How to meet our rabbits’ need for a suitable environment
What is a suitable environment for rabbits?
Problems associated with an unsuitable environment
What is a suitable environment for rabbits?
Our pet rabbits’ ancestors, wild European rabbits, dig extensive warrens, with complex networks of interconnecting tunnels. The size of the warren usually indicates the size of the colony – one warren may be used by several social groups of rabbits, with each group defending its section of the warren. The depth of burrows depends on the type of soil, and the height of the water table, but a warren always has many entrances/exits, so rabbits can enter quickly if they are threatened, or exit to escape if a predator enters.
Click here to read a fascinating study of a warren in Canberra, which had 150 entrances and a total tunnel length of 517m!
Rabbits use their warrens to rest together during the day, or to hide if they are under threat. Female rabbits have their litters in ‘breeding stops’ within the warren – they prefer a chamber at the end of a blind burrow. Rabbits’ caecotrophs are usually eaten in the safety of their warrens, and latrines above ground are used for depositing hard droppings and urine. The warren is defended against rabbits from outside the colony – as a deterrent, the territory is marked with secretions from the rabbits’ chin scent glands, and ‘dunghills’ of droppings, marked with scent from rabbits’ anal glands, are left in favourite feeding areas. Rabbits will fight off any interlopers.
Wild rabbits spend most of their waking hours grazing and foraging in groups, often covering vast areas – their home range varies, but can be a couple of acres. They check for boltholes before grazing, so they can run to safety if necessary. They may shelter in vegetation but prefer to eat close to one of their burrows, if there is sufficient food.
Just like their wild counterparts, our pet rabbits are active, sociable, and territorial animals, and they need to be able to perform the same behaviours, such as foraging, hiding, digging, and interacting with other rabbits. It’s important that we learn about the wild rabbit’s lifestyle when thinking about providing a home for our rabbits – although it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to replicate an extensive warren, with access to acres of grazing, knowledge of our rabbits’ ancestors helps us to understand our pet rabbits’ requirements.
A hutch is not enough
Many domestic rabbits are provided with a completely unsuitable environment, and, as a result, suffer poor health and wellbeing. Rabbits have become one of the most neglected pets. This is a consequence of the way in which rabbits have traditionally been kept, primarily by those breeding them for meat. They were housed in small hutches designed for short-term housing, given minimal exercise, and fed a high calorie diet, to fatten them up. Still today, most pet rabbits are kept in a similar way to those meat rabbits – cruelly housed in hutches and fed bowlfuls of high calorie muesli-type mix. The enduring image of a bunny in a hutch has perpetuated the misconception that rabbits make easy ‘starter pets’ for children. Retailers continue to market hutches/cages as homes for rabbits, and uninformed prospective rabbit owners continue to believe this is the correct way to house their new pet.
Many hutches and cages are smaller than the legal cage size requirements for laboratory rabbits and for farmed rabbits – currently, there is no legal standard for the size of pet rabbit housing.
Observations of the wild rabbit’s lifestyle demonstrate how cruel it is to keep a rabbit confined in a small container – read our section below on ‘Problems associated with an unsuitable environment’ for a more detailed explanation of why hutches and cages make such poor homes for rabbits.
Even if we don’t keep our rabbits in a hutch or cage, it’s still possible that we haven’t provided a suitable environment for them.
It’s vital we know how to provide a suitable environment for our rabbits – without it, they’re at risk of physical and mental health problems, and may have a reduced lifespan.
Rabbits can live into their teens, yet a recent study revealed the mean average lifespan to be just 4 years and 4 months!
If we are responsible for a rabbit, we must ensure that its “need for a suitable environment” is met (the first Welfare Need listed under the Animal Welfare Act, 2006). Providing a “suitable environment” for rabbits isn’t simply a matter of choosing their accommodation – it’s ensuring their living conditions and surroundings meet all their Welfare Needs. Read on to discover the factors which need to be considered when providing a suitable home for rabbits.
Area and accommodation
Pet rabbits can live indoors or outdoors. Just like their wild cousins, our rabbits need a place where they can perform all their natural behaviours. They need enough space to be able to run, hop, jump, stand up on their back legs with their ears upright, and stretch out fully to lie down; they require a place where they can rest, and opportunities for hiding if they feel scared.
