Rabbits like to play and need plenty of exercise to stay healthy and happy. Ideally you want to provide them with up to 4 hours daily of supervised time out of their cage. Rabbits are subject to depression and poor health if they're not provided with daily interaction and mental stimulation.
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.
If you do house your rabbit in a cage or hutch, you must let it out for exercise every day. Even the smallest mammals need to be allowed time outside of their enclosure to run around. It's vital for your rabbit's mental and physical health. Rabbits require at least 3 hours of exercise outside their hutch per day.
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.
A--No, you shouldn`t keep your rabbit in a cage all day. A rabbit is no different from any other animal. For its psychological and physical health, it needs exercise. This doesn`t mean that you let him out to cavort and hop all over.
Generally speaking – No, keeping a rabbit in a cage is not cruel. But it depends on the cage. In fact, it is usually the opposite. It is cruel to leave our pet rabbit outdoors in an open space, unsupervised and at risk of being injured or attacked by predators.
Expect your rabbit to be lonely.
In the wild, it would be with other rabbits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you only have one rabbit, you can give it some companionship, but it will still be lonely at night or when you are away at work. Sometimes a female rabbit will be fine on its own.
Rabbits enjoy being around people and can usually recognise their owners by sight and sound.
It's important to remember that rabbits are prey animals. Prey animals interact with their environment very differently than predators like cats and dogs. In general, rabbits do not like to be picked up.
To make your rabbit feel at home, it is wise to gently introduce sensitive handling and friendly contact for at least an hour a day. They should then begin to feel comfortable with you and their new home.
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.
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.
Your rabbit does not need a cage. However, an untrained rabbit probably should be kept in a home-base of some kind, like an exercise pen (x-pen), a large cage, or some other protected housing, while you're not home to supervise and at night when you sleep.
According to the House Rabbit Society, "one guideline to go by is at least 8 square feet of enclosure space combined with at least at least 24 square feet of exercise space, for 1-2 rabbits, in which the rabbit(s) can run and play at least 5 hours per day." In sum, the cage should be at least five times his size when ...
The most common reason that a rabbit hides in their enclosure is when they feel scared or stressed. Rabbits are small and vulnerable creatures in a scary world. If they don't feel safe in their surrounding environment, they'll choose to hide in their sheltered enclosure to avoid perceived danger.
Rabbits usually wake up with the dawn and stay active until about mid morning. They spend this time eating, grooming, digging, foraging and playing. They may investigate a new toy or digging box, follow you around to see what you are doing, or race around burning off energy.
Rabbits are nocturnal animals, so they sleep most of the time during the day. However, they can doze off at any time during the day if the mood strikes them, as they spend the majority of their time awake at night with sometimes significant activity.
Rabbits usually sleep deeply around noon and during the middle of the night.
You may worry that your rabbit will be lonely. If you spend a lot of time with your rabbit, they will undoubtedly miss you when you're away, the same way you miss them. The two of you have developed a bond and friendship that your pet rabbit also understands.
Pet rabbits can be kept alone if they are given daily attention and socialization from their human companions. It's best if single rabbits are kept as house pets so you can spend ample amounts of time petting and playing with them.