How long can a rabbit go alone?

Baby Rabbits

A baby rabbit has the best chance of survival when it is cared for by its mother. Before intervening, we want to make sure the rabbit really needs our help. Cottontail rabbits nest from March through September and may have as many as four litters per year. The average litter contains four to five babies. Young rabbits disperse from the nest at 15-20 days old. By three weeks of age, they are on their own in the wild and no longer require a mother’s care. This means that young rabbits found on the ground may be completely healthy. Even though they look small, they are not orphans and do not need any human intervention.

A baby rabbit needs to be rescued for the following reasons:

• It is bleeding, has an open wound, or has a broken bone.
• It has been in a cat’s or dog’s mouth.
• It is covered in fly eggs (these look like small grains of rice).
• It is cold, wet, or crying nonstop.

Still unsure if the rabbit you found needs assistance? The next step is to determine the age of the rabbit to see if intervention is needed.

Found a juvenile rabbit?

• Is the rabbit fully furred?
• Are its eyes open?
• Is it larger than a baseball?

If so, you have found a juvenile rabbit. Juvenile rabbits may look very small but they are independent from their mother and know how to do just fine on their own. Juvenile rabbits do not need to be rescued.

Found an infant rabbit?

Infant rabbits are very small, have a very thin layer of fur, and their eyes are closed or may have just opened. Their best chance for survival is to be reunited with their mom.

• In order to reunite an infant rabbit with its mother, the baby must be warm. Place uncooked rice or bird seed in a sock and warm in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Wrap the sock in a soft towel and place it next to the baby to warm it up.
• Next, attempt to locate the nest and put the baby back. A rabbit’s nest looks like a shallow depression in the ground, possibly lined with rabbit fur and/or grass; cottontail rabbits do not burrow.
• Place the baby back in the nest and sprinkle the area with flour or cross two twigs over the nest and check back in 24 hours. It is unlikely that you will see the mother return because she does not want to draw attention to her babies, but you will likely notice other signs of activity.
• If there are rabbit footprints in the flour or the twigs have been moved it is likely that the mother rabbit has been reunited with her baby!
• If there are no signs of activity, take the infant rabbit to a wildlife rehabilitator. Keep the baby warm, but never attempt to give an orphaned rabbit any food or water. Rabbits have very sensitive digestive systems and giving the baby anything without the proper training can be fatal.

NOTE: Each animal’s nutritional, housing, and handling requirements are very specific and must be met if the animal has any chance of survival. It is best not to feed a wild animal any food or water as this can cause more harm than good. Cow’s milk and human milk replacers will make wild animals sick. Raising a wild animal in captivity without the proper training is never recommended.

• Baby Birds
• Baby Rabbits
• Baby Squirrels
• Eastern Box Turtles

How Long Can A Rabbit be Left Alone?

If you are a rabbit owner and you are looking to go on a vacation without your pet, then you have a big decision to make. I’ve owned a bunny and I too came across this decision many times. Leaving your little bun alone for a day, a weekend, or a whole week is not an easy task. A lot of things need to be considered. So, let’s find the answer to the question: how long can a rabbit be left alone?

You can leave your rabbit alone for 6 to 10 hours during the day, given that they have enough food and water. If you are leaving two or more rabbits alone, they can easily live happily for approximately 24 hours. It is because rabbits thrive if they have companions. Rabbits are social creatures and if left alone, they feel depressed and stressed. They even feel scared of their safety because they are prey animals.

In this article, we are going to discuss in detail: How long can a rabbit be left alone? How can you make this alone time comfortable for you and your rabbit? And various factors that can shorten or extend this time period.

• How Long Can A Rabbit Be Left Alone?
• Can Rabbits Be Left Alone For 8 Hours?
• Can Bunnies Be Left Alone For 2 Days?
• Can Rabbits Be Left Alone For A Week?
• Reason Why Rabbits Can’t Be Left Alone For An Extended Period
  • Exercise
  • Depression
  • Anxious
  • Company
  • Food And Water
  • Toys
  • Regular Cleaning
  • Safety

  How Long Can A Rabbit Be Left Alone?

  It is hard for a rabbit who is alone to live on its own for more than a day. They start to feel depressed and anxious after 12 hours. These are social creatures who hate to be alone. If left alone for an extended period, they can lose their appetite which can lead to some health complications. Losing appetite means lack of fiber which can result in digestive issues such as GI Stasis.

  So, if you are unable to be at home for a long time, you can consider getting another rabbit as a companion to your rabbit. Both the rabbits can bond together and give company to each other. They’ll be able to play together and even take care of each other’s grooming needs.

  Give both your bunnies sufficient food, water, and space to play, and they can happily live together for the duration you are gone.

  See also Can You Relocate a Bunny Nest?

  Can Rabbits Be Left Alone For 8 Hours?

  As we have already discussed, you can leave your rabbit alone for a maximum of 12 hours without checking on it. After that, your bun will get anxious. So, if you have given sufficient food and water to your rabbit, it can manage to be alone for 8 hours.

  I myself leave my rabbit alone daily for this much time while I am at my office. I leave a huge rack of hay and 2 bowls of water to cater to the needs of my pet. This much is enough to keep my rabbit full for a day. When I come back home, my bun remains ready to spend some playtime with me.

