Last updated by at .
Shopping for your First Rabbit Hutch?
If you’re getting your household ready to welcome your first pet rabbit you have undoubtedly been researching all you need to know to provide an appropriate environment for your newest family member. One of the first things you should have learned is that unlike cats, rabbits should not have the run of the house. You’re going to need a well equipped cage for your rabbit. Hopefully, you’ve also learned that rabbits enjoy the outdoors and most devoted rabbit owners have both indoor and outdoor quarters for their furry friends. An outdoor house is generally referred to as a rabbit hutch while an indoor house is known simply as a rabbit cage.
If you’re searched the Internet using either “rabbit cage” or “rabbit hutch” you know many commercial pet web sites use the terms interchangeably. All commercially available indoor rabbit cages are made of wire and although some owners make use of larger cages both indoors and outdoors, special precautions need to be taken if you do.
If your home is a single story with minimal stairs, some wire cages have wheel casters mounted to their bases for easy portability, and transforming the indoor cage into an outdoor rabbit hutch is a simple matter. However, wire cages are completely open and even though you might be able to place the cage in a shady area of your yard to protect the rabbit from the sun, the pet will also need to be protected from the wind. At best, wire cages used outdoors have their place if you prefer to space out major purchases and want to wait before investing in a rabbit hutch. For long term use, you really need to get a commercially available rabbit hutch created specifically for outdoor use.
Outdoor rabbit hutches are available in a wide variety of styles and price ranges. There are single story and two story and even three story styles. They’re typically constructed of wood treated with weather resistant preservatives. Some of the better ones have asphalt shingles on attractive sloped roofs. What should you look for to get the best hutch for your new rabbit?
The average life span of a domesticated pet rabbit is 8 to 9 years, although smaller rabbits well cared for have been known to live as long as 14 years, so you’re going to need to pay careful attention to the quality of construction. Saving a little money in the initial purchase of a cheaply made rabbit hutch almost guarantees you’ll need to replace it within the time you can expect your pet rabbit to share with your family.
Size is also a primary concern. Rabbits like to run and the best rabbit hutches have large enclosed exercise areas along with the living quarters. Exercise yards can be found on both single story and two story models. Generally speaking, the bigger the better, with a minimum size of 1.5 – 2 meters a better rule of thumb than the standard advice of four times the size of the rabbit. Many very attractive commercially available rabbit hutches are simply too small.
Rabbits love to chew, so make sure any wood components the rabbit can get at are safe. Cedar is a special concern, as it contains harmful resin oils. While many rabbit hutches have wire floors in the living quarters to make owner clean up easier, they are uncomfortable for the rabbit to walk on. The better ones have split floors, with a section of solid surface on which to walk.
The final and perhaps most important consideration is safety from predators. If you live in an area of free roaming predators, you may need to take additional measures to secure the hutch to the ground so it can’t be tipped or so that predators can’t dig under it to get at your precious pet.
Foxing the Fox Part One: Rabbit Hutches, Runs and other Basic Equipment.
Foxes are Bad News for Pet Rabbits! In part one of our mini Series “Foxing the Fox” we look at the basic necessities to keep outdoor rabbits Safe.
Firstly you need a good strong rabbit hutch with a firmly attached roof. Large preferably locking door bolts if not provided should be fitted. It is possible now to buy very cheap combination padlocks or suitcase locks that can be used to make sure rabbit hutch doors are locked and secure. Any Modern rabbit hutch should have strong wire mesh, this should be a weld-mesh minimum 19 Guage. Cheaper chicken wire was designed to keep chickens in, not the fox out. Ensure that the the back and sides of the hutch are sturdy and try to place the hutch close to the house if you can. If you have a persistent fox problem you might also consider shutters for the mesh doors or a cover for the hutch so that the fox can’t see the rabbits. If you do this however you must ensure there is enough ventilation of the hutch and never forget and leave the shutters on all day. In most cases this would not be necessary.
Obviously Pet rabbits should not spend all day in their rabbit hutch, so you can either dedicate your life to watching then on the lawn or invest in a large sturdy fox proof rabbit run. To Be worthwhile the run should be large enough for the rabbit to run and excercise. A good strong wire is essential and also lots of hiding places, tunnels and bolt holes so that your buns feel safe. If the run is a permanent addition to your garden consider making it large enough to walk into. Also consider placing slabs around the outside edge so that the fox can’t dig his way in.
