We already have an article on rabbit furniture, but beds are important enough to deserve extra attention. There are many options out there and the right one depends on each rabbit and its living arrangements. Whether a rabbit is free range like ours or in an enclosure, a bed plus hidey house will make your bun feel safe, comfortable, and at home. If you have chosen a bed for your rabbit and it’s not met with the expected enthusiasm, try placing it somewhere else after a few days. Sometimes it’s not the new bed that offends, it’s the location. Plush/Fabric Beds: These beds are soft, cuddly, and available in various sizes, shapes, and designs. Most pet stores offer them, if only in the cat/dog isles. They can usually be washed or feature a removable, washable cover. While some rabbits may like them, the very plush beds are generally too soft and bunnies may pee instead of nap on them. We recommend trying the flatter ones first. Towels/Blankets/Rugs: A cheap, washable alternative to beds are 100% cotton towels, rugs, or fleece blankets.
Both can be rearranged with a little bit of digging (you know those humans never lay them out right) and they provide a soft, cuddly spot without creating an unstable plush surface a rabbit can’t properly stand on. Towels can be washed at high temperatures and replaced if necessary without breaking the bank. Ikea’s Signe rugs are washable and 100% cotton as well. Fleece fabric or blankets are great, because they don’t fray and can simply be cut to the desired size – no sewing necessary. Look for anti-pill fleece – it is usually higher quality and will last longer without pilling. Wooden Beds: By now we’ve all seen adorable photos of rabbits sleeping in doll beds. Especially Ikea’s version is very popular among pet owners, but there are many others. If you have an old American Doll or Melissa & Doug bed around the house, it’ll do the trick. Most of these are not soft enough to be mistaken for litter boxes, so that’s a definite plus! Baskets: If your rabbit doesn’t chew or pee on furniture, then a basket may be a great option.
There are willow/wicker, sea grass, or even plastic ones. Some are oval, some have a top, some a little entrance. Either way, it’s a good idea to go with one meant for pets rather than decoration. Pet furniture will most likely be untreated or coated with a water-based finish only (when in doubt, always ask). Try placing a towel or fleece blanket in the basket for extra comfort. They often come with synthetic ones and at least our bunnies don’t like those kinds of cushions. Grass Mats/Beds: Some pet stores have them and we do, too! Grass mats are a popular item, because they are somewhat soft, edible, and many rabbits love them! Not just to sleep on, but to tear apart slowly in between naps. Bunny loved his grass mat until his single days were over. Then we had to throw it out, because Bailey preferred to use it as a toilet… Interestingly, she didn’t do that with the grass bed. It’s been sitting in the living room for months now and doubles as a hay rack. Hammocks: While neither one of our bunnies would ever willingly hop onto a moving surface, some rabbits enjoy the comforts of a hammock.
There are different versions out there, but we like the one that looks like a mini side table with a hammock underneath. That way the rabbit can sit on top of the frame, too! The hammock itself can easily be sewn by hand or purchased from various sellers on etsy. Most hammocks use a simple metal hook on each end to securely fasten it to the frame. The grass mat we have in the shop also comes with 4 strings for this exact purpose, although it would only be big enough for small rabbit breeds. Pee Pads: Our bunnies love to sleep behind the couch, so we placed a washable pee pad on the floor for added protection. Bailey rarely has accidents, but they do occur, so the pads protect the carpet and double as a comfortable sleeping spot. Alternative Ideas: We found several unique rabbit beds on etsy and our favorite is the Ugli Donut by The Hare Apparent. We haven’t tried it yet (!), but it looks comfortable, solves the pee-problem, and seems to meet a rabbit’s needs. Plus, the proceeds go to a rabbit sanctuary!
They also have fun beds for single and/or disabled rabbits and ship to the US as well. Other beds on etsy included an up-cycled jean jacket, various pillows, blankets, and hammocks, as well as the MiniBun, a pet bed for small dogs, cats, or rabbits. If all else fails, there is always the litter box to sleep in or the human’s bed! Where do your rabbits like to sleep?Feel free to share.~ ~ ~ Rabbit Bedding Where does your rabbit lay their head? Wherever they do, then that's their home.It's their sanctum, their castle, their own special place. Rabbits spend a lot of time sleeping, mostly during the day, so they need a sleeping area where they won't be disturbed and where they feel safe, secure, and most importantly, clean, dry and warm! So, that's a lot of things to remember hey?!And they're all as equally important as each other, however indoor rabbits and outdoor rabbits have much different requirements in rabbit bedding.With that in mind, I have sectioned this page for your convenience:
What's the Difference Between Rabbit Bedding & Rabbit Litter?NB - Three Important Points to Note:Look at wild rabbits - they don't urinate or poop in their burrows they soil away from their home to mark territory.Learn more about rabbit litter, which products are safe and not safe and the steps to litter box training your rabbit. Small animals such as guinea-pigs, hamsters and rabbits have long since been given sawdust based bedding products, however evidence now confirms these types of bedding are very dangerous for them, especially rabbits. Here are some of the best options, some of the ones you could just about get away with and some bedding material that are absolute 'no-nos', the ones you should definately avoid: All Cat Litters - learn more about litter House rabbits tend to like sleeping behind sofas or under tables or beds because they like places that closely resemble their outdoor warrens as possible. Low, dark recesses serve as great sleeping areas as they are similar to underground burrows.
