At a minimum, you should spend at least an hour with your rabbit every day. However, 3-5 hours (or even more) are ideal. You do not have to be giving your rabbit undivided attention during this time, but instead, make yourself available to interact with them if they want to.
Just like people, rabbit's are not meant to live alone. Rabbits who never get enough attention and are left in isolation all day will end up becoming lonely and depressed. They'll stop being curious and active, and instead they'll sit around all day with no interest in the world around them.
Give Them Daily Roaming Time
To keep your rabbit happy and healthy, let it out of its cage at least once a day, giving it time to roam. Though at least one hour is necessary, aim closer to three or four. As a rule, never keep your rabbit cooped up for 24 hours at a time.
Because rabbits are social animals, they require daily interaction and attention. They aren't happy languishing in a cage day after day. For several hours daily, they need time outside the cage, to socialize, exercise and explore. To be comfortable with their people, they need frequent, gentle interaction.
The House Rabbit Society recommends at least 8 square feet of housing with at least 24 square feet of exercise space, which the rabbits can access at least five hours per day. And that's the minimum.
Even if you have a pair of rabbits, 24 hours is the maximum time they should be alone. Like all pets, rabbits rely heavily on their owners. Domesticated rabbits lack the survival skills of wild rabbits. Your rabbit has basic needs surrounding food, exercise, and stimulation.
Rabbits need near-constant attention.
Even if your rabbit does not want to cuddle, she will want you to be nearby. If your time is limited, get a second rabbit. The two pets will keep each other company.
Rabbits are a social species and have evolved to live in groups. In the wild, rabbits do not live alone. Rabbits kept as companions are not biologically different from their wild counterparts and so their innate need to be kept in the company of other rabbits is just as strong.
A lonely rabbit may become hyperactive and angry. They may display destructive behaviour such as gnawing at the carpets and other furniture. Lonely rabbits may pull at their fur and overeat.
Even though the cage door is open, these rabbits enjoy lounging in their personal space. Some people enjoy having bunny free-roaming throughout the day. However, they prefer to have the bunny secure in a cage during the night. This can be a wise idea for both the rabbit's sake and yours.
Keep It Brief: Depending on the game, play sessions should probably only last 10 to 20 minutes. Rabbits need to be free to take drink or snack breaks, and their nap schedule can be demanding. Take your cue from your pal. If he or she loses interest or hops away, don't force the game.
If rabbits live in small hutches with nothing to do and no space to move, they get bored. Boredom can cause some serious health problems: Bored rabbits will fill their time by eating. If they eat too much and don't move around they'll put on weight.
The signs of an unhappy rabbit
Pulling at their fur and over-grooming - or not grooming at all. A change in feeding or toilet habits. Drinking a lot more. Repeated circling or pacing up and down.
You can play games, train the bunny to perform tricks, or run mazes. For older or low-energy rabbits, this can be less intensive. You can sit near your rabbit and perform a different activity. If the rabbit grabs your attention or signals for a cuddle, you can accommodate.
Rabbit boredom and loneliness are the most common causes of depression in pet bunnies. Many owners aren't aware of just how much attention and stimulation bunnies require. You may be neglecting your rabbit's needs without even knowing it. Because they are social animals, rabbits need social interaction to be happy.
Nudging, head butting or rubbing against you is rabbit body language for loving attention. 'Give them a stroke or cuddle, or what you know they enjoy', says Rosie. 'Rubbing their faces against you is a way of sharing their scent profile, and showing that you really are friends.
Bunnies are super-soft, and many will love cuddling with you as much as you love cuddling with them. Once a bunny is comfortable in their new home, they may claim you as their own by rubbing their chin on you to mark their territory. They might even groom you with little bunny licks to show you love!
Rabbits shouldn't be kept in small cages
"They should be able to run back and forth, and have separate spaces to sleep, eat, and use the bathroom." Rabbits that are held in small cages often become depressed, and a lack of exercise can lead to health problems such as obesity and muscle weakness.
Rabbits need exercise equipment too; ramps to run on, buckets of hay to jump in and boxes to climb on are great fun. Cardboard tubes, large enough for your rabbit to run through will make great rabbit tunnels. Toys, both chew toys and toss/nudge toys, can be added to this environment.
The HRA guidelines recommend at least 8 square feet in their enclosure. The rabbit will require an additional 24 square feet of space to exercise for a minimum of five hours every day. The hutch should always be tall enough for the rabbit to stand up on their hind legs. These, of course, are minimum guidelines.
Rabbits require safe, gentle handling and a quiet environment. As prey animals, rabbits can be easily startled and stressed by the loud noises and fast, uncoordinated movements that are typical of excited children.
He says that rabbits should be picked up at least once a day so they are used to being handled, and even get used to short trips in the car.
5. They are lonely. Because rabbits are social animals, they will often get depressed if they are left alone for too long. A rabbit who is treated like a cage animal and left alone inside their enclosure day in and day out is very likely to become lonely and depressed.