Let’s face it, in this day and age everyone can use some money saving tips especially when it comes to owning a pet. Rabbits come with some rather large “start up” expenses as well as daily maintenance costs and while it’s important to be aware of these up front, there are several budget friendly tips you can take advantage of to cut corners and keep some extra coin in your pocket.
Here at TDR we consider a pet rabbit another member of the family and therefore should be treated as such. They require many of the same things to live their best lives that you do and of course these things can be costly. Never compromise your bunny’s well being for the sake of saving money. So what are we talking as far as their biggest expenses?
- Medical is definitely a huge expense, especially if you have a rabbit that is prone to health or dental issues. Spaying/neutering alone can cost as much as $1000 depending on the vet!
- Food can cost a lot of money if you purchase gourmet treats, brand name pellets and packaged hay.
- Toys keep your bun from being bored and their mind sharp. There are so many cute ones in the pet stores, but they can be costly especially since most of them will be chewed up in no time.
- Necessities are the items your rabbit will need for day to day living and these costs can add up. Food and water bowls, litter boxes, litter, blankets or bedding, a first aid kit, and cleaning supplies.
Good news is, I have found some great money saving tips that I have used with my own rabbits throughout the years. Being a good bunny mum or dad doesn’t have to break the bank while still giving them the care and quality of life they deserve. After all, the main thing they are looking for is love and companionship, both of which are free!
Where Can You Shop To Save Money?
After making a list of necessities for your bun, the first place to shop is within your own home. You may have items lying around that can be used for no cost at all! It also couldn’t hurt to ask other bunny people, friends and family for any cast offs they might be willing to get rid of. Thinking outside the box can save you money.
Other places you can shop and save money:
- Garage, yard and tag sales
- Flea markets
- Thrift stores/ second hand shops
- Facebook marketplace and craigslist (only for local items otherwise it could be costly for shipping)
- Go to the source: online stores like Etsy have great bargains while supporting small businesses.
12 Money Saving Tips
I must admit when we got our first pet rabbit, I had no idea what I was doing. I had 2 books and 5 magazines from 2007 that were my main point of reference. I didn’t even know anyone with a pet rabbit to ask questions. Honestly, saving money never really crossed my mind, but if I only knew then, what I know now, I could have saved a bundle of money! I purchased litter, hay, toys and the occasional treat from my local pet store. (I shudder every time I think about it). Since being involved with Hop on Home Rabbit Sanctuary the past 4 years, I have learned so much… especially where I could save money.
1. Adopt, Don’t Shop
The first of my money saving tips right off the bat is to adopt if you are considering getting a pet rabbit. There are many reasons for this, namely that you’d be providing a home for a rabbit in need, but pertaining to this article it can be a huge money saver. Most rescues and sanctuaries adopt out their rabbits already fixed and vaccinated. Due to overcrowding of these rescues, some will even have a special adoption day with no fees.
(*if you do adopt and it is a donation based adoption, not a set fee, please try to give as much as you can. Every little bit helps to cover the cost of daily care as well as vet expenses…many rabbits come in poorly and need medical care prior to adoption).
Buying from a pet store may not be as expensive as a breeder, but you also may not have the rabbits history such as age, sex, health problems. On the other hand, while you may get a pedigree from a breeder they can charge in the thousands for a single rabbit.
You will also need to cover medical expenses (neuter/spaying and vaccines) too. Teen boys (as young as 12 weeks old) will start spraying when their hormones kick in. Neutering them will alleviate this. Females need to be spayed to protect them from unwanted pregnancy as well as uterine cancer. And both males and females will be easier to litter train once fixed.
2. Skip the Hutch or Cage
Since your pet rabbit will be living indoors, you do not need to invest in a hutch or cage. I made this mistake with Chester. We bought a beautiful 3 leveled hexagonal hutch for our family room. He slept in there at bedtime or while we were all out of the house, but it cost hundreds of dollars. No, I did not know what an x-pen was, but I do now!
Not only are exercise pens much cheaper, but they can be easily moved to a different location and reconfigured to whatever shape you like. I suggest having multiple wired together to give your rabbit a larger enclosure.
3. DIY Toys and Furniture
Rabbit toys and furniture can be very expensive. This is a great area to save money in when you make them yourself. It may seem like a daunting undertaking, but there are some great step by step tutorials on Youtube that can make the task very simple. Get creative and provide your bun with some free or low cost enrichment.
Rabbits love little places to hide away and feel safe in. Start by saving cardboard boxes (remove any tape, plastic, labels, glue or staples). Delivery, cereal or copy paper boxes make great castles and hideouts. You can even put multiple boxes together to create a maze! Box tops are handy for putting hay and forage in. Paper towel and toilet paper tubes can be utilized by stuffing them with hay and treats. Brown paper lunch bags tied with twine can be filled also with hay and/or forage. Cut some small slits in the bag and bun will be occupied for hours!
