How to Take Care of a Rabbit in an Apartment – An Extensive Guide
Rabbits are adorable and fluffy animals. They are great to keep as pets, even in small spaces like an apartment due to their tiny size. Learning how to take care of a rabbit in an apartment is necessary to be the owner of this cuddly mammal.
The bunnies love to burrow and forage. Hence, there is always a risk of your possessions getting bitten and chewed at. These little beings can chew on expensive furniture, carpets, mats, and baseboards. All this can turn the home into a big mess that could cost large sums to repair.
Therefore, you must take full care of your pet and home simultaneously. Go over this blog to learn how to keep a rabbit in an apartment.
Make the Residence Bunny-Proof
Before you even get a pet fluffball, it is important to ensure that the home can accommodate it. Here are a few things to take care of first.
Check Whether Apartments Allow Rabbits
Many flats have a strict pet policy. It is important to contact the landlord and go over the rules before getting a bunny. Don’t assume that if dogs and cats are allowed as pets, the same rule applies to other furry creatures. Make sure there are no specific laws against these animals being kept as pets where you live. This is because hares can chew and damage property to a great extent.
Protect the Carpets
If you have carpeted floors, it is a great idea to protect them immediately. Bunnies love digging since they naturally live underground. They shall also dig into the corners of the carpets if they are exposed.
Use plastic protectors to cover the corners of the carpets. This shall save them from getting dug by the mammal.
If there are carpets in specific areas of the house and you prefer not to use protectors, there is another option available. Block off the carpeted rooms from the animal’s sight to prevent them from accessing those areas. This shall ensure that the rugs and mats stay safe and protected.
You can also use a technique to distract the animal from digging into the flooring. Put some additional hay in its enclosure. This will give it another place to dig and burrow, thereby, satisfying its natural urges.
Cover the Walls
Just like the flooring needs protection, so do the walls. Cover and protect them using baseboard covers.
The furry rodents tend to chew and bite baseboards. This is because they are a suitable height for them to reach. Chewing can cause serious damage to the walls. To prevent this, use baseboard covers as a suitable barrier for the walls. These are easily available at any hardware store.
There is also an alternative approach to covering the walls. Use furniture pieces or large boxes to create a barrier and block off the baseboards. However, use this method only if you cannot find the baseboard covers. This is because implementing this idea throughout the entire house may be impractical.
Another option is to utilize a product like bitter apple spray. This spray can be applied to the walls and furniture around the house. This shall make them taste quite bitter and unpleasant for the bunnies to chew on. Hence, it shall discourage them from nibbling on such surfaces.
Seclude Areas having Wires
The bunnies do not look before chewing. Hence, they can nibble on anything that comes their way. This also includes electrical wiring and circuits. If the animal chews on them, it shall destroy the wiring as well as cut the power supply. Your pet could also get electrocuted during the process. Hence, protecting the mammal from grinding on the wires is essential.
Do this by blocking off the areas that contain wires. Some common places include the area around the television, refrigerator, washing machine, microwave, near the router, etc.
If blocking such places is not feasible, try to hide the wires or raise them from getting within reach of the pet. Use plastic attachment parts to elevate the wires and stick them to the wall. Wall tape can also be used to do so.
Wrap Electrical Wires
If blocking all the wires is not possible, it is best to wrap them. This shall also serve as an additional precaution in ensuring proper housing of a rabbit in an apartment.
Wrap the wires using a metal or plastic coating. This can easily be purchased from any electronic or hardware store.
Remember that the coating shall serve just as a precautionary measure. The animal could still force and cut through the wrapping and eventually the wire. Be careful when letting the bunny out of the house. Make sure it does not nibble on any wiring.
Elevate the Home Plants
Many plants are toxic to these furry babies. Make sure all your plants around the house are elevated to a safe position. This shall ensure that your pet does not reach and nibble on them.
Make a Living Space for the Bunny
To accommodate the bunny rabbit in an apartment, it is important to create a living space for it. Go over the following ideas to help you construct an ideal home for your fur baby.
