Recently, I got married to my now husband. With that change for me, came a lot of changes for my bunny, Baby, too.

This included moving from my parents’ house to our new apartment!

I oftentimes see this question floating around rabbit Facebook groups: How do I move with my bunny?

The first thing to note is that each bunny is different! No matter what advice people on the internet (including me) give you, only you truly know your bun!

Some bunnies LOVE car rides, looking around at all of the scenery and thriving in the new stimulus. Others make you feel like you’re bringing them to their doom the second you open up your car door.

But as bunny parents, we know that sometimes a car ride and a change of housing is a necessary life change.

Here are some pointers for how we moved Baby!

The steps

Here’s the very top level basics for our process.

Again, it may be different for you depending if you’re moving a street over or across country.

For us, it was a 25 minute move. Adjust accordingly!

1. Gather your supplies.
2. Pack your bunny.
3. Clean the original location.
4. Drive to the new location.
5. Set up your new bunny area.
6. Introduce your bunny to the new area.

Gather your supplies

You’ll want to pack up and much as possible into the car before you put your actual bunny in the car. This will hopefully cut down on the time your rabbit spends in the car and will hopefully cut down on the stress with it.

Make sure you have:

• Water bottle or bowl
• Food dish
• Toys
• Hay
• Pellets (optional to put in carrier as a distraction)
• Hidey holes/houses
• Litter box
• Litter
• Extra veggies (optional to put in carrier as a distraction)
• Pet camera (if you have one)
• Whatever flooring you have underneath your bunny set-up
• Your cage/playpen
• Any other accessories

Pack your bunny

The packing, cleaning, and supply gathering tends to happen somewhat simultaneously.

I’d say get down to your playpen, carpet, and litter box before getting your rabbit into a carrier.

I put Baby in the car, knowing that it would only be 5-10 minutes before the cleaning portion was done.

It’s important to only keep your bunny in the car for a short period of time if you are not there! There are too many reports of dogs and young children dying from heat exhaustion after being left in a car. Don’t let your rabbit be a part of that statistic!

Clean the original location

I was leaving my parents’ house, so it was important that I didn’t leave a hay, poop mess behind!

The same is true if you’re leaving an apartment!

Make sure to vacuum any carpet, scrub down any tile, and give a good air freshener spray for good measure. All in all, be courteous and get that security deposit back!

Drive to the new location

This is where you have to be in tune to your rabbit.

If your rabbit loves car rides, great! Throw in some hay and enjoy the ride!

If your rabbit is a bit more hesitant, try your best to make the ride more comfortable.

If you’re using a hard bottomed crate, put an old towel or dish cloth on the bottom. This will give your bun a better footing and make them feel more stable.

Make sure to put some food in the carrier. Hay can provide a snack and some nice bedding to keep them comfy.

Baby usually gets too blah during travel, but he’ll occasionally nibble on some hay or pellets I stick in there with him.

I’ve also found by many trials that Baby prefers a soft carrier with the top up. He won’t jump out, but I think the open top makes him feel less trapped. It also gives him more of an option to see me, and I can pet him more easily when he’s in the passenger seat.

A note for longer drives, you might consider stopping for a water break. Keep a bowl handy to fill with water to give during pit stops! The stop will also give your bun a chance to stretch their legs without all the bumps of the road.

Set up your new bunny area

Bunny proof, bunny proof, bunny proof!

Just like you likely did with your old place, take a look at the environment before releasing your bunny.

For us, that meant trapping Baby on the lava tile for a bit while we made sure the apartment was safe.

Your bun may not like this, but it could just save their life.

You can start by setting up their playpen or cage/run. Then they can be “imprisoned” there until you’ve:

• Removed any loose, important papers
• Checked for exposed wires
• Put valuables in an out of reach place
• Moved any toxic plants out of reach
• Covered baseboards (if your bunny is the type to chew)
• Blocked off the bottom of couches (if your bunny is the type to go under)
• Blocked off couches altogether (if your bunny is the type to pee everywhere)

Not every bunny has the same tendencies. It’s important to remember, you may have to re-bunny proof once your rabbit tests your defenses.

Introduce your bunny to the new area

This could take some time.

Again, it’s important to take your rabbit’s personality into consideration.

Some rabbits need to be introduced slowly into a new area. Room by room or maybe let out in 30 minute intervals. Check their litter box habits. If they have a lot of accidents, you know they need more time to get used to all the new smells before having free reign.

Baby was fine after a few days.

At first, he went around, slowly sniffing everything. You could see him slinking around like a ninja, cautiously investigating every nook and cranny of the new apartment.

Once he’d smelled everything, things got back to normal. We had gotten back into a daily routine, which helped a lot.

He even found his new nap spot, underneath a chair and next to a radiator!

Let your bunny be your guide

Pinocchio let his conscience be his guide.

You should let your bunny be your guide!

Generally, bunny are more resilient than you may think. We often get stuck in the “worried bunny parent” vibe. But as long as your bunny keeps popping and eating, and you make your bun as comfy as possible during the ride, everything should be fine.

If anything, you can call a vet for advice. Or bring a friend along for the ride to calm you down.

Take the ride at your bunny’s pace.

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.