Right size rabbit hutch
It’s common knowledge that the rabbit hutches and runs that are sold in most pet shops are often far too small to keep adult rabbits in. Unfortunately, many people buy a baby rabbit from a pet shop along with the hutch to go with it and they often have no idea of the size it will grow into when an adult.
A rabbit should be able to stand on its hind legs and stretch out full length in the sleeping area of its rabbit hutch and that should act as a bare minimum requirement. The average rabbit hutch on offer is nowhere near big enough for most rabbits to have the space they need for exercise.
Rabbits need to be able to exercise safely either indoors or in an outside rabbit run every day. They love to be able to run around and kick their legs. A 5ft hutch is suitable for a pair of small rabbits provided they are allowed daily access to an outdoor run.
The best rabbit housing is the type that offers spacious indoor shelter with access to an outside run. Poultry houses can offer good alternative accommodation for rabbits but they need to be at least 6 ft long and it is advised that you fit a heavy duty mesh base to them to stop foxes from burrowing underneath.
An outdoor rabbit hutch should be protected from extremes of temperature, rising damp and draughts so a rabbit hutch with legs is a good idea. In the summer remember to take precautions to protect your rabbit from the fleas and flies which can spread infectious diseases to rabbits. The best way to do this is to make sure his hutch is always kept clean and that you also groom your rabbit regularly to stop flies from attaching to his back end causing him great discomfort and possible infection.
You should also keep your pet rabbits away from wild rabbits to prevent infection. If you live in the country and have a run for your rabbit, it’s important to make sure that the run is placed where it doesn’t come into contact with areas of grass which wild rabbits may have contaminated.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
how much is the right size rabbit hutch.And do you have plans to build one?
September 17th, 2008 at 6:29 am
Hi Tim
Thank you for your enquiry.
Rabbits are active little creatures and they need to have plenty of space so the bigger the hutch you can get the better.
As a rough guide, the rabbit hutch you choose should allow an adult rabbit to sit up on its hindlegs easily and to be able to stretch out comfortably – allow at least 3 times the length of the adult rabbit. This would be considered the minimum size to buy.
As rabbits love to exercise you should try and go for a rabbit hutch that has an under-run and if he can’t have the run of the garden, we would advise that you also provide him with a separate rabbit run so that he can hop around in safety.
Sue
December 7th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Do you have any directions we can use ? Or telling us how you make this Rabbit Cage ? If You do can you please send us some direction !!!
Thank You
March 17th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Hi i am just wondering how much is this rabbit cage for and how big is it.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Hi Vickie
The rabbit hutch shown on this blog is the Bunny Shack which costs £176.95 including VAT & Delivery. It measures 1670mmL x 750mmD x 1050mmH (66.5″L x 30″W x 42″H) The sleeping area measures approx. 525mm (21″) and is raised 330mm (13″) from the ground.
This has proved to be a best seller as it offers your rabbit or guinea pigs lots of space to move around in and a cosy sleeping area.
The Bunny Shack is ideal if you have more than one rabbit or guinea pig or just want your pet to have lots of space for exercise and to play with his toys.
Regards
Sue
June 24th, 2009 at 6:00 am
what is the floor of the enclosed area made of? Is it solid wire or wood? Is there a removable trey or does that matter?
I’m also building this in cedar… do you think cedar lumber is unhealthy for rabbits?
June 28th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Hi Jeff
The floor of the sleeping area on the Bunny Shack is made from timber and does not have a removeable tray as the door on the side makes cleaning it out easy.
I have read that cedar wood and cedar wood shavings can be toxic to rabbits as the oils in it if chewed can affect their mucous membrane and cause breathing difficulties. I suspect that this is why most rabbit hutches on the market are made from white wood, pine or Chinese Fir.
It might be an idea to line the hutch with plywood or find some type of animal friendly sealant to prevent the oils from escaping and prevent your rabbit from chewing the cedar.
Regards
Sue
January 16th, 2010 at 1:37 am
I’ve just brought a huge rabbit hutch/poultry house (without a base) and have read that wire/mesh is bad for the rabbits foot. Is this true? if so – what type of base should I put on?
January 24th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Hi Kristy
Most of the large hutches don’t have a base so that the rabbits can have access directly on to the grass. Some people also put the large hutches directly on to concrete and then put straw on top of the concrete.
The straw is fine provided that it is changed weekly.
However, if the reason for asking about the wire mesh is because you have a problem with foxes then it’s worth knowing that most rabbit breeds can adapt to to wire mesh but heavy or nervous breeds are subject to sore hocks which is a bacterial infection that develops on the foot pads and is irritated by the wire mesh (too much weight per cm2).
The risk is increased if the rabbit is raised in an environment with high temperatures (31° to 32°C) or very high humidity which is rarely a problem in the UK. It can also occur if the rabbit is frequently under stress and thumps his hind feet on the ground to warn the other rabbits of impending danger.
Hope this information helps you to make a decision.
Regards
Sue