Do Rabbits Need Beds?

When my wife brought home our first rabbit, I had no idea what it needed; fortunately, she did! 

After she got his hutch set up, I checked it and wondered about his bed, and it got me thinking. 

Do rabbits even need beds, and what makes a good bed?

I spoke to many rabbit owners and experts and was surprised by what I found out. 

As a whole, rabbits need a separate space in their hutch to use as a bed, but this doesn’t mean it needs to look like a bed. As long as the space is different from where they eat and use the bathroom, they’ll be happy. Good rabbit bed options include fabric beds, towels, blankets, aspen chips, and more. 

Look ahead for more information on how to make your bunny’s home the most comfortable place possible. 

Where Do Pet Rabbits Sleep?

It always surprises me how much pet bunnies are like humans. 

We are the most comfortable when we have a dedicated sleeping area. 

Pet rabbits are no different. 

Bunnies require a different area to sleep in from where they eat and sleep. 

Some hutches use dividers to create completely different rooms. 

Others just have a separate area with no divider. 

Either way works, as long as there is a soft spot away from those other places. 

Rabbits are twilight creatures. 

They sleep at any time, but the most likely time they sleep is during the middle of the day and the middle of the night. 

These animals are most active during dusk and dawn, at the twilight times. 

The fancy word for this is crepuscular. 

Dark, warm, and shielded places are the best for rabbits to use as a sleeping space. 

Fun fact: Rabbits sleep with their eyes open. 

Do Pet Rabbits Need A Bed?

While pet bunnies do need a sleeping area, the question of an actual bed is a little tougher to answer. 

Do they need a bed? No, not really. 

They’ll sleep on anything if they have to, but providing a simple layer of something a little soft and warm will do. 

If you want to use something more like a real bed, this is just icing on the cake. 

Your rabbit will be extra cozy, though there are a few things you may want to consider before committing to this. 

Regardless, if you’re a rabbit owner who wants to make sure your pet is as happy and as comfortable as possible, keep reading! 

What To Look For In A Rabbit Bed

Several elements make up a comfortable bed for your fuzzy friend. Let’s talk about these in this section. 

Look ahead for types of good bunny beds. 

Fun fact: When they get tired, rabbits walk instead of hop. Click the link to learn more.

Absorbent Material

I always start with looking for a material that absorbs moisture and liquids well. 

Young bunnies especially, but adults too, tend to have a problem holding in their urine. 

Your bedding needs to be able to contain the mess and make for easier cleanup. 

On top of absorbing, it’d be a good idea to look for bedding able to be cleaned and sanitized easily.

Cleaning is something you’ll have to do every day or every couple of days to some degree. Save yourself a lot of hassle by picking a good bed. 

Firmness/Comfort

Bunnies have a preference for the firmness of their beds, just like people do. Of course, it’s a little different than what we think of. 

A softer bed is a comfy bed for a rabbit, but you don’t want it too soft. 

These pets instinctively treat soft surfaces as places to go to the bathroom. 

This makes sense naturally. Softer grounds absorb the droppings much better than hard grounds. 

There’s no hard and fast rule for how soft is too soft, either. 

Pay attention to your critter. 

If they keep making a mess on their bed, consider swapping to a firmer material. 

Remember, these animals still have the instincts of their wild ancestors; they’re used to sleeping on the hard ground outside.

They don’t need soft mattresses and pillows. 

Control Odor

Some bedding materials and beds are also great for trapping odors. 

While rabbits aren’t as smelly as some other pets (I don’t smell my little guy at all; of course, I don’t have a great sense of smell as it is), you may want to get something which either traps or eliminates the smell of droppings. 

Safety

Health and safety are always key for me with any of the animals we keep at our home, whether our dog, rabbit, chickens, or whatever. 

For beds, take care there’s nothing hard or sharp sticking out to hurt the bunny with. 

Another element to watch out for is the construction of the bed itself. 

Bunnies chew on pretty much anything. 

If you don’t want them to eat it or ingest it, don’t put it in their space. 

Most of the time, they won’t eat their bed, but they may nibble on it. 

If it’s made of chemicals or a material toxic to pets, you’re putting your bunny’s life at risk. 

The more natural and untreated the material, the better. 

Price

I’m a big fan of living on a budget. It’s part of the reason we decided to make the most of our backyard through simple farming and animal keeping. 

With rabbits, it’s easy to spend a ton of money on accessories for your pet, and there’s nothing wrong with this. 

One of my good friends has kept a ton of rabbits over the years, and she treats them like her children. 

But it’s just as OK to think about your budget. 

When it comes to a bed, you may want to err on the side of affordability, considering they may not last forever. 

For most beds, expect to be able to keep it anywhere from 6 months to a year, depending on how many accidents your pet has and the material it’s made from. 

Of course, if you use a substrate or material bedding, this will be less, though the cost is usually much lower. 

Do whatever you feel you need to, but be aware the bed may not last. 

Great Rabbit Bedding Options To Check Out

When I first looked into this topic, I had no idea there were so many great options for bunny beds out there. 

I spoke with many owners and considered our own experiences with rabbits to develop this list of ideas.

Disclosure: Links to products may be affiliate in nature, which means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you click and buy. Thanks for supporting our website! 

Fabric Beds

These are available in full-on cave-like homes or simple large plush cushions. 

Either way, they do the job well and last quite a while. 

Many of them are made of polyester, so they’re quite easy to clean and durable against pee. 

