For my high-anxiety rabbit, it takes at least a week or more to acclimate to a new room/restricted space.

Re: light, I don’t think too much light could be an issue if she has hidey holes and places she can hide out when she wants peace and darkness. I personally think natural light can be important, and I have read of (but have not personally read) studies talking about the importance of sunlight for rabbit health in general.

If you are able to provide consistent and frequent socialization time, your rabbit does not need a friend. If there is a time when you feel you’ll have less time to spend or something, then yes, I would recommend getting your rabbit a friend to prevent loneliness. Notably, you can’t just get any rabbit and put them together– the rabbit bonding process has some specific parameters to best facilitate, but not guarantee, success. You can read more in the RABBIT INFO section of this website!

I’ve found that shy or anxious rabbits will go through phases of adjusting to new places. I think whatever room you spend the most waking hours in is the best for her to be in. The living room seems like a better option to me, but either one would prob be fine.

It takes them time to realize that they are in a safe place, and that you are not a threat. At first you may notice she pretty much just sticks to her area and doesn’t want to explore (and it is best to avoid messing with “her stuff” when she is in her pen, if you can help it). During this phase I like to play “hard to get” with the bun, where you sort of ignore them. Of course you are feeding, giving water, and cleaning the litter box, but I don’t really try to interact with the bun at first. As prey animals, rabbits actually feel more comfortable when you aren’t focusing on them intensely.

Then in the next phase, the bun might start exploring more, but during the quiet and calm times of day. But the bun prob won’t relax outside her pen right away, and might spook easily when out exploring. Eventually the bun will start to feel comfortable hanging out outside the pen, and will spook less. At this point I will start spending more time on the ground with the bun, but still not forcing any interaction. Once the bun relaxes near me, then I will offer some nose rubs, but I don’t force it.

These phases can take weeks or months. One of my bunnies, Bonnie, was a very scared rescue who had been at the shelter for 3 years and had become cage-aggressive. For the first couple weeks at home, she showed no interest in coming out of her pen. Then she started coming out at night while we were asleep and zooming around the apartment at 4 am LOL. About a month later she accepted some nose-rubs from me. She still can be skittish, and I know that she only wants nose-rubs during certain times.We moved recently, and it took her about a month to start exploring the room again, even though she’s now bonded to a very outgoing bun.

You may decide to get her a friend eventually, but it would be best to wait to do that until she is settled in and trusts you more anyway.