Multiple hiding places: do they actually ease tension between cohabiting rabbits?
When introducing two rabbits, advice often calls for setting up several hiding places, without always making clear whether that actually changes the number of clashes. A study by Rommers, Reuvekamp, Gunnink and de Jong, published in 2014 in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, compared groups of does housed with or without hiding places, with or without straw, and across different territory sizes, measuring skin injuries linked to aggression (study on Google Scholar). Find all our accessory guidance in the rabbit accessories section.
Do hiding places actually reduce injuries?
The study found that providing hiding places lowered the proportion of does showing skin injuries linked to conflict, a measurable effect even though no tested setup fully eliminated tension when the group was first formed.
One shared hideout, or one per rabbit?
The study doesn't test that specific point, but its broader finding on the value of retreat areas matches what we recommend for bonding two rabbits: setting up several retreat spots keeps one rabbit from monopolising the only hideout available.
What kind of hideout works best?
A shelter enclosed on three sides, dark enough to break visual contact, mirrors the mechanism the study tested. Our article on setting up a dark, secure sleeping corner covers how to build that kind of refuge day to day, beyond just the cohabitation phase. Positioning two or more shelters on opposite sides of the space, rather than side by side, also gives each rabbit a genuine escape route.
- Study finding: hiding places reduce the proportion of does injured during conflicts.
- Limit: no tested setup fully eliminated tension when the group first formed.
- Practical takeaway: several retreat spots rather than a single hideout during bonding.
- Shelter type: enclosed on multiple sides, dark enough to break visual contact.
Adding more hiding places during an introduction doesn't guarantee a trouble-free cohabitation, but it remains a measurable lever for limiting injuries during that delicate phase.
Frequently asked questions
Should hiding places be removed once the group settles?
No, they remain useful long-term as rest and retreat areas, even after the introduction phase.
Is one hideout enough for two well-bonded rabbits?
It's better to provide at least two from the start, so a single hideout doesn't itself become a source of competition.
Does this apply to a trio or a larger group too?
The study covered groups of several does; the principle of multiple retreat spots still applies, but their number should grow with group size.
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.