The RWAF recommends a minimum area of 3m x 2m x 1m high (10ft x 6ft x 3ft) for a pair of average-sized rabbits. This measurement is for continuous floor space (i.e. not including raised areas) – rabbits need at least one length of a minimum of 3m, to be able to run. This minimum area is required for all rabbits, whether they are kept indoors or outdoors.
· Rabbits need to be able to exercise or perform other normal behaviours when they choose: Keeping them in a smaller space and only allowing them access to an exercise area at certain times is not adequate – especially as rabbits are crepuscular (most active in the early morning, late afternoon, and overnight), so their preferred time to exercise is unlikely to correspond with a convenient time for us. They need 24/7 access a minimum area of 3m x 2m x 1m (containing food, water, hiding places, toilet areas, and enrichment), and must be able to access this area by themselves (ie. without being carried to it).
· Rabbits need a shelter within/attached to their exercise area: The rabbits’ shelter must be a stable part of their environment – a place they know well, in which they feel safe. For outdoor rabbits, a large shed could be used, with a safe enclosure permanently attached. For houserabbits, a hutch/cage with door permanently open could be used, within an enclosure or a room (note: if a cage is used as a shelter within the setup, always cover bar ramp doors, to avoid trapped paws). The RWAF website has some great ideas, for outdoor rabbits and for houserabbits.
· Rabbits should not be relocated: This area, with its shelter, is the rabbits’ home. Relocation is stressful for rabbits – they are territorial creatures, and need to be familiar with their surroundings, to feel secure in the knowledge they can escape quickly from any potential danger. They should not be moved from their home, unless essential (eg. for veterinary appointments; to temporarily move them away from disruption/noise near their home; or to bring outdoor rabbits into a warmer environment for winter months). They do not enjoy or benefit from trips.
Flooring
Wild rabbits spend their time on grass, or the sandy soil of their warrens. Their feet are designed for this, and they can move freely on this ground. Our pet rabbits’ homes must have suitable surfaces on which they can perform their natural behaviours with ease, without discomfort, and without risk to their wellbeing. Flooring for rabbits should provide:
· Traction: Rabbits’ furry feet have no pads, so flooring needs to provide traction. Slippery floors may make it difficult for rabbits to run, zoom around, binky, or even to groom themselves – some fear slippery surfaces and will avoid moving, or take very small hops. Rabbits can suffer injuries on slippery flooring if they move suddenly, eg. if they are spooked, and elderly/arthritic rabbits can find moving on slippery surfaces extremely painful.
· Cushioning: Rabbits’ feet are designed so that the claws sink into the ground at the front – if the flooring doesn’t allow this, there will be extra pressure on the back of the feet, causing soreness, and a risk of musculoskeletal problems.
· Comfort: Rabbits need flooring that allows them to move, sit, and lie down comfortably.
Despite her companions venturing into the hallway and beyond, and even with towels placed to cover the hard flooring, Ebony has never crossed the threshold out of the carpeted living room.
Types of flooring:
· Grass or soil: Provides traction and cushioning, and its uneven surface also helps to strengthen muscles (plus it’s great for encouraging healthy eating) – ensure rabbits cannot dig out of their enclosure.
· Sheds with wood flooring: Provides no cushioning – it can be uncomfortable and damaging for rabbits’ feet, so should be covered.
· Concrete or slabs: Provides traction, but no cushioning, and can become too hot in the sun – may require covering; alternatively, providing plenty of planters gives rabbits the option of moving off the concrete.
· Household laminate, wood, or tiled flooring: Provides no traction or cushioning – it can be uncomfortable and damaging for rabbits’ feet, and too slippery for them to move normally, so should be covered.
· Carpet: Provides traction, comfort, and warmth, but can cause pododermatitis (from friction), and some rabbits will dig carpet or pull strands and ingest the fibres; difficult to clean – it may be best to cover carpets.
· Mesh/wired/barred flooring: Completely unsuitable – should not be used, as it’s extremely uncomfortable and damaging to rabbits’ feet.
