Last Updated on March 6, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Most apartments would not allow rabbits because it’s considered an exotic pets. Rabbits are also notorious for being destructive in their environment, so most landlords would not allow them.
But, there are apartments out there that do accept rabbits. Some would require certain conditions like additional fees (pet fees, pet rent, and pet deposits), must be neutered, must be caged, etc.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain the article in more detail:
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Is it okay to keep rabbits in apartments?
This would highly depend on the apartment you’re planning to move into. Most apartment complexes would say no to exotic pets like rabbits. Landlords view rabbits as destructive or they consider them as farm animals, which are often messy and smelly.
Don’t lose hope, though! There are apartments out there that do accept rabbits; you just need to find them. But most of those apartments that accept pet rabbits have certain requirements before they allow you to keep one.
Most of the time, they would require you to pay a “pet fee” and additional rent, which is non-refundable in most cases.
You should also try talking to the landlord before crossing out any apartments just because it’s stated in the listing that they don’t allow pets. Hearing their concerns about rabbits and offering a solution could go a long way in changing their minds.
Things to consider before keeping a rabbit in apartments.
Before you move to an apartment, make sure that you consider the things I would list below. As we all know, rabbits require special care for them to be truly happy.
Make sure that you clear your rabbit to your landlord.
Make sure that your landlord allowed you to keep your rabbits in your apartment. Sneaking your little guy in and getting caught later on when you already paid your deposit could lead to you giving up your rabbit for adoption.
There are a lot of apartments out there that would accept rabbits with certain conditions. I would highly advise that you reconsider if you’re planning on sneaking your rabbit in just because your chosen apartment doesn’t accept pets.
Make sure that your apartment has enough space.
As we know, rabbits require regular exercise to be truly happy. Rabbits are made to wander in nature to look for food and bond with other rabbits.
Keeping your rabbit in small apartments or in cages all day would eventually lead to stress. While stress could lead to more serious conditions, that might actually be harmful to your rabbit if not treated.
If you really have to keep your rabbits in cages all day, you can buy one of those multi-layered cages. While not ideal, it’s still better than a small cage.
Neuter your rabbit.
Unneutered rabbits are prone to hormonally related behaviors such as spraying urine everywhere. You don’t want your rabbits to ruin your brand-new apartment and pay fines.
Unneutered rabbits are also more destructive and harder to litter train. You don’t want your rabbits damaging everything and leaving poop everywhere in your brand-new apartment.
Make sure you rabbit-proof your apartment.
Rabbit proofing your apartment means protecting your furniture, floors, carpets, and wires. You should also rabbit-proof other things that are reachable by your rabbits.
Rabbits are curious creatures, and they would likely chew on things and make a mess every time they play and explore.
You would need to wrap everything that needs protection with either cardboard or plastic. It might not be pretty, but that’s the price for those cute little faces!
If your rabbit is a digger, regularly clipping your rabbit’s nails would lessen the damage it would cause to your hardwood floors and carpets.
Wires need to be wrapped with extra protection because it’s one of the things a rabbit will often chew on, which can lead to accidental electrocution.
Do apartments charge for rabbits?
Some apartments will charge pet fees and extra rent per month if you want your rabbit to be allowed in your new home. Rabbits are also considered exotic pets, so their fees might be slightly higher than those of common pets like cats and dogs.
Pet fees are highly dependent on the location and type of the apartment. Some states don’t even allow pet fees as per Fair Housing Law. Check your state.
Generally, there are three types of payments your landlord might ask for them to allow rabbits. These are pet fees, pet rent, and pet deposits. Landlords use these fees to cover any damage that your rabbit might cause for the duration of the lease.
Pet fees are one-time, non-refundable fees that you pay to your landlord. These usually cost a one-time fee of between $50 and $500.
Pet rent is charged as additional rent on top of your regular rent. These usually cost between $10-$60 per month.
Finally, pet deposits are a one-time refundable fee that is used for any damage that your rabbit causes for the duration of the lease. These usually cost between $100 and $600.
How to sneak rabbits into apartments?
While I strongly advise against sneaking your rabbits into your apartments due to the risk of being caught, you can easily sneak them in under certain circumstances by placing them in a cardboard box with holes.
Rabbits are easy to sneak in because they don’t make any noise, even in great distress.
How to find rabbit-friendly apartments?
You can typically find a “pet-friendly” filter on most websites where you can find apartments. 85 million families own a pet just in the US.
Most apartment websites will often indicate whether a listing is pet-friendly because it’s a deal-breaker in most cases.
Here are some websites where you can find pet-friendly apartments:
You should also check out privately-owned apartments as opposed to corporate-owned ones. Privately owned apartments would have more leeway when it comes to this type of thing.
What to do if your apartment doesn’t allow rabbits?
If your apartment doesn’t allow rabbits, you can try talking to your landlord and offer them additional deposits to help ease their concerns.
Most landlords are only opposed to pets due to past tenants’ pets causing damage. Offering more deposits and explaining your plan to reduce or avoid damage could convince your landlord to give you an exception.
Talking in person as opposed to a conversation on the phone can give you an edge. People are more likely to say “no” on phone conversations compared to in-person.
Summary
Although most apartments would not allow rabbits due to their destructive nature, there are some apartments out there that would allow rabbits in apartments under certain conditions.
These conditions include additional pet fees, must be caged, must be neutered, etc.
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