy access to your pet. This is a one-level home with a built-in elevated eating area with a secured eating dish.
It also comes with a leak-proof water bottle that attaches to the side of the cage and can be placed where you desire. The assembly is effortless and simplistic. It is a well-ventilated wire topped cage with a deep plastic base that snaps together.
The design sets level with the ground which makes it ideal for putting on top of a tablespace or at floor level.
The cage measures 46.9" x 22.4" x 24". It comes in additional sizes as well in the event you require one of a different size. This way you can be assured your pet or pets will fit comfortably into their living space without compromise.
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This (Advantek Stilt House Rabbit Hutch) adorable design is made of Cypress Fir lumber. It is an outdoor bottomless hutch providing your rabbit with lots of space to play. This hutch is great for promoting exercise as it also has a run and incline ramp creating multi-levels to explore.
It is also a pleasing visual construct fitting into your home aesthetics nicely. The materials are rot and insect-resistant creating long-lasting durability and protection from outdoor elements. The housing area has a convenient pull-out tray for efficient cleaning capabilities.
The measurements of this hutch are 25"x 48" x 36" and is perfect for storing up to two rabbits comfortably. It is spacious, giving the rabbits plenty of room to hop and explore.
It comes with 6-month financing, so you do not have to pay outright all at once. This can come in handy if the total cost doesn't fit in with your budget at this time.
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This (Ware Manufacturing Home Sweet Home Sunseed Rabbit Cage) design is perfect for just starting as a new rabbit owner. You can cut a lot of costs by choosing this route as a beginner. It comes with a chew-proof wire cage with a hearty plastic base. It has a very simplistic two-piece kit.
It has a fold-out wire top that snaps onto the plastic base for quick assembly. In addition to the ease of construction, it also comes with all the basic supplies you will need for your rabbit.
It comes with bedding, a water bottle, a food dish, rabbit food, timothy hay, wooden playing blocks and a savings book. The total measurements for this cage are 17.2" x 28.2" x 15.5". This is a perfectly suitable starter space for your bunny's new home.
It is extremely cost-efficient and you will bear no additional startup expenses as it is all-inclusive.
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Top Pick
The choice you make will greatly depend on your experience and the rabbit or rabbits. If you are a beginner, the obvious choice for you may be the Home Sweet Home Starter kit for the best value. It has everything you will need and is very affordable. If you are a more seasoned rabbit owner, the other choices may be something to look at further.
It also greatly depends on whether your hutch will be used indoors or outdoors. If you are looking for a solely outdoor living space, the Advantek Stilt House may be perfect for you and your rabbits.
Remember that your rabbit will need plenty of exercises. Having the perfect home is just one step to providing your friends with the care they will need. Be sure to consider factors such as space and structure for determining the most suitable option.
If you make sure to select the perfect fit, they will be grateful for it!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you need a few answers or quick tips, here are some additional things to consider or learn!
Do Rabbits Enjoy Multi-Level Cages?
This is greatly dependent on the personality of your rabbit. More active rabbits may enjoy a multi-level cage whereas a calmer rabbit does not benefit one way or another. If your bunny is rather active and in need of energy-burning, getting a multi-level cage may be a great way to promote healthy exercise and something fun to do!
Is It Bad to Keep Your Bunny in a Cage?
Keeping any animal locked in a cage continuously is not beneficial to the animal. It is essential that you allow your bunny free time to roam and explore. You can do this confined in a room or you can even buy a playpen to let them run around. In any regard, it is best to use the cage as a home for eating and sleeping but don't forget to let them out to hop around regularly.
How Big Should Your Rabbit's Cage Be?
This will depend on the size of your rabbit and how many rabbits you have. Of course, the more space, the better. But the general rule of thumb is that the cage needs to be at least four times the size of your bunny. This will give them plenty of space without restricting them.
What Do You Put down as Bedding?
There are many bedding choices for bunnies. In indoor cages, you can buy wood shavings, recycled crumpled paper, pelleted straw, hemp, and fleece bedding. In an outdoor cage, the bottom of some may be wired to have droppings fall into a tray.
This type would no require the rabbit to need additional bedding. However, having a soft bed or cozy spot is always a great addition to any home space for them!
Rabbit Care For Beginners
The Things a Bunny Needs
Rabbits can be easy to care for if you approach them with the right attitude. As you make decisions for your bunny, think about the basic needs that you'll be fulfilling with your purchases and actions.
