Bunnies are adorable cuddly animals that people love to keep as pets. But do bunnies count as pets in apartments? Getting a pet bunny only to find out that your landlord doesn’t allow it is a nightmare. However, it depends on your landlord and their rules.
Most landlords allow pet bunnies only if they are neutered, house-trained, and caged. They also require a pet deposit or pet fee before signing the lease. You can keep rabbits as pets in your apartment by training them and providing them with the right environment. So, let’s find out how you can keep bunnies as pets in your apartment!
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Can You Keep Bunnies As Pets in an Apartment?
Keeping dogs and cats as pets in apartments is quite common. Many landlords allow dogs and cats as pets if they are properly housetrained. However, they consider bunnies as livestock because of their smelly and messy nature.
Bunnies are quite destructive as they chew on wires, furniture, carpets, etc. Therefore, the landlords don’t like the idea of keeping bunnies as pets in their apartments.
Here’s the catch:
Not all landlords dislike the idea of keeping rabbits as pets. You can also convince a landlord to keep your bunny as a pet if you prove to them that the bunny won’t cause any destruction to their space.
Convincing a landlord to keep a bunny as a pet will be easier if it is neutered and house-trained. Unneutered bunnies urinate everywhere due to hormonal conditions, leaving everything smelly in the apartment.
Usually, landlords that allow rabbits as pets have conditions such as:
- The bunny should be neutered.
- The bunny lives in a cage.
- The bunny can’t roam in the apartment unsupervised.
- The bunny is completely house-trained.
- You pay an additional pet fee or pet deposit.
If you see a clear “no pets allowed” deal in an advertisement for an apartment, don’t lose hope. You can still convince a landlord to keep a bunny as a pet by proving to them that the rabbit is harmless.
Make a Resume
As many landlords don’t consider bunnies as pets in apartments, you will require some convincing for it. The best way to convince a landlord of bunnies is to provide them with a proper bunny resume.
The resume should contain three main factors:
- Particular qualities of your rabbit.
- Information and qualities of rabbits in general.
- References to prove what you have mentioned in the resume.
If your rabbit is neutered, mention how neutered rabbits are less messy. Mention that you have house-trained the rabbit or plan to do it. Be truthful about the qualities of your rabbit so that the landlord trusts you and gets convinced.
Mention to the landlord how you plan to rabbit-proof the apartment so it won’t destroy any part of the apartment. You should have a proper plan for rabbit-proofing. You can learn to bunny-proof the house before mentioning it to the landlord.
Not all landlords will agree to keep a bunny as a pet in the apartment. However, making proper efforts will prove to the landlord that you are serious about it and will take proper care of your rabbit and the apartment.
A simple “can I please bring my bunny to the apartment?” won’t work. You will have to work for it or you can find an apartment that allows bunnies as pets.
How To Keep a Bunny As a Pet in an Apartment?
Many people think that bunnies are low-maintenance due to their small size.
The truth is:
Bunnies require as much care, attention, and maintenance as other pets such as cats and dogs. To keep a rabbit as a pet in an apartment, you have to provide it with a proper and friendly environment. Let’s learn how!
Buy A Rabbit Pen
A big enclosure with food bowls and a litter box for your rabbit is important. It should be a safe space where your rabbit comes and feels secure and comfortable.
A rabbit pen is perfect to keep all your rabbit essentials. Pens are big enough for the rabbits to relax without feeling caged.
An enclosure is necessary for all bunnies even if they roam freely in the apartment. The enclosure’s length should be 3-4 times the length of your bunny. It should be 1-2 times wider than your bunny.
Neuter Your Bunny
Neutering a bunny adds to its lifespan and enhances its general health. Unneutered rabbits are difficult to handle and may show hormone-induced behaviors such as:
- Frequent urination
- Attacking the owners and other bunnies for no reason
- Growling and scratching
- Aggression
Most apartments only allow neutered pets. Neutering affects the physical and mental health of the rabbits a lot and makes them better pets.
If you want your bunny to live a long, healthy, and happy life, neuter it as soon as possible. Litter training is easier for neutered bunnies too.
Neutered bunnies show more affection and love towards their pet parents as they are stress-free. You can keep multiple pet bunnies together if they are neutered without worrying about their population increase. Rabbits also bond better with each other if they are neutered.
Add Hay to the Rabbit’s Enclosure
Rabbits love to dig in hay and grass. If you don’t place hay in your rabbit’s enclosure, it will dig into carpets. To protect your carpets from destruction, hay and grass placement is important.