In short large sturdy hutches and Runs with Good Door bolts and strong wire are now the minimum for keeping your pets safe. In part two we will start to look at ways of keeping foxes out of your garden altogether.
Foxing the Fox: How To Keep Your Pet Rabbit Safe!
Foxes are on the increase and especially in suburban areas. Figures suggest that although rural population’s average about one fox per square kilometre urban areas can support up to 30 adult foxes per square kilometre.
For Rabbit owners the fox is bad news. Foxes regard rabbits as a tasty snack regardless of whether there is other food available. Most at risk are rabbits running fee in the early morning or late evening, or those trapped in inadequate hutches at the bottom of the garden. Peak times of year for foxes to kill pet rabbits is early in spring when the vixen needs food for her cubs and in autumn/winter when food can be in short supply, but rabbits can be at risk at any time of year.
So how do you protect your pet rabbits from being eaten or terrified to death? Thankfully there are many things that you can do, from a simple bolt to an electric fence. There are so many things that you can do that we have split it down into a seven part series of mini articles.
- Foxing the Fox Part One: Rabbit Hutches, Runs and other Basic Equipment.
- Foxing the Fox Part Two: Scent Marking to Keep Foxes out of Your Garden
- Foxing the Fox Part Three: Sonic Fox Deterrents to protect your Pets
- Foxing the Fox Part Four: Red Eye Lights
- Foxing the Fox Part Five: Using Prickle Strips to Fox Proof Your Garden.
- Foxing the Fox Part Six: Electric Fences to Keep the Fox Out.
- Foxing the Fox Part Seven: Are my House Rabbits Safe From the Fox?
Each mini article is packed full of tips, tricks and ways to keep your pet rabbits safe.
Why Does my Rabbit Bite the Bars on our Rabbit Hutch?
Animals including pets will sometimes develop ‘stereotypic’ behaviours. The main one that is seen in rabbit is ‘bar biting’ continued and repetitive biting of the bars or mesh on the rabbit hutch or Rabbit Cage.
These abnormal behaviours generally have no specific goal and are repetitive in nature, more often associated with Zoo Animals, they are a sign of inappropriate physical or social environment. There can be a number of causes of ‘bar biting’ in pet rabbits, boredom is a major cause, but also anticipation (prior to being fed or let out) or simply to get your attention. Reacting to this behaviour will only reinforce it as a way for your rabbit to get attention.
Luckily the way to prevent or reduce this problem is the same no matter what the cause. Firstly provide your rabbit with a companion, preferably another rabbit. Secondly ensure that they have sufficient room to live and excercise, thirdly provide plenty of toys to keep them occupied and finaly try not to react to this type of behaviour!
Why Does my Rabbit Keep Chewing my Rabbit Hutch?
In the wild rabbits spend most of their time foraging for food and grazing. Most of the things that rabbits eat are of low nutritional value so they have to eat and graze constantly to keep their energy levels up.
Many pet owners fail to provide enough of this low energy food for rabbits to chew and gnaw upon.
Rabbits teeth grow constantly and they have to gnaw and graze constantly to prevent them from becoming overgrown and very pain full. If you pet rabbit does not have sufficient materials to chew they will turn to their Rabbit Hutch. The wooden frame is ideal for them to chew on.
This can be very frustrating and expensive for owners because a determined rabbit can destroy a rabbit hutch in a matter of weeks or at best months.
Excessive chewing can also be a problem if your rabbit hutch just is not big enough. Rabbits are very active in the wild and must have sufficient room to stand on their back legs and run around. Pet rabbits should have daily access to a large run and should not be kept in small hutches.
Finally excessive chewing can be caused by shear boredom. Rabbits, like all pets need plenty of things to do and lots of opportunity to play and excercise If they are constantly kept locked away in a small hutch little wonder they try to eat their way out!
Fortunately as pet owners there is a lot that we can do to prevent this problem.
- Ensure that your rabbit has plenty of room to exercise and play
- Make sure your rabbit hutch and run is big enough for you rabbit
- Spend time with your pets every day ideally provide a separate run or playpen for them to exercise in.
- Change your rabbits diet, add more carrots, hay, wooden blocks and chew toys
- Stuff hay into hay mangers or cardboard Tubes (toilet roll tubes) to keep your rabbit happy and busy longer.
- Provide toys for your rabbits, hide treats around their hutch so they can forage for them.
Once you have tried all these you should have eliminated your chewing problem and should only ever need to buy one quality rabbit hutch and run.
