Outdoor Living Space Considerations For Rabbits: If you have a neighbouring group of rabbits, it can be useful to use a shade cloth as a barrier between living spaces if you observe confrontational behaviours between groups. It’s important to regularly observe rabbit resident group dynamics to be sure no one is being bullied and chased away from critical resources like shade, hiding places, food, water, and enrichment items. Rabbits also appear to consume more water when it is offered in a bowl versus automatic waterers.īe aware that rabbits will chew on exposed rubber, plastic, wiring, and other components, so steps must be taken to ensure inside and outside living spaces are free from chewing hazards, including in their drinking areas. Living spaces must be well ventilated especially in extremely warm or humid environments, but never drafty.Īs with all other residents, fresh, clean water should be provided at all times.Īutomatic waters are acceptable but should be checked daily to ensure they are functioning properly. Proper ventilation is an important consideration when preparing a home for rabbits. Of course, this use of wool would be dependent on a sanctuary’s Philosophy Of Care. Waste wool or fibre from shearing sheep, goats, or camelid residents can be given to rabbit residents for building warm, cosy nests.
You can even try out different types of nesting materials and see if residents have any preferences. Rabbits tend to appreciate building nests as natural behaviour, so effort should be made to provide them with various materials. Materials such as hay and straw are good nesting options for rabbit residents.
Nesting Materials For Rabbit Living Spaces. You can observe where residents prefer to urinate, and then place a litter box with rabbit-safe litter in that space.īe sure not to use pine or cedar shavings in their litter area.Ĭlean the litter box frequently, and check that they aren’t chewing on any element of it. Most rabbit residents will use a dedicated space or a litter box to do their business. The key is to avoid slippery surfaces and potentially hazardous materials that they may chew on. Rabbit residents can fare well on a number of flooring types, but should never be kept on wire flooring.Ĭoncrete, tile, wood, or linoleum flooring be sure there aren’t corners or damaged parts sticking out that rabbit residents might chew on and ingest can be covered in cosy shavings, hay, or even towels or rugs, so long as the residents aren’t ingesting them.ĭirt and grass are fine as well, as long as pesticides or fertilizers aren’t used. When providing appropriate living spaces for rabbit residents, there are a number of factors to consider in order to make a safe, comfortable home some indoor living space factors include:įlooring is an important consideration for rabbit living spaces. Indoor Living Space Considerations For Rabbits: Though there are some surprising similarities in their digestive system to horses. Suffice it to say, their needs are a little different from those of your average sanctuary mammal resident. It isn’t only their size that varies, but their colouring, patterns, general temperaments, and, of course, individual personalities. There are many, many different breeds of domesticated rabbits from the Netherland Dwarf Rabbit, weighing as little as 1 pound, to the Flemish Giant, whose average weight is around 15 pounds, though some weigh in around 20. While there are many wild rabbits, they have also been domesticated and, sadly, exploited. Rabbits are smaller mammals from the lagomorph family, alongside hares and picas, with around 30 different species spread across the world. 8.1 Nine Steps To Happy Rabbit Handling:.3.7 Rabbit Living Space Temperature Considerations:.3.5 Caregiver Access To Rabbit Living Spaces:.3.4 Addressing Hardware Disease In Rabbit Living Spaces:.3.2 Honouring Rabbit Resident Digging Desires:.3.1 Predator Safety For Rabbit Living Spaces:.3 Outdoor Living Space Considerations For Rabbits:.2.1 Ventilation For Rabbit Living Spaces:.