How to make your rabbit happy [10 Easy Ways]

In this article, I’ll discuss the best ways to make your rabbit happy. Bunnies, as we all know, can be difficult to read because we don’t always know what excites or depresses them. So, in this article, I’ll share the information you’ll need to maximize your rabbit’s happiness and quality of life.

10 Easy ways to make your rabbit happy

1. Treats

Rabbits live for treats. It is literally a drug to them. If you haven’t noticed already they will go absolutely bonkers every time you go to the treat jar or you open a crinkly bag or you walk to the fridge, they can smell it and hear it from a mile away.

So it’s important to have healthy treats for your bunnies. I always just say the easiest way to go about this is with fresh fruit because it will be the healthiest thing for them.

You can give them a little blueberry, a slice of banana, or a slice of strawberry. There’s not going to be any added preservatives, added sugars, etc.

You can also go the dry treat route that’s also an alternative and also just remember guys to keep the treats to a minimum, every day I would say a maximum of three a day, morning, noon, and night.

It’s a great way to test if your bunny is sick or not. I kind of like using the treat testing for that. But you don’t want to overload on the sugar so make sure you are dispersing it accordingly.

2. To make your rabbit happy let them sleep

The next way to make your rabbit happy is to let them sleep. I know it’s tempting to want to interrupt them and wake them up and cuddle with them and be with them all the time, trust me I know.

But you’ve got to let them get their beauty rest just like we want our beauty rest and that’s going to make them so happy. Rabbits love sleeping, they love resting, they love dreaming and it’s so cute watching them sleep.

Every time I come home and my rabbit is just knocked out and flopped over somewhere, it is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. I want to wake her up and just squish her.

But as I always say you’ve got to respect the space, let them sleep, let them take their naps, and then when they are awake during their active hours they will happily spend time with you, yes that is going to make them very happy if you just leave them be.

3. Carpeted flooring

Rabbits do not have pads on the back of their paws like dogs or cats or a lot of other animals. It’s purely fur. This can cause complications if they’re running over hard surfaces or slippery surfaces, they’re just going to slip around or they can develop sores on the backs of their paws if it’s very difficult terrain for them to step over.

Ultimately a carpet or a rug is essential to have in your bunny’s habitat. My apartment is not carpeted it’s laminate primarily but I do have a lot of area rugs for my rabbit.

It’s essential if you want them to be able to binky and hop and move around freely without hurting themselves or developing splayed legs which are also another complication that can come from their paws.

So I encourage you guys to get your bunnies a little area rug so that they can feel safe. There are a lot of bunnies who just refuse to step on hardwood floors or anything of that nature.

Sometimes it also boils down to exposing them to different kinds of flooring so that they don’t have such a fear but at the end of the day also provides them with the flooring that they need.

Remember that they are wild ancestors, they would usually be running and hopping over grass and soil and that kind of terrain and while domesticated bunnies are a different species they, unfortunately, kept those same paws of their wild ancestors. So that has not changed and we need to help them out a little bit.

4. Safety

Be able to check on them and make sure that they’re safe and not getting into any mischief. With rabbits, because their stomachs are so fragile it’s imperative to know when they last use the litter box or if they ate the food that you left out for them that morning.

The last thing that you want is to come home from work and discover that your rabbit has been in stasis all day unbeknownst to you and you can’t recall when they last used the bathroom.

In this case, using a device called a ring could actually be life-saving. The motion detection notifications let me know of all those critical activities. Whether I’m away on vacation out and about or simply in my bedroom the live view lets me keep an eye on my rabbit even if she’s just sleeping like an angel.

What I love the most about the ring is the two-way talk system. Where I can talk to my rabbit and let her know I’m still there for her and she can totally recognize my voice.

5. Toys

To make your rabbit happy toys are so important but not just any toy.

I want to emphasize that you want to be getting your bunny toys that really allow and encourage natural rabbit behaviors and engagement anything from hiding houses to tunnels, to foraging systems where they can dig and chew.

6. Have a partner

Now a partner is really gonna create a lot of happiness for your rabbit. Rabbits are social animals. Their wild ancestors would live in warrens and big colonies. Again I want to always differentiate that domestic bunnies and wild bunnies are not the same but a lot of those instincts still exist within the domestic rabbit.

I just think it’s especially critical to make sure that your rabbit isn’t a loner. Even if you are gonna have a single bunny you have to provide the company, engagement, affection, and attention around the clock basically except for when they’re sleeping.

Another way to do this so that the burden isn’t entirely on you is to get them a partner or it can be a trio or a quad however many bunnies you’re able to fit in your home.

Also bear in mind you do have to go through a bonding process. That bonding process should not be taken lightly. But any rabbit rescue will happily bond rabbits for you so you can reach out to your local rescue for that task.

Ultimately rabbits love to be in love and so if you can provide them with a husband or a bunny wife then they will be extraordinarily happy to have that.

