How to keep a happy bunny

This week, we wanted to share our top tips for making sure your pet rabbit is as happy as can be. Far from being an “easy option” as a pet, rabbits are active, sociable creatures with complex needs – here are just some of the ways in which you can care for your rabbit’s wellbeing.

• The best way you can keep your bunny happy is to give them a lifelong friend – another rabbit! A neutered boy and spayed girl rabbit are the best choice (the neutered part is crucial – even if you have 2 boys or 2 girls, they’ll both be much more relaxed and healthier if they have both been neutered). Rabbits are naturally very sociable and even all the attention and love you can give won’t fill the bunny shaped hole in their life. It’s also extra lovely for you to see them interact with each other, especially if you end up with a pair who enjoy a good snuggle.
• Make sure your bunny has plenty of toys to keep him active and entertained. Specialist rabbit toys are great, but there’s no need to splash out as your rabbit will enjoy the homemade variety just as much. A few loo roll tubes and scrap paper to shred will go down a treat!
• Rabbits love to have something to jump on and off, like a small box or stool. It also gives them a good vantage point, to survey their surroundings!
• A spacious living area and a large run are a must. It’s really sad to see these lively, sociable creatures forgotten in cramped hutches. Sounds odd, but you should be able to look at where your bunny lives and think, “Yes, that would do for me if I was her size! Plenty of space to run around and enjoy myself.”
• There’s nothing your bunny will like more than a good dig – make a homemade digging paradise by filling a tray with sand or soil. Plenty of straw will also mean your rabbit can burrow, and hiding some treats will give him a fun surprise.
• Some rabbits love to throw things about (don’t we all, sometimes?), so lightweight objects they can grip onto are perfect for this.
• Mischievous bunnies love to knock things over! A set of toy bowling pins they can wobble is perfect.
• Last but by no means least, keep your bunny happy by feeding them the diet they need, which means….hay, hay, hay…. And more hay! And plenty of fresh water! Seriously, 80-90% of your bunny’s diet should be made up of fresh hay. You can also feed them small amounts of vegetables, fruits and treats, but they don’t need much – chat to your vet about your rabbit’s diet if you are unsure.