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Even if your rabbit is allowed the freedom of the house a cage is necessary as a nesting and comfort area. If your rabbit spends a great deal of time in the cage it should be as large as you can afford. A solid floor is best as wire floors can cause discomfort and injury to your rabbit. If you have a wire floor, cover it with something solid like a thin piece of wood or a grass mat. A side opening for the rabbit to go in and out of the cage is best.
If you are handy and have the time and tools, you can build a cage to your own specifications.
If you use wood shavings for bedding choose a hardwood such as aspen. Aromatic wood shavings are inhaled and can cause liver problems. Straw or hay are probably the better bedding choices.
When keeping a rabbit outdoors in a hutch, be aware of safety factors. Predators can hurt your rabbit even through the hutch wire. It’s important for your rabbit to have an enclosed area or one side of the hutch covered, a shady place, to go into to feel safe and escape from inclement weather. You might want to keep the hutch in a protected place like a shed so that predators like dogs, cats, snakes or other wild animals can’t reach your rabbit. The outdoor hutch should not rest directly on the ground.
Whether an indoor cage or an outdoor hutch, the size should be large enough for your rabbit to hop around in and stretch out, at least 4x the rabbit’s size. You’ll need enough room for food dishes, a water bottle attached to the side of the hutch/cage and a litter box.
Wherever you place the cage, be sure there is enough air circulation.
If you like to let your indoor rabbit out sometimes, it’s best to have a fenced area where your rabbit can’t dig its way out. Be sure to keep the grassy area free of chemicals and plants that may be poisonous to your rabbit. And again, keep an eye out for predators. Try not to leave your rabbit unattended for too long.
Your rabbit needs your company as much as you enjoy his; they do get lonely. It’s always best to keep them indoors with you to enjoy the pleasure of owning a rabbit.
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