Rabbit Awareness Week 2025: Happy, Hoppy Homes!

Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW),, unites vets, charities, pet shops, and rabbit enthusiasts across the UK to improve rabbit welfare. This year’s theme puts a spotlight on housing—because a truly happy rabbit needs more than just shelter. Here’s how to create a Happy, Hoppy Home for your bunny.

Why “Happy, Hoppy Homes” Matters

• Widespread inadequate housing: Nearly one in four UK pet rabbits live in substandard conditions, often confined to small hutches with limited freedom to hop or stretch.
• Movement matters: Only about two-thirds can freely move between hutch and run—and some require owner assistance just to transition.
  These cramped, restrictive setups hamper exercise, mental stimulation, and overall well-being.

5 Steps to a Happy, Hoppy Home

1. Provide plenty of space
   Aim for at least 3 × 2 × 1 m (length × width × height), including a secure run—indoors or outdoors.
2. Designate functional zones
   • Sleep/Hide: Covered, quiet, secure bedding area
   • Exercise/Play: Space to hop, stretch, stand upright
   • Dig/Forage: Boxes, toys, tunnels for enrichment
3. Add natural enrichment
   Include chew toys, hay-based puzzles, tunnels, digging boxes, and scattering foraging opportunity.
4. Support natural diet
   Ensure unlimited hay, fresh greens, occasional high-fibre pellets, and safe forage like dandelion or blackberry leaves.
5. Encourage companionship and care
   Rabbits thrive in bonded pairs who are safely neutered and vaccinated—alongside regular vet wellness checks and enriching interaction.