These usually last a little longer than most beds, and rabbits don’t generally want to chew on them. 

Sometimes they’re too soft and make the animals instinctively want to pee on them. 

I don’t use one, but my friend who’s kept many bunnies recommends one like this cuddle cushion for small animals. 

Towels/Blankets

An old towel or small blanket (or portion of a blanket) makes a great bed, and you often have extras just hanging out around your house, so it saves money too!

We need to make sure it doesn’t have any dangerous chemicals or anything in its construction because your bunny will chew on it, but most cotton or fleece blankets do the job excellently. 

Towels are a good choice because even when they get messed on, you simply wash them at a high temperature to clean them. 

Move these beds into all sorts of different shapes to fit whatever space your pet needs. It will probably push it around anyway until it’s satisfied with the position. 

They stay quite warm and provide a good place for your furry friend to cuddle up. 

Cotton blankets are great though less durable and aren’t easily cut down to space. 

Fleece blankets are durable, soft, and easy to cut with no sewing needed. 

They also don’t fray, which makes the bunnies chew on them less. 

We recently got this plush pet blanket for our bunny.

He loves it so far, and it’s machine-washable too, which is great for when messes happen.  

Baskets

Basket beds are another great option, and they come in many different sizes. 

Often, these are fairly durable and look super cute. 

The biggest complaint I’ve heard with these is how the nibbly monsters love to chew on the wicker. 

Still, they look great and are often paired with a cushion bed on the bottom. 

These are usually removable for cleaning. 

Grass Mats/Beds

A rising trend with rabbit owners is these mats and beds made out of woven grass. 

These look very natural, like the baskets, but they’re made out of grass and quite affordable. 

This way, when your rabbit ends up chewing it, you don’t need to worry about their safety; it’s already grass! 

These are most like what they’ll find in nature, so they make great beds for the indoor-outdoor rabbits (like our guy). 

And seriously, these are cheap and so easy to use. 

We’ve bought this pack of 15 woven grass mats for small animals, and it’s exactly what we were looking for. 

Wooden Beds

If you’re going for the heights of adorability and Instagram-worthy rabbit beds, it doesn’t get much better than a wooden bed. 

When your pet chews on it, it’ll be safe since it’s made of wood. 

Often, you may have a wooden bed from a dollhouse set (or you may pick one up on Facebook Marketplace or at a garage sale). This way you save money. 

Because they’re wood, they’ll last a long time. 

With a little cut piece of cushion, they’ll be just soft enough for rabbits to enjoy but not so hard they think it’s their litter. 

The biggest issue here is how the wood will sometimes absorb the odor of pee. 

Shredded Paper

As far as simple options go, shredded paper is where it’s at. 

It costs almost nothing, absorbs well, and throws away when done. 

It’s still soft enough to make a comfy bed, though it doesn’t look fancy. 

Your rabbit won’t care or notice a big difference, though you might. 

Aspen

Aspen shavings are another great and natural option for bedding for your rabbit. They make a good all-around substrate for your pet. 

It’s absorbent, affordable, odor-blocking, warm, and comfy. 

It’s pretty much everything you would want if you didn’t want an actual bed. 

Always buy it from a pet retailer, though. 

Some hardware stores and other places may have infused it with chemicals or could be filled with mites and other bugs. 

We always get ours from Tractor Supply, though we ordered these aspen chips by Kaytee, and it worked great! 

Hay

Hay is another good option similar to aspen. Plus, your bunny will like to eat it if it gets hungry. 

It’s less available in bulk for bedding, but it still does the job just fine. 

Again, make sure you get a pack made for pets to avoid any potential bug issues. 

Rabbit Bedding To Avoid

While the options above aren’t the only ones, they are among the most popular. 

Still, there are a few bedding options you need to know to avoid. 

Here’s a quick list: 

• Cat litter – Yes, it’s soft. It’s also toxic.
• Newspaper – Paper is fine, but the ink on newspaper may poison your pet in large amounts. 
• Pine or Cedar – These are often treated with chemicals, but even if they’re clean, they’re bad for a rabbit’s stomach. 
• Cardboard – This makes a great chew toy, but too much is hard to digest. 
• Sawdust – This is soft, but it’s hard on their eyes and gets eaten too much accidentally. 
• Sand – Again, soft but not good if accidentally eaten.
• Nameless Wood Shavings – You never know exactly what’s in these. It could be deadly poisonous or fine. It’s not worth the risk. 

FAQ

Can rabbits sleep on blankets? – Rabbits love to sleep on blankets, though they don’t use them to get tucked into. 

Is it cruel to keep a rabbit alone?- Rabbits need interaction for mental health. 

If they’re the only bunny you have, give them lots of interaction and exploratory time. 

Other pets may be their companions too. 

Why won’t my rabbit sleep on its bed? – If it sleeps in another spot in the hutch, consider moving the bed to this spot. 

They don’t see beds as we do; they just want a comfy spot away from their food and waste place. 

Should I leave a nightlight on for my bunny? – If your bunny roams free of your house at night, you may want to use a little nightlight to help them see. 

These furry pets have better night vision than we do, but they still need some light. 

In all other situations, don’t worry about a night light. 

Should I cover my rabbit cage at night? – If your rabbit has trouble calming down at night or there’s a lot of movement and noise around them at night, consider covering the cage with a blanket. 

Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation, and the cage doesn’t get too hot, though.