Rabbit Care Guide: Diet, Housing, and Health Basics

Rabbits are often sold as starter pets, tucked into a small hutch at the bottom of the backyard and fed a bowl of colorful pellets. That image could not be further from what a rabbit really is. A house rabbit is curious, social, clean, and clever. It can learn its name, use a litter box, and greet you at the door with a binky, that joyful twist in midair. It can also chew through a phone charger in under a minute if you are not paying attention.

Caring for a rabbit well is very doable, but it asks for a different mindset than caring for a cat or a hamster. These are prey animals with sensitive digestive systems, big space needs, and a talent for hiding illness. This guide covers the essentials: what to feed, how to house and bunny-proof, daily and weekly routines, grooming, health care, and the warning signs that mean you should call your veterinarian immediately.

Key takeaways

Rabbits live eight to twelve years, sometimes longer, so adoption is a long-term commitment.
Unlimited grass hay should make up most of the diet, with measured pellets and daily leafy greens.
Rabbits need much more space than most cages provide. Think of a pen with room to hop, stretch, and stand up.
Spaying or neutering improves health, behavior, and litter habits.
A rabbit that stops eating or pooping is an emergency, not something to watch overnight.
Rabbits are heat-sensitive. Keep them cool, ideally below about 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 C), and treat anything above 80 degrees as dangerous.
Find a veterinarian who treats rabbits before you adopt, and ask about vaccination options in your area.

Getting to Know Rabbits

Personality and lifestyle

Every rabbit has a distinct personality. Some are bold and nosy, others are shy and prefer to observe from under the couch. Most are crepuscular, meaning they are most active around dawn and dusk, so they fit well with a work schedule that leaves mornings and evenings free. Many rabbits do not enjoy being picked up or cuddled, since being lifted off the ground feels like being caught by a predator. Instead, they show affection by lying near you, nudging your hand for pets, and grooming you.

Rabbits and children

Rabbits can be great companions for responsible older children, but they are fragile. A fall from a lap can break a rabbit’s back. Young children should interact with rabbits sitting on the floor, under adult supervision. An adult should always be the primary caregiver.

Choosing a rabbit

Rescues and humane societies often have rabbits of all ages and sizes, many already spayed or neutered and litter trained. Look for a rabbit with bright, clean eyes, a clean nose and bottom, a smooth coat, and normal, evenly worn teeth. Ask about the rabbit’s history and temperament, and whether it has lived with other rabbits.

One rabbit or two

Rabbits are social animals, and many do well in bonded pairs. Bonding must be done carefully, usually with two spayed or neutered rabbits introduced in neutral territory, because fights can cause serious injuries. Many rescues offer bonding help. If you keep a single rabbit, plan on lots of daily attention.

Feeding a Rabbit

Hay is the main course

About 80 to 90 percent of a rabbit’s diet should be fresh grass hay, such as timothy, orchard grass, or meadow hay. Hay supplies the fiber that keeps the gut moving and the constant chewing that wears down teeth, which never stop growing. A rabbit should have an unlimited supply, and a good pile of hay at least as large as the rabbit’s body should be available every day. Alfalfa hay is higher in calories and calcium and is generally for young, growing rabbits and some medical cases, not for healthy adults.

Many rabbits eat hay in the litter box, which is a handy habit: hay at one end, litter at the other. Choose sweet-smelling, green hay and discard any that is musty, damp, or dusty.

Pellets in moderation

Plain, high-fiber, timothy-based pellets are a supplement, not the main meal. For a typical adult rabbit, a rough guide is about one-quarter cup per 5 pounds (2.3 kg) of body weight per day, though your veterinarian may recommend a different amount. Avoid mixes with seeds, nuts, dried fruit, and colorful pieces, which encourage selective eating and weight gain. Young rabbits eat more pellets during growth, and the amount reduces as they mature.

Fresh greens

Offer a variety of leafy vegetables every day. A common guideline is about one cup of packed greens per 2 pounds (0.9 kg) of body weight, divided into two meals. Introduce each new vegetable slowly, one at a time, to avoid upset stomachs.

