The Costs of a Rabbit
Rabbits require a few supplies to live a proper and healthy life. The ones listed below should be essiential unless listed otherwise.
1) Cage
Price: $50 - 200 +The first thing you'll need when you get a rabbit is somewhere to keep him. When considering buying a cage, remember that pet store cages are insufficient for most rabbits as rabbit require at least 12 sq feet of cage room.
The money you spend for a cage depends on a few things. Outdoor housing is always more costly than indoor housing. This being; most outdoor cages/hutches are made of weather-proofed wood. Outdoor cages also need certain modifications to keep out weather and predators, which, in tern, costs more money. Making your own indoor NIC storage grid cage is one of the cheapest ways to go. (Clicking on the "Indoor Cages" button below will take you to a tutorial on how to make one of these DIY cages). Click the buttons below to see different cage ideas for indoor and outdoor settings. |
Having trouble deciding?
2) Litter Box
Price: $7 - 20Litter boxes are very important if you don't want to clean your rabbit's entire cage every single day. It will save you a lot of work to litter train your rabbit. The best litter boxes are larger ones with high sides ment for cats. This will prevent soiled litter from being dug out of the litter box since rabbits do like to dig in their litter. There are many different types of litter boxes, so you just need to find the one that fits your rabbit best!
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3) Hay Rack
Price: $0 - 10Hay racks are important and your rabbit should have one or something like it. Hay racks come in different forms and sizes. You could make your own out of wood or from something you already have around the house or you can buy one from the PetSmart or PetCo for anywhere between $6 - 10.
Hay racks are important for enforcing good litter habits. Placing the hay rack right above your rabbit's litter box will help him learn to use the litter box better and more efficiently. |
4) Litter
Price: $5 - 30How much you spend on bedding/litter depends on how you use it and what you use. I highly suggest the litter pictured to the left; wood stove pellets. They are very cheap although they are not intended for aniamals so make sure you read the labels carefully. You can get a 40 lb bag for about $5 and it will last you 1 1/2 to 2 months if you only use it in your litter box (and depending how big your rabbit's cage is). A normal bag of litter from a pet store would cost about $10-15 and only last about 2 weeks. Another good alternative is fleece blankets. They are reuseable and washable, and much cheaper than buying loose litter every month.
Remember that some litters are not safe. The typical pine or cedar litter you find at the pet store is not safe for rabbits as it releases harmful toxins that cause liver disease in rabbits. The best litters are paper based or wood pellets. From my own personal experience, I find that wood pellets keep the smell in better than paper based litters or wood pulp litters. |
5) Hidey House
Price: $0 - 20Hidey houses come in all shapes and sizes. You could get one intended for cats that your rabbit can hop on top of, or you could get a large igloo common amungst rodent owners. There are also a bunch of different designs in between. Hidey houses are important for rabbits because they are naturally prey animals and having somewhere to hide is very important to keep them from getting nervous or scared.
The item shown on the left is a strawberry dog bed for small dogs. They can be found on eBay for about $10. You could also make your own hidey house out of a bardboard box and simply cut a hoe in it for the rabbit to enter or exit. The best hidey houses for rabbits, though, are hidey houses with two enterances. Sometimes when rabbits are hiding, they will turn to see nothing but a wall and get scared. Having multiple enterances keep them from getting scared and assure them that they can get out. |
6) Food/Water Bowls
Price: $3 - 10The best dishes for rabbits are dog dishes with walls that slant outward. This helps keep your rabbit from knocking his dish over. He can lean on the bowl with his feet, but still cant tip it over!
Rabbits prefer to drink their water from bowls because it is more natural, but bottles are more sanitary, so it's your decision what your rabbit drinks from. |
Toys
Carrier
Pellets
Price: $10 - 20Oxbow is a great pellet brand. It is very healthy, organic, and nutricious. Oxbow pellets cost about $13 for 5 lbs. It does cost a bit, but if you're going to spend money on anything for your rabbit, that thing should be making sure the food he is eating is good for him.
Kaytee is not a recommended brand as it doesn't have all of the nutrients other brands have and they have fattening treats in their pellets and their hay has been reported to have bugs in it. |
Hay
Price: $7 - 20Hay is very important for rabbits. It supplies them with all of the fiber they need. A rabbit shouldn't go more than a few hours without hay. Buying hay in bulk is the best way to buy it since rabbits eat so much of it. A typical 5 - 10 oz bag of hay would last less than 2 weeks. Buying 20 lb bales for about $18 from a Tractor Supply of farm supply store would save the most money for you monthly.
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Treats
Brush
Rounded Nail Clippers
Handheld Broom and Dust Pan
Pet-Safe Cage Cleaner
Lettuce and Fresh greens |
Price: $2 - 15Its always important to have a pet-safe cage cleaner around. Using harsh cleaning chemicals such as bleach or pledge could seriously harm your rabbit. Cleaners from PetSmart or PetCo cost about $6 - 10 or more. You could make your own bunny-safe solution at home using a mixture of vinegar and water. This gets rid of smell and is a base that will balance the chemical properties of your rabbit's urine.
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Price: $3 - 10You can expect to spend about $10 - 20 a month on lettuce and fresh leafy greens for your adult rabbit. (Young rabbits under 4 months cannot eat greens). Lettuce is very important for a rabbit's eye, coat, and skin health. Not to metion its a cleansing food for their digestive systems.
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