How to Rabbit-Proof a Home

I thought that childproofing my home was one of the most difficult tasks I'd ever undertaken. It was nothing, though, compared to the challenge of bunny-proofing a house. One single, unsupervised rabbit can quickly wreak havoc on an unprepared room, leaving it pulverized within just a few hours. Although dog and cats get a bad rap for renters and pet care experts, a dog's damage to a house pales in comparison to a single on-the-move bunny.

As a responsible pet owner, you have a responsibility to keep at least one portion of your house safe from your rabbit. No pet should be confined to a cage all day, every day. My own rabbits are allowed to run free in one room of my house, which I have carefully rabbit-proofed to maximize the safety of both my pets and my property.

Here are the minimum steps that rabbit guardians must take to adequately rabbit-proof a home or room.

1. Protect Electrical Cords

Rabbits love to chew electrical cords-- and easy-to-reach cords will be destroyed within minutes in the presence of an untrained rabbit. I learned this the hard way when my first rabbit, Nimbus, destroyed over $100 in appliances in the first week I owned him. I was lucky, though. Many rabbits die of electric shock while chewing on cords. To prevent this common, expensive, and potentially tragic problem, buy spiral cable wrap (available at Radio Shack and online retailers) and use it to thoroughly protect all cords in you rabbit-proof home.

2. Keep House Plants Out of Reach

House plants are generally not appropriate fodder for a pet rabbit. Many are poisonous and can cause serious illness or death when your bunny accidentally ingests them. If the plant is edible, your bunny's likely to destroy it if it's within his reach. Keep all of your house plants on raised planters or hanging from ceiling hooks. If any leaves shed onto the ground, clean them up immediately to protect your pet.

3. Raise Upholstered Furniture

A rabbit-proof room can not contain any furniture within bunny-reach if there is any chance that the rabbit can burrow into it. A rabbit will often dig a hole in a sofa, then make a nest inside. Many bunnies will do the same with mattresses. Keep all upholestered furniture in your rabbit-proof room at least six inches off the ground. You might also consider placing boards under and alongside the furniture to deter the rabbit from entering from underneath.

4. Provide Chew Toys

Bunnies are far less likely to resort to destructive chewing behavior if they are given safe, healthy, inexpensive objects to tear and bite. Give your bunny toys, wood chips, plastic toys, old phone books and toilet paper rolls. With these chew-worthy gizmos available, he'll probably ignore your furniture and baseboards. Keep chewable objects in a specific corner of the rabbit-proof room so that your pet associates the area with safety and acceptability.

5. Have a Litterbox

Keep a litterbox in your rabbit-proof room, so that your bunny has a safe, sanitary place to relieve himself. Most rabbits will litter-train themselves fairly naturally, with little encouragement, but others will have to be constantly supervised until they get the hang of using the litterbox. Place the box in the area of the rabbit-proof room where your bunny tends to gravitate the most. Clean the box regularly so that it looks and smells more inviting (and is less unpleasant to be around.

Rabbit-proofing is no easy task, and I've found that it's nearly impossible to rabbit-proof an entire home. However, by providing just one safe, welcoming environment in which your pet can freely roam, you help to protect not only your own property, but your pet's health, as well.