What better purchase choices can you make while shopping for your rabbits which will not only benefit their health and wellbeing, but that won't break the bank? We are glad you asked! Our new simple swaps series helps guide you through what easy swaps you can make for your rabbits and why these are beneficial.
Swapping a Hutch to a Shed
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ Greater protection from predators ✔ Remains much drier inside ✔ More secure in strong winds ✔ More space for exercise and stretching ✔ Bunny can display more natural rabbit behaviours ✔ Easier to customise and add enrichment such as dig boxes and tunnels ✔ Much easier to clean ✔ Easier to socialise with your rabbits |
For humans, a shed is much easier to clean and is cheaper in the long run. A shed will withstand UK weather for a much longer period of time than a hutch and is therefore a much better investment and value for money.
For example: The average hutch costs £130 and needs replaced every year. Total cost over 10 years is £1,300 The average 6ftx8ft shed costs £400 and on average last 10 years. Total cost over 10 years is £400 That’s a huge saving of almost £1,000. A hutch does not meet the Scottish welfare space requirements for rabbits and often uses wire mesh which is not fully predator or bunny proof. It’s a no brainer! |
Swapping Wood Shavings to Wood Pellet Litter
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ Cleaner for their environment ✔ Less respiratory damage and spores in their airways ✔ Less fur matting from trapping shavings in the fur ✔ Less eye infection risk ✔ Less urinary tract infections ✔ Easier to monitor fecal output ✔ More absorbent ✔ Less urine scald |
Using litter trays with wood pellet litter rather than covering your whole rabbit enclosure with shavings is cleaner and far better for you and your rabbits. It also makes it far easier to have them use a litter tray.
The equivalent volume of wood pellet litter bought from a high street retailer costs £6.99 compared to £3.99 for wood shavings however wood litter is 3 times more absorbent so you actually get more for your money as it lasts 3 times longer! Better for your rabbits health, your environment you keep them in and your budget. |
Swapping Pet Shop Hay to Quality Farm Hay
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ Good quality hay encourages rabbits to eat more hay ✔ Longer strands are better for wearing teeth down ✔ Less dust which irritates the respiratory system ✔ Farm hay is not stored in plastic which can cause mould spores ✔ Fecal droppings are healthier when eating farm hay ✔ Rabbits are less picky with good quality hay and get excited for hay top up times ✔ The smell of fresh farm hay is inticing unlike shop hay which may have been stored for years in a warehouse ✔ Farm hay has no plastic packaging and is more envirnonmentally friendly ✔ All of your money goes directly to the farmers and not to the trader |
A standard bag of leading pet shop timothy hay comes in at £1.40 per kg whereas a superior quality stalky Timothy hay from a farm direct (including delivery) comes in at £1.50 per kg, which is only 10p more per kilo yet vastly better in quality. You can even get a good quality Timothy hay from a farm if you pick a bale up directly from the farm for less than 40p per kg!
When you switch your rabbit’s hay to good quality farm hay, you will notice much less wastage, an increase in your rabbit’s appetite for hay, an increase in their mental stimulation, and the risk of poorly tummies or teeth will hugely reduce saving you money at the vets. Plus, you’ll be supporting the farmers, and reducing your plastic environmental impact. Some farms also donate hay to rescues, and plant trees when you purchase hay with them. All of this impact is priceless! |
Swapping a Water Bottle for a Water Dispenser
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ Holds almost 5x more water ✔ Allows for more natural drinking ✔ Less likely to become blocked ✔ Higher water intake studies show resulting in less kidney issues ✔ Less bacteria build up ✔ Keeps water fresher ✔ Can’t be tipped ✔ Less stressful than trying to get water readily out of a water bottle drip feeder |
Using a water dispenser rather than a bottle allows for rabbits to lap up more water and in a more natural way. Dispensers are easier to clean than bottles and are less likely to block, allowing for constant access to fresh water.
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Swapping a Cardboard Cottage for a Seagrass Hide
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ It’s made of easily-digestible seagrass (unlike the parchment used in Carrot Cottage) ✔ It’s safer — it’s woven, so contains no glue (whereas Carrot Cottage is covered in glue) ✔ It has multiple entrances and windows (makes your bunny feel more secure and encourages hide-and-seek play) |
Rabbits are prey animals, which means they feel safest when they have places to hide. There are lots of options on the market, but some are a lot better than others.
