Rabbit Care Checklist
for New Pet Rabbit Owners

Here is our rabbit care checklist of all the crucial stuff you’ll need right away in order to take care of your pet rabbit.

We limited this checklist to the essentials so you won't worry that you're forgetting something. Now you can get what you need, and then get on with the fun of owning and caring for your pet rabbits.

Go to Pet Rabbit Care for more information on each of the items below.

Rabbit Checklist #1
A CAGE

Get or make a cage that's the right size for your new pet rabbit, and that is strong enough to protect it from predators. In the USA, we tend to use all-wire cages and provide a resting board for the rabbit's comfort. Rabbit owners in the UK tend to like all-wood hutches.

Follow this link to our Rabbit Cages Info Hub.

Are you handy or adventurous?? 
It is actually very easy to build your own rabbit cage!

Rabbit Care Checklist #2:
Rabbit Food

Get some high-quality commercial rabbit pellets to start with (make sure the bag is fresher than 2.5 months old when you buy it). Feed young bunnies:

• All the pellets they want (free-fed)
• Grass hay every day

See Feeding Rabbits, Pet Safe Plants, and Pet Rabbit Care for lots more information on how to feed as your bunny matures, including adding green forages and veggies to the diet.

(Below: Top quality rabbit food. Learn more about this excellent pelleted rabbit feed here.)

Rabbit Care Checklist #3:
A container for pellets

J-Feeder

A heavy crock, a crock that attaches to the wire, or a J-feeder work great. You can also fashion a feed dish out of tin cans or other materials, if you need to. Whatever you use, work out a way to secure the container to the hutch or cage so the rabbit won’t yank on it, fling feed everywhere, or simply tip it over. Less waste means less $$ spent and less frustration.

Fresh greens and hay cannot be conveniently fed through a j-feeder such as the one pictured. You can attach hay racks to the wire. Fresh greens are easily fed using crocks. 

Rabbit Care Checklist #4:
A water container and fresh water

This will probably be a water crock or a valved water bottle, ideally with a lid that opens from the top.

Other than oxygen, water is probably a rabbit's most crucial need, so ensure a ready supply of clean water every day, 24/7. 

Bunnies Day Out!

Pet tote from Oskar and Friends. Tote measures 15.5”L x 8”W x 12”H.

You want your fluffy friend to enjoy life with you, so now you can take them along in comfort and style in a fashionable tote from Oskar and Friends. THREE beautiful styles and smart color choices!

Totes can accommodate up to a 15 pound rabbit. These high quality carriers are only $65 for all styles and colors, making them very reasonable gifts.

• Adjustable safety tether and zip top mesh for extra security
• Easy to clean
• Constructed of faux leather
• Machine washable bed pad
• Multiple pockets for carrying treats and belongings

Learn more about the many features of the Oskar & Friends pet carriers.

Will your pet rabbit get the run of the house?

If so, then here's a few more points to not forget when you first acquire a pet rabbit.

Rabbit Care Checklist #5:
A litter box and bedding or litter

Rabbits can easily be litter-box trained. But your typical cat litter isn’t the best for rabbits. Better to use a high sided litter box with pine shavings--your rabbits will probably kick up their heels when leaving the litter box, and the high-sides help keep the shavings from scattering hither to yon while they hop away.

See Rabbit Bedding for more info about rabbit litters/beddings. 

Rabbit Care Checklist #6:
Electrical cord protection

Hide the cords, or protect them...

Your bunny may see an electrical cord and think, "Yum, hay!" Electrical cords are amazingly inviting to your wonderful bunny. There's a reason for this: Chewing is a built in drive. All the teeth in its mouth grow continually throughout its life; it is part of a rabbit's make-up to chew stuff. You sure don't want to char-broil the little guy, compliments of your electricity provider.

But this is a critical consideration only if you plan on giving your rabbit the run of the house. 

In addition to hiding the electrical cords, think about providing excellent, rabbit-safe alternative chewing opportunities that might keep your bunny well distracted from those enticing electrical cords! See Raising Rabbits Chew Stix....

Checklist #7: Toys

Rabbit toys, especially safely chewable ones, should probably be considered an essential item for purposes of this rabbit care checklist. This is because chewing and gnawing is so important for a rabbit's dental health. 

See Pet Rabbit Care for practical details about rabbit toys. There are many ways to make your own rabbit toys.

More info on toys for rabbits here.

Chew Stix by Raising-Rabbits
Just the sticks your bunnies need for chewing and gnawing!

Fruit-infused Raising Rabbits Chew Stix are nature's blessings from the beautiful Washington State forests and orchards.

Fresh alder branches are harvested from trees grown without chemicals, pesticides, or smog. Those branches are then hand cut down to bunny size portions, and infused with apple from Washington’s famous apple farms.

Alder is perfect for rabbit dental hygiene! The apple taste and smell will attract your bun, and they can chew to their heart's content, saving your phone cords and your sanity. 

Check out Raising Rabbits Chew Stix Here

Checklist #8:
Freedom from Stress

If you can keep your pet rabbits stress-free in addition to meeting their physical needs, they will be truly content.

For more on anxiety vs. pain the way a rabbit sees it, see Rabbit Facts.

Have fun with your wonderful long-eared pet!