Rescuing a stray rabbit on a budget

Taking in a stray rabbit is a genuinely kind thing to do — and Harlequins are lovely, characterful animals. Rabbits are often underestimated as pets: they need space to binky and stretch, hay as roughly 80% of their diet, social interaction, and mental stimulation to stay healthy and calm. Getting the basics right early makes a real difference to how a rabbit settles and behaves, especially one who's been living rough. Before I point you toward anything, can I ask — is this rabbit going to live indoors or outdoors? And what's your absolute priority right now: housing, feeding, bedding, or just a starter kit covering everything?

A cardboard box is fine for an hour or two while you sort things, so don't panic. With £30 and a stray who needs to decompress, the single most important thing is hay — not a cage, not toys, just unlimited, constant access to good hay. It covers her nutrition, keeps her gut moving (which is genuinely life-or-death for rabbits), and gives her something to forage through, which is calming for an animal that's been stressed. I'd spend the bulk of your budget on a large bag of Timothy hay and something to hold it. Can I ask — do you have any cardboard boxes, old wooden crates, or even a spare bathroom or hallway she could be kept in safely while you sort a proper enclosure?

Cardboard box runs are genuinely underrated short-term — rabbits like to chew them too, which is enrichment for free. For hay, I'd get a big bag of Timothy hay — it's the gold standard for adult rabbits, low in calcium, high in fibre. For holding it, the Rosewood Naturals Small Animal Hay Manger is the one I'd recommend. It's around £6–8 on Amazon UK, it attaches to the side of a run or pen, and it keeps the hay off the floor so she's not sitting in it and soiling it. That combo — a 2kg bag of Supreme Science Selective Timothy Hay (around £8–10) plus the Rosewood manger — leaves you with roughly £12–15 for a ceramic food bowl (heavy ones don't tip), a water bottle or heavy crock, and a handful of leafy greens from your fridge like romaine or fresh herbs to supplement. That genuinely covers the essentials for a week while you find a longer-term enclosure secondhand.

Really good question to ask early. Strays — especially ones that look healthy — can carry E. cuniculi, mites, or have overgrown teeth from poor diet, all of which aren't obvious at first glance. She might also be pregnant if she's been outside with unneutered males. I'd keep her away from any other pets for now and book a vet check as soon as you can — many vets will do a basic welfare check for under £30, and some rescues offer subsidised vet care if you're genuinely struggling. In terms of behaviour, a rabbit that's been fending for herself may thump, hide, or nip at first — that's fear, not aggression. Give her a hide (a cardboard box with a hole cut in it is perfect) and let her come to you on her own terms. Within a week or two most rabbits noticeably relax.

You're doing exactly the right thing. Hay first, vet check soon, and a cardboard hide in the meantime — that's a solid start. Harlequins are known for being curious and interactive once they trust you, so she'll likely come around faster than you expect. Good luck with her.