Floor covering options include:
· Mats or rugs: Cheap, adaptable, and easy to clean, and can provide comfort, traction, and warmth (but ensure rabbits don’t consume fibres).
· Vinyl: Some textured vinyls provide traction and cushioning, and they are also easy to clean.
· Fleece bedding (eg. Vetbed): Provides cushioning and warmth, and is washable (ideal for elderly rabbits) – perfect for resting/sleeping areas, but remove if rabbits show an interest in consuming fibres.
· Interlocking puzzle foam tiles: Provide both traction and cushioning; cheap and easy to replace.
· Heavy-duty stable mats: Provide traction and cushioning; very robust.
Always monitor when adding new flooring, to ensure rabbits aren’t chewing and ingesting it.
Safety
This is an extremely important consideration, given rabbits’ nature:
· Rabbits are prey animals: They may be easily frightened, and stress can make them unwell.
· Rabbits are very inquisitive: Studies have shown that rabbits are motivated to gain access to a greater space, so even if they have a very large area, they will always seek to explore further, finding opportunities for ‘escape’.
Safety precautions include:
· Location: Rabbit housing should be located where rabbits can feel safe and secure. They are inquisitive creatures, usually keen to observe and hear what’s going on, but need the option to retreat into a more private, quiet area. They may need to be temporarily relocated to a quieter area if an event is likely to scare them (eg. building work or fireworks). Things which might scare rabbits include:
o Sight/sound/smell of predators (eg. foxes, dogs, or cats).
o Loud/sudden/unfamiliar noises (eg. noisy children, loud appliances, televisions, or music).
o Unfamiliar/sudden sights (eg. new objects appearing in their area, sudden movement of items).
o Strong/unfamiliar odours (eg. toiletries, room fresheners, or smoke (from bonfires, or blowing out candles)).
· Security: A rabbit’s home must be predator-safe and escape-proof:
o Outdoor enclosures should also have secure top/roof, and precautions should be taken to prevent predators from digging in and rabbits from digging out – a layer of mesh can be used on the ground, but it must then be covered with soil or turf. Alternatively, the perimeter can be reinforced by digging down so that it extends beneath ground level.
o Use secure fastenings for entrances.
o Welded mesh is idea for enclosures – minimum 16 gauge.
o Take measures to ensure wild rabbits cannot enter the garden.
o Never assume you can supervise rabbits roaming the garden – it’s easy to be distracted, and a rabbit can soon become the prey of a waiting predator, escape from the garden, or eat a toxic plant.
o All housing should be checked regularly, to make sure there is no damage which could injure rabbits, allow them to escape, or enable predators to enter.
· Rabbit-proofing: Chewing is a natural behaviour for rabbits, and they investigate using their teeth, so it’s vital to rabbit-proof, ensuring that anything that can cause harm to them, or that they can damage, is removed, or protected from them:
o For houserabbits, provide a dedicated rabbit-proofed room or an enclosure within a room (ensuring it’s at least the minimum recommended area of 3m x 2m x 1m high) – it may be hard to allow rabbits to free-roam throughout a home, as it’s usually difficult to ensure everywhere is rabbit-proofed.
o Any electrical cables/wires in indoor or outdoor enclosures, or sheds, must be either removed, or concealed and encased in a rabbit-teeth-resistant covering – rabbits treat cables just as their wild ancestors treat roots, biting through them effortlessly.
o Many houseplants are toxic, so remove and replace with rabbit-safe plants, and ensure outdoor rabbits cannot reach toxic garden plants.
o Don’t buy expense furniture/furnishings – rabbits will chew table legs, burrow into sofa cushions, and put holes in curtains.
o Keep any belongings/valuables out of rabbits’ reach (their reach is horizontal and vertical!) – rabbits love to bite off remote control buttons, eat through headphone cables, and sever shoelaces.
o Ensure any areas you don’t wish rabbits to access are carefully fenced off – adaptable puppy pens are useful for fencing off areas. However, pens, gates, cages, and enclosures made from bars rather than mesh can be hazardous – rabbits can become trapped between bars, so always attach mesh panels securely to the bars (rabbits have been seriously injured (e.g. limb and jaw fractures) and even died with their heads trapped between bars – read here about Ebony’s accident.
o Keep all medicines out of reach – this applies to all medication – for rabbits, humans, and other animals.