Good daily choices: romaine, red or green leaf lettuce, arugula, cilantro, parsley, basil, mint, dandelion greens, and bok choy.
Offer in rotation: kale, collard greens, and spinach, which are higher in oxalates or calcium, so mix them in rather than serving them every day.
Always wash greens, and remove uneaten portions within a day.

Treats

Fruit and sweet vegetables such as carrots are high in sugar and should be a small treat, no more than a tablespoon or so per day for an average rabbit, and given a few times a week. Think of a slice of banana, a couple of blueberries, or a thin round of carrot. Avoid commercial treat sticks, yogurt drops, and anything made with grains or honey.

Water

Fresh water should always be available. Many rabbits prefer a heavy ceramic bowl over a sipper bottle, because it is a more natural way to drink and allows them to drink more. Clean the bowl daily and check bottles for clogs.

Cecotropes

Rabbits produce two kinds of droppings. The round, dry pellets are normal. Cecotropes are softer, clustered, shiny droppings that rabbits usually eat directly from their bottoms, usually at night or early morning, to recover nutrients. You rarely see them. If you find lots of uneaten cecotropes, it may mean the diet is too rich or that the rabbit has a health problem, such as obesity or dental disease, so mention it to your veterinarian.

Foods and plants to avoid

Chocolate, candy, and baked goods
Onions, garlic, leeks, and chives
Avocado, rhubarb leaves, and raw beans
Iceberg lettuce, which has little nutritional value
Bread, crackers, cereal, pasta, and other starchy human foods
Nuts and seeds
Meat and dairy products
Toxic plants including lilies, azalea, oleander, foxglove, and many others. Check any houseplant or garden plant before letting a rabbit near it.

Housing Your Rabbit

Space needs

Rabbits need room to stretch out, stand up on their hind legs, and hop several times in a row. Most commercial hutches are far too small. A good setup for one or two small to medium rabbits is an exercise pen, roughly 4 by 4 feet (about 1.2 by 1.2 meters) at minimum, with additional access to a larger, supervised, rabbit-proofed area for at least several hours each day. Many people allow free-roam in a room or the entire house. Larger breeds need more space.

Housing type	Good for	Notes
Exercise pen with solid flooring	Most indoor rabbits	Flexible, easy to expand
Rabbit-proofed room	Free-roam rabbits	Needs cord covers and safe furniture
Large dog crate with a solid base	Nighttime or short-term	Must be big, with daily exercise outside it
Small pet-store cage	Not recommended	Too small for normal behavior

Flooring

Never use wire-bottom flooring, which can cause sore hocks, a painful foot condition. Use solid flooring with a soft surface, such as a washable rug, fleece blanket, or a piece of untreated cardboard or woven grass mat. On slick floors like tile or hardwood, rabbits can slip and injure themselves, so cover their areas with rugs.

Indoor or outdoor

Indoor housing is the safest option for most rabbits. It protects them from predators, extreme weather, parasites, and stress, and it keeps them close to the family. Outdoor rabbits face risks that include heat, cold, flies, and mosquitoes that can spread disease. A predator can frighten a rabbit to death even if the hutch is sturdy. If you keep rabbits outdoors in mild weather, use a secure, predator-proof structure, bring them in when temperatures climb or drop, and ask your veterinarian about vaccines and parasite prevention.

Temperature

Rabbits tolerate cool temperatures better than heat. Aim for a range of about 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 24 C). Heat stress becomes a danger above about 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 C). Signs include panting, drooling, listlessness, and ears that look very red and hot. Move the rabbit to a cool spot, dampen the ears with cool, not icy, water, and call a veterinarian immediately.

The litter box

Rabbits are naturally tidy and choose a corner as a bathroom. A large, low-sided litter box in that corner, filled with paper-based or wood-pellet litter and topped with a pile of hay, is a good start. Do not use clumping clay litter, scented litter, or cedar and pine shavings. Clumping litter can be harmful if eaten, and aromatic oils can irritate the airways. Spayed and neutered rabbits are far easier to train, and patience and gentle redirection work wonders. Never scold a rabbit for accidents. If your rabbit chooses a different corner, simply move the box there.

Hiding places and enrichment

Every rabbit needs somewhere to hide, such as a cardboard box with two doors, a wooden house, or a tunnel. Rabbits also need things to chew, dig, and explore. Good options include untreated willow balls, apple twigs, cardboard tubes stuffed with hay, a dig box filled with shredded paper, and toys they can toss. Rotate toys weekly. A foraging mat, a snuffle mat, or hay scattered around the enclosure keeps their minds busy.