7. Groom your rabbit to make them happy

Next, we have to keep rabbits groomed to make them happy. Rabbits need help in that department while they are very disciplined at keeping themselves clean and licking themselves throughout the day.

You’re gonna have to help out with the grooming and the shedding of the coats whenever they are going through their molting seasons. They really shed a lot.

It can turn into a major health issue if they are not getting brushed. A lot of that fur that they are ingesting can become lodged in their stomach.

It can also just make them feel uncomfortable. Even with my rabbit, I notice if I’m not brushing her regularly she gets messy in her litter box.

So I’ve got to keep that bottom half nice and tidy especially now that she’s a senior rabbit. This also includes the clipping of the nails and any crustiness around the eyes, and the ears not so much that stay relatively clean. Basically, any area that they need a little extra help with that they are unable to do entirely by themselves.

A lot of senior rabbits or rabbits with a lot of fur like lion heads, angoras they especially need help cleaning that bottom half, when they’re using the litter box and they’re shedding.

A lot of gunk and residue can get stuck to a lot of that fur that’s just sitting there waiting to be shedded. They need help and sometimes you’ve just got to go in there and pluck some of it out and help them out that way.

8. To make your rabbit happy give them lots of space

I am a proponent of free-roaming your bunny, we really popularized that concept on this blog. It just boils down to bunny-proofing your home and giving the rabbit free reign of your home and of course, you can have boundaries and limitations with this if there are certain areas that you do not want them to have access to.

If free roaming is not an option you can definitely use a puppy playpen as an alternative or you can just grant them a room, an office, or a den.

You can also use baby gates to block off certain areas. But ultimately the small cage and the small hutch are things of the past and they’re not really considered humane in today’s age of bunny care.

If you want your bunny to be the happiest that they can be living their best life then free roaming really is the way to go.

9. Unlimited hay

This is their favorite pastime. Is sitting in their litter box, picking out the good pieces of hay and just doing their thing, doing their business, I mean that is their “Me” time.

You’ve got to respect the rabbit me time. Just never ever rash in the hay. A bunny’s diet consists of 80 hay. They need the fiber in order to use the bathroom, in order to digest their food. It is essential that you provide them with unlimited hay. They’re going to be extraordinarily happy if you do this.

10. To make your rabbit happy love them unconditionally

The final way to make your rabbit happy is to love them unconditionally. Rabbits know when you love them and when you give them affection. They can sense all of that. If they feel like you’re neglecting them and you’re not meeting their needs and they feel isolated or they don’t feel connected or bonded to you.

Because you’re not spending time with them, you’re not giving them the time that they deserve. They are gonna feel that. They’re gonna become extraordinarily depressed and you don’t want that. Your rabbits want to feel connected to you.

Sometimes guys it’s as simple as plopping down on the couch, and watching a little movie with them that is the quality time I’m referring to. It doesn’t have to be anything more complicated than that.

That is it for this article guys. I really hope you enjoyed this. Let me know in the comments below what ways you make your rabbit happy. I am curious because everybody is different.

FAQs on how to make your rabbit happy

Do bunnies cry?

Rabbits cry when they are in pain, afraid, or on the verge of death. When baby rabbits (kits) are hungry, they cry. Rabbits, although making crying noises, do not shed tears. If your rabbit’s eyes are wet or teary, she could be suffering from a dental problem, allergies, or an illness.

Is my bunny bored?

Rabbits may begin biting on items they shouldn’t, damaging their pen, or attempting to dig out. They may also begin to over-groom themselves in order to keep themselves entertained.

Can rabbits kiss you?

Rabbits do not kiss, but they can learn what kissing entails. Your goal will be evident if grooming comes before the kiss. Many rabbits appreciate having the top of their heads kissed. Your rabbit will not return your kisses but will show you devotion in other ways.

Is it OK for a rabbit to eat cardboard?

As long as there is no coating or writing on the cardboard, it is non-toxic and suitable for rabbits to nibble on. However, if rabbits ingest too much cardboard, even simple cardboard might be harmful to their digestion. Excessive consumption of cardboard can result in intestinal obstructions.

Where do rabbits like to be petted?

The nose, face, cheeks, and ears appear to be safe locations to experiment with. Depending on the rabbit, under the chin may or may not be a problem region. The back is most likely safe. The belly, feet, and back seem to be off-limits.

Do bunnies like cuddling?

Most rabbits enjoy being handled and cuddled when approached properly. Few want to be held or carried because they feel nervous being so high off the ground, but many will gladly sit on your lap or cuddle up next to you.

Do rabbits like the dark?

The contrast between light and dark is necessary for rabbits. Stress might occur to a rabbit that lives in constant light. Additionally, they may develop weight gain and sustain eye injury. Give your rabbit a cozy, dark space to rest and sleep in.