Pet Habitat South Africa

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15 Jun 2014

Providing Suitable Rabbit Home

Posted By : Guest

Filed Under : Pet Cages | Rabbits

Anyone owning or considering owning rabbits should give serious consideration to the housing they offer these animals. A small hutch hidden away in the garden is not sufficient and we need to move away from the notion that rabbits can be locked away 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is WRONG!

In the wild a rabbit will cover an area equivalent to 30 tennis courts each day. Think about your own rabbits; if they are locked away inside a hutch all day it would simply be impossible for them to cover even a fraction of this distance. You should also consider the fact that wild rabbits also love to jump, dig, forage and hide – you should therefore offer your rabbits the opportunity to do the same.

Bear these factors in mind when shopping for a hutch and run. Buy the biggest you can afford and don’t forget that it may be cheaper to make your own. The hutch should offer each rabbit its own “bedroom area”, with a separate toilet area and a larger area for eating and play. Your rabbit should be able to hop at least four hops in a variety of directions and should be able to stand on his hind legs without his ears touching the roof. The minimum recommended hutch size is 1800 x 600 x 600 mm.

Ideally the run should be connected on a permanent basis, meaning you can leave the rabbits to roam free between the hutch and outside space. However, if you are concerned about predators then you may prefer to keep the rabbits in the hutch at night. Make sure the run is strong enough to keep predators out and is secured to the ground at various points around its perimeter.

Pay close attention to the position of the hutch. During the hot summer months you need to ensure it is not positioned in direct sunlight for any prolonged periods of time. In winter you should weather proof your hutch with breathable, water-proof fabrics. Alternatively, consider moving the hutch into a shed or bringing the rabbits indoors at night (remember in the day to allow your rabbits free-range time just as you would during the milder months).

Look for good quality bedding such as Burgess Excel. You can line the hutch with newspaper and cover with straw. Remember to keep it clean. A sweep out every day is preferable, with a full clean down once a week.

Think about the existing outbuildings in your garden before buying a hutch. A shed or child’s summer house make good accommodation for rabbits and they are far more likely to offer your rabbits more space to move. You can construct levels within these buildings with ramps for the rabbits to climb.

If your rabbits are house rabbits and have free run of the house then don’t forget that they will benefit from time outside. Not only will they enjoy munching on fresh grass, dandelion leaves and tree bark, but they will also produce vitamin D from the sunlight.

Rabbit owners should recognise that rabbits are social animals who in the wild would like together in a social community. We therefore always recommend that rabbits are kept in pairs (single sexed or neutered).