Best Rabbit Cages for Indoor and Outdoor Bunnies

Last Updated on December 18, 2022 by Ellyn Eddy

Looking for expert recommendations on the best rabbit cages? I brought my first bunny home in 2001, and in the past 20+ years I’ve tried lots of different styles of cages for my sweet pets.  I’m excited to share my favorites with you.

What rabbit cages are best?

The best kind of rabbit cage totally depends on the broader environment in which you’ll house your furry friend.  Your spoiled, TV-watching, litter-trained  indoor lap-bunny that gets to exercise in your living room won’t need as large of a personal space as one that has to stay in his cage almost all the time.  If your rabbit is outdoors, your priority should be a hutch that offers invincible protection from weather and predators.

In this article, I review different types of cages that are available for rabbits and which ones are the best for indoor and outdoor use. I also run through some tips and common questions regarding choosing the right cage for your pet bunny.

Features to Look For in a Rabbit Home

A good rabbit cage should have all of the following features:

• Plenty of Room: Rabbits need at least 1 square foot of floor space per pound of body weight. Remember, this is a minimum requirement. Rabbits who don’t get regular exercise outside of the cage need even more space.
• Privacy: Wild rabbits live in burrows and holes. Domestic companion rabbits love to hop around your home and explore, but they also want to have a small safe hideaway where they can retreat for rest.
• Ventilation: Rabbits need lots of fresh air. The cage must have wire sides and plenty of airflow to prevent respiratory diseases like snuffles.
• Safety: Rabbits must be protected from weather and predators at all times.
• Feeding equipment: Wire sides allow you to hook a water bottle, hay rack, and food bowl within reach.
• A litter box: Most rabbits will naturally want to relieve themselves in one area of their cage. Providing a litter box will encourage your rabbit to use it and makes cleaning easier.

Best Indoor Rabbit Cage

This is hands-down my favorite indoor rabbit cage.  Our sweet Mini Rex Daisy-Lou lived out her retirement in the Ware Living Room Series cage. 

Features

• Easy to clean.  No wooden parts that absorb urine and odor.
• Escape-proof because it’s made of chew-resistant material.
• Extra-deep droppings tray.
• Solid bottom for comfort with a slide out tray.
• Comes with an easy-clean stainless bowl.
• Includes casters so you can easily move the cage and clean any shavings that fall behind it.

Drawbacks

• Not large enough for multiple rabbits or large breeds such as Flemish Giants. 
• Stylish for a wire cage, but it doesn’t have the visual charm of wooden cages.

Pricing:

The Ware Living Room Series is on the higher end of the price scale for wire small animal cages, but the price reflects high-quality construction. 

My Opinion:

I love this rabbit cage.  It’s easy to assemble and visually pleasing.  It has an unassuming profile that can blend into a corner of your living space no matter the surrounding décor. 

Rabbits have incredibly powerful teeth that can chew through wood hutches.  This cage eliminates the risk of escape by using metal square tube construction and galvanized wire with 1″ spacing. It has a solid plastic bottom to protect your rabbits’ foot pads from sore hocks.

This one is much easier to sanitize than wood cages that absorb urine and odors.  Keeping the cage clean and ammonia-free is critical to your indoor rabbit’s health.

Tips for Use:

1. Remove the plastic ramp. Your rabbit will have no problem hopping up and down between the levels and will get better exercise as a result.  Ramps are cute, but a voracious chewer will decimate the ramp in a matter of weeks.
2. Leave the door open when you are home and supervising your pet.  He will get to exercise in your room and then return to his cage for potty breaks.  This eliminates the need for a litter box.  (See what I did there?)
3. Use with small to medium-size breeds such as Netherland Dwarfs, Holland Lops, Mini Lops, Dutch, or Mini Rex.

Safest Hutch for Outdoor Rabbits – Trixie Natura 1-story Rabbit Hutch

While not very high off the ground, the Trixie Natura 1-Story Rabbit Hutch does keep your beloved pet bunny elevated at an easy-to-reach height. Its top-opening roof makes it easy to catch a shy occupant.

Features

• Legs keep the rabbit off the ground.
• Solid floor and solid-walled privacy corner to keep rabbit safe from raccoons or other predators.
• Multiple doors make every corner easy to access.
• Asphalt roof repels water and helps your furry pet stay dry.

Drawbacks

• Really isn’t tall enough to provide protection from large dogs.
• Doesn’t have a separate floor and drop tray.  The floor itself is the drop tray.  This means you have to pull the bottom out of the cage to clean it – and if the floor/tray was accidentally pulled out, the bunny would fall to the ground.

Pricing:

For a solid pine wood outdoor rabbit hutch, the Trixie Natura is an affordably priced home for one rabbit.

