How to have a safe and fun Christmas with your rabbit

Christmas is fun for us – but your rabbits might not understand what all the celebrations are about. Here’s how to keep your rabbits safe over the festive season.

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If you have indoor rabbits, they’ll be exposed to a lot of different sights, sounds and smells over the holidays. Even outdoor rabbits may notice that your home is busier than normal, or be exposed to different foods. By taking the time to prepare, you can make sure your bunnies stay happy and healthy over the holidays.

Rabbit safety at Christmas

From food to decorations, there are lots of potential dangers for rabbits at Christmas. Here’s what to bear in mind when getting ready for the festivities. 

Take care when decorating with plants

Festive greenery can be toxic to rabbits, including:

• Ivy
• Holly
• Mistletoe

If you’re using these around the house or garden, make sure they’re securely tied up where your rabbits can’t reach them. Check regularly for any broken or fallen pieces, and remove them as soon as you see them. 

Avoid toxic or poisonous foods

You might want to treat your rabbits at Christmas, but drastic changes to their diet can cause gastrointestinal issues. Never feed your rabbits any festive foods that are poisonous or unsuitable for their digestive systems, including:

• Cooked greens
• Honey-glazed carrots
• Potatoes or starchy vegetables
• Meat or gravy

Aim to keep your rabbits' diet as normal as possible – but you could offer them some raw Brussels sprouts, a few fresh cranberries, or some homemade Christmas-themed treats.

Can rabbits eat Christmas trees?

Are Christmas trees safe for rabbits? The answer is no. While chewing wood is great for your rabbits’ teeth, it needs to be the right type of wood. Christmas trees have sometimes been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals, which could cause gastrointestinal issues. Fresh pine wood also contains phenols that can cause liver problems. 

If you have house rabbits, make sure they can’t reach the tree, by placing it in an enclosure or by having a smaller tree on a table. Baubles, tinsel and other decorations can also potentially harm your rabbit, so try to place decorations higher up. Secure the wires of any Christmas tree lights and plug-in decorations, so your rabbits can’t chew on them.

While rabbits shouldn’t chew on wrapping paper, ribbons or anything else used to decorate presents, cardboard boxes are a different matter! Save any large, unprinted boxes for your rabbits’ enclosure, and have fun cutting holes and making them some new hiding places.

How to prepare for Christmas with rabbits

Rabbits may find the noise of visitors stressful. People may want to pick up your rabbit, without knowing how to handle them correctly. If your rabbits usually have free range of the house, consider moving them to a quiet room where guests don’t have access.

Whether your rabbits live inside or outside, decide ahead of time whether or not guests will be allowed to interact with them. Some confident and outgoing rabbits might be happy to meet people, but more timid rabbits may get very stressed if they’re exposed to a lot of new people in a short space of time. Make sure everyone in the family is aware of what you’ve decided on, so there’s no need for awkward conversations. 

Even if you’re planning on keeping your rabbits separate from any guests, it’s important to set aside some quiet time for you to spend with your rabbits.

Should you decorate your rabbits' hutch?

You might be tempted to add some Christmas decorations to your rabbits' hutch and run – but it’s important to think about their safety first. Rabbits dislike change, so they may become stressed by the addition of unfamiliar decorations. They might also chew on, swallow or become tangled in decorations. 

Instead of decorating your rabbits’ run, add a few edible Christmas-themed treats, so they can safely be part of the celebrations.

Buy your bunnies some presents

Now is the perfect time to treat your rabbits to some fun presents that improve their health and wellbeing, or encourage natural behaviours like burrowing and chewing. For more inspiration, check out our Christmas gift guide for rabbits.

Watch out for signs of stress

Christmas can be overwhelming for rabbits, so watch out for signs of stress, including:

• Lethargy
• Aggression
• Eating poop
• Loss of appetite
• Lack of grooming
• Breathing heavily
• Hiding or running away
• Changes to grooming habits
• Showing the whites of their eyes

If you notice any of these signs or are otherwise worried about your rabbits over the holidays, speak to your vet for advice. Check their opening hours ahead of time, so you know whether these will change over the holidays. For extra peace of mind, Petplan rabbit insurance gives you access to Pet Expert Chat – connecting you to veterinary professionals, 24/7. Simply log in to your My Petplan account and go to the My Support area.