Yes – yes, you should. Covering your rabbit’s cage should happen at night when Mr. or Mrs. Bunnies is asleep. The main reason why covering is essential is security – predator animals will not get a chance to see the rabbit. As good practice, ensure that the cage is covered only when the bunny is not aware. If the rabbit is awake when the covering is happening, he may panic and start suffocating. The best material for this kind of cover is a plastic igloo, and you can get it at any pet store.
Reasons For And Against Covering The Rabbit’s Cage At Night
In this section, we will explore the need to cover the rabbit’s hutch. We will also look at the reasons given by people who are not for the idea of covering the rabbit’s cage. At the end of the section, you will have the pros and cons in your hands, and you will be able to make your decision with ease.
Reasons For #1 – To Ensure That They Feel Safe
If your bun is skittish or nervous, it will make sense if you wanted to make them feel safe and better. One of the many ways of bettering his environment is by making them feel cozy inside the hutch.
Rabbits are crepuscular; that is, their activeness kicks in at dawn and dusk, and they are asleep most times when the sun is up. Rabbits do not go to sleep at night more than they do during the day. In short, when you cover the cage at night, the rabbit will not care. It is only you that will feel safe on their behalf.
You can ensure that there is a place for them to hide whenever they want, such as a pretty dark place. If you can, go for a cheap, cheerful, and chewable cardboard box. If you don’t have one, the local supermarket will come to your rescue.
Reasons For #2 – To Ensure That They Remain Warm
Actually, rabbits do not like warmth that much. More often than not, rabbits are warm enough sitting with their fur coats only. If you are worried about your rabbit being cold, get a box and fill it with hay. This can be an adequate space for your bunny to snuggle whenever they desire or whenever it gets too cold.
Some rabbits will appreciate if you cover them with blankets, and others, well, will pee on the material rather than nest in them. The best method of ensuring that the bunnies remain warm is by having other bunnies around. They will help each other to keep warm if they want.
Reasons For #3 – To Recreate Its Natural Habitat
When you cover your rabbit’s hutch with a blanket, you will make your bunny feel like they are out in the wild. Remember that wild rabbits usually burrow into the earth to rest and hide away from predators.
Reasons For #4 – To Implement Someone Else’s Opinions
Covering a rabbit cage with whatever material is a standard piece of advice shared between rabbit owners. The advice harks back to the times when pet parents kept their bunnies outside. Because of the uncertainties and dangers of the outside, people saw the need to protect their pets from predators and elements of the night.
And now, let us look at the reasons against this idea.
Reasons Against #1 – To Stop The Rabbit From Getting Mad
There is a tendency among rabbits to assume that everything within their line of sight belongs to them. So, they don’t get it when you get mad and complain about the corner of your sofa that they chewed.
Basing the discussion on safety, your rabbit will not be impressed when they see a blanket compromising their territory. When you cover the hutch, they won’t be able to see approaching predators or any other animal that tries to disturb their peace. When they have a blocked view, they may not be the happiest pets around.
Reasons Against #2 – To Prevent Their Respiratory System From Getting Compromised
Seriously speaking, a blanketing over the cover will limit the circulation of air. This gets worse if the cage that your rabbit is staying in is small. So, avoid the blanketing as it will put their delicate circulation and respiratory systems at risk.
Rabbits, Likes, Needs, And Their Cages
We have already sealed, signed, and closed the discussion about blanketing the rabbit cages. The tone changes in this section as we will look at the ins and outs of rabbit cages. While rabbits are out in the wild, they live and enjoy being in burrows. When domesticated and therefore petted, they are very comfortable being in cages. As a bunny owner, you need to know the exact shape and form that the enclosure will take. We recommend that you grasp all that you can from this section and apply it to better your pet’s life.
The first take-home thing is this – the cage needs to be big enough to be habituated. Also, it should be robust, and its floor should be solid. The inside should have the following essential items – litter boxes, food bowls, water bottles, and unique bedding. As a bonus, you can include a couple of chew toys. To take care of the rabbit’s dental health, you should add a lot of hay, which will keep the rabbit very busy. Now, let us take down each requirement and say everything you need to know.
How Should It Be In Terms Of Size?
The most obvious thing is that the cage should fit your pet rabbit and allow him room to roam around. They should be able to turn around, stretch out, and stand up. The rule that is commonly applied when building rabbit hutches is that they should be six by 2 feet, that is, at least 12 square feet. This Size shouldn’t shrink because your bunny is a baby; remember that they will get more prominent and active.
How Should It Be Made?
The solid floor of your rabbit’s cage should be wired on the sides and around the top. Before the new cages surfaced, the old ones were made solely using wire. As time and seasons moved, it was discovered that wired flooring was uncomfortable and may make the rabbit’s feet to be sore. If you don’t have a piece of wood to add to the cage’s bottom, you can add a sisal mat; they are made using grass, and so, they will be safe for the rabbit. You can get the mats from online pet sites or pet stores.
