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Office of Animal Welfare

Environmental Enrichment for Rabbits

I. Introduction/Purpose

The goal of environmental enrichment for rabbits is to maximize activity while increasing species specific behavior and enhancing the animals’ well-being. The components of environmental enrichment for rabbits include social housing, social interaction with humans, toys, and food treats.

II. Procedures

A. All rabbits will be provided with environmental enrichment unless:

  1. The investigator provides scientific justification to the IACUC as to why enrichment is not compatible with the goals of the study and the IACUC approves the variance.
    OR
  2. If, in the opinion of the Attending Veterinarian or designee, environmental enrichment will adversely affect the health or well-being of the animals.

A Husbandry Special Services Request form must be completed and turned in by the responsible party (Investigator group or Vet Services) to the facility supervisor if environmental enrichment is to be restricted or absent.

B. Social housing – Rabbits should be housed socially unless there is an IACUC or veterinary exemption to social housing.

  1. Male rabbits that are littermates should be housed socially unless there is fighting. If fighting is seen, a sick animal report should be submitted and Veterinary Services will evaluate the animals and determine if the rabbits need to be housed separately.
  2. Adult males that are NOT littermates will be housed singly unless in breeding pairs.
  3. Adult females that arrive together will be housed in same sex groups.
  4. Females that arrive separately are to be introduced to social housing if they will be kept in the facility for longer than 2 weeks.
  5. A special service request (indicating IACUC approval or veterinary approval) must be in place if female rabbits or littermate males are singly housed. Singly housed rabbits must be housed so they can see, hear and smell other rabbits. Single housed animals will be provided with a food puzzle at least once weekly in addition to the enrichment listed below.

C. Social interaction with humans – Grooming is considered a positive form of human interaction.

Brushing and nail trimming will be performed as needed.

D. Toys

1. Rabbits will be provided with toys daily for manipulation and gnawing/chewing, such as chains with toys attached, Jingle Balls, hay balls, and/or plastic dumb bells.

a. Each cage door will have a chain toy attached and each animal will have at least one toy inside cage at all times.

2. Cage toys will be checked daily for fecal contamination, removed if contaminated and replaced with a clean one.
3. Toys must be rotated once every two weeks for sanitizing and to prevent boredom.

E. Food treats

  1. All rabbits will be provided with fresh fruit, loose hay, carrots, celery or lettuce a minimum of 4 days per week. All apple slices will have seeds and stickers removed before being given to the rabbits.
  2. FOODS NOT ALLOWED: oranges, grapes, bananas (fruits with a high sugar-to-fiber ratio that can result in GI upset), iceberg lettuce

F. Implementation of enrichment will be recorded on the Animal and Room Care Log and the Environmental Enrichment Log in the animal housing room.

G. New environmental enrichment items can be added with the approval of the Chair of the Environmental Enrichment Committee and the Attending Veterinarian.

H. Music

  1. Music is provided to reduce the stress response the animals may exhibit to activity in the room or to hallway noises.
  2. Music is to be provided for a minimum of 4 hours daily during the lights on period.
  3. Music provided is to be instrumental compositions (e.g. Mozart, Bach, etc), nature sounds (nature sounds cannot include predator sounds from animals such as dogs, coyotes, wolves, etc.) or compilations from the document Approved Environmental Enrichment Music per Species, approved by the Attending Veterinarian.
  4. Music must always be played at a level below 80 decibels. ​

III. References

  1. SOP B.1011 Care and Maintenance of Rabbits
  2. Gunn-Dore, D. (1997). Comfortable Quarters for Laboratory Rabbits, In Comfortable Quarters for Laboratory Animals, ed. V. Reinhardt, 46-54, Washington, D.C., Animal Welfare Institute.
  3. Quinn, R.H. (2012). Rabbit Colony Management and Related Health Concerns. In: Suckow, M.A., Stevens, K.A., and R.P. Wilson (Eds). The Laboratory Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Hamster, and Other Rodents. Academic Press, Waltham, pp. 227-229. D. Peveler, J., Hickman,
  4. (2017 AALAS Poster). Effects of Music Enrichment on Individually Housed New Zealand White Rabbits, Indiana University School of Medicine, Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Indianapolis, IN.
  5. “Approved Environmental Enrichment Music per Species” document.

IV. Approval/Review Dates

SOP Created: 10/08/2002
Last Reviewed/Revised by the IACUC: 05/18/2023


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