My Opinion:

Okay, I’m sorry.  I have to be honest with you.  Most of the cute wood rabbit hutches that are labeled “Outdoor Rabbit Cages” are not safe for outdoor prey animals like bunnies.  I’d love to link to them.  I’m potentially losing commissions by being authentic.  But I care too much about the safety of your pet to sell you lies.

I do have a post on how to keep your outdoor rabbit safe.  The safest wood hutch is one that you build yourself. Please refer my long answer on what is the safest hutch for outdoor rabbits.

That said, if you want to place your rabbit in a predator-free outdoor area (such as a balcony) with no raccoons, cats, dogs or coyotes and want to choose a prefab wood hutch, the Trixie Natura 1 Story Rabbit Hutch is my top pick.

Tips for Use:

1. Place the hutch in a shaded area with lots of ventilation.  This rabbit hutch has solid wood sides – which offer great protection – but can run the risk of overheating if placed in direct sunlight.
2. Take the rabbit out of the hutch before you pull the floor out and try to clean it.

Best Cheap Rabbit Cage – Ware Small Animal Habitat

If you want to live on the simple side for your pet rabbit, the Ware brand Small Animal Habitat is a standby in inexpensive indoor rabbit homes. 

Features

• Lightweight and easy to pick up and move.
• Easy to thoroughly sanitize.
• Solid plastic floor to protect rabbits feet.
• Tall solid sides to prevent pee from leaking (and bucks from spraying your carpet)
• Wire sides so you can attach a food bowl and water bottle.
• Available in multiple colors.

Drawbacks

• Too small to accommodate two bunnies or bigger breeds like New Zealands.
• The door opening is small and the latch is awkward.

Pricing:

The WARE Small Animal Habitat is the least expensive home on our list, but it will hold up to years of use.

My Opinion:

I’ve used the Ware Small Animal Habitat for rescue rabbits when I needed indoor rabbit cages in a pinch.  Its door is small, so it can be tough to lift your pet out without removing the whole wire top off the cage.  However, the top is quick and easy to remove, so you can dump the bedding and sanitize it top to bottom as often as needed.  It’s a perfect fit for a small space, or if you need a cheap solution while shopping for fancier long-term rabbit palace.

Tips for Use:

1. Use aspen or newspaper bedding in the plastic pan. This is safer than cedar or pine.
2. Use this cage for short-haired rabbit or guinea pig breeds. Long-haired breeds like Jersey Wooly or Peruvian will get shavings caught in their wool.

Best Wood Rabbit Hutch

Compact and charming, the Aivituvin Large Indoor Rabbit Hutch uses vertical space to give your critter room to move without taking up a large footprint on your floor. It’s made of fir wood which is safe for rabbits should they decide to gnaw on it.

Features

• Wire floor above a plastic drop tray reduces coccidiosis risk.
• Solid wood sides for safety, wire floor for cleanliness.
• Adorable design available in several different colors.
• Excellent user reviews.
• Casters! Yay, a rabbit hutch on wheels!

Drawbacks

• Overseas seller and manufacturer may lead to longer shipping times.

Pricing:

The Aivituvin Large Indoor Rabbit Hutch is a good value for the size. These indoor rabbit cages fall in the middle of the usual cost range.

My Opinion:

This cage combines the best of both worlds with sturdy wood sides and a wire floor. While some people think that wire floors are cruel for pet rabbits, they can actually help keep your beloved pet healthy. Rabbits that sit in bedding soiled by urine or poop can quickly develop breathing problems or coccidiosis. Rabbits have thick fur on the bottom of their feet — unlike cats or guinea pigs that have bare foot pads — and they can tolerate living on wire quite well.

The Aivituvin Large Indoor Rabbit Hutch looks like a darling piece of living room furniture while providing plenty of room for one large or two small rabbits two hop around. The drop tray slides out of the cage for easy cleaning.

Tips for Use:

1. Install the casters to keep this rabbit hutch from scratching your floor. This will also make it quick to move when necessary.
2. Your furry pet will love the privacy of the semi-enclosed upper story. When she’s hiding out up there and you need to get her out, simply open the hinged roof.

Best Wire Large Rabbit Cage

The Midwest Wabbitat small animal home is a common pick for those looking for a simple cage for their solitary indoor rabbit. It’s cheap and easy to build, clean, and outfit with a water bottle, litter box, and other accessories. At 21 pounds, this large rabbit cage is relatively lightweight.

Features

• No tools required for construction.
• Both top-opening and side-opening doors.
• Name brand well-established in the pet products industry.
• Slide out pan for cleaning.

Drawbacks

• Black “electro-coat” on wire could wear over time.
• Not visually appealing.

Pricing:

The MidWest Pet Homes Folding Wabbitat Large is a cheap rabbit cage.

My Opinion:

The MidWest Folding Wabbitat is suitable for use indoors where there are no cats or dogs. You can place a nesting box in the cage to provide a private hidey-hole for your pet. It’s easy to set up and easy to clean.

