Rabbits N'Rodents

Indoor & Outdoor Housing

One quick glance around any petstore and you will see a wide variety of rabbit housing, ranging from hutches, some with levels, some with runs, and an increasing selection of indoor rabbit cages, but which one is best for the rabbits and your household? 

The House Rabbit

Attitudes are gradually changing and house rabbits are growing in numbers with the idea of 'a small hutch will do' decreasing, which is great news for rabbits worldwide!  Keeping rabbits inside has many benefits, for both the rabbits and the owner! Indoor rabbits are likely to recieve more attention than outdoor ones as they are inside with the family, and so will often become tamer quicker. They are also less likely to be stolen, attacked by dogs/foxes/racoons etc and will not be as affected by the weather, and any signs of illness will probably be noticed sooner than if they are outside.

Many people don't want to keep their rabbits inside at first, thinking that they are smelly, or will make a mess, however, rabbits can easily be litter trained, and the only mess that may arise is hay, but with the correct storage hay shouldn't be a problem. Some people have found storing hay in cotton shopping bags, makes an attractive and sensible option, as the cotton allows the hay to 'breathe' so it is less likely to become moist and go moldy than in plastic containers. 

For house rabbits, a large dog crate works very well, and is much, much better than an 'indoor rabbit/guinea pig cage' which are often far too small and more suited for smaller furries like hamsters. It also comes in a wider range of sizes and lets air circulate, and believe it or not, the price is not ridiculously high, but rather much better value for money than the commerical indoor cages. You can also make better use of space by adding shelves for the rabbits to lie on.

The rabbits can be let out in the evening in a secure room with no wires or gaps they could crawl under/squeeze through. Please remember rabbits love nothing more than to chew, so all wires must be out of reach and those curtains/rug may be very appetising to a rabbit, so only let them out when you are around to supervise them.

Chewing materials such as tinfoil and wires etc puts your rabbit at a higher risk of getting lead poisioning, so please ensure the room is fully bunny proofed, all wires must be out of reach, any gaps beside fridges cupboards must be covered up. If a rabbit wants to go somewhere, they will try very hard and will fling objects out of the way, so all cover-ups must be sturdy!   

 

Outdoor Rabbits

Please note, that the only place where keeping outdoor bunnies is an option is the UK, as we have mild winters and summers as no matter where you are, you are close to sea. In the USA, Europe etc, it becomes very warm and/or cold, so outside bunnies is not possible unless you can provide some sort of seperate insulated and ventilated outbuilding. Also in the UK there is no chance of rabies being spread by insects, but myxomatosis can be spread by fleas (see vaccination section for more information).

 Outdoor rabbits should be kept in an area that is large enough for them to hop about, stand up on tip-toe and lie down flat out, the minimum size for two small-medium rabbits is 3ft x 6ft x 3ft. If a hutch is to be used, it should be waterproof, raised of the ground to prevent damp, and secure enough to stop dogs, foxes or raccoons etc from getting in.  Also there should be enough ventilation but kept away from drafts, and kept out of direct sunlight. Wild rats and mice can be a problem if they find somewhere to get in, so mouse and rat proof the hutch and run as well. Rats have been known to steal baby rabbits from the nest and even attack adult rabbits, not to mention that both rats and mice can spread diseases, including VHD! Strict hygiene is necessary as no one wants to live in their own waste, and the smell will attract flies, increasing the risk of flystrike and vermin. Rats are not only attracted to the rabbits' food, but they have been known to eat rabbit faeces.

Please note that even if foxes and dogs etc cannot get at the rabbits, the shock of an attempted attack by a fox or dog can KILL your rabbit, so please make sure you have a secured garden and if you have ANY foxes in your area, keep your rabbits indoors or in a shed. Urban foxes no longer only hunt at night and are no longer scared of humans, they are intelligent and cunning animals which should be respected and never blamed for attacks, as they are the natural predator of rabbits.

A large run is a necessity and all outdoor rabbits should have access to one 24 hours a day or at least during the daylight hours and shut in at night. If you provide a run you must have a roof to stop birds of prey, foxes and other agile creatures from getting in and killing your rabbits! There must be a soild floor to prevent rabbits digging out or other animals digging in! A run on grass is not a good idea, as it soon turns to mud in a matter of days/weeks after the grass has been eaten. A waterproof cover should go over the top to stop rain from leaking in. 

You should also ensure you insulate the hutch during the winter months to help keep the rabbits warm, or even bring them inside during the winter season. You can do this by providing lots of extra hay, and even using old carpet/polysterene foam on the hutch roof and sides, or buy a 'hutch snug'. A petsafe head pad that doesn't contain water can also be provided with a cover for each rabbit. I use one of these: www.snugglesafe.co.uk  . The water should be changed as often as possible to prevent it getting too cold, and never use any form of anti-freeze solutions as they can kill your rabbits!  

Personally, I think the best housing for outdoor rabbits is a secure and waterproof shed with a large run attached, the shed should measure at least 6ft by 4ft with a large run- that is suitable for 2-3 small/medium rabbits.   I have a 5ft by 7ft shed with two dutch rabbits and it works perfectly. It may be a bit more expensive, but a shed is an ideal place for outdoor housing.  Hutches are hard to clean, hard to properly insulate and are usually very easy for predators to get into.

Click here to go my article on making a shed a bunny haven!

A garage which is used to house cars is NOT suitable as the fumes can kill!  

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