Choose a Spacious and Peaceful Room
It is normal to let the pet roam around the entire house. However, it is best to allocate a specific place for it where it can sleep, eat, defecate, and play. This will ensure the mammal’s good health and well-being.
Choose a spacious room. Make sure that the area is open and large enough to accommodate a cage or a hare enclosure. This room should be quiet and peaceful. However, it should not be isolated. Keep the pet’s living space near you so that it does not feel alone.
In the case of a compact flat, reorganize the furniture to create additional space.
If there is sufficient available space, you can dedicate an entire room as your pet’s living area. By doing so, you can concentrate your efforts on pet-proofing that specific room rather than the entire house.
Keep the Living Space Cool
Make sure that the pet’s room stays cool and away from direct heat sources. The heat sources can include direct sunlight, heating vents, heaters, etc. These can overheat the room quickly, causing discomfort to the animal.
Use shades, blinds, or curtains to cover any direct sunlight from entering the room. This will ensure that the bunny stays comfortable and relaxed at all times.
Use a Roomy Cage or Closure
It is a good idea to get a cage or a closure for your pet hare. Ensure that the cage is at least 4 times bigger and wider than the size of your pet. This will also leave enough room for when the animal grows and attains its full length.
Do not get a cage that has a wired floor. Such floors are not good for the animal’s feet. Get an enclosure that has a flat and smooth base that is comfortable for the mammal.
One approach is to confine the bunny to their designated housing for most of the day. This shall simplify the task of safeguarding the residence. This also allows for easy supervision while they have their exercise time, enabling you to prevent any unwanted chewing.
Put the animal in their cage at night. This way you can ensure a peaceful sleep knowing that your fur-kid is safe and sound.
Keep Food and Water Accessible
Like any living being, the bunnies also have to be kept well-fed and hydrated. Keep their food and water bowls in their cage so that they can feed on them whenever required.
Make a Proper Litter Area
Having a rabbit as a pet in an apartment requires it to be house-trained. This means that the animal is well aware of where it can go to the bathroom within the home’s premises.
Construct a proper litter area for the pet. It is best to keep it near its usual abode. This way it becomes easier for the animal to use it comfortably.
You can use a large pan or a flat box for this purpose. Spread some crinkled newspaper to allow for a quick and easy clean-up. Make sure that the litter box gets cleaned regularly.
It is important to note that you should never use wood chips or cat litter for these fur mammals. This is because they are very toxic for them.
Ensure Regular Cleaning
Raising a rabbit in an apartment can be a very rewarding task. These animals generally stay clean. However, the place where they live will eventually get dirty and have a nasty odor. This is due to the accumulation of hair, pieces of food, straw particles, etc.
Therefore, it is very important to clean their living space regularly. It is recommended to give a thorough wash with water and soap once every week. Remove the old straw and cardboard every week and replace them with new ones.
You should also wash the places surrounding the cage as well. This is a must especially if you have carpeted floors around. To prevent odors, ensure to thoroughly clean and remove any hair, food, or straw by vacuuming and sweeping the area.
Caring for a Rabbit in an Apartment
Getting a bunny to have as a pet is not enough. The animal becomes your sole responsibility. Hence, taking care of it is your utmost duty. The following steps shall help you take care of your fur baby.
Spay or Neuter the Animal
Getting your pet bunny spayed or neutered is very important. It will help tame it and reduce its aggression and biting habits. It will also help to domesticate it more easily.
Get this procedure done by an experienced vet. The best time to do so is when the animal is three to six months of age.
The procedure will also improve the animal’s quality of life, especially since it will live indoors.
Healthy Diet
Ensuring a well-balanced diet is vital for the bunny’s health. Their diet should comprise hay, organic vegetables, and a small amount of pellets.
Top-quality Hay
Provide unlimited access to high-quality grass hay, such as timothy or orchard grass. Hay aids in digestion keeps their teeth healthy, and prevents gastrointestinal problems.
Fresh vegetables
Offer a mix of fresh vegetables daily. These may include kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce. Try to feed them such vegetables slowly and gradually. This will help to prevent any digestive problems.
