6 tips for a rabbit friendly garden

04/03/2022 Health & care Small animal

6 tips on how to let your rabbit hop around the garden safely


Rabbits love to explore and forage around the garden. However, a garden can hold many hazards. Would you like to let your rabbit run freely in the garden from time to time? Or in a large outdoor run with cover? We give you tips on how to keep your fluffy bundle and your plants as safe as possible.

1) Identify and remove hazards


We admit that this is rather obvious. You've probably already thought about removing sharp/dangerous objects from your garden. But you should also check that your plants are safe for rabbits. Rabbits like to nibble on plants. On the internet, you can find lots of lists about which plants are toxic for your rabbit and which are not. Or get advice in a garden or plant centre.

Rabbit-friendly plants you can put in your garden include camomile, lavender, sunflowers ... or vegetable garden plants such as lettuce and herbs. Do you have a vegetable garden and want to protect your vegetables from your rabbit? Then we recommend to surround the vegetable garden with a fence or go for a covered outdoor run.
Also be careful with grass. Never put your rabbit on wet grass. Do you have to mow the lawn? Then make sure you remove the mown grass. Mown and wet grass quickly turn brown and can cause stomach problems (flatulence) in your rabbit.
In addition, it’s best not to use chemical pesticides. Use natural plant protection products instead.

2) Make your garden escape-proof


Beware: rabbits are excellent escape artists. They’re guaranteed to find any gaps in your garden and be straight through them, before you know it. To keep them safe, you need to make sure that there are no gaps in your fence or outdoor run. In addition, the fence should also have a small mesh size. We would recommend checking the fence regularly to make sure you quickly spot new gaps. Also make sure that your bunny doesn’t burrow his way out. Ideally, fencing should be buried slightly. You can also put a net underneath the run to make sure your rabbit can’t escape.

It’s also a good idea to cover the top of your fence or run with a net. This way you protect your rabbit from birds of prey and other dangerous animals.

3) Provide shelter and safe places


Birds may seem harmless, but they can be terrifying for your rabbit. Birds of prey can even be very dangerous. There may also be other visitors in your garden: martens, cats, wild rabbits, maybe even foxes. Make sure your nose-twitching pall has safe places to run and hide if he needs to. It may also help to surround your garden with secure fencing with an angled (45°) section at the top. This way, wild animals and cats will have a harder time getting into your garden.

Make sure that your rabbit has access to a cool sheltered area on sunny days. This way, your bunny also has a place to relax in the shade to avoid the hot sun in the afternoon. You can also use shade nets for this.

Choose a hiding place for your fluffy bundle

4) Make sure they have enough toys


If your hopping friend is bored, he’ll be more likely to try to escape or to nibble at your plants. That’s why it’s best to keep your fluffy friend occupied with fun toys in the garden. You can turn your garden into a real rabbit paradise with rabbit toys. In addition, you can also create nice height differences in your garden. Lookout spots will allow your rabbit to explore the garden and keep a close eye on things.


The best toys for a happy rabbit
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5) Provide sufficient drinking water


 All that hopping around in the garden is bound to make your rabbit thirsty. That’s why it’s important that your bunny has plenty to drink. Is your fluffy friend used to drinking from a water bottle with drinking tube? Then make sure he has access to it and that he knows where to find it in your garden. It’s also a good idea to provide your garden with several drinking opportunities, so that drinking water is always nearby.

6) Keep an eye on things


Now that you’ve made your garden as rabbit-friendly as possible, it’s time to enjoy! It’s not only nice to see your rabbit hopping around in your safe garden, it also gives you a sense of security. However, you should always keep an eye on your rabbit. There’s always a chance that your rabbit will try to escape or that a cat or other animal will find its way to your favourite pet.
Would you like to give your rabbit some freedom, but you can't manage to make your garden safe enough for your hopping friend? Or do you have no time to keep an eye on your rabbit? At Flamingo we’ve many rabbit hutches with a large run. This way, your rabbit can hop around in the grass safely!

Cosy hopping around in our rabbit runs
Run Flavio Blue
520812 - 520814
Run Flavio Blue
Flamingo
Sizes: S, M, L
Dog
Small animal

Run Quadri Taupe
210139
Run Quadri Taupe
Flamingo
Small animal

Run Flavio Black
1031294 - 1031296
Run Flavio Black
Flamingo
Sizes: S, M, L
Dog
Small animal

Run Pentagon Mix
200515
Run Pentagon Mix
Flamingo
Small animal

Run Mix
200528
Run Mix
Flamingo
Small animal

Small animal

Run Hexagon Taupe
210138
Run Hexagon Taupe
Flamingo
Small animal

Run Hexagon Silver
200516
Run Hexagon Silver
Flamingo
Small animal

In a nutshell

You can if you take precautions. Make sure that there are no dangerous objects, toxic plants or chemical pesticides in your garden. Also, make sure that your bunny can’t escape, but can hide from dangerous animals. And keep an eye on your garden. Check out our blog for more tips!
Rabbit-friendly plants you can put in your garden include camomile, lavender, sunflowers ... or vegetable garden plants such as lettuce and herbs. Or get advice in a garden or plant centre.
Make sure your rabbit has enough hiding places. This way your hopping friend can hide from other animals, or from the warm sun. You can also cover your garden or rabbit run with a net. You should provide enough toys so that your rabbit doesn’t get bored and also a drinking bottle or bowl your rabbit is used to. Be sure to read the extra tips on our blog!