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Housing My Buns
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Rabbits live in well constructed, water proof, damp proof and secure hutches suited to their size, so Pops my Netherland dwarf buck for example has a 2x2x2 hutch. Such a small hutch better suits pops during the winter as due to is old age he can lose weight relatively easily. His hutch is in a well ventilated and weather proof shed with heating, lighting and air conditioning. This also better suits him being slightly more sensitive to weather changes. In Summer Pops is moved into a larger hutch as weight loss is not such a concern.
Most of my mini lops rest in 5x2x2ft outdoor hutches covered with a gazebo. These hutches are timber protection treated annually, covered in aluminium foil insulation and tarpaulin. Miniature lops are never permanently housed in anything smaller than 4ft x 2ft hutches and additional exercise space is a must!
For 'running on' hutches i use a minimum of a 3x2x2ft hutch for my lops and 2x2x2ft for Netherlands. A running on hutch is temporary housing for kits that i am holding on to in order to see them mature and deliberate over time as to if they will be suitable for showing and breeding. If i decide to keep these bunnies they are moved on to adult hutches and if not, i will find them their ideal home.
I currently have no bonded pairs but future bonded pairs will have no less than 5x2x2 double hutches with two different sleeping/resting compartments and constant access to secure runs.
If your bunny doesnt get much time out of its hutch i would certainly recommend larger hutches such as 6x3x2ft double tiered hutches or a shed suitable and safe for rabbits, this means secure, weather proof and very well ventilated with natural light.
Just because a bunny is small, it doesnt mean it needs less exercise space, most small breeds are more active than larger breeds and require the exercise just as much.
Most of my mini lops rest in 5x2x2ft outdoor hutches covered with a gazebo. These hutches are timber protection treated annually, covered in aluminium foil insulation and tarpaulin. Miniature lops are never permanently housed in anything smaller than 4ft x 2ft hutches and additional exercise space is a must!
For 'running on' hutches i use a minimum of a 3x2x2ft hutch for my lops and 2x2x2ft for Netherlands. A running on hutch is temporary housing for kits that i am holding on to in order to see them mature and deliberate over time as to if they will be suitable for showing and breeding. If i decide to keep these bunnies they are moved on to adult hutches and if not, i will find them their ideal home.
I currently have no bonded pairs but future bonded pairs will have no less than 5x2x2 double hutches with two different sleeping/resting compartments and constant access to secure runs.
If your bunny doesnt get much time out of its hutch i would certainly recommend larger hutches such as 6x3x2ft double tiered hutches or a shed suitable and safe for rabbits, this means secure, weather proof and very well ventilated with natural light.
Just because a bunny is small, it doesnt mean it needs less exercise space, most small breeds are more active than larger breeds and require the exercise just as much.
Protect your bunny
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KEEP YOUR RABBIT'S HUTCH RAISED FROM THE GROUND!!! Bugs are attracted to rabbit waste and damp rises so outdoor hutches must be raised from round level. It also must be a bit scary being at round level and having giant humans walking past. Also consider that foxes and cats may enter your garden at night and could easily scare your bunny. having the hutch raised and sleeping compartments out of direct reach of the cunning fox will help your bunny rest more peacefully.
I use tarpaulin to cover my outdoor hutches in poor weather and at night, this way, foxes may smell bunny and bunny may smell fox but they can not see each other and there is no way fox/cat can get claws onto or into the mesh.
MESH- Most of my hutches and runs are made bespoke and i would recommend this to all bunny owners as you can make a home perfectly suited to your bunny. I use 16-19 gauge galvanized wire mesh with gaps no larger than 1inch x 1/2 inch.
I use tarpaulin to cover my outdoor hutches in poor weather and at night, this way, foxes may smell bunny and bunny may smell fox but they can not see each other and there is no way fox/cat can get claws onto or into the mesh.
MESH- Most of my hutches and runs are made bespoke and i would recommend this to all bunny owners as you can make a home perfectly suited to your bunny. I use 16-19 gauge galvanized wire mesh with gaps no larger than 1inch x 1/2 inch.
Spring/Summer Protection
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When the season changes and the wet weather becomes humid and warm, youll notice that insects are likely to take an interest in your rabbit hutch.
It does not matter how often you clean your hutches, it is not practical to pick up every pellet of poop as it is scattered around the hutch.
If like me you have a well established, wild life friendly garden, you will find mosquitos and flys occassionally concregate around your bunny hutches. This usually between May and July.
In order to safe guard my rabbits i of course ensure all my rabbits have the correct diet, preventing sticky bottom and that hutches are cleaned daily but in addition to this i use fly traps on the outside of my hutches.
