Rabbit care guide

Rabbits are gentle, clever and clean, and can learn to use a litter tray. They are also more work than most people expect. A rabbit needs a large space, hours of exercise, the right diet built on hay, and careful handling. It is not a low-effort pet for a small child.

This is a care guide, not veterinary advice. It covers housing, food, routine and safety. It does not diagnose or treat illness. If your pet seems unwell, is hurt or behaves differently, take it to a qualified veterinarian without delay.

At a glance

Lives

Commonly 8 to 12 years

Time each day

1 to 2 hours: feeding, cleaning, exercise and company

Space

A large pen, plus a safe room or run to exercise in for several hours

Cost

Medium: hay, greens, housing, vet visits

Good with children

Better for older, calm children. Rabbits dislike being picked up

Is a rabbit right for you?

What you need before the first day

• A large pen or enclosure with a solid floor
• A hiding box
• Litter tray with paper-based litter and hay
• Heavy food bowl and a water bowl or bottle
• Unlimited grass hay
• Rabbit pellets and fresh greens
• Safe things to chew
• A carrier
• Brush and nail clippers

The right home

A hutch alone is too small. Give the rabbit a pen in which it can take several hops, stand up on its back legs and stretch out fully, and let it run in a safe room or enclosed run every day. Floors should be solid, not wire. Cover or lift electric cables: rabbits chew through them. Keep the home out of direct sun and away from loud noise.

Food and water

Hay is the main food, not carrots. A rabbit should have fresh grass hay available all the time: it keeps the gut working and wears down teeth that never stop growing. Add a handful of washed leafy greens daily and only a small measured amount of pellets. Fruit and carrot are treats in tiny pieces. Fresh water always. Change any food slowly.

Never feed

• Chocolate, sweets, biscuits and bread
• Potato, onion and garlic
• Large amounts of fruit or carrot
• Sudden changes of diet
• Muesli-style mixes, which let the rabbit pick out only the sweet bits

Care routine

Tick off today's jobs. Ticks are kept in this browser and the daily list clears itself each morning.

Every day

• Fresh hay and water
• Greens and measured pellets
• Several hours of exercise outside the pen
• Clean the litter tray
• Check that the rabbit is eating and passing droppings as usual

Every week

• Clean the whole pen
• Wash bowls and bottle
• Brush the coat, more often when moulting

Every month

• Check nails and trim if your vet has shown you how
• Weigh the rabbit and note it
• Look at the front teeth for even length

Handling and behaviour

Rabbits are prey animals and feel safest with their feet on the ground. Sit on the floor and let the rabbit approach. If you must lift it, slide one hand under the chest and support the hindquarters with the other, holding it close to your body. Never lift a rabbit by its ears. A struggling rabbit can injure its own back, so children should stroke, not carry. Rabbits are social: ask your vet about neutering and about keeping a pair.

When to see a vet

Do not wait and watch if you notice any of these. Go to a qualified vet:

• Not eating, or no droppings, for half a day: with rabbits this is urgent
• A wet or dirty bottom
• Drooling, or dropping food from the mouth
• Tilting the head or losing balance
• Breathing fast or with effort

Find a vet before you need one, and keep the phone number where everyone at home can see it. Follow the vaccination and parasite-control schedule your vet gives you.

In India: climate and rules

Rabbits cope badly with heat. In summer keep the pen in the coolest room, with a fan moving air nearby but not blowing straight on the rabbit, a cool tile to lie on, and plenty of water. Never keep a rabbit on a hot terrace or balcony. Buy fresh, dry, green-smelling hay and store it away from damp, most of all in the monsoon.

More guides

Dog, Cat, Guinea pig, Hamster, Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Goldfish, Betta fish, Tropical fish tank. Also: the first week with a new pet, foods pets must never eat, summer care.

Written in November 2026. Life spans and sizes are the ranges commonly given for well-kept pets. Individual animals differ.