The seagrass hide is also a better choice for you as it is less expensive — it retails at £13 whereas a large Carrot Cottage is £15 and it avoids emergency vet trips as there is no risk of gut obstruction from consuming parchment. |
Swapping Using a Cage to Using it as a Litter Tray
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ Provides more space to exercise, reducing the risk of obesity and associated health problems. ✔ Reduces the risk of urine scalding and fur matting. ✔ More space to exhibit natural behaviours, reducing boredom. ✔ Reduces frustration by providing more mental stimulation. ✔ Reduces the risk of territorial aggression. ✔ Improves litter habits by seperating the toileting area from the living area and by providing space to maneuver. |
Rabbits have very different sleeping patterns to humans. They are crepuscular, meaning that they are most active at dawn and dusk when we're sleeping. During this period of time, they cover a vast amount of space. They love to explore, dig, forage, zoomie and binky. There are plenty of ways to provide a bun with an ideal home space, whether by allowing them to free roam, providing them with a bedroom or by giving them a shed to call home.
Regardless of where your bun lives, they will require a space for toileting. The base of a cage is perfect for this so don't throw it out! It's large enough to allow a bun to rotate 360° and the added height ensures that you don't end up with accidents outside of the tray. It's an easy and affordable swap if you already have a cage in your home! The health implications associated with housing bunnies in cages can rapidly break the bank. Bunnies housed in cages are more prone to obesity, leading to early onset arthritis, liver damage, sticky bottom syndrome and infections. The list is endless and veterinary bills can quickly reach thousands. By providing the necessary space requirements for your rabbits, you're also ensuring that they remain healthy thus, saving yourself thousands of worth of vet bills. |
Swapping a Cardboard Tunnel for a Willow Tunnel
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ 100% more natural ✔ Safe to nibble and chew ✔ Can be used to stuff with forage and hay ✔ No glues or metals which are unsafe to ingest ✔ Good for wearing the front teeth ✔ Larger sizes are great for hiding and playing in |
Using a natural product is so much more beneficial to your rabbits health and well-being. Cardboard tunnels tend to contain glue and ingesting cardboard may cause a blockage. Tunnels made from 100% natural material are much more rabbit friendly. They can be safely left for them to chew, nibble and play with. They can also be used to stuff with hay/forage or a favourite treat for added enrichment as well as helping to maintain their ever growing teeth.
Although a large size cardboard tunnel appears cheaper (£5 for 30cm x 20 cm) you are getting far more for your money buying a natural equivalent of the same size (£12). You are purchasing a multi purpose safe toy, which is good for the teeth and provides lots of enrichment options with none of the dangers to your rabbit |
Swapping Broccoli for Basil
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ Basil contains 0 sugar compared to Broccoli which is starchy and contains sugars ✔ Can be grown easily in abundance at home organically, even on a windowsill all year round so can be fed consistently and without pesticides ✔ Herb seeds are much cheaper than buying shop bought veg/greens ✔ Easier to digest and better for their gastric health ✔ Basil has a much denser nutrient content with it containing far greater levels of Vitamin A , C & K ✔ There are 7 varieties of Basil available to feed, all different flavours which adds variety ✔ Basil has many herbal health benefits including heart health, de-stressing and protecting the lining of the gut |
While veg like broccoli is often regarded as safe for bunnies, there are much healthier alternatives to supplement their diet. Broccoli is high in starch, high in calcium and as part of the Brassica plant family, can lead to gas and bloat.
The health implications associated with a poor diet can rapidly break the bank. Diet is the key to health and feeding herbs instead of starchy veg can massively benefit your rabbits health. Herbs are also cheaper for you, so it's a win win! |
Swapping Carrots for the Carrot Tops
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How does this benefit your rabbits:
✔ Carrot tops (the green part) contain over 6 times the level of Vitamin C compared to the root (the orange part). Vitamin C helps boost the immune system ✔ Carrot tops can be grown easily in abundance at home organically, even on a windowsill all year round so can be fed consistently and without pesticides. This also prevents wasting the top of the carrot most people chop off and bin! ✔ Carrot tops contain zero sugar compared to high sugar levels in the carrot root therefore making them easier to digest and better for their gastric health (as well as lower chances of weight gain) ✔ Carrot tops contain high levels of antioxidants which helps the immune system and digestive health ✔ Carrot tops have many herbal health benefits. Studies have shown that the active ingredients in carrot tops are able to quickly eliminate toxins in the body and optimize kidney health. ✔ The high content of magnesium in chlorophyll helps in toning, contracting, and relaxing the muscles, plus Vitamin K helps in increasing bone density. Carrot tops contain a high combination of both, thus having it in substantial amounts can help bone health and help to fight arthritis. |
You can often get carrot tops for free at local farmers markets as they are the part of the plant often discarded! This is a nutritious, delicious food to feed your rabbits and far better for them than the sugary root. Not only is it cheaper for you to feed carrot tops, your vet bills will go down too!
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