Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian. Any advice given on Fairy Trail Rabbitry is not meant to be used in place of professional consultation, especially in the treatment and diagnosis of illness. I always recommend doing your own research and learn new things myself everyday. This post contains affiliate links. We are affiliates and may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking on our affiliate links. Thank you!
Bunny Supply Checklist
Are you looking to welcome a bun into your family and wondering what you need to bring a bunny home for the first time? Or just looking for new bun-approved products for your bun (or buns) you already have! There are so many different products marketed for bunnies and other small animals, some of which are even unhealthy or unsafe for your bun. So I compiled this list of recommended bunny products to help you narrow down your search and prepare to bring your bunny home! I also included links and tips of where to find most of these items. I plan on keeping this page up to date and adding more products in the future, so feel free to check back. Hopefully this is helpful in starting out your bunny journey or to find new things for your bun! ❤
Quality Grass Hay
Hay is 80% of a bunny's diet and needs to be available for them to eat and nibble on 24/7. Most bunnies will eat a bundle of hay the size of their body daily and some eat more! Hay provides essential fiber for your bunny and keeps their gut moving, which is essential to preventing GI stasis. I highly recommend timothy hay since it is a higher fiber hay and is great for your bunny's digestive health. There are also several other safe hays you can offer your bun to help provide them with a variety of different nutrients! Adult bunnies (6+ months) should never have alfalfa hay unless recommend by your rabbit-savvy vet for health reasons. Here are some great places online to get quality timothy hay (these brands also have other types of hay available):
Rabbit Hole Hay Timothy Hay
Local sources can also be a great option, although it may take a little more research to find the perfect one! The main things to look for when buying quality hay are long thick strands, nice green color, fresh smell, & minimal dust. If you live near Lexington, KY, I highly recommend Hymer Feed Company since they have some of the best quality hay I have found!
Quality Hay-Based Pellets
Bunnies generally need about 1/4 cup pellets daily for adults and unlimited for pellets for bunnies under 3 months old, although the exact amounts depend on your individual bun! Quality pellets are important to provide your bunny with essential vitamins, minerals, and trace nutrients. They also help keep your bun at a healthy weight.
When looking for quality pellets it is very important make sure that something hay-based (alfalfa hay/meal for young bunnies or timothy hay/meal for adult bunnies) is the #1 ingredient. There are a lot of low quality rabbit pellets on the market that are actually unhealthy to even feed your bunnies. Please DO NOT purchase any Fiesta mixes (pellets with colorful pieces mixed in) as they contain ingredients that are unhealthy for your bun. Also, quality pellets should be GREEN in color not brown, and smell fresh. Some great brands of pellets include Sherwood, Small Pet Select, and Oxbow.
Here are links to Alfalfa based pellets (for bunnies under 6 months old):
And here are links to Timothy based pellets (for adult bunnies over 6 months old):
Sherwood Adult Rabbit Food
Small Pet Select Timothy-Based Rabbit Food
Large Enclosure
Bunnies need lots of space to play, binky, zoom and relax! They are also crepuscular meaning that they are most active at dawn and dusk, which is generally when you won't be able to supervise your bun so that is why it is very important to your bun's physical and mental health to provide them with a large safe space!
Even if you plan on free-roaming your bunny (in a bunny proofed room, part of your house, or the whole thing), which I highly recommend if possible, it can make moving to their new home less stressful if they have a smaller space to get used to first (this is also very useful for litter box training in a new environment). After your bunny is settled in and free roaming completely, you can leave the door open and thier enclosure will act as their safe space / home-base. Generally the more space you can provide your bun with the better, although I do recommend starting out in a smaller space and expanding for the reasons mentioned above!
I highly recommend getting an x-pen/play pen for your bunny as these work fantastically as enclosures and provide your bun with more space. They are very flexible and easy to setup as well as to clean. You can also buy multiple pens and ziptie them together to expand your bun's space! Every bunny is different, but some will try to jump to escape their pens, in that case you will want to purchase a taller pen (usually at least 36" and 48" is extra safe if your bun really likes to jump). There are tons of options, styles, and sizes on amazon! Here are links to a few:
You can also get nic grids or cube shelf panels and use connectors & zipties to build your own pen! This is also a great option and is very customizable. You can find them in several sizes and colors: black, white, and translucent. You may need to purchase additional connectors and you can find these on Amazon as well, although you will need to double check to make sure they are the right size.
Water and Food Dishes
Heavy Ceramic bowls/crocks work great for pellets and water since they are harder for bunnies to flip over. I highly recommend getting your bunny a water bowl since most bunnies prefer them, they are a more natural way to drink, and bunnies will usually drink more from a bowl. Dog bowls work great since they tend to be heavier. Gravity waterers, especially non-tip ones, are also fantastic since they can hold a lot of water. We offer our bunnies both large ceramic bowls and large water bottles (as backup).