Limited pellets
While you can feed commercial pellets to the pet, they should be given in moderation. Avoid pellets with high sugar content and choose high-fiber options.
Fresh Water
Always ensure that the animal has access to fresh, clean drinking water. Use a spill-proof bowl or a water bottle attached to its cage.
Regular Grooming
Grooming your pet is necessary to ensure its healthy and happy life. Trim its nails whenever they get long. This is because their long nails can damage the walls, carpets, cushions, floors, and other pieces of furniture around.
The ideal rule is to trim your bunny’s nails every month. As soon as you notice its nails getting curved, trim them. This shall ensure that the animal feels comfortable and does not harm the property as well.
Give the pet regular baths as well. Use a pet-safe shampoo and properly wash the bunny with warm water. Make sure to completely get it dried using a clean towel to prevent it from getting sick. Doing this regularly will keep your fur animal clean, fresh, and smelling nice.
Brush the pet’s fur daily as well. This will get rid of any loose hair and prevent matting. This is especially necessary for long-haired breeds.
Provide Chewing Toys
The binky mammal might end up chewing your walls, floors, and furniture around the house. It might do this more if it gets bored. To take care of this problem, provide the animal with plentiful toys to chew and nibble on. These toys shall keep it busy for a long time. It will also take care of its nibbling urges.
You can purchase specific chewing toys meant for such pets from the pet store. Using old cardboard boxes as make-shift toys for the animal to play with is also a good idea.
If you have old, non-toxic baby toys lying around, let the animal play with them as well.
Regular Exercise
Despite being small, these animals are highly active creatures. Therefore, they require ample movement to maintain their physical fitness. It is recommended that they get at least 3 hours of exercise daily. Hence, you must let your pet out of its cage every day to allow it to exercise.
Rabbits exercise by doing various motions. These include hopping, running, chewing, biting, fumbling with toys, etc. The animal will itself do this and would generally not require any additional human efforts.
It is important to keep an eye on the pet while it is roaming around the house. This is to ensure that it does not go near any open windows, electrical wires, or your front gate.
Give Your Pet Attention
Bunnies require attention from their owners. Being isolated can make them lonely and depressed.
Therefore, it is crucial to play with your fur baby and spend time with it. This will keep them engaged, happy, social, and connected to you.
Do not pick or carry the animal again and again. They do not like this behavior. Instead, make them sit next to you while you are resting on the bed or couch. This shall help develop a strong connection between the two.
Keep the Bunny Safe
Having other pets such as cats or dogs along with a rabbit is okay. However, it is a must to ensure that the bunny is safe from other animals at all times.
Dogs and cats possess natural hunting instincts. Hence, they may pose a threat to the bunny if proper introductions are not made. It is crucial to ensure that the hare’s living area is completely secure and inaccessible to other pets. When allowing it to roam freely, closely monitor all of the pets to prevent any potential accidents.
Regular Vet Visits
Just like any other pet, rabbits also require regular health checkups. Find a veterinarian who is experienced in the care of these fur mammals. Take the animal to them for regular checkups. This will monitor your pet’s health and address any concerns, if there may be.
FAQs
Is it Okay to Keep a Rabbit in an Apartment?
Yes, it is completely fine to keep a rabbit in an apartment. They make wonderful pets and provide joy and comfort to their owners. They are small, hence, do not require a lot of space as well. They remain mostly quiet and can be litter-trained easily. Make sure to keep them safe and secure at your residence. Ensure good care of them and fulfill their needs.
Can a Rabbit Sleep in Your Room?
Yes, your rabbit may sleep in the same room as you. however, you must ensure to make it bunny-proof. This will ensure the pet’s safety as well as provide it and yourself with a good night’s sleep. Make sure that the bunny does not hop out of the room at night. This can allow it to go to different and rather unsafe places around the house.
The best way is to put the pet cage in the room at night. Make the bunny sleep in its cage and keep it close to you. This will ensure both safety and comfort for the animal.