You may be familiar with the Ikea doll bed that many people use for their rabbits. It is really cute, but in addition to buying the bed, you need to get bedding for it. Throw in multiple beds for multiple rabbits and that cost will skyrocket. You can easily make a bed using a pallet (often businesses will give them away for free) and an old pillow wrapped in fleece.
4. Second Hand Items
Upcycling items is another great way to save money. Finding second hand items, such as ceramic crocks for food and water and fleece blankets, can be really inexpensive or even free.
Stacking cups are a toy that bunnies love to play with. They can be filled with pellets for your rabbit to pull apart or stacked tall to be knocked down. Many people with infants will have these and when their kids grow out of using them, will give them away or sell them at a garage sale. Just be sure to wash and disinfect any thrifted item.
A repurpose story: A friend of mine had a baby playmat out at the curb for free. I grabbed it, brought it home and gave it a thorough washing. Then I removed the hanging toys and replaced them with bunny toys. My buns love to play with it!
5. Dollar Store Haul
My local dollar store is one of my favorite places to shop for my buns! Their litter boxes are roomy and neutral in color. The inexpensive cost makes it easy for me to have multiple litterboxes per bun on hand. You can also find some fun cat toys and cardboard scratch pads. Other bunny items you may find are supplies for your first aid kit, plastic bins for holding hay, cleaning & storage supplies as well as seasonal decor for your buns living quarters.
6. Litter
One of my biggest money saving tips happens to be litter. I don’t know about you, but I find litter to be the biggest waste of money. Literally. It gets changed, immediately pooped and peed on, then tossed in the trash. I used to use Kaytee Soft Granule Blend with Chester and he loved his litter and we did too. There was never any smell at all and we could honestly scoop the poops to make it last a little longer. Since he was an only I didn’t mind spending $13.00 for a 27 ltr bag that lasted 1.5 wks. Then the price went up. By the time he passed in 2020 it was $18.99 which is still not too bad for 1 bun.
3 weeks later we had 3 rabbits which meant the litter did not last as long. I started to buy from Chewy to take advantage of the auto-ship discount. By the time I was up to 6 rabbits, it was starting to become extremely costly. Then the price went up to $24.99. Now I was buying 7-8 bags a month and it just was no longer affordable.
I tried pine shavings, horse pellets and shredded paper. None of which the buns liked nor did I. After all, the Soft Granule Blend was like the Charmin of rabbit litter! Petsmart has the closest option with their own brand. At $19.99 a bag it was costly, but they offered buy 1 get one 50% off so I could justify that. Then they did away with the BOG50% off offer and the price went up to $24.99 a bag.
Now I was in a pickle. Not only could I not find a reasonably priced litter that everyone was satisfied with, but my 10 year old could no longer get into the litter box. So I decided to try these re-usable waterproof pee pads. BEST DECISION EVER!!!!! These babies have saved me a ton of money! Yes, it’s a little more work and yes the water bill went up a tad, but in the long run….cha ching! I highly recommend this item. I also purchased a memory foam mat in Five Below for my arthritic bun and have the pee pad on top of it for added comfort.
7. Hay
The third of my biggest money saving tips is also one of my favorite ways to save money. I can’t emphasize this enough: Buy from a local farm! A bale of hay is sooooo much cheaper than buying a bag in the pet store. Not only is it local and fresh, but you are supporting a small business. I buy 1 bale for $8 that lasts 3 months for 5 rabbits!
So, you live in a large city and you’re probably thinking that this option is not practical . Don’t fret, I have a couple of ideas for you. First, head on down to your weekly farmer’s market (most cities have them) and chat up some farmers. You may find one willing to bring a bale whenever you need for you to purchase.
Another option is to purchase hay in bulk on-line and consider subscribing to a hay delivery service. Subscriptions often offer discounts, and having hay delivered in larger quantities can be more cost-effective.
Whichever option you choose, it is definitely cheaper than buying smaller bags each week in the pet store.
8. Food
As you know, 10-15% of a rabbit’s diet should be comprised of fresh produce which can be costly especially if you have more than one rabbit. I have 8 food tips to help you get the biggest bang for your buck.
- Plan your meals- when doing your meal planning for the week, include the foods you feed your rabbit. For example if you are making stew, buy an extra large bag of carrots. Baking an apple pie? Grab an extra apple and give your bun a slice while you bake! Sharing is Caring!
- Don’t waste-when you are prepping your meal, keep in mind the small food scraps like carrot tops, broccoli stems, half eaten romaine hearts, cucumber ends, pepper bottoms, and any other produce bits are great to feed your rabbit.
- Forage– head out to your yard and grab up those goodies like dandelions and clover!
- Grow a Garden- Growing food for your rabbit is so rewarding and inexpensive. You don’t even need to go outside to make a difference in your grocery bill. A windowsill herb garden or some pots with lettuces are inexpensive to plant and easy to grow inside.