There are tons of styles and options on amazon here. You can also sometimes get amazing & unique dishes at Thrift Stores. Personalized bowls from Etsy are another adorable option! Here is an example of a gravity waterer that could work for bunnies.
You may want to get a hay bag/feeder for your bunny to help contain the mess and keep your hay fresher, however it isn't necessary and some buns may eat less hay if it is in a feeder versus directly in their litter box where they can play in it and access the hay easier. If you do decide to get a hay feeder there are lots of hay bag and wooden feeder options on Esty as well as some on Amazon. I personally prefer to just loose feed hay to our buns as it seems to encourage them to eat more!
Litter Box & Litter
For a litter box, large cat litter boxes or under bed storage tubs work the best. We have had great luck with Petmate Jumbo litter boxes, but any large cat litter box will work as well! Make sure your bunny has enough space for a large bundle of hay and to comfortably turn around in the box.
For litter, you can use wood or paper pellets, DON'T use clay or silica kitty litter as it isn't safe for bunnies. We buy a 40lb bag of kiln dried pine litter from Tractor Supply and it works fantastic! You can order it here.
Flooring
Bunnies need traction to do binkies and zoomies! Some great flooring options for your bunny's pen to add traction and protect your floors are washable dog pee pads, baby mats, foam puzzle mats, rubber garage floor, splat mats, (inexpensive) rugs, seagrass mats, and low-pile carpets. You can also use a sheet of vinyl (from Lowe's) under your bun's pen and add in rugs, etc. for traction. You can also use fleece blankets or liners to add a comfortable sleeping spot for your bun. Look for flooring that is either machine washable or easy to wipe clean. There are tons of colors, designs, & sizes to choose from so you will be sure to find something to fit your space!
Grooming Supplies
Bunnies need to be brushed regularly to help prevent matting and too much fur ingestion (which can lead to blockages and GI stasis). We use the Small Pet Select Hair Buster Comb and it is fantastic for our buns! It gently brushes out loose fur and catches it with a rubber piece to help prevent the fur from flying all over the room, plus our bunnies tolerate being brushed with this comb very well. A simple plastic comb will also work.
Bunnies also need their nails to be trimmed regularly. You can have this done by your exotic vet if you are uncomfortable doing it yourself. I use cat nail clippers like these and they work very well!
Enrichment (Tunnels, Hides, & Toys)
Enrichment is very import to your bunny's mental health. Bunnies need enrichment stay mentally stimulated and happy! Some great ways to engage your bunny include puzzle and foraging toys. Such as the Living World Teach N Treat Toy and Treat Balls! Snuffle mats are also amazing and there are tons of different adorable styles and colors to choose from. You can find snuffle mats on Amazon and Etsy. The Tokihut Foraging Mat (pictured below) is a very aesthetically pleasing option that a lot of bunnies love! Baby Stacking Cups are another wonderful enrichment toy for your bunny and they also come in a variety of colors. Our buns love to unstack and throw them around! You can also find them on Amazon and Etsy. You can hide pellets or age-appropriate treats in these enrichment toys to encourage your bunny's natural foraging instincts!
Bunnies love to play with and chew on toys! They can get bored of playing with the same toys so it is good to rotate them, and doing so will help to prevent destructive behaviors by keeping your bun busy. Every bunny has their own unique personality so you will need to test and see kind of toys & textures your bunny likes most! You can buy toy bundles to test out different kinds of toys. Most buns love natural balls (seagrass, willow, vine, etc.), cat balls with bells, hanging chews, flings, apple sticks, palm leaf bowls (make sure they are untreated), willow baskets & toys, grass mats, pinecones, loofahs, grass twist chews and rings, and tons of other toys & chews!!
Some great brands of bunny toys/treats include Oxbow & Small Pet Select as well as toys/treats made by small bunny-owner run businesses! A lot of toys/treats sold in pet stores and marketed for bunnies contain dangerous ingredients and may actually be unsafe or unhealthy for your bunny, so it is important to double check before giving anything to your bun. Esty is a fantastic place to find small bunny shops with safe, natural bunny toys and treats!
Bunnies are prey animals so they feel safer with comfortable hidey houses where they can relax. You can get your bunny an adorable cardboard or wooden castle, a teepee, a grass/woven hideout, or a fleece cave bed hideout. There are also lots of other options as well! You can look on Amazon or Etsy.
I highly recommend getting a tunnel for your bun to enjoy! Tunnels are the ultimate bunny toy and hideout, our buns absolutely love to zoom through and chill in their tunnels. Cat tunnels work fantastic for bunnies! You can also get a chewable seagrass tunnel for your bunny here.
DIY toys and hides are also a fantastic option, and some bunnies even prefer them over ones you can purchase. You can use cardboard toilet paper and paper towel rolls to make a variety of toys and cut holes in cardboard boxes to build your bun their very own hideout or castle! Our buns adore their DIY toys!