A hideout and some height in the cage: what habitat enrichment really changes
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
A pen can look "enriched" while offering neither shelter nor relief. A study by Hansen and Berthelsen, published in 2000 in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, compared the behaviour of 96 rabbits housed either in a standard cage or in one fitted with a hideout and a raised platform at the back, using continuous 24-hour video recording and an open-field test measuring their reaction to being caught. Our setup guides are gathered in the rabbit bedding and habitat section.
Less bar-gnawing, less restlessness
Rabbits housed in standard cages, without a hideout or any relief, showed more restlessness, excessive grooming, and bar-gnawing than those with access to a shelter and a platform. The gap was especially pronounced in females, who reacted more strongly than males to the lack of furnishing in this study. The capture test confirmed the pattern: rabbits from unenriched cages were more fearful when caught, an indirect sign of chronic stress.
Why a hideout matters more than floor space alone
A shelter's value lies in its function: getting out of sight, a strong need for a prey species that can never fully relax in open ground. The raised platform adds a second dimension to the available space and lets a rabbit keep watch from above rather than passively enduring its cage's layout.
What this means for a home setup
A cage or pen offering only bare floor space, however generous, leaves out a welfare lever that's simple to add. Our roundup of rabbit tunnels and hideouts covers safe shelter options, and our article on setting up a quiet corner for a noise-sensitive rabbit rounds out these tips for a particularly timid animal.
- 96 rabbits compared between a standard cage and one with a hideout plus raised platform.
- Standard cage: more restlessness, excessive grooming, and bar-gnawing.
- Effect more pronounced in females than males in this study.
- Capture test: greater timidity in rabbits with no furnishing, a sign of chronic stress.
Sufficient space still matters, but these results are a reminder that adding a hideout and a bit of height carries as much weight — if not more — than floor area alone in a caged or penned rabbit's day-to-day welfare.
Frequently asked questions
Is a large cage enough if it has no hideout or relief?
Not entirely: the study shows the lack of shelter and height affects behaviour even when floor space is adequate.
Why would females react more strongly to the lack of a hideout?
The study records this gap without settling definitively on its cause; it could stem from greater stress sensitivity or differences in territorial behaviour.
What kind of hideout works best for an indoor rabbit?
A shelter enclosed on at least three sides, large enough for the rabbit to turn around in, ideally paired with a platform or a raised spot it can reach safely.
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Rabbits universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.