- Buy in season- so you are not a gardener, but you can still buy produce locally and in season from a farmer’s market. To get the best deals, ask your greengrocer or farmer for any vegetable scraps that they may otherwise throw away.
- Buy in bulk- when produce is on sale, buy in bulk and freeze or dehydrate for later use.
- Store produce correctly- when you get home from shopping, wash and dry your produce. Store veggies in airtight containers, place hard stalked herbs like rosemary in a jar with water, wrap soft herbs in paper towels and place in a sealable bag. There is no room for waste when owning a rabbit.
- Treats- if you are buying treats for your rabbit, it is much cheaper and healthier to get them from a grocery store. (often small pet treats in pet stores are full of fillers and ingredients that are not healthy) Always read labels for additives, but freeze dried fruits with no added sugar are a great option for an occasional treat. Of course preparing fruits and veggies into small bite sized pieces and offering them fresh or dehydrated is the best option.
Speaking of treats, DIY treats are cheaper, fresher and healthier for your rabbit. These can vary from oat based cookies to hay based truffles. Mixing and matching your rabbits favorite flavors gives you complete control over what you feed him or her. Some other treat ideas are to skewer fruits or soft veggies onto hard stemmed herbs like rosemary, dehydrate fruits and veggies in bite sized pieces, create a delicious and healthy cocktail, or even juiced ice cubes with herbs or edible flowers make a great summertime snack.
9. Bulk Purchases and Discounts
We already discussed buying hay in bulk, but there are some other items you can buy in bulk such as pellet food and cleaning supplies.
Buy rabbit food in bulk to save money in the long run. My first rabbit only ate fresh produce, but the rabbits I currently have are all rescues and came with a diet consisting of pellets. For a while I was buying 1 medium bag for my family room buns, 1 small bag for my upstairs bun and 1 small bag for my living room bun each month. Then it dawned on me and I did some price comparing. I realized it was 50% cheaper for me to buy the largest bag and divide it out. It takes me less than 10 minutes to fill plastic containers for upstairs and the living room yet I am saving a lot of money.
I use white vinegar to clean my litter boxes. The price difference between the large (128 oz) and medium sized bottle (64 oz) is $1 yet I am getting double the amount!
Look for deals and discounts at pet supply stores or consider joining a wholesale club. Many pet shop chains and online retailers offer a discount (usually 5-10%) if you choose to get a reoccurring order of certain items or loyalty programs that can also help you save money over time.
10. Services
Grooming, nail clipping and bun sitting are services that you can cut corners with and save money.
Rabbits shed multiple times a year therefore regular grooming is essential, especially for those with long fur. Invest in grooming tools (brush and comb) and learn to groom their fur at home to avoid costly grooming services.
As far as their nails go….I honestly prefer to use money I have saved elsewhere to have someone else do it. I’m terrified of cutting the quick. Going to the vet or a professional groomer can be costly especially if you have multiple rabbits. I paid $22 every other month to take Chester to the vet for his mani/pedi’s. Multiply that by 5 and it would be astronomical! While I don’t go to a groomer or vet currently, I have a young girl from our local 4-H come and clip nails. You can check yours or check your local rabbit rescue to see if they offer this service.
Everyone needs a vacation, but not everyone can take their bunny with them. In that case, you’ll need to hire a bunsitter and you definitely want a capable reliable person. Some sitters will come to the house just to feed your rabbit, some will stay at your home or you may find yourself having to board your bunny. Prices will vary of course, but an extended vaca can be costly. You can save money by training a relative or neighbor how to interact and take care of your rabbit. Option two is to befriend another rabbit owner and exchange or reciprocate services. This can be a win win situation for you both.
11. Health Check-Ups
Believe it or not, you can actually save money by taking your rabbit for an annual wellness checkup with a rabbit-savvy veterinarian. Having an exam and basic bloodwork can allow the vet to catch any health issues early before they become serious illnesses. Preventive care can save you money by avoiding more significant medical expenses later on.
In addition to health issues, the vet will be able to inspect for any dental problems forming such as teeth growing improperly or abscesses.
12. Pet Insurance
To insure or not, that is the question?! While I have my own feelings on this topic, this is something you need to consider. Please do your research, ask a lot of questions and look for plans that suit your budget and cover common rabbit health issues before committing to any insurance company. Whether or not this is the route you wish to take with your rabbit, you should still set money aside each month for unexpected health care expenses.
Let The Numbers Do The Talking
Show me the money! Just based on litter, hay and pellet food I am saving $391! 2 of the rabbits I currently have are sanctuary bunnies and live with me, but the other 3 (4 if I include Winter who passed in June) I did give a $250 donation at the adoption center to help cover the costs of their spaying and neutering. In addition, I do employ all the other money saving tips especially making my own treats which is a huge savings.
Remember that providing a loving and safe environment for your pet is the most crucial aspect of having a pet rabbit. While these tips can help you save money, it’s important not to compromise on your rabbit’s well-being. Always prioritize their health and happiness.