· Tread carefully: When walking in rabbit area, there is always a risk that a bunny may be injured by someone stepping on them, so people must move with care and consideration.
· Supervise interaction with other pets: Rabbits can become familiar with other household pets such as cats or dogs, but introduce carefully and never leave them together unsupervised.
Lighting
Wild rabbits spend much of their time in their dark warrens, preferring to come out when the sun is low, or on a cloudy day. Our pet rabbits don’t enjoy constant exposure to bright light – they prefer some shade for their outdoor enclosure, and houserabbits prefer lights that are not extremely bright (or flashing).
Climate/temperature
In the wild, rabbits’ warrens maintain a fairly constant temperature throughout the year, and remain relatively sheltered from the elements, whereas the homes we provide for our pet rabbits, indoors or outdoors, tend to be subject to seasonal variations. It’s our responsibility to ensure our rabbits are not exposed to the weather, or to extreme fluctuations of temperature. Most rabbits can tolerate cold weather but do not cope well with heat. Below are some measures we can take:
· Ensure outdoor rabbits’ shelters are well ventilated, but draught-proof and waterproof, and keep them well maintained (any treatment of wood, eg. preservatives or waterproofing paints, must be non-toxic).
· Provide several places for shelter, from sunshine, wind, or rain, such as boxes, tunnels, and platforms – rabbits can stay cooler in these during the summer, but snuggling together in them during winter will be warmer, especially if they contain extra bedding.
· Make sure rabbits have a bonded companion, to keep warm together when it’s cold.
· Provide plenty of bedding during colder weather, such as extra hay.
· Add a couple of SnuggleSafe heat pads – rabbits can choose to sit next to them if they feel cold.
· Ensure drinking water is kept free from ice.
· Move elderly or unwell rabbits to a warmer environment during cold weather – but always make sure there isn't a sudden increase in temperature for them, by keeping heating low at first.
· For houserabbits, try to keep the home at an even temperature when heating it.
· Encourage rabbits to kept active during winter months, so they keep warm, by adding plenty of enrichment.
· Keep drinking water topped up during hot weather, and encourage rabbits to drink – extra hydration can be provided by soaking their greens.
· Provide extra shade for outdoor rabbits during sunny weather, such as a sheet draped over their enclosure, or a parasol.
· Close indoor curtains and blinds to keep the home cooler on hot, sunny days.
· Provide a fan on hot days (with any cables carefully protected and out of reach) – placing a bottle of iced water in front of the fan helps to cool the air.
· Put some ice blocks, wrapped in towels, in rabbits’ enclosures to keep them cool, or buy rabbit-safe ice packs or cooling mats.
· Place a couple of ceramic floor tiles in the rabbits’ enclosure – they stay cool, and rabbits can sit on them.
· For outdoor rabbits, provide soil in a digging box or trough, so rabbits can scrape the surface then sit on the cooler layer of soil.
Cleaning
Wild rabbits like to keep their warrens clean – they use latrines above ground. It’s important to keep our pet rabbits’ housing clean. The litter trays/toilet areas should be emptied and cleaned regularly (we find it’s best to do this every 2-3 days), and the whole area should be cleaned at least once a week (more frequently in hot weather). Take care when cleaning – household appliances may scare rabbits, and many household cleaning products are toxic to them. Rabbits are territorial – their droppings/urine mark their territory, so it’s a good idea to put a small amount of the dirty bedding back into their toilet area.
Areas for daily activities and enrichment
Wild rabbits graze, forage, and use latrines above ground, and usually choose to rest in their warrens. Our pet rabbits also prefer to use different areas within their environment for each of their daily activities. A spacious setup will allow rabbits to have separate eating, resting, and toileting areas, if they prefer, and enable them to perform each of their normal behaviours either alone or with their companion(s), as they wish. Include areas in their environment for the following:
· Eating and drinking: Rabbits must have constant access to fresh water, preferably provided in at least one bowl. Consider carefully where to place their water – some rabbits avoid drinking if their water is in a busy or very visible part of their housing. They need a constant supply of fresh hay/grass, which should be available in more than one place. Their veggies/herbs/greens etc. can be placed around their environment to encourage their natural foraging behaviour, and their small measure of pellets can also be fed by scattering, or hiding in toys, to keep them busy.
