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Housing and Bunny-Proofing

    As part of House Rabbit Society, we believe that rabbits do not belong in outside hutches separated from the rest of the family. They belong inside just like cats and dogs. Rabbits are highly socialized creatures and crave attention from their people. Rabbits can be house-trained to use a litter box just like cats do.

    Rabbits are intelligent pets and will show you as much affection as you give them. Housing them outside shuts down their personality development and opens them up to a wide array of potential dangers. Rabbits have a normal temperature of 100-102 degrees. Extreme cold leaves them vulnerable to frostbite and death, while temperatures as low as 80 can leave them panting for some cool relief. A rabbit who is breathing with an open mouth is in extreme danger of heatstroke. Frozen water bottles are not going to provide them with the relief they can get by simply housing them inside where it's cooler.

    Bunnies kept in hutches are vulnerable to attacks from predatory animals. Their feet can be bitten through their wire bottom cages. Raccoons and other predators have been known to attack this way. Flies can also bite them nonstop outside and lay eggs in their open wounds (flystrike) and botfly larvae can burrow into their skin. Fleas, ticks, mites and mosquitoes can cause even more problems for outdoor rabbits. Being housed inside reduces or eliminates these risks.

   We recommend that rabbits reside in cages or pens inside your house. Ideally, they will be in an area that is frequented by their family, so they can be included in activities and properly socialized. Housing them in your bedroom isn't necessarily ideal as they can make quite a bit of noise at night, even thought they are NOT nocturnal. The following items are some great ideas for rabbit housing, accessories and bunny-proofing. Click the links below to read more.

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Smidgeon's ears were irreparably damaged by frostbite from living outside in a hutch as a baby. It was only November.

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An example of bad housing. Hutches keep in odors from urine and keep the rabbit separate from their family. The grids tear up their feet leading to sore hocks and there is no protection from flies or animals.

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Learn about what types of cages and pens we recommend for bunnies of all sizes and why.

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Learn more about creating a different type of pen or cage for your rabbit and where to find materials.

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Learn about rabbit-safe litter Plus, learn what bowls, treats, and toys are safe for rabbits to have.

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Learn about protecting your rabbit from common household dangers plus how to protect your stuff.

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