How Much Space Does a Rabbit Need?

When it comes to space, rabbits have basic requirements. They need somewhere to sleep and feel secure, and somewhere to exercise. A rabbit hutch and run set up fulfils these needs – and if those spaces are linked with rabbit pipes such as the The Zippi Rabbit Tunnel System, that’s even better, as it simulates the kind of environment a rabbit would enjoy in the wild. Remember – they may be domesticated, but even the cuddliest pet bunnies have their natural instincts intact.

​What Size Rabbit Cage?

There is no clear cut answer to the question “how big is a rabbit cage/hutch/pen?” It depends on the size of breed you have, the number of rabbits, and practical considerations such as the space you have available.

Connecting hutches to runs is a great way to build your own garden rabbit warren

Luckily, rabbits are content to spend a lot of time in what we would consider a confined space. In the wild they do this underground, tucked up snug and tight in a warm burrow. At home, a rabbit hutch or rabbit cage fulfils the same function. In the past, owners tended to keep their pet bunnies in cramped hutches. This is not a healthy option – a rabbit needs space to stretch out and move around a little, even in a hutch.

Some owners opt for a dog play pen rather than a traditional hutch and run set up. This is a great solution, as long as you provide a bolt hole inside the pen. Making sure the bunnies feel safe is the key, rather than giving them endless space.

To reinforce this sense of the hutch/cage/pen being a secure and cosy home, it’s best to buy something that will suit your pets’ needs when they are fully grown.

• One to two medium sized rabbits will need a cage/hutch space of at least 1 square metre (about 12 square feet), combined with a run of at least 2.5 square metres (27 square feet).
• The longest stretch of the hutch or cage should be able to accommodate two rabbits lying down end-to-end, as a bare minimum.
• If using a pen rather than a hutch/cage, provide a space of at least 2.75 square metres (30 square feet), as you will need to accommodate a sleeping space in there too.
• If you can provide more space than this – two runs and a playpen, for example – all the better.
• Link all the different bunny spaces together with rabbit pipes. The Zippi Rabbit Tunnel System is ideal.

The Importance Of Rabbit Runs

Rabbits need to explore and to stretch their legs. If they stay all day in a hutch or cage, their muscles will start to waste away, their health will suffer, and their lives will be shortened. They may develop aggressive tendencies too.

If your bunnies don’t seem too interested in leaving the cage area during the day, don’t take this as a sign that they are not interested in the run. Rabbits are often most active at dawn and dusk, something that mirrors their behaviour in the wild.

A Rabbit Eglu set up

Can I Keep Rabbits Indoors?

A free-ranging house rabbit isn’t to everyone’s taste, but many owners opt for it. As long as your home is a safe space – no electric wires to chew, no cats and dogs on the loose, etc – this arrangement can work perfectly well. The fact that rabbit droppings are dry helps minimise the mess, but you will still need to toilet train them with cat-style litter trays.

Even with a house bunny, though, it is best to have a pen for the times when you can’t be there to supervise him. Rabbits always need a safe space, a bolt hole, and a cosy space inside a pen fulfils that need.