PetMD guide underscores bigger, safer housing for pet rabbits

PetMD has published a consumer-facing rabbit housing guide by Melissa Witherell, DVM, laying out practical recommendations on enclosure size, setup, exercise, temperature control, and cleaning for pet parents. The piece emphasizes that rabbits need more than a small cage: PetMD recommends indoor housing when possible, minimum enclosure dimensions based on rabbit size, at least four hours of daily exercise, solid flooring to help prevent foot problems, and routine spot-cleaning with periodic disinfection. That aligns with broader rabbit welfare guidance from House Rabbit Society, which says a cage shouldn’t function as the rabbit’s full-time home and that rabbits need a larger resting space plus daily cardiovascular play. (petmd.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the article is a reminder that husbandry counseling remains central to rabbit preventive care. Housing errors, especially undersized enclosures, inadequate exercise, poor ventilation, and inappropriate flooring, can contribute to stress, obesity, sore hocks, and GI disease risk. Merck notes that exercise planning is part of preparing a home for a rabbit, while its rabbit disease guidance links wire-floored cages and poor sanitation to ulcerative pododermatitis; PetMD’s rabbit care sheet similarly recommends solid flooring to reduce pressure sores. (merckvetmanual.com)

What to watch: Expect continued emphasis across veterinary and rabbit welfare education on moving pet parents away from “starter cage” setups and toward larger indoor pens, solid-footing surfaces, litter training, and enrichment-focused housing. (houserabbit.org)