Suitable Rabbit Housing

Suitable Rabbit Housing for Animal Welfare

 

 

Rabbit Hutch/Shed and runs

 

 

• It should also allow them to make at least 3 hops and lie stretched out. In practice this means a minimum of 6ft long x 2ft deep by 2½ft high (but this is an absolute minimum, bigger is better).
• The floor space needs to be at least 2 feet from front to back. In a two-tier style hutch, floor space is lost to the ramp so that must be taken into account.
• Rabbits must be able to stand up on their back legs without their ears touching the top so the hutch must be at least 2½ft tall.
• Wendy house/shed: 4ft by 4ft.  All doors should have strong bolts on to keep safe from predators, swivel latches should be removed.
• Runs: 3m long by 1.5m wide by 1m high (10ft. long by 5ft. wide by 3ft.high) with a secure lid

• 6ft by 4ft shed attached to a 15ft x 5ft x 4ft high run.
• All doors should have strong bolts on to keep safe from predators and remove swivel latches.
• Chicken wire is not suitable for rabbit enclosures as predators can easily chew through.
• Fold away metal runs are not suitable as they are not as strong as a wood/mesh runs and therefore susceptible to predators or rabbits digging out.  Unless they are for occasional, supervised use.

Free range rabbits

Bedding materials for Rabbit Hutches

• Hutches or sheds can be lined with newspaper, vinyl or carpet. Take care that edges of carpet or vinyl are not visible for the rabbits to chew.
• Vinyl must always have hay or carpet on top to prevent the rabbits from slipping over.
• Next you will need hay – lots of it. You can buy large bales of hay at reasonable cost from farm shops and horse suppliers.
• Rabbits don’t just sleep on hay: it also accounts for about 80 per cent of their diet.
• Select hay that is light green or light brown in colour and make sure that it smells fresh.
• Be fussy: coarse, yellowing hay will provide no nutrition; it may also contain parasites.
• Never use wood shavings or farm straw as bedding.
• Wood shavings can contain harmful parasites; they also produce dust, which can cause both you and your rabbits breathing problems.
• Straw is too coarse and has no nutritional value whatsoever – please don’t use it.
• Rabbits can be easily litter trained, fill litter trays with fresh hay daily as they love to eat at the same time.
• By providing them with a toilet area, you can make it easier to clean the hutch or shed: simply empty out the trays, spray with pet disinfectant, wipe, and replenish the contents every day.

Keeping Rabitts indoors

• Owners must ensure rabbits are safe and protected from hazards.
• All areas that the rabbits will have access must be fully rabbit-proofed (e.g. electric cables and wires should be covered and/or put out of reach, access to dangerous areas (such as near the oven in the kitchen) should be prevented/blocked off, houseplants should be non-toxic or placed out of reach where petals etc. will not fall into areas the rabbits have access to.
• It's advisable that owners supervise rabbits when they are let out of their secure enclosure/room.
• You should consider how to gradually get rabbits used to common household sights, noises, sounds, smells, people and pets, if they have not previously been kept inside.
• You should also ensure that if you have other pets, they will not harm/frighten the rabbits.
• Rabbits will usually be scared of cats and dogs because they are their natural predators, but if introduced to them carefully early in life they can develop friendships.
• Never leave your rabbits unsupervised with another animal or person who may (deliberately or accidentally) harm or frighten them.
• Never leave your rabbits unsupervised with a cat or dog, even if you know they are good friends.
• Rabbits will need a large, safe enclosure in a quiet part of your home.
• This enclosure must include; a main shelter and a large, secure exercise area, with additional hiding places. This could be a large, adapted dog pen/crate, a large hutch & run complex or a rabbit-proofed room (with at least one shelter to act as a sleeping/resting area). This provides the rabbit with a safe, familiar place to rest.
• If the rabbits are to be kept in this enclosure when you are not around to supervise them, it must be large enough & interesting enough for the rabbit to be able to behave normally, exercise and play.
•  The floor of the rabbits' enclosure (and ideally all areas the rabbits have access to) should be non-slip – please note that shiny/polished laminated flooring and tiles can be slippery and therefore stressful for rabbits, so should be covered/avoided in areas the rabbits have access to, where possible.
• When the rabbits first move into the home, we suggest that they are left within their enclosure for at least 48 hours to allow them time to acclimatise to the sounds and smells of the new environment, whilst feeling safe. This will also help rabbits get used to where their litter trays are located (if provided) and assist in litter training.
• House rabbits should have daily access to a secure outside enclosure (with a main shelter & hiding places), where they can exercise, dig and graze on growing grass.
• Owners should think about how to provide for needs which cannot easily be met inside the home, including grazing and digging. Provision of kiln-dried grass and growing grass in trays/pots will allow rabbits to show normal grazing behaviour. Providing opportunities to dig (in suitable places) should also be encouraged, e.g. by giving rabbits a 'dig box' filled with earth or child-safe play sand.
• If rabbits are provided with suitable toys and activities (which are regularly rotated to avoid boredom) they will be less likely to chew/dig furniture. Owners may need to prevent access/use welfare-friendly deterrents (such as covering table legs with a safe material) to protect valuable furniture.
• Rabbits are intelligent and can be taught to respond to commands via clicker training. They can also be litter trained. The toilet area(s) should be separate to where rabbits’ sleep. Rabbits may need to be confined to their enclosure area while they are being litter trained. Adding some used litter material and droppings to the trays will help rabbits learn to toilet in these areas. Adding a hay rack above the litter tray(s) may encourage the rabbits to eat more hay. We advise that you provide at least one tray per rabbit (with ideally one more in addition).

Enrichment/environment for Rabbit

• Once you have thought about the right accommodation you then need to consider enrichment for the run.
• Enrichment helps the rabbits to keep fit and happy.
• Children’s sand pits filled with soil or play sand, fruit tree or willow logs, children’s chairs, tunnels, plant pots, trays growing in trays and pots and card board boxes all make great additions.