Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
What size indoor rabbit enclosure do you need?
At least 3 x 2 m (10 x 6 ft) of floor and 1 m (3 ft) of height for two rabbits, counting the bedroom. PDSA calls this "the absolute minimum" and recommends much more. The Rabbit Welfare Association says house rabbits need at least as much space as outdoor rabbits, and that any pen, crate or part-of-room setup must still reach 3 x 2 x 1 m.
The test is simple: your rabbits should be able to sprint, lie fully stretched out and stand up on their back legs without their ears touching anything, as the RSPCA puts it. They are most active at dawn and dusk, so the space has to be open all the time, not only when you are up. Our guide to rabbit cage size explains where the numbers come from; this page is about getting them inside a house.
Indoor rabbit space: UK and US figures compared
US guidance often gives smaller numbers and makes up the difference with hours of free-roam time. Here is how they line up.
| Source | Indoor home | Extra time out |
|---|---|---|
| RSPCA, PDSA, Rabbit Welfare Association (UK) | 3 x 2 x 1 m (10 x 6 x 3 ft) for a pair, open all day | Supervised time out; regular outdoor access |
| HouseRabbit.org (US) | A 1.2 x 1.2 m (4 x 4 ft) puppy pen as the base | Free-roam time and at least 4 hours of active play a day |
| House Rabbit Society (US) | Cage of at least 60 x 60 x 120 cm (2 x 2 x 4 ft) for one rabbit | Several hours of exercise a day |
| MSPCA-Angell (US) | Pen of 0.75 m² (8 sq ft) | Access to another 2.2 m² (24 sq ft) and 4 hours of exercise a day |
Which we follow: the UK figure. A 1.2 x 1.2 m pen is 1.44 m² (15.5 sq ft), about a quarter of 3 x 2 m, and it only works if the rabbits get hours out of it every day, including the early morning and evening when they are most active. A home that is big enough all the time does not depend on your schedule.
Indoor rabbit setups that reach the minimum
There are four ways to get 3 x 2 m (10 x 6 ft) indoors, and most homes end up with one of these.
| Setup | How it reaches the size | Good for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large pen | Pen panels joined to enclose 3 x 2 m, which takes 10 m (33 ft) of panels around the edge | Living rooms and kitchens; easy to reshape | Low panels: some rabbits jump them; cover the floor first |
| Room corner | Two walls plus pen panels on the open sides | Saving panels and floor space | Skirting boards, sockets and cables along the walls |
| Rabbit room | A whole spare room, utility room or kitchen | The most space; easy-clean floors | Conservatories, which the Rabbit Welfare Association warns get very hot in summer |
| Free roam with a base | A pen or open cage as the base, with the run of the house | Litter-trained adults in a fully rabbit-proofed home | Takes the most proofing; start small and open up slowly |
The Rabbit Welfare Association advises starting free-roam rabbits in a limited area until they are litter trained, especially young ones, then opening up more of the house once they are settled. Our page on rabbit playpens and runs covers pen panels and supervision in more detail.
Are indoor rabbit cages and hutches any good?
Yes, as a bedroom. The RSPCA says a traditional small hutch should never be a rabbit's only home, and HouseRabbit.org puts it plainly: a cage is not a home. What a cage does well is give a familiar, sheltered spot with a solid tray for hay and litter, inside a bigger space.
- A 120 cm (4 ft) indoor cage, one of the biggest common sizes, is about 120 x 60 cm (47 x 24 in): roughly 0.72 m² (7.8 sq ft), or an eighth of the 6 m² (65 sq ft) a pair needs.
- Two-tier cages and indoor hutches add a level, not floor. The RSPCA says platforms to climb on are good, but rabbits run along the ground, and the House Rabbit Society suggests keeping rabbits off top tiers, especially in summer.
- Dog crates are acceptable to the Rabbit Welfare Association only if the bars are covered with mesh so a rabbit cannot trap a leg or head, and only as part of a space that meets 3 x 2 x 1 m.
- "Luxury" indoor rabbit houses styled as furniture follow the same rule. Measure the floor, and use them as the bedroom with the door open.
HouseRabbit.org suggests any cage you use be 3 to 4 times your rabbit's stretched-out length. Our guide to the best rabbit cages and pens has picks we would look at, and you can check any cage's size with our cage checker.
Sizes to plan by number of rabbits
Welfare bodies give the pair figure. For anything else, the rule is that every rabbit keeps its room to run and its own hiding place.
| Rabbits | Indoor space | Hides | Litter trays |
|---|---|---|---|
| One | 3 x 2 x 1 m (10 x 6 x 3 ft); PDSA says rabbits should never be kept alone, so plan for a friend | 2 | 1 or more |
| Two small or medium | 3 x 2 x 1 m (10 x 6 x 3 ft) minimum, more if you can | 3 | 2, as in the Rabbit Welfare Association's sample setup |
| Two large or giant | Much more than 3 x 2 m; usually a rabbit room | 3, sized to fit | 2 large |
| Three or more | More than the pair minimum, so each can still run | One per rabbit, plus one | At least two, more as the space grows |
Hide numbers follow the RSPCA's one per rabbit plus one. If you are planning for a big breed, our guide to giant rabbit breeds covers how much more room they need.
