| New Zealand's Nature & Science Discovery Centre |
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| Most ready to buy hutches are too small. In it's natural habitat, a wild rabbit moves swiftly and may cover many miles in a day. Confining a pet rabbit to a small hutch with little opportunity for freedom is unnatural and may cause unnecessary suffering. A good roomy hutch, with two connecting compartments is essential. One third of the hutch should be enclosed for cosy, draught free sleeping quarters. The other two thirds is for daytime activity and should have a strong wire mesh front to admit light and air. Each compartment should have a separate door, well fitting with good hinges and catches, to faciliate easy cleaning and keep predators out. No hutch is too big - always provide the largest area possible, whether you are purchasing or making a home for your pets. Minimum requirements: Small rabbits 120 x 60 x 45cm (true dwarfs) Medium rabbits 180 x 60 x 60cm (lops, dutch etc) Large rabbits 200 x 60 x 120cm (flemish giant, chinchilla, nz white etc) The roof should be sloping and covered with roofing felt, tiles, novaroof or other waterproof material. These should overhang the hutch to keep its sides dry and to prevent driving rain from saturating the interior. These materials may be added to a store bought hutch. Painting the roof white helps to keep the occupant cool. Hutches with raised legs give protection from predators. Ventilation is an important consideration when constructing or purchasing these. A height of around 80cm off the ground makes cleaning the hutch easier and also faciliates taking the rabbit in and out of the hutch. Position the hutch in a draught free position, out of direct sunlight. Facing the morning sun is best. Bedding A warm dry, comfortable hutch is of the utmost importance for animals that must spend a good deal of time confined to a hutch. The sleeping compartment needs a layer of newspaper, or wood shavings around five cm deep (or both). Top this with a deep layer of straw, hay or shredded paper to provide warmth, insulation and an opportunity for burrowing. Using newspaper on the bottom makes it easier for cleaning, as the soiled bedding can just be wrapped up and discarded. Avoid wood chips such as cedar bedding that have a high content of volatile oils or preservatives, as these can have toxic properties. Pine bedding is ideal. Some of the reconstituted fibre bedding can cause severe digestive problems or even death when ingested - such as certain types of cage or kitty litter bedding. The floor of the outdoor run should have strong mesh so that rabbits droppings may fall through and predators cannot chew through it. Square welded mesh is ideal and should not be larger than 10mm square. Chicken wire can damage your pets feet. Hutches that are placed directly on the ground should be moved to a fresh area of grass daily. (Rex rabbits should not be kept on a wire floor). Rabbits urinate copiously and tend to select one area of the hutch as a 'latrine'. Clean this damp corner thoroughly each day. It may be possible to place a plastic cat litter tray in this corner to faciliate cleaning. All of the bedding will need to be changed regularly. For rabbits that do not soil their bedding, once a week will suffice - otherwise every day or two. Rabbits must have clean and dry quarters at all times. |
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