You can place them inside the rabbit hutch but ensure your rabbit can not touch them. My rabbits are super interested in all things new in their hutch and due to the length of these fly traps it is not practical to keep them inside the hutches.
I also use fly screen mesh on the galvenised meshed doors of the hutches to keep bugs out. This has worked great this year when mosquitos seem to be thriving!
You are not only protecting against fly strike but Myxi which is carried by blood sucking insects and general insect bites which we all know are very uncomfortable.
It does not matter how often you clean your hutches, it is not practical to pick up every pellet of poop as it is scattered around the hutch.
If like me you have a well established, wild life friendly garden, you will find mosquitos and flys occassionally concregate around your bunny hutches. This usually between May and July.
In order to safe guard my rabbits i of course ensure all my rabbits have the correct diet, preventing sticky bottom and that hutches are cleaned daily but in addition to this i use fly traps on the outside of my hutches.
You can place them inside the rabbit hutch but ensure your rabbit can not touch them. My rabbits are super interested in all things new in their hutch and due to the length of these fly traps it is not practical to keep them inside the hutches.
I also use fly screen mesh on the galvenised meshed doors of the hutches to keep bugs out. This has worked great this year when mosquitos seem to be thriving!
You are not only protecting against fly strike but Myxi which is carried by blood sucking insects and general insect bites which we all know are very uncomfortable.
MADE TO ORDER HUTCHES & RUNS
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Most shop bought hutches are too small, have inadequate lay out and are poorly constructed. In my experience one rarely ever gets their moneys worth and hutces do not last very long and this is why i started constructing my own rabbit hutches.
For example a 5x2ft double tier hutch would cost around £170 from well known chain pet stores, for approximately the same price i can purchase the most suitable materials and use my builder to construct a much stronger, safer and long lasting hutch for your rabbit. I can also supply very large hutches such as 8ft x 3ft x 3ft single, double or triple tier for larger bunnies/bonded multiple rabbits/breeding hutches.
I can arrange custom built rabbit hutches and do not actually build them myself. I make no profit in selling hutches as funds go toward good quality materials and to builder for labor. It is something i like to encourage to provide better and safer outdoor housing to pet rabbits. I will talk through with you the breed of your bunny, its behavior and age/health and can help you to work out what hutch design would be best suited to both you and your rabbit. The build is carried out at my home and I oversee the build to ensure everything is ideal for the breed and condition of the individual rabbit.
Please use contact page and i can give a quote. I understand that everyone's budget is different and have made great hutches with minimal financial input.
Hutches can be collected fully constructed which will often require a van, i can arrange courier at additional cost but will of course try my best to find the most competitive courier rates.
Dependent on the build, hutches can be split into two parts making transporting it easier but minimal assembly once home or can be fully dismantled for reassembly by customer.
For example a 5x2ft double tier hutch would cost around £170 from well known chain pet stores, for approximately the same price i can purchase the most suitable materials and use my builder to construct a much stronger, safer and long lasting hutch for your rabbit. I can also supply very large hutches such as 8ft x 3ft x 3ft single, double or triple tier for larger bunnies/bonded multiple rabbits/breeding hutches.
I can arrange custom built rabbit hutches and do not actually build them myself. I make no profit in selling hutches as funds go toward good quality materials and to builder for labor. It is something i like to encourage to provide better and safer outdoor housing to pet rabbits. I will talk through with you the breed of your bunny, its behavior and age/health and can help you to work out what hutch design would be best suited to both you and your rabbit. The build is carried out at my home and I oversee the build to ensure everything is ideal for the breed and condition of the individual rabbit.
Please use contact page and i can give a quote. I understand that everyone's budget is different and have made great hutches with minimal financial input.
Hutches can be collected fully constructed which will often require a van, i can arrange courier at additional cost but will of course try my best to find the most competitive courier rates.
Dependent on the build, hutches can be split into two parts making transporting it easier but minimal assembly once home or can be fully dismantled for reassembly by customer.
Bunny Bedding
I do not recommend the use of wood shavings for rabbit bedding. No matter how many times it says on the packaging that the shavings are dust extracted, it is still dusty even in a well ventilated hutch or cage.
I use lino for the base of my hutches, making disinfecting them easier and more efficient as the wooden floors do not soak up urine or hold bacteria. It is also a good idea to cover the bottom half of the walls with lino as urine can spray up onto the walls, especially with intact and excitable bucks!
I am carrying out reviews of different bedding products on the market. So far i have reviewed Easibed and Ecobed.
This week I am trialing Auboise and MegaZorb, next for trialing will be Tima Natural straw pellets/oxbow straw pellets and i will continue to trial new products.