- Shelter: Bunnies enjoy being domestic pets because they're safe from the dangers of the wild. Most rabbits are very high-strung, and they need an environment where they can feel truly secure and relaxed. If you can provide a safe and loving home, your bunny will be quite content to live with you.
- Food: Every healthy rabbit needs nutritious and delicious things to eat. A bunny's diet consists mostly of hay, pellets, and fresh green vegetables. When they're not eating, rabbits like to chew on wood to keep their teeth filed down, which means they'll also need a supply of fresh chew toys.
- Exercise: Rabbits love to run, jump, and play. Your bunny needs room to stretch out those long legs and bounce around. If your bunny lives in an enclosure, make sure to take them out every day and give them time to run around the room. Some bunnies also like to play outside, especially if the area is safe from birds of prey.
- Entertainment: When animals get bored, their personalities and happiness start to suffer. Rabbits are incredibly self-contained, but they still need toys and stimulation. Every bunny is different; spend time with yours to learn what they like to do.
- Medical care: Modern veterinary care is necessary to maintain your bunny's quality of life. Be prepared for yearly checkups and the occasional prescription for antibiotics. You can also get pet insurance to prepare for emergencies.
- Attention: Domestic pets thrive when they get plenty of attention from their owners. Make sure to spend as much time as you can petting, talking to, and simply existing in the presence of your bun. Over time, you and your rabbit will develop a special relationship that no one else can replace.
Your Rabbit's Enclosure
There are two main ways to house your rabbit. The most common choice is to give your bunny an enclosed area, like a cage, pen, or hutch. These areas need to be big enough for the bunny to hop around; remember, their legs are a lot longer than they look.
The House Rabbit Society recommends that a bunny's cage should be at least 4-6 times their size. Bigger cages are always better, especially if your rabbit will spend most of their time confined.
If you don't want to do a cage, you can also let your bunny free-roam in one or two specially prepared rooms. Rabbits are incredibly smart and docile, so there's usually no problem with letting them run around a space that you know is safe. Most rabbit owners eventually switch to this option as their rabbit gets older and bigger.
Most bunnies treat their cage like a nest. Even if you let them run around in a bunny room, you should still buy them a cage; just leave the door open when you're around. Rabbits usually feel safer and have less anxiety if you secure their cage or enclosure before you leave the house or go to bed for the night.
Wires cut paws, which is why no animal likes to live in a cage with a wire floor. Your bunny needs a stable surface to walk on. This can be made of wood, plastic, or even a particularly thick rug.
Keep in mind that rabbits like to chew and burrow, especially if they're bored. If the bottom of their cage isn't plastic, they will likely chew through it and damage the floor below.
The interior of your bunny's cage needs to include room for both a bed and a litter box. There should also be space for an eating area and walking room. Remember, your rabbit will not be spending all of their time in the cage; design this space for sleeping, grooming, and relaxing.
Don't forget that pets have personalities and benefit greatly from toys and decorations. Choose bedding that's soft and pretty, pick out a few bunny-safe stuffed animals, and provide colorful wooden chew toys. If the cage is big enough, your rabbit might also appreciate ramps, hammocks, and shelves.
Preparing Your Rabbit's Environment
Most of the work related to caring for a rabbit involves cultivating their environment. Once you've created a safe place, your bunny will be happy to eat, sleep, and play at their own convenience.
Bunnies need to be protected from harm. This typically means making sure the area can be sealed and is free from electric cords, sharp corners, and large drops. Use baby gates to block off areas you can't secure. If your rabbit has access to the outdoors, make sure that birds of prey cannot get into their enclosure.
If your bunny will be roaming, you should consider protecting your furniture. Wooden table and chair legs can be protected with flex tubing. Wires need to be covered with tubing or plastic sleeves.
Rabbits enjoy chewing baseboards. You can alleviate this habit by providing enough chew toys, but your rabbit still might get curious and start gnawing on the corner of your wall. The best solution is to block your baseboards with plastic guards or furring.
Bunnies love artificial hills that they can climb on, jump over, and hide under. From tubes to ramps to baskets, there are plenty of ways to provide this kind of toy. Check your local pet store for a variety of clever designs; you can also make your own.
Finally, a good bunny room should also include plenty of soft blankets, pillows, and carpets that your rabbit can lie on. Expect your bun to enjoy hiding under coffee tables and basking in the sunny spot under the window. Other decorations are up to you, but always make sure they're safe for bunnies to touch.
Taking Care of the Litter Box
Bunnies, like other small creatures, prefer to do their business in the same out-of-the-way place. Provide your rabbit with a shallow plastic tub to use as a litter box. They should be able to get in and out of the tray without much effort.
