Rabbit Care: Complete Beginner's Guide for UK Owners

Rabbits are the UK's third most popular pet after dogs and cats, with an estimated 1.1 million pet rabbits across the country. But here's the uncomfortable truth - a lot of those rabbits are living in homes that are too small, eating the wrong food, and seeing the vet far less often than they should.

This guide covers what you actually need to know before bringing rabbits home. Housing, diet, health, enrichment, and the products that make caring for them easier. All from a veterinary perspective, with UK-specific advice on where to buy supplies and what to expect from your vet.

Rabbit Housing - What Size, Indoor vs Outdoor

The single biggest mistake new UK rabbit owners make is buying a hutch that's too small. The Rabbit Welfare Association (RWAF) recommends a minimum of 3 metres by 2 metres of living space for a pair of rabbits - that's 6 square metres, or about the size of a small shed.

For indoor rabbits, a large cage like the Ferplast Bonnie Large 2-Storey Cage gives you 128cm x 64cm of floor space with an upper level, and works well as a home base. Your rabbits also need several hours of free-roam time in a rabbit-proofed room every day. The Bunny Cage Indoor Hutch with Casters is another solid option with a pull-out tray that makes cleaning much easier.

If you're keeping rabbits outdoors - which is still very common in the UK - the hutch needs to be weatherproof, raised off the ground, and connected to a secure run. The indoor hutch with skylight design can work for covered outdoor spaces too, but most UK owners find indoor housing easier for bonding, health monitoring, and temperature control.

Key housing rules: Wire floors are not acceptable - they damage rabbit feet. Solid floors with soft bedding are essential. And rabbits need a dark, quiet sleeping area within the enclosure where they can retreat when they feel scared.

What to Feed Pet Rabbits - Hay, Pellets and Veg

A rabbit's digestive system is designed for a high-fibre, low-nutrient diet. In the wild they graze on grass for most of the day, so domestic rabbits need an unlimited supply of good-quality hay. Timothy hay is ideal because it has the right calcium-to-phosphorus ratio and plenty of long-strand fibre for dental health.

Bunny Bistro Premium Super Soft Timothy Hay is UK-grown, dust-extracted, and consistently well-reviewed. A 1kg bag lasts a single rabbit roughly 2-3 weeks, but many owners buy in bulk. The Hay Shed Natural Timothy Hay and Little Hay Co Classic Timothy Blend are both excellent alternatives available on Amazon UK.

Alongside unlimited hay, rabbits need a measured portion of high-fibre nuggets (not muesli-style mixes, which encourage selective feeding and cause obesity). Burgess Excel Adult Rabbit Nuggets with Mint are the most recommended nugget by UK vets. An adult rabbit gets about 25g per kilo of body weight per day - roughly an egg-cup full for a medium-sized rabbit.

Fresh vegetables should make up about 10-15% of the diet. Dark leafy greens like kale, spring greens, and parsley are good choices. Carrot is high in sugar and should be a treat, not a staple. Introduce new veg one at a time to watch for digestive upset.

Bunny Bistro Premium Flower Mix makes a great occasional forage treat - scatter it in their hay to encourage natural foraging behaviour.

Enrichment - Toys, Exercise and Company

Rabbits are intelligent, active animals. A rabbit sitting in a hutch all day with nothing to do is a depressed rabbit. They need mental stimulation, physical exercise, and - most importantly - the company of their own kind.

Companionship: Rabbits should never be kept alone. A bonded pair (ideally a neutered male and neutered female) is the minimum. Lone rabbits can develop behavioural problems and stress-related illness. The RSPCA and RWAF both emphasise this as a welfare requirement, not a suggestion.

Toys: Rabbits need things to chew, toss, and explore. Wooden chew toys help wear down their constantly growing teeth and prevent dental problems. The Ousiya 21-Pack Rabbit Toys Set includes apple wood sticks, timothy hay sticks, chew balls, and treat-dispensing toys - enough variety to rotate and keep things interesting. The ERKOON 10 Types Natural Chew Toys set is another good option with a wider range of textures.

Exercise: Rabbits need at least 3-4 hours of free-roam time daily. A rabbit-proofed room with hiding spots, tunnels, and things to climb on lets them exhibit natural behaviours like binkying (jumping in the air), running, and exploring. If you don't have space for a dedicated rabbit room, a large exercise pen attached to their cage can work.

Rabbit Health - Vaccinations, Neutering and Vet Care

Rabbits are prey animals, which means they hide illness until they're seriously unwell. Regular health checks are the only way to catch problems early. As a vet, I recommend checking your rabbit's appetite, droppings, and behaviour every single day - changes in any of these are the first sign something is wrong.

Vaccinations: UK rabbits need annual vaccinations against myxomatosis and RHD (Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease) types 1 and 2. These are combined into a single annual jab called the RVHD vaccine. Cost is roughly £50-70 per year per rabbit. It's not optional - these diseases are almost always fatal.

Neutering: Female rabbits should be spayed at 4-6 months old. Unspayed does have an 80% risk of developing uterine cancer by age 4. Male rabbits should be neutered at around 3-4 months to prevent fighting, spraying, and unwanted litters. Neutering costs roughly £80-150 depending on your vet and the rabbit's sex.

Common health issues: Dental problems (overgrown molars), flystrike (especially in outdoor rabbits during summer), gut stasis (often caused by stress or poor diet), and respiratory infections are the most common problems I see in practice. A good diet of mostly hay prevents most dental issues, and keeping rabbits indoors or with fly-proof mesh reduces flystrike risk.

Litter Training Your Rabbit

One of the best things about rabbits as pets is that they can be reliably litter trained - cleaner than you'd expect, and much easier to manage than free-roaming hamsters or guinea pigs.

Rabbits naturally want to toilet in one or two specific spots. Put a corner litter tray where they already choose to go, and they'll use it consistently. Baffect Rabbit Litter Box is designed for corners and comes with a removable grid that separates urine from bedding. The Large Rabbit Litter Box with Drawer is even easier to clean - the drawer slides out so you don't have to scoop.

Use paper-based litter or wood pellets - never clumping cat litter, which is dangerous if eaten. Put a layer of hay on top of the litter to encourage your rabbit to sit in the tray while they eat (rabbits often toilet and eat at the same time).

What It Costs to Own Rabbits in the UK

Here's a realistic budget for your first year with two rabbits:

Ongoing yearly costs after the first year are roughly £700-1,000 for two rabbits. This doesn't include emergency vet visits, which can easily cost £200-500 depending on the issue. Rabbit-savvy pet insurance costs around £10-15 per month per rabbit and is worth considering.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rabbit Care

Final Verdict

Rabbits make excellent pets for UK owners who have the space, time, and budget to meet their needs. They're more demanding than most people expect - they need as much space as a medium-sized dog, a specialised diet, annual vet care, and the company of another rabbit.

But for owners who get it right, rabbits are rewarding, characterful, and surprisingly interactive pets. They learn their names, they greet you at the cage door, and a bonded pair doing zoomies and binkies around a living room is one of the most entertaining things you'll watch.

Start with the right setup: a large cage like the Ferplast Bonnie Large, unlimited Bunny Bistro Timothy Hay, Burgess Excel nuggets, and a corner litter box. Find a rabbit-savvy vet before you bring your rabbits home. And adopt from a rescue if you can - there are thousands of rabbits in UK rescues waiting for a good home.

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Last reviewed: July 28, 2026 · Evidence-based content · Contains affiliate links