My current conclusions are that easibed and Auboise are the best avaliable rabbit bedding products on the market, for both long and short haired rabbits.
I use lino for the base of my hutches, making disinfecting them easier and more efficient as the wooden floors do not soak up urine or hold bacteria. It is also a good idea to cover the bottom half of the walls with lino as urine can spray up onto the walls, especially with intact and excitable bucks!
I am carrying out reviews of different bedding products on the market. So far i have reviewed Easibed and Ecobed.
This week I am trialing Auboise and MegaZorb, next for trialing will be Tima Natural straw pellets/oxbow straw pellets and i will continue to trial new products.
My current conclusions are that easibed and Auboise are the best avaliable rabbit bedding products on the market, for both long and short haired rabbits.
AdvantagesDust free
Retains warmth Does not stick to hay Heavy and therefore not as easily shifted under foot Very absorbent- urine is soaked up at the bottom of the bedding keeping surface bedding dry Urine saturated bedding is easily scooped up Doesn't go all over house/garden/shed and is easily swept up. Has a pleasent smell Visually pleasing Woodchips are soft and do not splinter Easily stored Very good value Great for lionheads and long-haired rabbits as it does not stick to fur AdvantagesDust free
Droppings and saturated bedding pieces go to the bottom of the bedding keeping the top bedding clean and dry Clean used bedding can be picked up leaving only saturated bedding and droppings on the hutch floor to be swept away. Hutch floor can then be cleaned and clean used bedding replaced - very long lasting. Does not stick to hay Light weight, packaging easily moved around. Ideal for litter trays that are changed frequentlyDoes occasionally stick to long hair but falls away easily. Recycled |
DisadvantagesDroppings stay on top of woodchips
Surface woodchips may need to be moved in order to see wet woodchips underneath Heavy in packaging - not easily moved around DisadvantagesNot very absorbant
Costs slightly more than easibed Will stick to garden paving when wet, not easily swept up Storage is more difficult due to bulky size. Not very visually pleasing Thicker layer requied, moves more easily underfoot Ends up in the food bowl |
Current Bedding Trials
Hay Bedding
I use meadow hay alongside oat or barley straw to fill sleeping areas of hutces for comfort and warmth. More so comfort as hay is softer but must be very dry as hay holds moisture well, making it potentially damp and chilly for bunnies. Clean, tidy and well litter trained rabbits with short hair have a fine layer of meadow hay over the substrate (bedsoft bio) for additional comfort on their feet and to graze from. Hay will hold damp so i do not recommend hay on the floor of hutches for rabbits that are not yet litter trained as they will sit in their own damp spots.
When using hay on hutch floor it needs checking at least once daily to ensure it is still clean and dry. Hay must be removed as soon as it is soiled. Parasites such as E.C are spread by spores in rabbit urine and if your rabbit eats the hay they have urinated on they are only aiding the establisment of this horrible and deadly parasite. This is why the use of hay racks is so important. Rabbits like to eat while they go to the toilet being that they have such fast working digestive systems, placing a hay rack by the litter tray will both encourage the use of the tray and prevent hay from being contaminated.
When using hay on hutch floor it needs checking at least once daily to ensure it is still clean and dry. Hay must be removed as soon as it is soiled. Parasites such as E.C are spread by spores in rabbit urine and if your rabbit eats the hay they have urinated on they are only aiding the establisment of this horrible and deadly parasite. This is why the use of hay racks is so important. Rabbits like to eat while they go to the toilet being that they have such fast working digestive systems, placing a hay rack by the litter tray will both encourage the use of the tray and prevent hay from being contaminated.
Hygiene
Hutches are spot checked daily, this means all litter trays are emptied and cleaned daily and any other soiled bedding removed. Hay and water refreshed and monitoring of pellet intake.
Once a week I do a full empty of the hutches and good clean with rabbit safe disinfectants such as Vanodine V18.
Monthly hutches are emptied and given a deep clean with bleach/water solution and undiluted vanodine.
Often bleach is the only thing that will kill those really bad bacteria like E.C and as clean as i may keep the hutches, who knows can be picked up from the hay/straw etc so in my opinion one can never be too careful! So not to cause any potencial harm to my rabbits i ensure that the hutches are well rinsed after bleaching and fully dried and aired. Bunnies wont go back into a hutch until i cant smell bleach anymore and ive got a pretty good sense of smell, its my eye sight thats not so great! lol.
Once a week I do a full empty of the hutches and good clean with rabbit safe disinfectants such as Vanodine V18.
