5 Must-Haves Every First Time Pet Rabbit Owner Needs [2025 Guide]
Welcome to the start of your rabbit journey! Bringing home a pet rabbit isn’t just exciting, it’s a big responsibility. When you prepare ahead, your rabbit will feel safe, comfortable, and happy from day one.
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Every rabbit owner needs the basics to provide a space where their rabbit can thrive.
In this post, you’ll find the five most important things every new rabbit owner should have ready. These must-haves cover your rabbit’s health, comfort, and happiness, so you can feel more confident about your new role.
Let’s set you and your rabbit up for a great beginning.
Space For Rabbit and Rabbit Owner
Before your rabbit ever hops through your door, you need to think about where it’ll live. A basic wire cage from the pet store just doesn’t cut it.
Rabbits need a setup that lets them move, stretch, and rest without feeling trapped. When you give your rabbit room to play and explore, you help keep it calm and healthy.
Think of your rabbit’s space as a cozy home, not a prison cell.
Those small cages on store shelves may look cute, but they’re way too tight for a grown rabbit. Rabbits are active pets and need to jump, sprawl, and run.
A cramped cage can cause stress, boredom, and even sore feet. If you’ve ever seen a bored rabbit start nibbling at its bars, you know they’re begging for more space.
To keep your rabbit happy, look for these features in their main living area:
Space: Rabbits need room to hop at least three times in a row. For a single bunny, aim for an enclosure at least 4×2 feet wide and 2 feet tall—bigger is even better.
Ventilation: Good air flow is important. Solid plastic bins or tanks can get stuffy and trap bad smells. Wire or mesh panels give your rabbit fresh air and keep things smelling clean.
Safe Flooring: Wire mesh bottoms can hurt your bunny’s feet. Solid floors are much better. Add a soft mat, fleece blanket, or cardboard for comfort.
Security: Keep your rabbit safe from household hazards, other pets, and kids. A sturdy enclosure with a secure door is a must.
Easy to Clean: Daily cleaning is much easier when you can access every corner of their living space quickly.
We have had great success using an xpen for our rabbits. They are simple to set-up and you can expand them as needed or change the shape depending on space available.
Xpens are easy to clean, blend well into any living space with their clear panels, and are lightweight so moving them around is a breeze.
A Healthy Diet
Every new rabbit owner hears the same thing: hay is everything. Look at a rabbit’s natural behavior—nibbling grass in the wild. That’s no accident.
Hay is the closest you’ll come to what rabbits would eat outdoors, and it should always be the biggest part of your pet’s diet.
But to keep your rabbit full of energy and feeling great, you can’t stop with hay. You need a few other key foods that support a strong, healthy rabbit for the long haul.
Fiber matters: Hay is packed with fiber that moves food safely through a rabbit’s sensitive gut.
Healthy teeth: Chewing hay grinds down teeth so they don’t get too long or cause sores.
Keeps rabbits busy: Hay takes time to eat. It mimics the slow grazing they need for mental comfort.
A sample feeding routine for an adult rabbit will look like this:
- Unlimited hay (refilled morning and night)
- A small bowl of pellets in the morning or evening (never both)
- Handful of fresh greens and herbs daily, washed and drained well
- Fresh water available at all times
Stick to this simple plan and your rabbit will get everything it needs—without overfeeding.
Litter Box Setup for Easy Cleanup
Many people are surprised to learn that most rabbits can use a litter box, just like a cat.
Rabbits are naturally tidy and tend to pick a favorite spot for their bathroom breaks.
When you give them the right tools, litter training usually clicks in a matter of days. The payoff is big: a clean living area, better-smelling home, and less daily mess.
Rabbits have strong instincts about where to do their business. In the wild, they use one corner of their burrow to keep the rest clean. At home, this means they’re quick to adopt a litter box if you set it up in their favorite bathroom spot.
Most rabbits will pee and poop in one area, especially if their hay is nearby—they love to snack while they go. With a proper setup, it’s easy to keep their space clean while making cleanup much less of a chore for you.
Toys, Chews, and Safe Enrichment
Your rabbit isn’t just a furry lawnmower—they’re clever, curious, and always looking for something to do. When rabbits get bored, they chew stuff you’d rather they didn’t, or they end up sitting around, which isn’t healthy.
Keeping your rabbit busy with safe toys, chews, and tunnels makes all the difference. A rabbit with things to do is a happy rabbit, and a happy rabbit causes less trouble around the house.
Rabbits have restless bodies and quick minds. In the wild, they dig, chew, hide, and explore all day to stay safe. When you bring a rabbit home, they still have those needs.
