How Much Exercise Does a Rabbit Need per Day

Hello, rabbit lovers! Your Bunny Guru, Chondon, here again to enlighten you with one more crucial aspect of keeping your fuzzy friends in fine shape and good health—exercise!

You know it’s something very essential for our hopping buddies. So, how much exercise does a rabbit need per day?

Let’s hop right into the answer.

First of all, rabbits are active animals. In nature, they constantly move, hop around, look for food, and watch out for enemies.

As pets, our rabbits do not have predators to elude, but they do need a lot of exercise to stay healthy and happy.

So, what could that magic number be? Most of the gurus out there will tell you your rabbit must get a minimum of 3-4 hours of exercise per day. Yep, you heard right – 3-4 hours!

I know that may sound a little excessive, but don’t worry, I’ll explain how to make it work.

Why That Much Exercise For Rabbits?

Well, here is why:

• It keeps them fit and healthy: Basically, they are the same as humans in needing exercise to keep their weight fine and their muscles strong.

• Great movement is good for their digestion: What this does is help the rabbit to support the digestive process. This goes a long way because rabbits can suffer critical health problems if their digestion slows down.

• Exercises prevent boredom: Whenever a rabbit gets bored, he or she may sometimes engage in destructive behavior or depression. Exercise will make them do something enjoyable and stimulating.

• Great mental health: It allows rabbits to express their natural behaviors of hopping, running, exploring, etc.

So how do we ensure our bunnies get enough exercise?

Here are some tips I have gathered over the years from Mango, Tango, and Rupa:

Create a play space

If you can’t let your rabbitุ้ roam freely all day—like most of us—then set up a place to play. It could be a bunny-proofed room or even a large pen.

Just make sure it is safe and filled with fun toys and obstacles.

Wise use of playtime

When you let your rabbit out to play, make full use of it. Let them move around by putting treats in different areas or by using toys that would want them to move.

Give them toys and obstacles

Rabbits can be ever so playful. Give them tunnels to run through, boxes to climb on, and toys to push around. My Mango loves to push a little ball about – it is quite amusing to watch!

Make meal times active

Hide tiny portions of your rabbit’s food around their play area. This will get them running around, searching, or “foraging” for their food, mimicking what they would do in the wild.

Think about getting your rabbit a companion

If possible, having two rabbits can encourage more activity. They entertain each other and just enjoy each other’s company.

That is why I got Tango and Rupa – the perfect pair!

Use up as much vertical space as possible

Rabbits are climbers; hence give them ramps, platforms, or even multi-level cage designs. This will provide them with vast areas in which they might move about and exercise.

Toy rotation

keep the novelty by rotating their toys about every other day. This keeps them from getting bored, and therefore, there’s more activity involved.

Supervised outdoor time

If you have a safe outdoor area, let your rabbit explore. Isolated supervision might be more stimulating for your rabbit.

Remember that each rabbit is different, and that’s okay if some have higher activity levels than others. The point is to let them exercise and to keep them active for most of the day.

One thing I learned from having my rabbits is that they appeared to be most active during breaks of dawn and dusk. This is their natural rhythm, so try to schedule play sessions during these times when you can.

Now, you might be thinking, “But Chondon, I work all day. How am I to ensure my rabbit gets enough exercise?” Fear not! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Be sure to have a large area safe for your rabbit to play in while you’re gone;

• Take advantage of automatic dispensers that will keep them occupied with toys;

• You might look into adopting two rabbits in tandem so they can keep each other company.

• Utilize mornings and evenings to their fullest for active playtime.

Keep in mind that exercise is not only about getting from one place to another. They also need mental stimulation!

Puzzle toys, treat balls, and even simple cardboard boxes can provide hours of entertainment for a curious bunny.

Just one more thing: always supervise your rabbit at exercise time, particularly in a new environment. Rabbits are curious creatures, and they can easily get into trouble if given the space to do so.

Final Thought

There you go, folks! That is how much exercise your rabbit needs daily. An exercising rabbit is a happy rabbit.

You can do the best for your furry little friend by providing enough opportunities to exercise and play, and he may just live the most meaningful life ever.

Any fun ways to keep your rabbits active? Let’s hear! As always, if you have a question about rabbit care or simply have some regarding caring for your rabbit, please feel free to ask.

After all, that’s what I’m here for—to help you give your bunnies the best life possible.

Until next time, keep those bunnies hopping!