Monthly hutches are emptied and given a deep clean with bleach/water solution and undiluted vanodine.
Often bleach is the only thing that will kill those really bad bacteria like E.C and as clean as i may keep the hutches, who knows can be picked up from the hay/straw etc so in my opinion one can never be too careful! So not to cause any potencial harm to my rabbits i ensure that the hutches are well rinsed after bleaching and fully dried and aired. Bunnies wont go back into a hutch until i cant smell bleach anymore and ive got a pretty good sense of smell, its my eye sight thats not so great! lol.
Companionship & Socialisation
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Rabbits are both solitary and social animals. A bit like human beings in some ways. They very much require interaction, affection and companionship but this does not need to come from another rabbit, it can come from the pet owner but it is important to ensure that a lone living rabbit spends as much time with people as possible in order to fulfil its social needs.
Wild European rabbits are well known for their large family communities which can be twenty individuals strong. They will share a burrowing network and grazing grounds but often have their own burrow to get away from it all.
Living alone is lonely as a single people, one would often have friends and family visit and keep them company or go out to socialise, think of your rabbit as a human when it comes to social needs.
Rabbits like us, enjoy their own space and time to chill out and relax and without it, they will become very grumpy, just as we do without 'me time'.
There is very little that is more warming to the heart to see than bonded rabbits grooming each other and cuddling up.
Just like us, rabbits need to choose their life partner and there can be relationships that dont work out before they find their soul mate. Usually if neutered/spayed siblings or young rabbits are bonded post surgery, they will often be happy with that mate for the rest of their life. It really is very much like marriage.
Male and female, Buck and Doe pairings usually work best and bonding of multiple rabbits is possible if plenty of space is provided. Two does and two bucks from the same litter can also live hapily together but caution must be taken and they must be spayed/neutered as early as possible or seperated when bickering starts. Rabbits will remember fights they have had with certain rabbits and do hold grudges!
Bonding same sex rabbits from different litters and at different ages is usually the hardest pairing and can take a long time. It is always best if your rabbit is able to choose their own mate when possible
In a marriage it is important that both parties have their own space, providing amble hutch and run space with more than one sleeping area will help a pair to live harmoniously. Overcrowding is annoying for everyone and we all know we are more likely to bicker when theres a house full!
By giving a rabbit the oppurtunity to have a mate, they will benefit from the social interaction time that you can not provide such as at night and early hours in the morning when youll be sleeping but your rabbits will be active and can easily get lonely and bored.
A bonded pair will enjoy cuddles at nap times just as we do and they will help to look after each other too by gromming one another and keeping each others coats and personal parts nice and clean.
For most rabbit owners, it is best for their rabbit if they do have a companion.
Remember pairing must always be done with spayed and neutered rabbits!
Wild European rabbits are well known for their large family communities which can be twenty individuals strong. They will share a burrowing network and grazing grounds but often have their own burrow to get away from it all.
Living alone is lonely as a single people, one would often have friends and family visit and keep them company or go out to socialise, think of your rabbit as a human when it comes to social needs.
Rabbits like us, enjoy their own space and time to chill out and relax and without it, they will become very grumpy, just as we do without 'me time'.
There is very little that is more warming to the heart to see than bonded rabbits grooming each other and cuddling up.
Just like us, rabbits need to choose their life partner and there can be relationships that dont work out before they find their soul mate. Usually if neutered/spayed siblings or young rabbits are bonded post surgery, they will often be happy with that mate for the rest of their life. It really is very much like marriage.
Male and female, Buck and Doe pairings usually work best and bonding of multiple rabbits is possible if plenty of space is provided. Two does and two bucks from the same litter can also live hapily together but caution must be taken and they must be spayed/neutered as early as possible or seperated when bickering starts. Rabbits will remember fights they have had with certain rabbits and do hold grudges!
Bonding same sex rabbits from different litters and at different ages is usually the hardest pairing and can take a long time. It is always best if your rabbit is able to choose their own mate when possible
In a marriage it is important that both parties have their own space, providing amble hutch and run space with more than one sleeping area will help a pair to live harmoniously. Overcrowding is annoying for everyone and we all know we are more likely to bicker when theres a house full!
By giving a rabbit the oppurtunity to have a mate, they will benefit from the social interaction time that you can not provide such as at night and early hours in the morning when youll be sleeping but your rabbits will be active and can easily get lonely and bored.
A bonded pair will enjoy cuddles at nap times just as we do and they will help to look after each other too by gromming one another and keeping each others coats and personal parts nice and clean.
For most rabbit owners, it is best for their rabbit if they do have a companion.
Remember pairing must always be done with spayed and neutered rabbits!