Rabbits in commercial farming systems are often housed in wire cages that prevent natural behaviors including digging, running, and social interaction.
Rabbits in barren wire cages experience chronic frustration of their most fundamental behavioral needs. They cannot run, dig, hide, or perform species-typical movement patterns. Stereotypic bar-chewing and abnormal locomotor behaviors are common indicators of poor welfare in caged systems. Enriched group systems with solid flooring, hiding areas, elevated platforms, and nesting materials allow far greater behavioral expression. The welfare case for cage-free rabbit housing is strong and increasingly supported by regulatory change across Europe.