Change the hay often and introduce it to the rabbit so that it knows where to satisfy its digging tendencies. Allocate a small corner for digging hay in your rabbit’s enclosure.
Clean The Enclosure Often
Rabbits urinate a lot and are quite messy. Cleaning their enclosure frequently will prevent the enclosure and your apartment from smelling badly. It will also keep the rabbit clean and healthy.
You can place a plastic sheet under your rabbit’s enclosure as it will be easier to clean. It will protect the floor or carpet under the enclosure too.
Rabbit-Proof the Apartment
Rabbits require daily exercise and roaming. They are curious little creatures that love to explore different items in your apartment. You can’t cage your bunny the whole day and expect it to live a healthy life.
However, letting your rabbit out of its enclosure means the rabbit will destroy your space. The best solution for this issue is to rabbit-proof your apartment.
Here’s how you can do it:
- Keep the wires of your apartment out of the reach of the bunny.
- Use baseboard covers to protect your walls.
- Use plastic sheets at the corners of carpets to prevent the rabbits from digging.
- Keep houseplants out of the reach of rabbits.
Litter Train the Rabbit
Bunnies living inside the apartments are easier to handle if you litter train them. You don’t want your bunny to ruin your floor and other space by pooping and peeing everywhere. Litter training is important if you want a neat and clean apartment.
Litter training bunnies takes time and patience. Learn the proper way to litter train your rabbit so you can do it in no time.
Choose the Right Environment For Your Bunny
Don’t keep your bunny in a super hot room. A cold room is ideal for bunnies as they can handle cold better than warmth. Choosing the right place and considering the environment where your bunny stays will keep it stress-free.
Bunnies are small so make sure to protect them from outsiders or other family members. Don’t place them somewhere with a lot of people roaming around. Stepping on the bunny may damage its organs or even kill it.
Place the bunny somewhere quiet. A noisy environment may startle the bunny and make them feel stressed.
Also Check Out: Differences Between Rabbits & Hares
Things to Know Before Keeping Bunnies As Pets in Apartments
You must have knowledge about bunnies before choosing them as your companion in your apartment. So, here are a few important things to know about bunnies!
Bunnies are Messy
Even if you litter train your rabbit, chances are that it will create a mess at some point. Startles or stressed bunnies may miss the litter box by a few inches. They sometimes poop or pee at random places if they are feeling alarmed.
This mess is easy to clean but you must know that it is a common consequence of keeping bunnies as pets.
Consider the Litter Box
Litter boxes of bunnies have a specific odor just like cat or dog litter boxes. Therefore, you have to keep the litter box somewhere where you don’t mind the odor. You also have to keep it at a place reachable for the bunnies.
So, make sure that:
- Your apartment has a suitable spot for the litter box of your bunny
- And you can handle the litter box odor
Consider Hay/Grass Costs
Keeping a rabbit without providing it with hay means the rabbit will find a spot to dig into in your apartment. It will most likely be a corner of a carpet.
Rabbits are notorious for digging. Therefore, you have to consider the cost of hay. You will have to replace the hay every week. It can be costly for many owners.
Here’s a rough estimate of other costs of keeping a rabbit:
Item | Cost |
Adoption Fee | $40-$70 |
Pet Deposit | $200-$500 |
Initial Supplies (litter box, food bowl, etc) | $50 |
Rabbit-proofing items (cord protectors, plastic sheets, chair mats) | $130-$150 |
Vegetables | $40/month |
Litter | $18/month |
Hay | $5-$20/month (depends where you get it from) |
Take Permission From Your Landlord
Informing your landlord about your pet rabbit and having his/her permission is crucial. Hiding a pet at a place with no pets allowed will affect you badly. If the landlord finds out about it, they will evict you.
It will be hard to find new landlords in this situation as this eviction reason will be mentioned in your report. Gaining the trust of a new landlord and finding a reasonable place will become a nightmare for you.
Consider Pet Deposit and Fee
A pet deposit is a refundable fee to keep pets in your apartment. It is to cover the cost of any damage your pet causes to the apartment. It can be anywhere between $200-$500.
A pet fee is similar to a pet deposit but it is not refundable. Depending on the area you live in and your landlord, you will have to pay a pet deposit or pet fee before signing the lease of your new apartment.
Final Thoughts
Ask your landlord if they allow pet bunnies or convince them by making a proper resume for your bunny. House train and neuter your bunny and rabbit-proof your apartment to keep it destruction-free. Make sure to provide your bunny with a stress-free environment and a clean enclosure for its good health.