Bringing Your First Rabbits Home: A Practical First-Week Plan

Before you commit: plan for the rabbits, not just the purchase

A low purchase or adoption price is not a care budget. Decide who checks the rabbits morning and evening, who covers holidays, and how you would reach veterinary care outside normal opening hours. If the household cannot provide dependable daily care, prepare further before bringing rabbits home.

Rabbits generally need a compatible rabbit companion. Ask a rescue or rabbit-experienced veterinarian about a suitable arrangement; do not place two unfamiliar rabbits together simply because you have bought two. A bonded pair and two rabbits awaiting safe introduction have different housing needs. Follow individual veterinary advice when separation is necessary.

Prepare a home base and check the whole route

Start with secure boundaries, non-slip flooring, shelter, exercise space, hay, working water containers and an accessible toilet area. Protect cables and remove reachable plants and chewable hazards. The diagram below explains zones, not a cage size or a complete enclosure design. Leave usable movement space between resources.

For two medium-sized pet rabbits, the RSPCA recommends at least 3 m × 2 m × 1 m overall, including shelter and exercise space. Bigger is better; a small cage is not an appropriate training shortcut. Check the full-grown rabbits can move comfortably, stretch and stand upright.

• Check doors, gaps, flooring and other pets before opening the carrier.
• Put the carrier on the floor in the prepared space and allow a calm exit rather than tipping it.
• Keep essential resources accessible at all times, including overnight.

Ask for a useful handover, not just a name

Write down the previous hay and feed, the usual feeding routine, the most recent veterinary information and any medicines already prescribed. Ask which facts are documented and which are estimates. Do not invent an exact birth date or parentage when it is unknown.

Use a simple handover note: “Name: Maple; birth date: unknown; current feed: label photographed; veterinary history: records requested; next action: call clinic.” This is a fictional record example, not a health assessment. Photograph documents only with permission and keep personal contact details private.

The first days: observe without rushing

Keep the routine quiet and predictable. Allow retreat and approach at floor level without chasing. Continue the familiar diet initially and use the feeding guide before planning gradual changes. A rabbit hiding in a new place still needs close observation; do not assume reduced eating is only settling-in stress.

Morning and evening, note interest in hay, water access, droppings and activity. Record meaningful differences with a time and the action taken. Do not wait for a seven-day checklist to finish if eating or droppings fall, or the rabbit seems unwell. Contact a rabbit-experienced veterinarian promptly.

By the end of week one: make the next step small

Review your notes rather than expecting a perfectly tame or toilet-trained rabbit. Which resource needed moving? Did a water container fail? Is there a question for the clinic? Choose one practical improvement and give it an owner and follow-up date.

In RabbitTrust, create an honest rabbit record, add a photograph if available, and record care observations in the appropriate tool. Keep a paper backup if that is easier. Registration is optional for reading this guide; account access and any tool entitlement are separate.

Adapt the plan to where you live

In the Philippines, identify a reliable hay supply, dry storage and a hot-weather or power-interruption plan. In the United States, check the room or outdoor shelter through seasonal temperature changes. These are planning prompts, not claims that one setup suits every region.

Ask a local rabbit-experienced clinic about preventive care appropriate to your area, including vaccination and neutering advice. Availability and recommendations differ by location and individual rabbit. Do not copy a treatment schedule from another country or treat the first-week planner as medical clearance.