Are you preparing for a new pet rabbit? If so, then you have come to the right place! Below will tell you everything you will need in preparation.
To prepare for a new pet rabbit, purchase a large cage, hay, fresh food, a litter box, a water bowl, a food bowl, and toys. In addition, rabbit-proof your house by removing items that may harm your rabbit or your rabbit may damage. By accomplishing these tasks, you will be prepared for a rabbit.
This article will dive into a checklist to follow that will ensure you are prepared for your new friend. By completing the tasks below, you will be more than prepared to go and purchase your own pet rabbit.
1. A Large Cage
When preparing for a new rabbit, purchasing a properly sized cage is pivotal for its well-being. Oftentimes, new rabbit owners wildly underestimate how much space their rabbit actually needs. They may assume that as long as it has enough space to sleep and eat, then their cage is large enough. However, this is not the case.
Rabbits need plenty of space within their cage for toys, food, sleeping, their litter box, and to exercise in. Do not purchase a cage that is barely large enough for them to move in. If the rabbit you are purchasing is not fully grown yet, still buy a cage that will be large enough for them when they are fully grown. This will eliminate the cost of having to purchase two separate cages.
Below is a list of rabbit cages that will provide enough space for your rabbit to feel comfortable with its living space.
| Name of the Cage | Size (L” x W” x H”) | Where to Purchase | Amenities | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trixie-2 Story Rabbit Hutch | 53 X 44 X 45 | amazon.com | Has a removable floor and plastic pull-out trays which are waterproof. | See Price on Amazon |
| Kinpaw Large Rabbit Hutch | 63.4 X 22.4 X 36.2 | overstock.com | Has a waterproof roof and six wheels to move the cage. | $172.99 |
| Good Life USA Two Floors Waterproof Bunny Hutch | 62 X 21 X 37 | amazon.com | Comes with a removable tray and fences. | See Price on Amazon |
There are other rabbit cages that you can find that are good as well. These cages can be found at aivituvin.com and overstock.com.
Multilevel cages are another popular option for rabbits and they certainly have a lot of benefits. To learn more about whether a multi-level cage would be right for you, see my article all about using multi-level cages for pet rabbits here.
2. Hay
Hay will be needed in large amounts for your rabbit. Your rabbit will be eating hay as its main source of food, so purchasing it in large amounts may be a good idea.
Timothy Hay is the most common type to feed pet rabbits due to the nutrition it provides. However, your rabbit may appreciate it if you switch the hay you give them occasionally.
There are many health benefits to providing certain varieties of hay to your rabbit. You can find out what these types of hay are, along with information about how to properly store your hay by reading my article all about feeding your rabbit hay here.
Below is a list of the type of hay you can purchase in preparation for your rabbit.
| Name of the Hay | How Much Is Included | Where to Purchase | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaytee Timothy Hay | 96 Ounces | amazon.com | See Price on Amazon |
| Oxbow Orchard Grass Hay | 40 Ounces | chewy.com | See Price on Amazon |
| Oxbow Alfalfa Hay | 15 Ounces – 9lb | petsmart.com | $6.79 – $26.81 |
Most pet stores will have hay for purchase for your rabbit. Remember that hay is essential for your Rabbit’s diet and that they need to have free access to hay at all times to keep them in optimum health.
3. Food Pellets
Although fresh food and unlimited hay should make up a huge portion of your rabbit’s diet, you should still provide pellets for their nutritional value. This is especially important for young rabbits as it provides additional nutrients a growing rabbit needs.
As your rabbit grows, you can begin to dial back the number of pellets you feed your rabbit and rely more heavily on hay. Below are my recommendations for pellets.
| Name of the Pellets | How Much Is Included | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Oxbow Essentials Rabbit Food | 5lbs – 25lbs | See Price on Amazon |
| Sherwood Pet Health Rabbit Food | 4.5lbs – 20lbs | See Price on Amazon |
| Supreme Petfoods Science Selective | 3.3lbs | See Price on Amazon |
4. Fresh Food
Although rabbits primarily eat hay, they do enjoy other foods as well. Fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables are common within the diet of a rabbit.
Fresh vegetables that rabbits typically enjoy are carrots, broccoli, kale, celery, cilantro, bell peppers, and brussels sprouts. Many of these should be used in moderation and not as the main source of food.
Fresh fruit that rabbits typically enjoy are berries, pineapples, apples, kiwis, cherries, and mangos. Fruits provide a different texture for your rabbit to try and will be a nice change for them. But just as vegetables, refrain from giving them too much fruit.
Also, there are fruits and vegetables that can actually do more harm than good for your rabbit. some of these are avocados, iceberg lettuce, onions, and garlic.
