Rabbit cage setup: layouts and ideas that work

What goes inside a bunny cage or enclosure?

Every rabbit home needs the same handful of things, whether it is a pen in the living room or a shed and run in the garden. The RSPCA and PDSA both advise keeping sleeping, eating and toilet areas separate, which keeps the home cleaner and the rabbits calmer.

• A hide for every rabbit, plus one spare, and one big enough for them all to share
• A large litter tray (a cat tray or a low under-bed storage box)
• A hay rack or a pile of hay right next to the tray
• A heavy, tip-proof water bowl per rabbit (a bottle as a backup if you like)
• A food bowl for nuggets and greens
• Soft bedding in the sleeping area
• A dig box of soil, shredded paper or hay
• Tunnels, cardboard boxes and a low platform to jump on
• Chew toys of untreated wood, willow or cardboard
• Grippy flooring: rugs, mats or blankets over a washable base

The Scottish Government guidance asks for each hide to have two entrances, so a nervous rabbit is never cornered. HouseRabbit.org recommends bowls over bottles because rabbits drink more from them. Our rabbit hides and houses picks and rabbit toy picks are from other shops we'd look at.

How big should an indoor rabbit enclosure be?

For two medium rabbits, at least 3 x 2 x 1 m (10 x 6 x 3 ft), all of it open all the time. That is the RSPCA, PDSA and Rabbit Welfare Association minimum, and it applies indoors as much as out. Giant breeds need more. Our rabbit cage size guide has every measurement, including giants.

Indoor rabbit enclosure layouts that work

There are four layouts we see work well. Pick by the space you have.

The pen layout

Put the litter tray in one corner with hay right beside it, because rabbits like to eat and toilet at the same time. Put the hides in the opposite corner, away from the toilet. Place water and food between the two, and leave the middle open so they can run and binky. A dig box and a tunnel along one long side give them something to do.

The cage-plus-pen layout

If you have a large indoor cage, open the door, clip a pen to the front and treat the cage as the bedroom. HouseRabbit.org's rule is a resting area at least 3 to 4 times the rabbit's stretched-out length, with plenty of room beyond it. The smaller the cage, the more open space they need around it.

How to set up a rabbit enclosure, step by step

1. Choose the spot. A cool, busy room away from radiators, fires, direct sun and draughts. Rabbits like company and routine.
2. Rabbit-proof the area. Lift or cover cables with tubing, move houseplants and chemicals, block gaps behind and under furniture, and guard skirting boards.
3. Lay the floor. A washable base such as vinyl or a big plastic sheet, with rugs, mats or blankets on top for grip. Slippery floors scare rabbits and strain their legs.
4. Build the walls. Clip pen panels together to at least 3 x 2 m (10 x 6 ft) for a pair, with panels at least 90 cm (3 ft) tall.
5. Set the toilet corner. A large tray lined with newspaper, a layer of paper or wood-based litter and hay on top, with more hay in a rack beside it.
6. Add hides and bedding. One hide per rabbit plus one, each with two exits, at the far end from the toilet. Soft hay or straw inside.
7. Add water, food and play. Heavy bowls, a dig box, a tunnel, cardboard boxes and chew toys.
8. Let them settle. The RSPCA suggests keeping new rabbits in their enclosure for at least 48 hours before opening up more of the house.

Are 2 tier indoor rabbit cages any good?

Usually not as a whole home. Rabbits move across the floor, not up and down, so a tall cage with a small footprint still fails the three-hop test in the Scottish Government guidance. Ramps and shelves are great extras, but they don't replace floor space. The House Rabbit Society also advises keeping rabbits off the top tier of cages in summer, since heat rises. If you already own one, use it as the bedroom in the cage-plus-pen layout.

Indoor cage for 2 rabbits: what changes with a pair?

A pair needs the same minimum space as the UK guidance sets out, but double the hides plus one, at least one water bowl each, and enough room that one rabbit can get away from the other. Put two hay piles if one rabbit guards the first. A big shared hide matters too, because bonded rabbits like to sleep together. If you're adding a second rabbit, read our rabbit bonding guide before you set up the shared space.

Bunny house and outdoor setups

Outdoor homes need everything above, plus weather and predator protection. The shelter should have two rooms, a dark bedroom and a living area, be raised off the ground to stay dry, and be joined to a run that is secure on every side, including the top and floor. The Scottish Government guidance asks for an air inlet above ear level and an outlet just under the roof in each room of a covered hutch, and shade from the sun's path through the day. A shed or playhouse with a walk-in run is often the easiest way to hit the size and keep it cool.

DIY rabbit hutch and enclosure ideas

Building your own is often the best way to get a home big enough, because most shop hutches are too small. Here is what to build to, from the UK guidance:

• Shelter at least 180 x 60 x 60 cm (6 x 2 x 2 ft), 75 cm (30 in) tall inside for medium rabbits
• Two rooms: dark bedroom and open living area
• Raised off the ground, with a sloped, waterproof roof
• Vents above ear level and just under the roof
• Run at least 240 x 180 x 90 cm (8 x 6 x 3 ft), joined to the shelter
• Strong mesh on every side, top and floor, or dug in deep
• Doors big enough to clean every corner

We haven't found a charity list of safe timbers and paints, so here is our reasoning: rabbits chew everything, so use untreated wood or pet-safe finishes on any surface they can reach, and keep treated wood on the outside of the mesh. For indoor DIY, cube storage grids and pen panels make easy custom enclosures, as long as nothing has gaps a head can get stuck in.

For bedding and the daily clean, see our rabbit bedding guide, how to litter train a rabbit and the rabbit cage cleaning routine. For ideas to keep them busy, see rabbit enrichment, and for the full picture, our complete rabbit care guide.