Why Wont My Rabbits Use all of Their Hutch and Run?
We are often asked this question. Many people do the right thing and buy a Large Rabbit Hutch and Run, only to find that there rabbit does not use most of it, particularly the run section.
Rabbits are prey species and despite domestication still maintain many of their wild behaviours, one of which is their response to potential dange
r. For all prey species such as rabbits it is essential that they have somewhere to flee to if they feel threatened. In the wild this would be deep undergrowth, a burrow, under a log, in a hedgerow or other hiding place. Rabbits are naturally cautious of wide open spaces that lack hiding places to hide in if they feel threatened.
Many rabbit owners who buy large exercise runs or rabbit hutches with large runs attached are often disappointed by their pet’s lack of enthusiasm. Try to look at the space from the rabbits point of view. Make sure you have plenty of hiding places, tunnels, pipes, or rabbit houses spread out over the entire space so your rabbit does not feel threatened. Rabbits need places to hide and particularly in new environments can remain cautious for quite some time.
Providing your pet rabbit with the larges exercise and living space as possible is the right thing to do and with a little thought you can ensure that your pet gets maximum use out the the space and lives a happy healthy life.
Why Does My Rabbit Keep Digging and What can I do About it?
Digging is a natural behaviour for rabbits. In the wild it is necessary for survival to create a place to live. Rabbits will also dig small bolt holes, often only a few inches deep, to duck into if they feel threatened.
This behaviour in pet rabbits can be a real problem for pet owners. Particularly if your rabbits have large Rabbit hutch and Run with constant access to the run through the day. This is the ideal set up to keep your rabbits happy and healthy but is not practical if your rabbit digs out whilst you’re not around.
Many people ask us if wire mesh can be added to the base of rabbit runs to prevent them from digging. Although this is a widespread practice it is not recommended by the RSPCA and other animal welfare groups as it can cause damage to your rabbit’s feet.
The recommendation is to place the rabbit hutch or run onto a solid base, either concrete or paving slabs, you can then use hay/straw as bedding and add toys and tunnels to further improve your rabbit’s environment.
Consider a large run or playpen for your rabbit where you can let your rabbit run free and play with them, you should not however leave your rabbit in an open toped playpen unsupervised. Cats, dogs Foxes or even birds of prey are a common problem even in town centres throughout the UK.
Finally and most importantly give your pets plenty to do and play with. Rabbits that are bored and have little stimulation will dig simply so they have something to do.
Pet Rabbits – The Five Important things Part Four
Healthy Happy Rabbits Part Four, “Company”
Make sure your rabbit has appropriate company
Facts
- Rabbits are naturally sociable and normally prefer to be with another rabbit.
- A rabbit can develop abnormal behaviour and may suffer if it is left without company and has nothing to do for long periods of time.
- Rabbits kept together will naturally form a ‘pecking order’ with some animals being more dominant than others. A rabbit can be bullied and may suffer if it cannot get away from other rabbits that it doesn’t like.
- Rabbits that are brought up together will usually always get on with each other, but if introduced for the first time as adults they may fight.
- Neutering reduces the likelihood of fighting in both male and female rabbits.
- Rabbits that are well handled by people from a young age can learn to see humans as friends and companions.
- Rabbits that receive little handling at an early age, or rough handling at any age, may find human contact distressing. This can be expressed as fearfulness, escape behaviour and aggression.
- Rabbits will usually be scared of cats and dogs because they are natural predators, but if introduced to them carefully early in life can develop friendships.
Things you should do
- Keep your rabbit with at least one other friendly rabbit, unless advised otherwise by a vet or clinical animal behaviourist. A good combination is a neutered male and a neutered female, or neutered littermates of the same sex.
- Get your rabbit neutered, unless it is intended for breeding and provisions have been made to care for both parents and offspring.
- Handle your rabbit every day from an early age. Rabbits which live indoors can see humans as important companions. If your rabbit has to be kept on its own for some reason you must provide it with companionship by interacting with it every day.
- Make sure your rabbit has places it can go to get away from companions if it wants to and that there are enough resources (e.g. shelter, food, water, hiding places) for all your rabbits at all times large rabbit hutches with multiple sleeping areas are ideal.
- Introduce new rabbits gradually and under supervision, preferably in a space that is new to both rabbits. Seek advice from a clinical animal behaviourist if you are unsure or have problems.
- When you are away make sure your rabbit is cared for by a responsible person.