Cover the bottom of the litter box with a thin layer of scent-free litter, and fill the rest of the box with hay. Refill the hay regularly. Change the litter at least once every two days; if you have multiple rabbits, change it every day.
Your rabbit wants to have a litter box located in their cage where they can access it on a moment's notice. If you have a bunny room, you may also want to include an additional, larger litter box placed in one of the corners.
Most bunnies will automatically use the litter box you provide. When you first get your rabbit, keep them in their enclosure for a day or two. This will let them get accustomed to the space and make sure that they know where the litter box is.
If your rabbit isn't using the litter box, check to see whether they're eliminating randomly or in a specific place. Random elimination could imply a medical problem, or it might simply mean that your bunny is too young to make it to the litter box. Try to catch them in the act and relocate them to their box.
Some rabbits decide that a certain corner is perfect for doing their business. You're not going to win this fight, so your best bet is to move their litter box. If you accommodate your rabbit, you'll find them far more cooperative when it's important to you.
Your Rabbit's Diet
The most important part of your bunny's diet is hay. Rabbits need to have as much grass hay as they can eat. Timothy, orchard, and brome hay are all good choices. Alfalfa hay is often fed to growing bunnies, but it has too much protein and calcium for adults.
Your rabbit's litter box shouldn't be their only access to hay. There's nothing wrong with having multiple hay feeders, especially if you have a large enclosure. Pay attention to your bunny's habits to find the perfect setup.
Next, your bunny will need to be fed both pellets and fresh vegetables on a daily basis. Both of these foods should be given in small quantities; rabbits don't need to eat nearly as much as you think they do. Start with the recommended portion given for the pellets, and pay attention to your rabbit's weight and energy levels.
Rabbits prefer leafy green vegetables like romaine lettuce, cilantro, and broccoli greens. Be careful to feed high-calcium greens like parsley and kale in smaller quantities. Don't feed too many watery vegetables like carrots or radishes, as they can cause digestive problems.
Bunnies can also have very small bites of fruit as an occasional treat. Don't feed more than one or two spoonfuls of fruit every few days; fruit has too much sugar and can upset your rabbit's stomach. Stick to sweet but not citrusy fruits like berries or apples.
Rabbits should never be fed bread, cookies, nuts, seeds, chips, or anything else made from grain or starch. Herbivores like rabbits can't digest these foods at all. Similarly, your rabbit does not want to eat any kind of cheese or meat.
Although they're not food, your rabbit needs a continual supply of wooden toys and chews. Rabbit's teeth grow constantly, so they chew to reduce the length of their teeth. Chewing also alleviates tension and acts as a relaxing hobby for your pet.
Hay fulfills most of your bunny's chewing needs, but there's no substitute for a proper wooden chew. Check your pet store for safe, rabbit-friendly chew toys.
As a final note, remember that your rabbit needs access to plenty of fresh water. Rabbits tend to prefer water bowls instead of water bottles. However, the water in a bowl can get dirty, leaving your bun without access to fresh water if you're not there to change it. Savvy bunny owners provide both to make their pets as comfortable as possible.
When to Take Your Rabbit to the Vet
If you take good care of them, bunnies can live for an incredibly long time. But if you want them to make it to the age of 8 or even 12, you'll need to make sure that they get the medical attention they need at the moments when they need it.
Like other pets, rabbits should go to the vet for a yearly checkup. Once your rabbit is older than 5, you may want to take them in twice a year, just to be safe. Find a vet who you like and trust; if they know your bunny, they'll do a better job of watching out for their health.
Rabbits don't act like other animals, so it can be hard to tell if they aren't feeling well. Once you know your bunny well, you may be able to notice small behavioral changes that indicate when something is wrong. But most of the time, you'll need to be on the lookout for physical symptoms.
The first way to gauge a rabbit's health is through their stool. Whenever you change their litter tray, take note of the size and consistency of their droppings. You'll eventually learn to recognize what a healthy rabbit dropping looks like. If you ever notice they're too hard, too soft, or off-color, something might be up with your rabbit's digestive system. Consistent problems are usually a sign that you should call your vet.
Another good way to check on your rabbit is by examining their eyes. Healthy bunnies will have bright, clear eyes with no obvious problems. You should be concerned if you see excessive redness, swelling, or mucus.
If you think something's wrong with your rabbit, don't wait to give the vet a call. Most vets will be happy to talk with you over the phone and help you identify the problem. It's better to waste a little time than to risk your bunny's health over something preventable.