5. A Litter Box
Rabbits can be litter trained at any age, so it is important to have a litter box right away. This is because rabbits have to do their business a lot! Which means that they will be spending a lot of their time in the litter box. This is because of their high fiber diet with how much hay that they eat.
Having a litter box in preparation for your rabbit is essential and will allow you to start litter training them as soon as possible. Litter training them will teach them to keep their business to a specific location and keep unwanted messes from happening.
Before all of this though, we need to make sure that you purchase the right litter box for your rabbit. So here is a list below of litter boxes that you can purchase before you get your rabbit.
| Name of the Litter Box | Where to Purchase | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall Pet Products Small Animal High Back Litter Pan | amazon.com | See on Amazon |
| Ware Scatterless Lock-N-Litter Small Animal Litter Pan | amazon.com | See on Amazon |
| Ware Critter Litter Small Animal Training Kit | chewy.com | $5.19 |
Once you select a litter box, you’ll need to set it up properly to ensure it’s comfortable and easily accessible to your rabbit. You’re going to want your rabbit to want to use it! Learn how to set up a rabbit litter box here.
6. Food and Water Bowls
Buying food and water bowls is necessary for your rabbit. To prepare for your rabbit, purchase the two bowls ahead of time so they are ready when your rabbit arrives.
Below is a list of bowls you can purchase for your rabbit as a food or water dish.
| Name of the Bowl | Where to Purchase | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Harmony Wood Double Diner | amazon.com | See Price on Amazon |
| Pet Bunny rabbit Feeding Station | etsy.com | $35 |
| Frisco Colorful Geometric Melamine Bowl | chewy.com | $8.01 |
When you’ve bought these bowls, make sure that they will be difficult to tip over. Your rabbit will occasionally tip over the bowls causing a mess in the feeding area. This will then take time out of your day from doing things that you need to do. So, make sure that there will be little to no risk of the bowls tipping over.
7. A Variety of Toys
Having toys for your rabbit is extremely important. Rabbits absolutely love playtime and need about 3 hours of exercise each day. So, the toys you purchase for your rabbit will provide them with the stimulation they need and will prevent them from boredom, depression, and irritation.
Below is a list of toys that can be purchased that your rabbit is sure to love!
| Name of the Toy | Where to Purchase | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Oxbow Play Post Small Animal Toy | chewy.com | $19.99 |
| All Natural Sampler Pack – Chew Toy Collection for Bunny Rabbits | etsy.com | $37.99+ |
| Rabbit Toys, Guinea Pig Toys, Chinchilla Toy, Mini Shredder | etsy.com | $12.50+ |
Having multiple toys for rabbits is important as well. Your rabbit will chew them to bits, so to save trips to the pet store, remember to buy a collection of toys at a time. Toys don’t have to be super durable, but they shouldn’t be able to be swallowed, to keep the hazard of choking down.
If you want to see my list of the 11 absolute must-have rabbit toys, check out my article 11 Awesome Toys for Your Pet Rabbit—The BEST of the Best.
Don’t Forget to Rabbit-Proof Your House
Making your rabbit an indoor pet is a great idea! Having your rabbit be kept indoors protects it against the weather, predators, and becoming neglected. However, if you do choose to dedicate a room in your house to a rabbit, there are a few changes you may need to make to your house.
The first change to rabbit-proof your house is to ensure all wires are out of reach of your rabbit. If your rabbit gets ahold of any wires, they will be able to easily chew through them, resulting in damaged household items and perhaps, in worst-case scenarios, the death of your rabbit.
If you are unable to remove the wires within reach of your rabbit, cover the wires with flex tubing. This will prevent your rabbit from being able to chew straight through the wires.
The second change you need to make is to make sure your rabbit is enclosed within a space. Unless you want to rabbit-proof your entire house, you will need to make sure your rabbit stays within only one section of the house.
To do so, purchasing a baby gate to block off a room is a great option. This will ensure your rabbit stays within one room. However, if you do not want to dedicate an entire room to your rabbit, then purchasing a large wire playpen is the perfect option.
The third change you need to make to rabbit-proof your house is to add protection to your baseboards. Rabbits commonly chew on baseboards so to protect them, add a hard covering over them.
Review
Rabbits can take a lot of effort especially once you get one. But the more you prepare now the better equipped you will be when it comes to bringing your new friend home.
As long as you, with discretion according to your situation, follow the areas which were talked about, (i.e. getting a hutch, food, toys, etc.) then your rabbit will enjoy its new life and your new pet will be comfortable. You can begin to grow a bond that will persist for years to come.