· Resting and sleeping: Both indoor and outdoor rabbits require a shelter within their enclosure or room. It could be a large box, or a hutch (with door permanently open), but should be large enough for all rabbits in the enclosure to use at the same time. This shelter should be a permanent feature (although it’s a good idea to provide other smaller shelters as well, which can be moved around). They need to feel safe in their shelter and know they will be left in peace – it should provide a familiar place to which they can retreat if they feel threatened, or if they need to shelter from the weather, or even noise. They may choose to rest or sleep in it, so it should be cosy (if outside, make sure it’s draught-proof and waterproof, ensuring any treatments (preservatives or waterproofing paints) are non-toxic). Bedding materials should be provided (this could be rabbit-safe blankets, dust-free hay, shredded paper, or other safe absorbent substrate material. Rabbits may choose to sleep elsewhere – they should never be shut in their shelter. They are crepuscular, and usually choose to take several naps during the day, rather having all their sleep (generally about eight hours) in one period.
· Toilet: Whether they live indoors or outdoors, rabbits like to have an area where they can toilet, preferably in peace! It should be away from areas where their food is provided. The best solution is to provide a large tray, filled with rabbit-safe litter (more absorbent of moisture and odour than just newspaper), and some hay, as they like to nibble at the same time. Safe absorbent substrate materials include paper-based litters and dust-free wood shavings (not cedar). Clay-based litters are hazardous to rabbits – do not use them. See the RWAF advice.
·
Enrichment: Rabbits are active and
intelligent – they need an interesting environment which provides them with
opportunities to perform all their normal behaviours, such as digging, chewing,
climbing up, and foraging. To enable this, it’s vital that they have enrichment
– without this, even with a spacious environment they will become bored and may
develop abnormal behaviours.
Ensuring all Welfare Needs are met
A suitable environment is one in which a rabbit has access to everything required, all the time. That includes space for exercise, suitable food and water, enrichment items, and at least one other rabbit for companionship. Therefore, to meet their housing needs, we must also provide for our rabbits’ other four Welfare Needs:
· Diet:
o A suitable environment requires opportunities to forage and graze – providing a healthy diet with plenty of hay and forage distributed and hidden is essential.
o Rabbits can only be healthy enough to enjoy their environment if they have a suitable diet (85% fresh hay/grass; 10% leafy greens, veg, or herbs; 5% pellets/nuggets).
o A suitable environment contains enrichment such as digging pits, tunnels, and platforms – providing enrichment encourages rabbits to explore their area, and makes a more fulfilling environment for them.
o Spending time with rabbits to understand their normal behaviours helps to determine what can be added to their environment to make it even more interesting for them.
o Rabbits living with other rabbits are more confident and less likely to be stressed, and will enjoy playing, foraging, and sleeping together. Rabbits benefit more from their environment if they have one or more rabbit companions.
o Ensuring a rabbit has companionship makes it more likely that rabbits will interact with their environment.
o Providing for more rabbits means ensuring there is enough space for rabbits to interact but also opportunities to spend time apart, whilst performing each of the normal behaviours
· Healthcare:
o Ensuring rabbits are healthy and free from pain or discomfort helps them to stay active and perform all their normal behaviours within their area.
o Minimising the risk of physical and mental health problems (eg. maintaining bone and muscle strength, and avoiding frustration) requires provision of a safe, spacious, hygienic area, with appropriate enrichment, where rabbits can interact with rabbit companion(s), and exhibit normal behaviour patterns.
o Routine vaccination ensures rabbits are protected against any risk of myxomatosis or RVHD entering their environment (houserabbits are also at risk if they are not vaccinated).
Meeting these welfare needs can help to ensure rabbits’ benefit from a suitable environment.
Problems associated with an unsuitable environment
Rabbits’ housing conditions and surroundings can determine whether they become cherished pets or unwanted animals:
· With a suitable environment: Rabbits provided with a stimulating environment will demonstrate their true active, intelligent, and inquisitive nature, inspiring the owner to bond with their pet, and to provide even better care.