Bunny-Proofing Your Home

Rabbits chew. It is not a bad habit, it is who they are. If you allow them out of their pen, you must protect your home and, more importantly, protect the rabbit.

Cover or hide all electrical cords with hard plastic tubing or reroute them out of reach. Chewing a live cord can cause burns or electrocution.
Block off gaps behind furniture, appliances, and under the couch.
Remove or fence off houseplants, many of which are toxic.
Protect baseboards, carpet edges, and furniture legs with guards or cardboard.
Keep medications, cleaners, and small objects out of reach.
Keep the rabbit away from other pets until you are sure they are safe together, and never leave a rabbit alone with a dog or cat.
Close doors and gates to keep the rabbit out of kitchens and bathrooms.

Daily and Weekly Routine

Daily care

Morning: greet your rabbit and look for normal behavior. Check that it ate and pooped overnight. Refill hay, water, and a portion of pellets, and offer greens.
Spot clean the litter box and replace the hay.
Give at least three to four hours of exercise outside the enclosure, preferably more.
Evening: offer more greens, check the water, play, and spend quiet time near your rabbit.

Weekly care

Replace all litter, and wash the box with warm water and a mild unscented soap or white vinegar solution, rinsed well.
Wash fleece or blankets.
Weigh your rabbit on a kitchen scale and record it, noting any changes.
Inspect the teeth, ears, feet, and bottom.
Brush the coat, especially during shedding.

Grooming and Handling

Brushing

Rabbits groom themselves, but they cannot vomit, so swallowed fur can accumulate in the gut. Brush short-haired rabbits once a week and long-haired breeds like Angoras several times a week. During heavy shedding, which happens a few times a year, brush daily with a soft brush. Do not bathe rabbits in water. It can cause shock, stress, and chills. If your rabbit gets dirty around the bottom, contact your veterinarian for guidance, because a dirty bottom often signals a health problem.

Nail trimming

Trim nails every four to six weeks. Use small animal or cat nail clippers, wrap the rabbit gently in a towel, and trim just the tip, staying away from the pink quick. If you have never done it, ask a veterinary technician or experienced rescue volunteer to show you.

Picking up a rabbit

Do not pick up a rabbit by the ears, scruff, or limbs. If you must lift one, support the chest and hind end firmly and hold it against your body. A struggling rabbit can kick out and break its own spine. It is best to sit on the floor and allow your rabbit to come to you, which builds trust and avoids lifting altogether. Reward calm behavior with a small leaf of herb or a gentle pet along the forehead.

Understanding body language

Binky: a jump and twist, pure joy.
Flop: lying suddenly on the side, relaxed and content.
Thumping: a hind-foot thump means alarm or annoyance.
Grunting or lunging: a warning, often when protecting territory.
Chinning: rubbing the chin to mark things as theirs.
Teeth grinding: soft grinding means contentment, loud grinding can mean pain.

Health Basics

Spaying and neutering

Spaying females dramatically reduces the risk of uterine cancer, which is common in unspayed female rabbits as they age. Neutering males reduces spraying, aggression, and mounting. Both improve litter habits and make bonding easier. Surgery should only be performed by a veterinarian with rabbit experience, because anesthesia carries different risks than in cats and dogs. Ask your veterinarian when to schedule it.

Vaccines and parasites

A serious viral disease, rabbit hemorrhagic disease, has spread in North America. A vaccine is now available in the United States through veterinarians, and availability can vary by region. Ask your veterinarian about whether vaccination is advisable for your rabbit, especially if it goes outdoors. Your veterinarian can also advise on checking for fleas, mites, and other parasites and on safe prevention. Never use flea products made for cats or dogs on a rabbit without veterinary guidance, since some are toxic to rabbits.

Teeth

A rabbit’s teeth grow continually. Diets low in hay, or genetic problems, can cause sharp spurs and overgrown teeth, leading to pain, drooling, and weight loss. A veterinarian can check the teeth at yearly exams and trim or file them when necessary.