  Can Bunnies Be Left Alone For 2 Days?

  For rabbits to remain happy, need someone to socialize with. So, it is not a good idea to leave your rabbit alone for 2 days.

  Leaving a bunny alone for more than a day can make it highly depressed as well as frightened too. The situation is worse for those bunnies who do not have any companions to spend time with.

  So, if you are planning to leave your rabbit for 2 days, ask your friend or relative to keep a check on your rabbit every 12 hours. Another option is to board your little bunny to a vet for the time you are away.

  Can Rabbits Be Left Alone For A Week?

  If you are going on a long vacation, you need to take the help of reliable pet care for your rabbit. It is because rabbits start feeling lonely very quickly and it is also a challenging task to leave enough food and water for a whole week or more. It is highly likely that your rabbit will consume all of it before you come back home. Additionally, the rabbit cage will also be a mess.

  So, the best option you have got is to ask a friend or relative to take care of your pet. You can even hire a pet sitter to cater to all the needs of the bunny. Another option is to look for a boarding house for your pet where all its needs will be met and your pet can even get a company of other rabbits too.

  Reason Why Rabbits Can’t Be Left Alone For An Extended Period

  Rabbits are one of those pets who need constant attention. They can’t live without a companion or their owner around them. They have their own daily needs too. So, here are some of the reasons why rabbits can’t be left alone for an extended period:

  See also Is Newspaper Safe for a Rabbit Cage? (Hint: It depends)

  Exercise

  Rabbits are not those creatures that can stay in cages for a long time. They are active animals who need space to move and play around. They need constant exercise (at least 4 hours every day). Even experts suggest mimicking an environment similar to that of a wild habitat (their natural habitat) for rabbits to keep them happy and healthy.

  Depression

  As we already know, rabbits can’t live alone. They need attention from the owner or a companion to be with. If left alone, they tend to get depressed.

  Depression in rabbits can make the pet feel withdrawn and it can get aggressive towards the owner. Another problem with depression is that rabbits lose their appetite. Low appetite leads to digestive distress.

  Anxious

  As rabbits are social creatures, they bond fast with their owners. So, if you leave your rabbit alone for a long time, it will get anxious without you. It will start searching for you, think about you, and as time will pass, it will get more and more anxious.

  Things To Prepare When You Are Planning On Leaving Your Rabbit For A While

  Company

  By now, you must have understood how important it is to give your rabbit some company. So, the first and foremost thing that you need to do, if you are planning to go on a vacation, is to find someone to take care of your rabbit. For this purpose, you can hire a pet sitter or board your rabbit to a vet or ask your friend or relative to take care of your little furball and all its needs.

  Food And Water

  These are the most essential things that you need to consider before leaving your pet for a while. If you are hiring a pet sitter, provide him/her with enough food that can last for the time while you are on the vacation. Also, instruct the pet care provider on the usual routine of your rabbit along with the portion of food that your pet eats. A change in routine and food quantity can disturb your rabbit’s lifestyle.

  Toys

  If the rabbit is alone without you, it can get bored. To alleviate the boredom, you can leave some favorite toys of your rabbit along with some new ones. It will keep your little pal busy and stimulated. Some of the toy options for your rabbit can be:

  • Wooden dumbells.
  • Willow balls, bridge, and sticks.
  • Twig tunnels.
  • Toilet paper rolls (Although rabbits can create a mess out of these, but nothing is more important than your pet’s happiness while you are away).
  • Chew toy.

  See also Rabbit Language: Ways to Communicate with your Bunny!

  Regular Cleaning

  Rabbits like to live in a clean habitat. So, make sure you clean your rabbit’s cage as well as food and water utensils before you go for your vacation. Additionally, instruct the pet care service provider to keep the rabbit’s territory clean along with its litter box. Washing and cleaning of toys and other items of the rabbit from time to time are also essential. This will ensure that your rabbit doesn’t face any hardships while you are not there to take care of it.

  Safety

  Rabbit proofing the house before going out is necessary. You have to make sure that your little one is safe from predators and doesn’t chew anything harmful, like a wire. It is also important that you remove the things from the reach of your rabbit that can cause health risks. Even instruct the pet sitter about the dangerous things that your bunny might do.

  Final words

  So, how long can a rabbit be left alone? You should never leave your rabbit alone for more than 24 hours without a companion. Rabbit starts getting depressed as it needs to socialize. Without anyone around, the rabbit gets all stressed up and frightened too. Because of all this, it can lose its appetite which can result in digestive complications.

  If you are thinking to leave your pet alone for more than 24 hours, it will be wise to hire a pet sitter or ask a friend or relative to keep a check on your bun or board it to a vet. Also, make sure to leave enough food and water supplies for the rabbit while you are gone.

  Related posts:

  1. Are Rabbits Hard to Care For? A Practical Guide
  2. Can Rabbits Go Out In The Snow? Here’s the Answer
  3. Can a Rabbit Stay in an Air-Conditioned Room?
  4. Should Rabbits Have Unlimited Hay? Explained!
  5. How Often Should You Change Rabbit’s Water?

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  Medical Disclaimer

  I am not a veterinarian. Any advice given on Rabbit Heaven should not be used in place of professional medical care, to diagnose or treat any illness.