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Home » Bunny Care & Housing

Bunny Care & Housing


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Rabbits can be kept outside or indoors They make good house pets, being easily litter trained. The decision as to where the rabbit is to be kept will affect the type of Cage or Hutch required for the rabbit. The minimum size for an outside hutch for a small-medium sized bunny is 4' (120cm) by 2ft (60cm) deep. In addition, an area is needed for exercise. For an inside cage the minimum size is a Rabbit 100 ideally with a play pen attached to the front. Different breeds and sizes of rabbits will require different size hutches/cages and runs. A French Lop or Giant will need the minimum of a 6ftx 2ft x2ft outside hutch or a Rabbit 150 inside cage again with an exercise area. It is essential that your rabbit has the room to stretch in all directions. A rabbit hutch that's too small can affect your rabbit’s health - causing spine problems, muscle wastage and obesity.

Hutch Size Guidelines
		A relaxed rabbit will fully stretch out when resting. The rabbit hutch should be wide enough to allow you rabbit to lie with its legs stretched. The hutch must allow plenty of room for the rabbit to turn around in as well.
		Rabbits stand up on their back legs to check their environment is safe. The rabbit hutch should be tall enough to allow your rabbit to do this without being hunched over or folding its ears against the roof.
		The rabbit hutch should be long enough for the rabbit to take at least 3-4 hops without bumping its nose on the end. I would like to acknowledge Tasmin's art skills from the rabbit house for the diagrames above.

So What Breed of Bunny for what size cage? It is important to buy the correct size cage for your chosen breed, the exact size will depend upon the breed that you choose, but remember the rabbit will need room to stretch out and to stand up on its back legs should it feel the urge. A Netherland Dwarf will not need the size cage that a French Lop will need . Most reputable pet shops sell good quality hutches ideal for the pet rabbit in the garden. I stock an excellent range of heavy duty cages. These may well not be the cheapest on the market but are designed to last, and most importantly keep your pet safe and sound. I do not stock hutches under 4ft and will not allow my rabbits to go to pet homes if I believe that the hutch is too small or inadequate for the breed and the well being of the bunny. Rabbits can have a long life span, so making sure you buy a hutch which is sturdy, and secure (from animals trying to get in as well as the rabbit trying to escape) and waterproof, will be a sound investment. There are many different styles of outside hutch: From a free standing hutch which opens at waist height that is easily accessible for getting the rabbit in and out. At this height the rabbit can watch what is happening and is out of the view of cats, dogs and foxes which may pass through the garden. To a hutch with run under, if these are sited on grass then you must make sure that your pet is put in the upper hutch section of a night to protect it from Mr Fox. It is also a good idea to cover the cage of a night. Many hutches come with the option of a tailored made cover. Never stand a hutch directly on the ground as it will quickly become damp and cold so short legs of 220mm at least are a necessity. Remember that the hutch needs to be solid and water proof. When making the decisions about your hutch, bear in mind the following: Make sure it is the correct size for the breed of bunny. If housing a pair of bunnies, have they got enough room to get away from each other if they are having an off day with one another. If you are buying a double storey hutch is it wide enought, with the area that the ramp and ramp hole will take up. My hutch/run combo's are extra deep to allow for this. Always check the width when buying else where. 18" deep hutchs are to narrow. Are the door bolts secure and the wire of the cage sufficient. To keep bunny in and Mr Fox out. Most hutches have a sleeping compartment so that the rabbit can get in and out of the cold and wet. However, a polythene cover suspended from the roof is advisable in bad weather. This allows air to circulate but at the same time stops the bedding getting wet. It is important that there should be air circulating freely in the hutch at all times to stop the build up of bacteria so make sure that the polythene "hangs" rather than "clings". Some hutches have tailored made covers, that not only look good but protect your pet. These have plastic windows, so can be left down during a cold day, as the rabbit will benifit from the light without the draft. If you are buying a second hand hutch - be careful. Always ask why the hutch is being sold. If the previous occupant passed away, bacteria can still be present despite thorough cleaning. If the previous occupant died of VHD, do NOT buy as no cleaning substances can kill the dormant stages of this virus. If you put a baby rabbit in the hutch, it is likely to catch the virus and die. I do not guarantee baby rabbits that are housed in second hand cages.	So before buying your hutch it is best to decide which breed of bunny you are going to have. My available babies looking for new homes can be viewed by clicking here.

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