Even if your house rabbit has completely free run of your house or flat, you will still need to provide it with space for its litter tray, feeding area and sleeping area...
Even if your house rabbit has completely free run of your house or flat, you will still need to provide it with space for its litter tray, feeding area and sleeping area. Rabbits are territorial so having some areas of its own will make it feel much more secure and content.
Litter tray
This can be placed anywhere in the house but common sense dictates that it should be in the room that the rabbit spends most of its time; for most people this is the sitting room. It is a good idea to place it in an out of the way spot where the rabbit will not feel disturbed or overlooked and place a non-slip mat next to it so the rabbit can safely jump in and out.
To confine hay overspills and droppings, either use a larger litter tray with high sides (e.g. an underbed plastic storage box) or place the litter tray in a dog crate or similar indoor cage, leaving the door open so that the rabbit can go in and out as it wants.
Food and water
If you are using a water bowl, as many rabbits seem to prefer, you can put this anywhere it won't be knocked over but next to the litter tray is a good place. If using a water bottle, fix this to the side of the cage near the litter tray (if you don't have a cage, just use a bowl instead). It is a good idea to feed dry and fresh food by the litter tray also, to reinforce the fact that this is "their space" and to help contain any accidental droppings to the area surrounding the litter tray.
Sleeping area
This is very important for rabbits; their own private sanctum where they won't be disturbed. Rabbits spend a lot of time sleeping, mostly during the day. The perfect sleeping area for rabbits is a place which approximates a burrow i.e. a roof over their heads and an entrance and exit route. Therefore, house rabbits tend to like sleeping behind sofas or under tables or beds.
Creating the right "den" for your house rabbit will keep it happy and helps to prevent damage to your house. An ideal den would be under a small table between two sofas or chairs and make it as comfortable as possible by placing a soft blanket there which they can sleep on, dig and nibble at. They spend so much time here, bunny flopping and sleeping, that it is the repository for most of their moulted hair and a fleece blanket will collect this hair and prevent it drifting around the house. Brush the blanket frequently to remove the hair.
Floor surfaces
You can keep your house rabbit on any kind of floor surface. They may have trouble, at least initially, with slippery surfaces such as laminate flooring - you can help by giving them rugs, old carpet or pieces of cardboard scattered around that they can make their way between. Laminate, wood and tiled floors are more practical in terms of cleaning up any messes and in the amount of damage that the rabbit can do to them i.e. none.
Rabbits kept on hard or carpeted floors are more at risk of developing sore hocks. This is a condition where the fur on the heels of their back feet wears away, possibly leading to red, broken skin or abcesses in severe cases. You can help to avoid this by ensuring that your rabbit's nails are kept trimmed, it is not overweight and that it sleeps on a surface other than carpet i.e. a towel or blanket. Fleece blankets are the best as they are very soft and gentle on your rabbit's feet.
Doors
If there are particular areas where you don't want your rabbit to go the simplest thing is just to keep the door shut, however, there is a danger in this that the rabbit could get shut in or behind the door as you are going through it. A good solution is to use a baby gate.
Toys and playtime
Rather than having toys constantly scattered around the house, keep them in a box and bring them out during your rabbits' active times (morning and evening) for them to play with. Rabbits are curious but get bored quickly so the reintroduction of a toy will grab their attention whereas if it is there all the time they will stop noticing it.
Put digging and shredding material such as old phonebooks and newspaper in a large, sturdy cardboard box with a hole cut in one side for access. However much mess is made, it will be contained within the box. This also doubles as a handy lookout point and a blanket or throw can be draped over it (ensure it is anchored securely so the rabbits won't slip when they jump up).
