For the ideal rabbit environment, the hutch should be cleaned at least once a day, by removing any shavings or bedding that are wet and dirty, removing any uneaten fresh food and cleaning the food and water containers before refilling them.
If your rabbits are all litter-trained, you might have to replace the straw bedding several times a week. However, if they're not litter-trained, you might want to replace the bedding several times every few days. Basically, you'll have to decide when it's time to replace your rabbit's bedding straw.
Sweep and clean the habitat area.
Although rabbits love cleanliness, they can be very messy. Rabbits may kick food, bedding, or litter outside of their cage. Sweep any material from areas around the habitat at least weekly and more often if necessary.
Your pet may confuse the feces for food. If it's all over the hutch floor, they will eat. As a result, your rabbit may fall sick. For responsible rabbit maintenance, daily spot cleaning is essential, as well as weekly deep cleaning.
Whenever your rabbit pees or poops outside the litter box, you want to make sure you thoroughly clean it up. Sweep or vacuum up the excess poops, mop up the pee, and use a pet-safe cleaner to disinfect the area.
To keep your rabbit happy and healthy, let it out of its cage at least once a day, giving it time to roam. Though at least one hour is necessary, aim closer to three or four. As a rule, never keep your rabbit cooped up for 24 hours at a time.
Water bowls are a must have in every rabbit hutch. Fresh, clean water should be provided to your rabbit's on a daily basis, sometimes two or three times a day if the water gets dirty.
Unfortunately, if left to sit on wooden floors for a long time, rabbit pee can be challenging to clean and even do some significant damage. Rabbit urine has a high concentration of ammonia that will eventually start eating away at the varnish underneath.
For indoor pet rabbits, bedding is not necessary to include in your rabbit's habitat as long as your rabbit has access to soft flooring. Outdoor rabbits will require bedding for insulation to help them stay warm in the night and during the cold months of the year.
Your rabbit does not need a cage. However, an untrained rabbit probably should be kept in a home-base of some kind, like an exercise pen (x-pen), a large cage, or some other protected housing, while you're not home to supervise and at night when you sleep.
The trick to getting the rabbit to keep their poops in the cage is to give them ownership of their cage–respect the cage as theirs: Don't reach into the cage to take them out; open the door and let them come out if and when THEY want to come.
These days, water comes in many forms: tap, bottled, filtered, distilled, reverse osmosis, well water, soft, de-ionized water, alkaline water, etc. The rule of thumb is to give your rabbits water that you drink. If you wouldn't drink it, then don't offer it to your rabbit.
Regardless of the amount of paper you use in the litter box, most of the time you will need to change the box every two days or so. Paper pulp pellets will need to be changed less often than newspaper. Recommended by many veterinarians, especially when learning how to litter train a rabbit.
Allowing your rabbit to roam freely through your home comes with its own unique challenges, but it is definitely achievable with a bit of effort and education on how to take care of your pet rabbit. Best of all, it can be incredibly rewarding, creating a more intimate and open bond with your pet.
Your rabbit might be peeing more than usual, they might seem to be going only a little bit at a time though. A healthy rabbit will pee between 2-8 times a day, so it's best to compare this to your own rabbit's urination habits.
Rabbits do not require routine bathing and in fact frequent washing, either with or without shampoo, strips the rabbit's fur of its natural oils, which helps to keep the rabbit's coat in good condition. Bathing is also extremely stressful for rabbits and has many potential and serious dangers.
Add a few drops of unsweetened fruit juice
If you're worried that your rabbit isn't drinking enough. Try adding half a teaspoon of an unsweetened fruit or vegetable juice. 100% apple juice, carrot juice, or pineapple juice can be good options to try.
Rabbits like to play and need plenty of exercise to stay healthy and happy. Ideally you want to provide them with up to 4 hours daily of supervised time out of their cage. Rabbits are subject to depression and poor health if they're not provided with daily interaction and mental stimulation.
It's best to let your rabbit out of its cage or enclosure at least twice a day for exercise and socialization. If rabbits are regularly cooped up for more than 12 hours at a time, there is an increased risk that they will develop health problems (such as GI Stasis) or become depressed and lonely.
Expect your rabbit to be lonely.
In the wild, it would be with other rabbits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you only have one rabbit, you can give it some companionship, but it will still be lonely at night or when you are away at work. Sometimes a female rabbit will be fine on its own.
Make a solution of white vinegar and water. Pour the solution onto the affected area or use a rag to dab it on. Allow the carpet or rug to sit for 2 to 5 minutes to allow the acids in the vinegar to break down the alkaline rabbit pee stain. Place a clean dry rag over the wet area.
We recommend a good quality soft straw as the ideal bedding for warmth and comfort, particularly for outdoor rabbits. It's warm because the hollow strands trap warm air and it's also absorbent. It's important to understand the difference between hay and straw.
Rabbit pee can have a strong smell, and unaltered rabbits (especially males) will sometimes emit a skunk-like smell during mating season. A sick or disabled rabbit will also need a little extra care to keep them clean and smelling good.