Indoor rabbit enclosure flooring
A solid, non-slip floor matters more indoors than almost anything else. The RSPCA warns that polished laminate, wooden floors and tiles are slippery and stressful, and that wire or barred floors harm rabbits' feet. The House Rabbit Society says wire-bottom cages can ulcerate a rabbit's feet.
- Lay non-slip or textured lino or vinyl under the whole pen to protect your floor
- Cover it with a vet bed, fleece or blanket for grip and comfort
- Use carpet tiles or washable mats on tiled areas, if your rabbits do not chew them
- Put a lino offcut or blanket over carpet: the Rabbit Welfare Association warns some carpets can burn feet
- Cover any wire cage floor with wood or corrugated cardboard, as the House Rabbit Society suggests
Setting up the litter corner
Rabbits pick a toilet corner, so give them a big tray there with hay beside or in it. The Rabbit Welfare Association advises starting with the tray in a small area and only opening up more space once your rabbit reliably uses it.
- Choose a big tray. Big enough for your rabbit to sit in fully with room to turn. Our page on rabbit litter trays covers sizes.
- Fill it safely. Non-clumping litter such as paper or wood pellets, or newspaper topped with hay. The Rabbit Welfare Association says to avoid clay-based and pine litters.
- Put hay at one end. Rabbits eat and toilet at the same time, so hay beside the tray is the best training tool there is.
- Clean it daily. Tip and refresh it every day, and check what is in it: a sudden drop in droppings is an early sign of gut trouble. Do not bleach the tray, because the smell helps them find it.
- Neuter for good habits. The Rabbit Welfare Association advises neutering both sexes, ideally by about 6 months, which also helps litter habits.
Our full guide to litter training a rabbit takes you through it week by week.
Cable safety and rabbit-proofing
Rabbits chew anything at mouth height, and cables are the biggest indoor danger. The Rabbit Welfare Association warns that rabbits can squeeze into the smallest of spaces, so check from rabbit level.
- Run every cable through cable protector or split hosepipe, or lift it out of reach; HouseRabbit.org suggests clear plastic aquarium or pool tubing
- Treat every houseplant as poisonous and move it out of reach, including from tables your rabbit can jump onto
- Block the gaps under sofas and beds and behind bookcases
- Guard skirting boards and furniture edges with acrylic sheet or untreated wood
- Keep irons, hair straighteners and lit candles away from any room a rabbit is loose in
- Check baby and dog gates: rabbits squeeze through gaps and jump high
- Take care with open windows and the front door
Where to put an indoor rabbit enclosure
In a room people use, kept at 10 to 20°C (50 to 68°F), the range the RSPCA gives as ideal. Living rooms and kitchens suit most rabbits, HouseRabbit.org says, because they get company. Keep the pen away from radiators, fires, draughts and sunny windows, and away from loud TVs and speakers. HouseRabbit.org also suggests a room with good airflow, ideally with one or two windows. Our rabbit temperature guide covers hot days.
Still deciding between inside and the garden? Our page on indoor or outdoor rabbits compares the two, our rabbit cage setup guide has layouts, and our complete rabbit care guide covers diet, health and the rest.
Indoor rabbit cage questions
Can a rabbit live in a cage indoors?
Not full time. The RSPCA says a small hutch should never be a rabbit's only home, and HouseRabbit.org says a cage is not a home. An indoor cage works as a bedroom with its door left open into a pen or rabbit-proofed room of at least 3 x 2 m (10 x 6 ft).
Is a 120 cm indoor rabbit cage big enough?
No, not as a home. A 120 x 60 cm (47 x 24 in) cage gives about 0.72 m² (7.8 sq ft) of floor, around an eighth of the 3 x 2 m (10 x 6 ft) UK charities ask for. It makes a good bedroom inside a pen, with the door open all day and night.
Is a dog crate OK for a rabbit?
Only as part of a bigger space. The Rabbit Welfare Association says dog crates and puppy pens are acceptable if the bars are covered with mesh so a rabbit cannot trap a leg or head, and if the whole area still meets the 3 x 2 x 1 m (10 x 6 x 3 ft) minimum.
Can a single indoor rabbit have a smaller pen?
No. The space minimum is about movement, not numbers: a rabbit needs room to sprint, stretch and stand up whether alone or not. PDSA also says rabbits should never be kept alone, so plan the 3 x 2 m (10 x 6 ft) space for a neutered pair.
Do indoor rabbits need to go outside?
Yes, regularly. PDSA says all rabbits, even those that mainly live indoors, need regular outdoor access for daylight and vitamin D, plus grass to graze and earth to dig. A secure, roofed run on mild days, with shade and a hide, is enough.
What is the best flooring for an indoor rabbit pen?
Non-slip lino or vinyl covered with a vet bed, fleece or rugs. The RSPCA says polished laminate, wood and tiles are slippery and stressful, and the Rabbit Welfare Association warns some carpets can burn feet. Washable mats or carpet tiles suit rabbits that do not chew them.