This big indoor rabbit cage will last a few years, but not as long as a cage made with galvanized wire. This inexpensive option is not suitable for pets housed outside unless it’s placed in a custom-built wooden hutch to keep your rabbit off the ground and protected from the elements.

Tips for Use:

1. Choose the smaller size, the 25″ Wabbitat, for breeds that weigh 2-4 pounds, like the pet Netherland Dwarf, Fuzzy Lop, Lionhead, or Polish.
2. Choose the larger size, the 37″ Wabbitat, for breeds that weigh up to 10 pounds, like the Mini Lop or Satin.

Runner up: Dumor 24 Inch Rabbit Hutch Kit

A popular buy for 4-H rabbit project kids, the Dumor 24 Inch Rabbit Hutch Kit is an all-wire rabbit cage at Tractor Supply Co that works well for 4-H rabbits you plan to show at a county fair.

Best Stacking Rabbit Cage

If you’re looking for all-wire stacking cages for your show rabbits or meat rabbits, I recommend the All Things Bunnies stacking cage.  They have the best prices + shipping rates on the internet for wire hutches, and excellent customer service. I’ve known and worked with Shelly for quite a few years.

Features

• Use space efficiently by stacking your cages.
• Drop tray makes it easy to clean thoroughly.
• A host of customizable options (including hot pink drop tray!)
• Available in both large and small sizes for all different breeds.

Drawbacks

• If you purchase this one shipped, you will have to assemble it yourself.
• Not suitable for use outdoors.

Pricing:

All Things Bunnies has the best prices I’ve found on the web for stacking rabbit cages, even if you factor in shipping cost. If you can catch them in person at a show, it will be even cheaper.

My Opinion:

If you have a secure well-ventilated rabbit barn for your show or meat rabbits, you may be looking for stacking cages.  These cages don’t include extra ramps and shelves for your rabbits to play on – so you’ll want to take your animals out for regular exercise – but they do provide a safe habitat for critters that like their own personal space.  The All Things Bunnies small animal cages are made of 14 gauge galvanized-after-welded (GAW) wire for strength and longevity.

Tips for Use:

1. Provide plastic resting mats to protect rabbits’ feet from the wire, while still allowing the benefit of droppings falling through to the drop pan.
2. Clean the drop pan at least twice a week.

Best Rabbit Tractor

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TRIXIE-Natura-Outdoor-Run-with-Cover-62451/304310339

We can’t mention rabbit cages without introducing you to one of our favorite products for an outdoor or indoor rabbit – the rabbit tractor.

A “Rabbit Tractor” is a large, mobile wire cage that allows your rabbits to “mow your lawn” while providing protection from hawks, raccoons, or other predators.  They prevent escapees while allowing your bunnies plenty of freedom to roam and express their joy, running and binky-ing to their heart’s content. Attach a food bowl and water bottle if you want to keep your pets outdoors for an hour or more, or if it is very warm outside. Remember, your pet is wearing a fur coat and gets overheated much faster than you do!

Features

• Gives you peace of mind while your pets exercise outside.
• Allows your indoor rabbit to experience fresh air and sunshine while keeping him or her protected.

Drawbacks

• A rabbit tractor is not a replacement for a full-time home for your pets.
• The Trixie Outdoor Run doesn’t have any built-in shade, so you will need to place it in a shady area or place a cover over the top of it. Always watch bunnies outside for heat stroke.

Pricing:

The Trixie Natura Outdoor Run is a low-cost rabbit tractor.  For a larger option that’s still a good value, check out this wood rabbit tractor that also provides some shade.

https://www.wayfair.com/Tucker-Murphy-Pet%E2%84%A2–Maurice-Outdoor-Triangular-Animal-Rabbit-Hutch-ULNQ3023-L1314-K~TKMP2912.html

My Opinion:

Rabbit Tractors are much safer than regular pet playpens for rabbits.  Rabbits can climb up wire playpens and escape out the top – I’ve witnessed this happen.  In uncovered playpens, they are also vulnerable to attack from birds of prey like eagles, falcons, and owls.  If you would like your indoor rabbit to taste the great outdoors, a rabbit tractor is the safest option.

IMPORTANT:  A rabbit tractor is NOT suitable as a full-time home for your rabbit.  It’s not strong enough to fend off aggressive predators like dogs or coyotes.  It’s NEVER safe to keep your rabbit outdoors on ground level. Never leave your bunnies in a tractor after dark.  Pets playing outdoors should be supervised at all times.

Tips for Use:

1. Only use the rabbit tractor during the day when you can keep an eye on your animals.
2. Place the rabbit tractor on untreated grass or clover, making sure there are no toxic weeds nearby.  Grass and the common yard weeds clover, plantain, lambs quarters and dandelion are safe for rabbits to eat, as long as they are not sprayed with chemicals.