· With an unsuitable environment: Rabbits kept in poor housing, without space or enrichment, can become depressed and inactive, and appear to be boring, unintelligent pets; alternatively, they may become stressed or frustrated, resulting in abnormal behaviours such as aggression. Either way, it’s likely to make their owner (especially if that person is a child) reluctant to spend time with their rabbit, and uninspired to provide better welfare, so the rabbit becomes further neglected, surrendered to a rescue centre, or, even worse, abandoned.
There are also many health issues associated with a poor environment, including:
· Obesity
· Urine scalding and uneaten caecotrophs (which can lead to flystrike)
· Imbalance of the gut bacteria (dysbiosis) and diarrhoea.
Why are hutches and cages unsuitable?
Keeping a rabbit confined to a hutch or cage is wrong for many reasons, including:
· Inadequate space: Hutches/cages do not provide enough space for rabbits to exhibit their important normal behaviour patterns, eg. running, rearing up, stretching, interacting with, or spending time apart from, their rabbit companion; there isn’t space for suitable enrichment items to be provided, such as tunnels, hidey-holes, or digging areas. Rabbits confined to hutches/cages are often forced to eat, toilet, and sleep in the same small area. They are at risk of flystrike, from sitting in soiled bedding and not having room to clean themselves properly. Rabbits are by nature very active, but when confined, they are likely to become obese from insufficient exercise, develop musculoskeletal problems from being unable to stretch and move freely. They will also become stressed, bored, and frustrated, resulting in abnormal behaviours.
· No shelter: Some cages marketed as indoor rabbit homes are designed so the rabbit is easy to see and pet, with no hidden areas and raised off the ground – as prey creatures, living in cages with no place to hide is extremely stressful for rabbits. Rabbits confined to hutches outdoors are often left exposed to the elements, with little or no shelter. Rabbits confined to indoor cages are often exposed to sights/sounds/smells they find threatening, without the opportunity to move away.
· Inaccessible for rabbit: The design of many hutches/cages does not allow the rabbit to hop in and out freely (eg. some are on stands, others open at the top, and many have features allowing the rabbit can be petted without ‘escaping’). Rabbits will need to be carried to an exercise area, which can be stressful, as many have an innate fear of being picked up.
· Unsuitable flooring: Hutches and cages have either hard wood, plastic, or mesh flooring, all of which are damaging for rabbits’ feet. Without a litter tray or a deep layer of substrate, they will develop sore feet from sitting on wet floor.
The RWAF campaign, ‘A hutch is not enough’ aims to change the common perception that rabbits should be housed in hutches. Sign and share the RWAF petition to ban the sale of small hutches and introduce a legal minimum housing requirement for keeping pet rabbits.
Can pet rabbits live in the wild?
NO! Although it’s important to think about how wild rabbits live and to incorporate some aspects into our pet rabbits’ homes, this does not mean domestic rabbits can survive in the wild:
· They don’t have the skills to find food – wild rabbits learn from their mothers.
· They don’t have a warren for hiding and shelter, or group members for companionship and monitoring danger.
· Wild rabbits will fight them off their territory and may even kill them.
· They are unable to burrow sufficiently to create their own warren.
· Most domestic breeds are highly visible to predators.
Sadly, nowadays, many pet rabbits are ‘released’ into the wild, when their owners no longer wish to care for them. A few of these abandoned rabbits are lucky – Snoop was found roaming Hampstead Heath in London, and a passer-by managed to pick him up and take him to a local vet. Most are not so fortunate.
Never release a pet rabbit into the wild – this is not ‘setting them free’, it’s a death sentence. If you can no longer care for your rabbit, please take them to a rescue centre.
We’ve introduced some core ideas for providing a suitable environment for rabbits. There’s plenty more information available on the RWAF website, including ideas for setups. Any changes to a rabbit’s environment must be introduced slowly and carefully Also remember that housing may need to be tailored to individual rabbits, to consider age, lifestyle, and any health conditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment. The bunnies will review it and respond as soon as possible.