Relaxing RabbitsThe rabbit in the picture might be relaxing but when it comes to real sleeping at night, they will probably move to a 'den' type area, that is not exposed. General 'down-time' during the day may be spent in another area, such as a comfy patch on the carpet under a chair and sometimes on your bed! Free Range Indoor RabbitsRabbits that have free-range roaming of your home, much like a cat or dog would, don't need all the fancy bedding materials often given to rabbits in an enclosed area. ideal 'den' to them would be under a small table, between two sofas or chairs or under a low bed somewhere. You can make these areas more comfortable by giving them soft blankets and sheets etc. for scrunching up, sleeping on, digging in toProviding a layer on top of your actual flooring means carpets, rugs and floorboards stay protected too.Free range bunnies are wonderful and I'm a strong believer that all rabbits should be extended the comforts of this
After all, cats and dogs have that luxury, why not our 3rd most popular pet too? However, making your home safe is very important. Learn the importance of bunny proofing here. be amazed at what is involved. For example there are certain types of furniture that can be fatal for your little bunny friend. Indoor Rabbits Cages & HousingRabbit bedding like hay, newspaper and such like is not as crucial if your rabbit has free run of your home. But if your rabbit has a cage or indoor housing area to call their own, then bedding material isRecycled or shredded paper make ideal bedding rabbits in a cage or separate housing area, as it doesn't stick to their fur and trail all around the house when it's exercise time. an area exclusive for them also limits the amount of damage to yourCreating the right sleeping quarters inside their exclusive housing area will keep them happy as they like the feeling of being safe while they are essentially 'cut off' from the rest of the
(My indoor rabbits always slept at night under my bed, right underneath my head. They knew I was there and they took comfort in the security of my presence. Not that I was any type of hero! If something went 'bump' in the night, I would be a pathetic, jibbering wreck, but hey, they didn't know that ;-) Keeping it CleanAs rabbits spend so much time bunny flopping, grooming, relaxing and sleeping, in their one favourite area, most of their moulted hair and fluff will accumulate in this one place. paper will serve a great purpose for a while but it should be changed on a regular basis to limit the chances of fleas, flies, and other beasties making a home in it too. If your rabbit has a tendency to nibble at newspaper you may want to rethink it's presence as the ink from the print can be harmful if consumed in large quantities on a regular basis.Material based bedding is good but will collect a lot of fluff and hair over time so a good hoover round on a
regular basis, plus shaking and washing of blankets etc will prevent fluff drifting all around your house. The perfect sleeping area for outdoor rabbits is a place which approximates a burrow i.e. a roof over their heads and entrance andThey usually like several of these. You can see this from observing wild warrens. When my house rabbits became outdoor rabbits - I gave them the choice - they made a Horizontal Leylandii at the side of the garden, their immediate home. Unfortunately it was right under a holly tree so I had to net all round the bottom branches so the holly leaves didn't fall in to their new house. I also made it extra snug and secure by placing lots of sand bags round the outer edges of the fur canopy, with 4 entrance and exit routes and I lined inside and underneath the canopy with plenty of soft hay. They arranged it how they liked and even when I finished building their additional outdoor shed, at vast expense, they still prefer the natural underground surroundings that the tree roots and fur tree umbrella provide.
Bundles of Rabbit BeddingOver delivering on bedding for outdoor rabbits is a must. Put lots and lots of bedding in their sleeping compartment so they can shape it to make their own nest, just as they would in the wild.Horrible HutchesIf your poor rabbits are in one of those dreadful rabbit hutches, then you may need to re-think your general perspective of rabbits. Old Fashioned ThinkingI've never liked 'hutches' and rabbits don't like them either!Hutches were originally introduced by the Victorians as an easy, short term solution for keeping their rabbits fat before going in to the pot! Fortunately, most of us have moved on in our general understanding of rabbits since then, but the habit of keeping rabbits in hutches, has sadly stuck. Hutches were used to keeprabbits inactive and fat! I haven't found many hutches that are suitable for a rabbit. A large shed is really the minimum requirement, with plenty of shelving, tunnels and cubby-holes. (This is my rabbit's new shed, which took me a week to assemble with my limited DIY skills.
It has a stable door for me to gain access for cleaning and feeding and a small rabbit-sized door entrance which opens directly opposite one of the entrances of their underground tree warren. If it gets very wet or cold they can freely move in to their shed for warmth, food and safe shelter. They love it - but still don't sleep in it over-night. Perhaps the coming winter may change their minds!) or cardboard provide a good base, with these types of housing, while Readigrass and various types of hay provide warmth and an important food love to gnaw and nibble, all the time, so it is vital that you don't give them rabbit bedding that could be toxic if eaten or chewed. require plenty of clean and dry bedding which should be replaced when soiled and changed completely at least once a week. generally dirtier than their indoor counterparts, as they rumage and dig around in the garden most of the time. They also have many more soiling spots than a litter trained indoor rabbit.
dirt, debris and mess tends to get dragged back in to their sleepingThis in turn will attract beasties, the summer months being the most dangerous, with flies laying eggs and increasing the possibility of flystrike, which can be fatal if not dealt with correctly and quickly. Show Rabbit BeddingOwners of rabbits with white paws will want to stay away from straw and newspaper as straw can dye the hocks yellow, while print from newspapers can dye them dark grey.Sawdust is not recommended as rabbit bedding at all. The dust can often get into the eyes and nose of your rabbits and cause irritation. or old hay or straw can also cause the same problem so check it before you buy. Good hay should always smell sweet, not musty. If you do live in the 19th Century and house your rabbits in a hutch then you will need to change their bedding at least once a week. Also rabbits like to use one or more corners as a toilet area so you will need to clean the corners out more frequently, perhaps every third day.