.:: Housing for Rabbits ::.

Q. Why don't you adopt rabbits to outdoor homes?

A. While many people think of rabbits as being outdoor pets, the opposite is true. Rabbits outdoors have a much shorter lifespan because of the exposure to predators, extremes in temperature and less regular checks by the owners to make sure there are no health problems.

Rabbits that are spayed or neutered have little odor and can be taught to use a litter box, making them ideal indoor pets. They are also very social and are happier when indoors with the family.

In rare instances, we will adopt a bunny to an outdoor home if that animal is used to living outdoors and will have a companion. When we make such exceptions, the housing must be spacious and secure, and owners must have a plan for bringing their rabbits indoors in case of extreme conditions or if one rabbit is ill.

Q. What kind of cage should I buy for my rabbit?

A. A very, very large one! Because rabbits need a lot of space, we suggest that you buy an X-pen, usually sold as an exercise pen for puppies, and set it up on a piece of vinyl flooring or easy to clean surface in your home. Alternatively, bunnies can be confined to a room with the use of baby gates or, once trained, allowed to live freely in your home.

Quality Cage, based in Portland, makes nice cages that can be ordered through their Web site (www.qualitycage.com) or in local pet supply stores like Animal Crackers in Corvallis. These cages are larger and less expensive than many of the rabbit setups you can buy, but even the largest are not suitable for the big rabbit breeds. If your bunny is small- to medium-sized and litter box trained, we recommend the largest collapsible cage with poly bottom (they are also available with wire bottoms, but these can be hard on bunny feet). These cages are easy to fold down and transport.

Other ideas for housing include assembling your own from Neat Ideas Cubes (grids used to make bookshelves - think college dorm room decor) or building an indoor hutch. Search online for more details about building your own rabbit environment or ask us for information.

Remember that even with a large living space, your bunny needs at least two hours out of the cage on a daily basis.

Q. What things need to be in my rabbit's cage or pen?

A. A litter box, water bottle or water dish (or both), solid surface to sit on if in a wire cage and toys. Toys should be rotated on a regular basis to keep your bunny from getting bored. Good examples are empty toilet paper rolls, cardboard boxes, untreated willow baskets, apple branches, hay cubes, balls with bells, just about any kind of wooden bird toy (if it can be chewed by a bird, it's safe for a bunny) and slinkies.

Q. What should I use for litter in my rabbit's box?

A. First, never use cedar or pine shavings. Both - especially cedar - contain chemicals called phenols that are harmful to your rabbit's respiratory system and internal organs. (Don't use these beddings for any other small animal, either.) Instead, look for kiln-dried pine shavings, aspen or fir shavings, pelleted paper litter like Crown Bedding, soft paper litter like Carefresh, or pelleted wood litter like Feline Pine, All-Pet Pine or wood stove pellets. Corn or wheat based litters, while usually safe to ingest in tiny amounts, can cause a blockage if eaten in larger quantities.

At the shelter and in most of our foster homes, we use wood stove pellets. They cost about $3 for a 40-pound bag and absorb odor well. They can also be composted (rabbit waste makes an excellent fertilizer). The heat compression process used to make the pellets eliminates any harmful phenols in the wood. We have not yet run across a rabbit that wanted to eat the pellets. It can be difficult to find stove pellets in the summer months, but try a feed store or look for a similar product sold as "stall bedding".

Q. What do I need to do to make my house ready for a rabbit?

A. You will need to engage in "bunny proofing" - similar to what you would do to get ready for a puppy. The biggest danger to rabbits indoors is electrical cords. While many rabbits would never chew on a cord, many do - so you need to hide all the cords or cover them with a cord wrapping (PVC pipe works well).

Some rabbits like to dig at carpeting. Fortunately, they tend to do this only in corners or dark areas. We recommend that you purchase a covering such as a carpet sample that matches your own to cover any such area and protect your carpet.

You will want to have an area with lots of toys such as cardboard boxes, paper or phone books to shred and things to chew for your rabbit. When it begins to chew on something inappropriate, move it into this area and distract it with acceptable things to chew and dig on.

Other tips and specifics on rabbit proofing your house are available through our Rabbit Adoption Coordinator. Please ask!