- Never leave your rabbit unsupervised with another animal or person who may (deliberately or accidentally) harm or frighten it. Never leave your rabbit unsupervised with a cat or dog, even if you know they are good friends.
Pet Rabbits – The Five Important things Part One.
Healthy Happy Rabbits Part one “Environment”
Make sure your rabbit has the Perfect Place to Live
Facts
- Rabbits are athletic animals. They need the opportunity to hop, run, jump, dig, stand fully upright on their back legs, and stretch out when lying down.
- A rabbit must be able to avoid things that scare it. Rabbits are a prey species and must be able to hide in a secure place, away from the sight and smell of predators (e.g. foxes, cats, dogs, ferrets and birds of prey).
- Living in a draughty, damp, hot, poorly ventilated or dirty environment may cause your rabbit to suffer and become ill.
- A rabbit needs regular access to an appropriate place to go to the toilet.
- Rabbits are intelligent. If your rabbit is bored, and doesn’t have enough to do, it may suffer.
- Rabbits are inquisitive. If there are hazards within their environment they may easily injure themselves.
Things you should do
- Provide your pet rabbit with a secure living environment that is large enough for it to exercise in and stand up fully on its back legs.
- You should provide both a large exercise area and a secure shelter where your rabbit can rest, feel safe and is protected from predators and extremes of weather and temperature. Ensure all areas of your rabbit’s environment are well ventilated, dry and draught-free.
- Make sure your rabbit has constant access to safe hiding places where it can escape if it feels afraid.
- Allow your rabbit to exercise regularly.
- Provide enough bedding to keep your rabbit warm. Bedding should be safe for your rabbit to eat, e.g. dust-free straw or hay.
- Give your rabbit regular access to a suitable place where it can go to the toilet, separate to where it eats and sleeps.
- Clean the housing and toilet areas regularly.
- If you are going away, try to find someone to care for, and meet all your rabbit’s welfare needs within its familiar home. If boarding your rabbit, try to ease the move by keeping grouped rabbits together and taking familiar items, such as toys, along too.
- When you transport your rabbit make sure it is comfortable and safe at all times. Putting familiar smelling items in the carrier and the new environment can help make your rabbit feel at ease.
- Ensure the size and temperature of any place you leave your rabbit (including your vehicle) is appropriate.
- Make sure that where your rabbit lives is safe, secure and free from hazards
Big Rabbit Hutches for Small Gardens!
One of the most important things you must provide for you pet rabbit or guinea pig is a safe and secure environment to live in. Over the past 4 years following the introduction of the animal walfare act in early 2007 the RSPCA, animal rescue centres and the Rabbit Walfare Association have been campaigning hard to increase the awarness that Rabbits need Big Hutches.
Here are the RSPCA guidelines for providing your rabbit the best environment.
Things you should do
- Provide your rabbit with a secure living environment that is large enough for it to exercise in and stand up fully on its back legs.
- You should provide both a large exercise area and a secure shelter where your rabbit can rest, feel safe and is protected from predators and extremes of weather and temperature. Ensure all areas of your rabbit’s environment are well ventilated, dry and draught-free.
- Make sure your rabbit has constant access to safe hiding places where it can escape if it feels afraid.
- Allow your rabbit to exercise regularly.
- Provide enough bedding to keep your rabbit warm. Bedding should be safe for your rabbit to eat, e.g. dust-free straw or hay.
- Give your rabbit regular access to a suitable place where it can go to the toilet, separate to where it eats and sleeps.
- Clean the housing and toilet areas regularly.
- If you are going away, try to find someone to care for, and meet all your rabbit’s welfare needs within its familiar home. If boarding your rabbit, try to ease the move by keeping grouped rabbits together and taking familiar items, such as toys, along too.
- When you transport your rabbit make sure it is comfortable and safe at all times. Putting familiar smelling items in the carrier and the new environment can help make your rabbit feel at ease.
- Ensure the size and temperature of any place you leave your rabbit (including your vehicle) is appropriate.
- Make sure that where your rabbit lives is safe, secure and free from hazards
But how do you provide this ideal environment if you only have limited Space? The easiest and often the only way is by using a mulit level rabbit hutch with connecting ramps, by allowing your rabbit access to multiple levels you can triple the amount of space your pet has. Once a rabbit gets used to this layout they are very happy. If you do not have the space for a large rabbit hutch and run then you can always use a triple decker rabbit hutch.