Rabbit Cage FAQ

Are wood rabbit hutches non-toxic?

Most wood — both hardwood and softwood — is non-toxic to rabbits as long as it is not pressure-treated.  However, rabbits will chew everything in sight. 

Wood rabbit hutches can be chewed through if the occupant has direct access to the wood. Soft wood such as pine will splinter when it is chewed, potentially causing injury to the rabbit or handler. Wood also absorbs urine and odors that can cause long-term health issues.

Is it cruel to keep a rabbit in a cage?

Rabbits are intelligent and curious creatures who love to explore their surroundings.  An empty cage — whether wood or wire — will lead to a bored rabbit that may lose interest in socializing.

However, rabbits like to have their own personal space.  They like socializing with others — whether other rabbits, pets, or humans —  but only on their own terms.  Think about how often you see solitary wild rabbits as opposed to rabbits in groups.  They are usually lone rangers who occasionally like to come out and play with friends.

A properly sized cage with plenty of enrichment is not cruel. Rabbits look forward to returning to their safe personal spaces after a few hours of playtime in your yard or home.  As long as you frequently give your bunny time out of the cage, keeping your rabbit in a cage can be of great benefit to his physical and mental well-being.

Do rabbits need big cages?

A minimum cage size for one 3-pound rabbit is 24” x 24” x 18” (L x W x H), but larger is always better.  Please see the chart below.  

Remember that no cage will be large enough to allow all the exercise your bunny needs.  It’s better to have a smaller cage but give your bunny regular exercise outside of it than to have a large space that your rabbit never gets to leave.

How tall should a cage be for a rabbit?

Rabbits are small animals, but they like to stand up tall on their back legs to survey their surroundings.  They also like to jump and wiggle when they’re excited.  A cage that is at least 18″ high will allow enough room.

What is the best gauge wire for rabbit cages?

Wire cages should be 14 or 16 gauge wire.  14 gauge is stronger and safer.  Chicken wire is not strong enough for rabbit cages.  Not ever.

How do you clean a rabbit cage?

You should check the cage every day and remove any obvious stuck droppings.  Do a deep clean twice a week.  If your pet home has a drop tray, you will need to remove and empty it. Wash with soapy water and spray with an odor neutralizer. Lysol is not safe for rabbit cages, as it leaves a toxic residue even when rinsed. Leave the cage to dry in the sunlight if possible; sunlight is a great natural disinfectant.

How much do rabbit cages cost?

Rabbit cages cost anywhere from $25 to $250, depending on the size and features.

Does my rabbit cage need to be off the ground?

Outdoor rabbit cages should be off the ground to protect your rabbit from predators and the wet ground. Indoor rabbit cages are better on the ground so your rabbit can hop out and explore at will.

Can rabbit cages be outside?

Rabbit cages can be outside, but they must have a cover to protect the rabbit from predators and the elements.  The cage should also be off the ground to prevent flooding in case of rain. Outdoor rabbit homes must be in an area that has good air movement but not direct wind or sunlight. The cage must have a super secure latch — or even a lock — to keep curious neighborhood kids from accidentally letting your rabbit loose.

Hot weather is generally a greater concern for rabbits kept outside than cold temperatures. Remember, your pet is wearing a fur coat all the time! If your area regularly gets above 80*F in the summer, you may want to reconsider keeping your rabbit outside.

Do I need more than one rabbit cage?

You may need more than one rabbit cage if you have more than one rabbit. Two female or neutered rabbits can bond and live happily together, but they also like to have their own space to retreat to when they want some me-time.

How often should I change my rabbit’s cage?

You should change (replace) your rabbit’s cage every two to three years, or as needed.  If you have more than one rabbit, you will need to change the cage more frequently. When the cage suffers damage from weather, rust, chewing, or urine buildup, it’s time for a new cage.

What is the best type of bedding for a rabbit cage?

The best type of bedding for a rabbit cage is wood shavings, straw, or hay.  Go for aspen or other hardwood bedding. Avoid using cedar or pine shavings, as they can be harmful to rabbits.  You should also avoid using any kind of clay litter, as it can be dangerous if your rabbit ingests it. Processed newspaper bedding like CareFresh is safe for rabbits.

Final Pointers

As you see, rabbit cages come in all shapes and sizes. But when shopping, make sure to look past the bells and whistles to see the essential features your pet needs to stay happy and safe. Those features are:

• Lots of space to play
• Secluded area so the bunny can get some down-time
• A home that’s easy to clean
• Protection from weather, predators, and young children
• A secure latch that even a crafty Houdini bunny can’t figure out. (You’d be surprised!)
• Non-toxic materials

Finally, in order to be truly safe and comfortable, the cage should be placed in a quiet environment and cleaned at least weekly. With these things in mind, you’ll be sure to find the perfect rabbit cage for your furry friend.