The edges of the cage should have some plastic padding to ensure that the rabbit does not cut himself. And finally, the cage’s door should open and close freely. It should be an enclosure big enough for the rabbit to get out and get in. If you can, add a ramp to the bunny to make it easy for him to move in and out.
What Should Be Put At The Bottom (The Bedding)?
Whichever item or material you choose, you need to ensure that the bedding is clean and dry. Here is a tabulated list of the different bedding kinds you can use for your rabbit’s cage.
| Material | Comment |
| Newspapers | If you’re looking for a temporary bedding option, newspapers are great. The only caveat to using newspapers is that the rabbit may chew on it and cause the newspaper’s ink to get to them. It is a good absorbent that won’t mind holding the rabbit’s pee and drying it off. |
| Wood pellets | These are new fillers for cat litter boxes. Apart from causing a lot of dust, wood pellets can break down. Although they are listed here, I wouldn’t advise you to use them as bedding for your bunny cages. |
| Paper pulp bedding | This is a relatively new kind of bedding. Apart from smelling nice, it is an excellent absorbent. As it is made of paper, it is very safe for your bunny. |
| Straw | Being the most traditional and aged bedding, it works excellently for rabbits. The one thing you need to do is ensure that it remains safe by changing it every week that passes. As it is not very absorbent, expect it to make the bunny’s cage smell a little pungently. |
| Sawdust | Although many pet parents have taken this up as their favorite bedding type, studies have shown that sawdust can be problematic. It can cause respiratory problems for a rabbit. Since pet stores will try selling you sawdust, try hard not to purchase it. |
| Hay | This is one superb option for the bedding of your bunny’s cage. Apart from being absorbant, your bunny can nibble on it whenever they feel bored. On top of that, it can offer good insulation for the rabbit. If you choose hay, ensure that it is in good numbers since it is also food for the animal. |
The Type Of Food Dish To Get
The material that the food bowl should be made should either be ceramic or plastic. If you choose plastic, be ready to see the rabbit chewing on it. If you choose ceramic, you will see your bunny tossing it around because they just like doing so. You can have the food bowl hooked onto one of the cage’s sides. Whichever bowl you go for should make it very easy for the rabbit to feed.
The Type Of Water Bottle To Get
Hydration is essential for your rabbit. That is why the water bottle is vital – to ensure that he drinks water whenever he feels like it. Many water bottles come with a metal spout having a ball that lets water drip for your bunny. As you make your water bottle choice, ensure that you pick an item that does not drip nor leak water.
While other pet owners may go for water bottles, others prefer to buy water bowls for their pet bunnies. The choice is yours to make.
Should There Be A Litter Box In The Cage?
One of the ways of keeping the cage clean is by using litter boxes. Choose between wood, straw, and paper-based litter – these are the safest options for your pet rabbit.
The other thing you should work on is training the rabbit on how to use the litter box. Here are some of the steps that you can follow:
1. First, put some little litter (the material) into the box.
2. Then, choose hay that has excellent taste, such as timothy hay.
3. Scatter this hay on top of the litter box.
4. Make a bold move and put some of the urine-soaked hay and the bunny’s poop into the box.
5. Then, put the box in a spot where your rabbit loves to hang around. This should be one of the corners inside the cage.
6. If the rabbit poops outside the little box, make another bold move and put the rabbit together with his poop into the box. This will reinforce the idea that the litter box is the new place for the rabbit to make a doodie.
7. Do not rush into cleaning the box first. The rabbit needs to get a full impression that the little box is his new place of ‘release’ and ‘relief.’ If you empty the poop, it won’t be easy for the bunny to process the education.
8. Then again, be very patient and tolerant. It might take even more time than you expect for him to master the use of the litter box. If he is in the box and happens to poop there, pet him so that the actions are reinforced.
Where To Put The Hay Of My Bunny
As you may already know, a rabbit’s staple food is hay. With each day that passes, your bunny should eat hay that measures the same as his weight, which translates to a lot of hay. Apart from providing fiber for the rabbit’s gut, hay always helps to trim the rabbits’ teeth. If you didn’t know, the teeth of rabbits grow throughout their lives, and so eating hay is essential. It saves them from having too-long teeth that may make eating difficult or closing their mouths cumbersome.
I’m Christopher Benjamin, a dedicated Animal Nutritionist at Ethos Veterinary Health with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Michigan State University. My lifelong passion for animals led me to establish AnimalsData.Com. Here, I share expert advice, educational resources, and inspiring stories to empower fellow pet lovers worldwide. Join our community as we celebrate the beauty and diversity of our beloved animal companions!