Giving them busywork is more than just play—it keeps their teeth in good shape, prevents boredom, and stops habits like gnawing on your baseboards. Without enough to do, rabbits get stressed or destructive.
Keeping your rabbit entertained each day:
- Reduces chew marks on furniture and cords
- Keeps teeth worn down and healthy
- Encourages exercise and sharp thinking
- Prevents stress and restless digging
- Deepens your bond
If you notice your rabbit chewing on things that they shouldn’t, it’s a sign they need more safe things to play with.
Some tried-and-true rabbit toys include:
- Untreated willow balls and rings: Fun to toss and shred.
- Cardboard boxes: Makeshift tunnels, huts, or hideouts; cut rabbit-sized doors for extra joy.
- Grass mats or seagrass baskets: Perfect for chewing and gentle digging.
- Toilet paper rolls: Fill them with hay or treats for a challenge.
- Stacking Cups: Great for tossing and sliding.
- Bunny tunnels: Fabric play tubes or cardboard tunnels scratch that burrowing itch.
Rotate toys each week to keep things fresh. Even a cheap cardboard box feels new with a different door cut into it.
Care Supplies
Keeping your rabbit healthy doesn’t have to be tough, but you do need a few tools for daily care.
Setting up your supplies from day one helps prevent problems and makes it easier to keep your bunny feeling good.
From water bowls to grooming brushes, these basics make everyday life with your rabbit easier and safer. With a little organization, you’ll always have what you need close at hand.
Rabbits need steady access to clean, fresh water. Dehydration can happen quickly, so skip anything fancy and make sure water is easy for your bunny to reach.
- Heavy ceramic water bowls are a solid choice. They’re tough to tip over and easy to clean.
- Water bottles with stainless steel spouts clip to the side of the enclosure and help keep water mess-free.
Bowls keep rabbits drinking more since they mimic natural sipping, but bottles are handy if your bunny likes to play in their dish.
Some rabbit owners use both, just to play it safe. Always check the water level at least twice each day. Clean both dishes and bottles with soap and water a few times a week to stop algae and bacteria.
Brushing isn’t just for show bunnies—all pet rabbits shed. Some shed a few times a year, while some seem to toss fur like confetti. If you don’t brush, your rabbit can swallow loose hair, which can lead to blockages.
Stock up on:
- A soft-bristle brush for gentle daily grooming, especially during shedding season.
- A wire slicker brush for rabbits with long or thick coats.
- A lint roller or sticky tape helps clean up stray fur from both bunny and furniture.
Brush your rabbit a few times a week. During heavy sheds, daily brushing is best. It keeps fur off your clothes and cuts down on hairballs. Want a bunny that likes grooming? Start young and reward them with gentle words or a tiny treat.
Nail Trims
Most rabbits hate nail trims. That’s normal. But long nails get caught in carpet, split, or even break off painfully. They can also scratch you or snag on bedding. Your goal is to trim your rabbit’s nails every month or so, depending on their flooring and how quickly their nails grow.
What works best:
- Small animal nail clippers with a rounded blade help get a clean, safe cut.
- Styptic powder or cornstarch for accidents, in case you trim too close and the nail bleeds.
Check your rabbit’s nails every few weeks. If you see nails touching the floor or curling, it’s time. If your rabbit hates handling, ask a friend for help or visit a vet for a demo. Over time, trimming gets easier.
Keeping Supplies Organized and Handy
Rabbits thrive on fast fixes—clean water, quick trims, and a cozy box can mean everything in a hurry. Organize your supplies so you can reach them easily when it counts.
Try this simple organization routine:
- Store grooming tools and nail clippers in a small basket or plastic box near the bunny’s main living area.
- Keep water bottles and extra bowls in the kitchen or wherever you refill them.
- Hide first aid gear in a labeled plastic container on an easy-access shelf.
- Place hideaways so they’re visible and not blocked by other cage items.
Check over your supplies each week. Keeping things clean saves time and helps you spot what needs replacing. Having your basics organized frees you to spend more time bonding with your bunny and less time searching for that missing brush or bottle.
These regular care basics help your rabbit stay safe, calm, and comfortable—making your job as a new owner a whole lot smoother.
Get these five basics right and your rabbit will start life with you on solid ground.
When you set up a roomy living space, provide hay and fresh greens, offer an easy litter box, supply toys and chews, and keep up regular care. That means fewer problems, less stress, and more time for bonding!
You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to be present, prepared, and willing to learn. Starting with these five steps will make a world of difference in your rabbit’s life (and your peace of mind as an owner).
Looking for more rabbit care tips? Be sure to follow @RiverFolkRabbitry on Instagram and join our email list for exclusive updates and resources.
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