Traditional rabbit hutches are far too small for rabbits to express natural behaviors. Modern welfare science has revolutionized understanding of minimum space requirements for physically and psychologically healthy rabbits.
Housing is the most urgent welfare issue in companion rabbit keeping. Millions of rabbits worldwide are kept in hutches so small they cannot perform any natural behavior. They cannot run, stand upright, or binky. This chronic physical restriction causes muscle atrophy, skeletal problems, and severe psychological frustration. Welfare organizations including the RSPCA and RWAF now recommend minimum enclosures of 3m x 2m permanently accessible, with additional free-roaming time.