Digestive health

A rabbit’s gut depends on constant movement. When it slows or stops, a condition often called gastrointestinal stasis can quickly become life threatening. Stress, pain, dehydration, a low-fiber diet, or dental disease can trigger it. Warning signs include eating less, smaller or fewer droppings, a hunched posture, and a hard, bloated belly. This is always an emergency.

Routine veterinary care

Schedule a first visit within a week or two of adoption and a checkup at least once a year. Rabbits over about five years old benefit from checkups twice a year. Look for a clinic that lists rabbits or exotic companion mammals among its patients, and ask what they do for after-hours emergencies.

Common Mistakes

Housing a rabbit in a small hutch or cage with no daily exercise.
Feeding too many pellets and not enough hay.
Giving carrots and fruit in large amounts, or offering seed-based treats.
Using wire flooring or slippery floors.
Not spaying or neutering.
Picking up a rabbit by the ears or grabbing it from above.
Bathing a rabbit in water.
Leaving a rabbit loose with a dog or cat unsupervised.
Skipping rabbit-proofing, especially cords.
Waiting to see if a rabbit that is not eating will recover on its own.
Choosing a veterinarian with no rabbit experience.
Letting a rabbit overheat in summer.

When to See a Veterinarian

Rabbits hide pain until they are very sick. Treat any of the following as an urgent call to your veterinarian or an emergency clinic that treats rabbits:

No eating, or no droppings, for 8 to 12 hours.
Small, dry, or misshapen droppings, or diarrhea.
Hunched posture, teeth grinding, or a bloated belly.
Labored breathing, wheezing, or discharge from the nose or eyes.
Head tilt, loss of balance, or inability to stand.
Drooling, dropped food, or a wet chin.
Blood in urine, straining, or no urine at all.
Maggots, wounds, or a dirty, wet bottom.
Heat stress: panting, drooling, limp body.
Seizures or collapse.

When in doubt, call. A quick phone call to a veterinarian is far better than waiting, and early treatment makes an enormous difference.

First Week Checklist

Set up a pen with a solid, comfortable floor, a litter box, hides, and plenty of hay before your rabbit comes home.
Rabbit-proof the area where the rabbit will exercise.
Stock fresh hay, plain pellets, and a few types of leafy greens.
Book a veterinary visit and save the clinic and emergency numbers.
Give your rabbit a quiet place to settle for a few days, and handle it minimally at first.
Sit on the floor and let your rabbit come to you, offering herbs or small greens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a rabbit live in a cage all day?

No. Even a large cage is not enough. Rabbits need several hours of exercise daily, and an exercise pen or rabbit-proofed room is a much better home base.

Do rabbits need to be spayed or neutered?

It is strongly recommended. It reduces the risk of cancer in females, improves behavior and litter training, and makes living with a rabbit easier. Talk with your veterinarian about timing.

Is it okay to feed my rabbit carrots every day?

Carrots are sugary. They are fine as a small treat a few times a week, but they should not replace leafy greens and certainly not hay.

Can rabbits live with guinea pigs?

Not recommended. They have different dietary needs, and a rabbit can injure a guinea pig by kicking or biting. Some also carry bacteria that can make guinea pigs sick.

How do I litter train a rabbit?

Place a litter box where your rabbit already goes, add hay on one side, and clean accidents with a pet-safe cleaner. Be patient, never scold, and make sure your rabbit is spayed or neutered for the best results.

Why does my rabbit thump?

Thumping often signals fear, alarm, or irritation. Check your rabbit’s environment for something that spooked it, and try to stay calm.

How can I keep my rabbit cool in summer?

Keep your rabbit indoors in air conditioning or a cool basement. Give shade, plenty of water, and a frozen water bottle wrapped in a towel to lean against. Call a veterinarian if your rabbit shows signs of heat stress.

How long do rabbits live?

Typically eight to twelve years, and sometimes longer with good housing, diet, and veterinary care.

A Few Last Words

A rabbit that is housed well, fed mostly hay, and given room to move is a different animal from the one in a tiny cage. It plays, explores, and flops beside you on the living room floor as if it owns the place, which of course it does. Set up the space, bunny-proof the cords, find a good rabbit veterinarian, and give your new friend time. The reward is a decade of quiet companionship and the occasional binky across the carpet.